Triboro Coach Corporation was a bus company in New York City, United States, operating local service in Queens and express routes to Manhattan until February 20, 2006, when MTA Bus took over all of its bus operations and services.
History Salvatore Fornatora began operating buses in Queens in April 1919 as the Woodside-Astoria Transportation Company, with his first route, the eastern part of today's Q19 route connecting the 103rd Street-Corona Plaza station on the recently opened Corona Line in Corona with Flushing. In 1928, the Corona terminal was extended westward, and moved to Astoria - 21st Street, completing the original formation of today's Q19 Astoria Boulevard bus route, when the Corona Line was extended to Flushing. The company was operating several other routes in the Astoria-Woodside-Maspeth area by 1930.
The new Triboro Coach Corporation was incorporated on April 10, 1931, running the Q18 and Q24 routes. On September 24, 1936, it acquired a city franchise for nine routes in northwestern Queens (the "Long Island City zone").New York Times, Long Island City Zone Taken by One Bus Line, January 4, 1936, page 17 Triboro acquired the Q23 from the North Shore Bus Company, the Q29 from Kings Coach Company, the Q33 from Municipal Motor Bus Company, the Q38 from Affiliated Bus Transit Corporation, and the Q39 from National City Lines. After World War II during October 1947, Triboro was acquired by the stockholders of Green Bus Lines, after financial difficulties, but continued to operate independently. Its depot in East Elmhurst was opened on January 15, 1954. Major expansions were made in 1956 with an express bus route (now the Q53) between Woodside and Rockaway Park (replacing the Long Island Rail Road's Rockaway Beach Branch, out of service since 1950) and in 1961, when it acquired the Q72 (then the B72) from the New York City Transit Authority. Five express routes to Manhattan were initiated in the 1970s and 1980s: the QM10 & QM11 in 1970, QM12 in 1971, and QM22, QM24, and QM24W in June 1988. Triboro was the first private company in the city to initiate express operations with the Q53 Woodside-Rockaway Park Express bus line in 1956, at the request of the City of New York due to the loss of direct LIRR Rockaway service from Woodside. (via the Internet Archive)In addition to diesel powered buses, Triboro housed a Methanol, and compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility, along with several CNG powered buses at its final facility in East Elmhurst. The methanol fuel station was installed in 1989 for six General Motors-built methanol buses. In the early 1990s, three Triboro-operated RTS buses were fitted with special Detroit Diesel Series 92 engines that ran on methanol provided by Air Products & Chemicals. CNG fueling was installed in 1994 to be used for orders of TMC RTS-06 CNG buses and later Orion V CNG buses that were ordered in conjunction with identical buses used by Command Bus Company and Queens Surface Corporation (now Spring Creek Depot and College Point Depot respectively).
On February 20, 2006, the operations of Triboro Coach were taken over by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) under the MTA Bus Company brand, the final part of the city's takeover of all the remaining subsidized privately operated bus routes. As part of the takeover, the former Triboro Coach garage became the LaGuardia Depot. However, the facility was severely damaged in April 2006 (only 2 months after the MTA Takeover) following an explosion within one of the natural gas lines and destroyed a former Triboro/ ex-Jamaica Bus RTS-04 (see below). All of the ex-Triboro CNG buses were transferred to Spring Creek and College Point Depots and ran from there up until their retirement.
Bus routes Just prior to MTA Bus takeover, Triboro Coach operated the following routes. Most of these continue to be based out of the company's former facility in East Elmhurst.
Route Terminal AMajor streets of travelTerminal BNotesQueens LocalQ18Astoria30th Avenue, 58th Street, Woodside Avenue, 65th Place, 69th StreetMaspethFormerly Steinway Transit Corporation Flushing Line; Q18 Astoria-Woodside and Q24 Woodside-Maspeth; combined into Q18 Streamlined in Maspeth on August 31, 2025.Q19via Astoria BoulevardFlushingSalvatore Fornatora's original bus route from Corona into Flushing formed during April 1919. Was at College Point Depot from 2010-2014 and again from 2017-2025.Q19ALong Island City21st Street, Ditmars BoulevardJackson Heights Originally ran from Queens Plaza to the Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard El station Renumbered to Q69 in 2008 Truncated from Court Square to Queens Plaza on August 31, 2025.Q19BJackson Heights35th Avenue, 35th Avenue, 89th/90th Streets, Astoria BoulevardEast Elmhurst Renumbered to Q49 in 2008Q23East Elmhurst108th Street Forest Hills Acquired in 1936 from North Shore Bus Company. Was at College Point Depot from 2017-2025. Rerouted from 102nd-104th Streets to 108th Street north of Roosevelt Avenue in 2025.Q29Jackson Heights80th StreetGlendale Acquired in 1936 from Kings Coach Company Transferred to NYCT on June 29, 2025.Q3382nd/83rd Streets, 23rd Avenue, 94th StreetLaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Acquired in 1936 from Municipal Motorbus Company via 82nd/83rd Streets Shortened to Ditmars Boulevard in 2013 due to new Q70 to LaGuardia Airport Northern terminus rerouted to LGA Airport’s Marine Air Terminal on August 31, 2025.Q38Middle VillageEliot and Penelope Avenues Rego Park- or -Corona Acquired in 1936 from Affiliated Bus Transit Corporation. Was at College Point Depot from 2010-2025. Transferred to NYCT with Eliot Avenue portion removed on June 29, 2025.Q39Long Island CityForest AvenueRidgewoodAcquired in 1936 from National City Bus Lines Transferred to NYCT with northern terminus rerouted to Queens Plaza on June 29, 2025.Q45Jackson Heights69th StreetMiddle VillageJuniper Valley ParkExtended to Atlas Park Mall in 2008. Merged into an extended Q47 in 2011.Q45XRego ParkWoodhaven & Queens Boulevards / Rego Center- or -Corona98th Street and 60th AvenueEliot AvenueMiddle Village69th Street Established in 1943 Q45X short for "Q45 Extension". This later became the first version of Q50; then part of . Replaced by on June 29, 2025.Q47Jackson Heights69th Street and 80th Street LaGuardia AirportMarine Air Terminal Extended to Atlas Park Mall via former Q45 route in 2011. Northern terminus rerouted to Ditmars Boulevard via 23rd Avenue on August 31, 2025.Q53WoodsideWoodhaven Boulevard, Cross Bay Boulevard, Rockaway Beach BoulevardRockaway Park Originally created as a replacement for the partially abandoned Long Island Rail Road Rockaway Beach Branch in 1950. Was named the "Rockaway Park Express," despite the fact that technically, it was never a true express bus. Was at College Point Depot from 2014-2017. Rebranded as a “Limited” route upon MTA takeover; “Select Bus Service” since 2017.Q72Rego ParkJunction Boulevard LaGuardia AirportOriginally the North Beach and Junction Boulevard trolley lines in 1894 Acquired in 1961 from New York City Transit Authority. Queens-Manhattan expressQM10Midtown ManhattanManhattan: 3rd Avenue branch: 34th Street, 3rd Avenue, 57th Street6th Avenue branch: 34th Street, 6th Avenue, 57th StreetQueens: Queens Boulevard, Linden Boulevard,63rd Road, 57th AvenueLefrak CityLeFrak City Express Former 3rd Avenue service relabeled QM40 in early September 2016QM11Financial DistrictWall StreetManhattan: Water Street, Church Street via 3rd Avenue or 6th AvenueQueens: Queens Boulevard, 63rd Road, 57th AvenueFormer downtown branch of the QM10 Queens trips streamlined via Yellowstone Boulevard in Forest Hills on June 30, 2025.QM12Midtown ManhattanManhattan: 3rd Avenue, 34th Street, 6th Avenue, 57th StreetQueens: Queens Boulevard, Yellowstone BoulevardForest HillsWoodhaven Boulevard/Union TurnpikeForest Hills Express Stops east of 71 Avenue in Forest Hills discontinued in January 2011. Third Avenue service was split off into QM42 in September 2016. Truncated to Metropolitan Avenue/71st Road on June 30, 2025.QM22Midtown ManhattanManhattan: 3rd Avenue branch: 3rd Avenue, 59th Street6th Avenue branch: 34th Street, 6th Avenue, 57th StreetQueens: 21st Street, 21st Avenue, Ditmars BoulevardJackson HeightsJackson Heights Express Discontinued in June 2010, due to budget crisisQM24Midtown ManhattanManhattan: 8th Avenue or 3rd AvenueQueens: Queens BoulevardGlendaleMyrtle Avenue and 73rd StreetGlendale Express. Eighth Avenue service rerouted to Sixth Avenue during MTA takeover. Third Avenue service relabeled to QM34 in September 2016.QM24W Financial DistrictWall StreetManhattan: 23rd Street, Madison Avenue, 57th StreetQueens: Queens Boulevard Glendale - Wall Street Express Operated as QM24 under MTA takeover Renumbered as QM25 in June 2010
Triboro also operated the Q57 express bus from Queensbridge at 21st Street and 41st Avenue to LaGuardia Airport in 1990. Nicknamed the "QT (Quick Trip) LaGuardia Express" bus route, it was discontinued in May 1991 due to lower than expected ridership. The service ran every 20 minutes, getting to the airport in 25 minutes, and stopping at all terminals. The route travelled via 21st Street and Astoria Boulevard to get to the airport. Service ran from 21st Street between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and from LaGuardia between 6:35 a.m. and 11 p.m.. The fare was $5, in addition to the $1.15 subway fare. The buses had luggage racks, air conditioning and padded seats.
Depots
Astoria depot The company's first garage was located at 29-28 Vernon Boulevard or 23-29/29-23 Vernon Boulevard, at Vernon Boulevard and Main Avenue (Astoria Boulevard) in Astoria, Queens, on the eastern shore of the East River near the western terminal of the company's route. The one-story brick building covered , and served as the company's main repair shops.
On July 19, 1926, an explosion and fire occurred in the garage's basement, leading to the death of a teenage employee. The facility was condemned by the city in the 1940s to construct the Astoria Houses public housing project, which remains there today.
Woodside depots Triboro Coach simultaneously operated two garages in Woodside, Queens, in addition to its Astoria depot. The first was located at the southwest corner of Queens Boulevard and 51st Street, south of the 52nd Street subway station and adjacent to the New Calvary Cemetery. It was leased in 1939. The second was located at 69-01 35th Road or 65-10 35th Avenue, on a block bound by 65th Street to the west, 35th Avenue to the north, 69th Street to the east, and 35th Road to the south. It was located just north of the 65th Street subway station on Broadway. This depot was leased in 1941. Both Woodside depots were condemned by the city in 1947. The second site at 65th Street was condemned for the construction of the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (BQE). It closed in 1954, following eviction proceedings, replaced by the East Elmhurst location. The right-of-way of the BQE occupies the site today.
East Elmhurst depot
Triboro Coach's final depot was located on a two-block long structure (85-01 24th Avenue) bound by 85th and 87th Street, and 23rd and 24th Avenues in the East Elmhurst & Jackson Heights neighborhoods of Queens, New York near LaGuardia Airport. The depot was opened on January 15, 1954, at the cost of $1 million. The garage housed 130 buses, with additional space outdoors. The depot became MTA Bus' LaGuardia Depot on February 20, 2006.