B38 (New York City bus)

{{short description|Bus route in Brooklyn, New York}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox bus line |box_width = 300px |number = {{NYC bus infobox header |title=b38 |color1=local |color2=limited}} |logo =  |logo_width =  |logo_alt =  |subheader = DeKalb Avenue Line |image = (USA-New_York)_Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority_4722_NY-MTA-AX5390_B38_2024-06-20.jpg |image_width = 250px |image_alt =  |caption = A 2012 XD60 (4722) on the Downtown Brooklyn-bound B38 Limited along Fulton Street in June 2024. |system = MTA Regional Bus Operations |operator = New York City Transit Authority |garage = Grand Avenue Depot |vehicle = New Flyer Xcelsior XD60 (main vehicle) New Flyer Xcelsior XD40 New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40 New Flyer Xcelsior XE40<ref>{{cite web|title=Grand Avenue Depot Bus Roster|url=https://sites.google.com/view/nyctbusroster/home/mta/brooklyn-division/grand-avenue-depot?authuser=0|access-date=14 January 2025}}</ref>(supplemental) |livery = |pvr = |status = |open = |close = |predecessors = |night = |locale = Brooklyn and Queens, New York, U.S. |communities = Ridgewood, Bushwick, Bedford–Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn |landmarks = |termini =  |start = Downtown Brooklyn–Cadman Plaza & Tillary Street |via = Lafayette Avenue (eastbound) / DeKalb Avenue (westbound)<ref name="B38">{{cite NYC bus|B38}}</ref> |end = Ridgewood, Queens |length = {{convert|5.9|mi|km}} |otherroutes = B26 Halsey/Fulton Streets B52 Gates Avenue B54 Myrtle Avenue |compete = |ibus = |level = |level1 = |frequency = |alt_frequency = |time = |day = All times (Seneca/Catalpa), All times except late nights (Metropolitan/Starr)<ref name="B38" /> |zone = |timetable_link= [https://new.mta.info/document/7051 B38] |annualpatronage=3,433,050 (2024)<ref>{{cite web | title=Subway and bus ridership for 2024 | website=mta.info | date=June 10, 2025| url=https://new.mta.info/agency/new-york-city-transit/subway-bus-ridership-2024| access-date=June 11, 2025}}</ref> |transfers = Yes |map_link =  |map = |map_state = collapsed |map_name =  |previous_line = B37 |next_line = B39 |notes =  }}  The '''DeKalb Avenue Line''' is a public transit line in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, running mostly along DeKalb Avenue, as well as eastbound on '''Lafayette Avenue''' (as part of a one-way pair), between Downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the '''B38 DeKalb/Lafayette Avenues''' bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority.

At its east end, after crossing into Queens, the line turns southeast on Seneca Avenue and ends just short of Myrtle Avenue, at Catalpa Avenue. A branch runs northeast on Stanhope Street to Linden Hill Cemetery.

==Route description== thumb|A 2012 XD60 (4713) on the Downtown Brooklyn-bound B38 in May 2023 The B38 bus route begins at a loop around Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn. It heads east on Fulton Street, splitting onto DeKalb Avenue (westbound) and Lafayette Avenue (eastbound). After crossing Broadway, eastbound buses return to DeKalb Avenue via Bushwick Avenue. The route crosses into Ridgewood, Queens and turns southeast on Seneca Avenue; every other bus turns northeast on Stanhope Street to a loop around Linden Hill Cemetery, while the rest continue along Seneca Avenue to just shy of Myrtle Avenue. Along the way, transfers can be made to the subway at Court Street – Borough Hall ({{NYCS Court-Borough}}), Jay Street – MetroTech ({{NYCS Jay Street}}), DeKalb Avenue (BMT Fourth Avenue and Brighton Lines) ({{NYCS DeKalb}}), Classon Avenue ({{NYCS Crosstown}}), Kosciuszko Street ({{NYCS Jamaica east J}}), DeKalb Avenue (BMT Canarsie Line) ({{NYCS Canarsie}}), and Seneca Avenue ({{NYCS Myrtle}}).<ref name=busbkln>{{cite NYC bus map|B}}</ref>

The B38 also employs a limited-stop service during the daytime on weekdays, making limited stops between Flatbush Avenue and Seneca Avenue. While the limited-stop service is running, B38 Limiteds serve Catalpa Avenue while local B38 buses serve the Linden Hill Cemetery. There is no overnight service to Linden Hill Cemetery.<ref>{{cite NYC bus map|B2}}</ref>

==History==

=== Streetcar service === After a legal battle with the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad (Smith Street Line), which shared Water Street west of Main Street,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Rival Railroad Companies|date = 2 October 1861|page=3}}</ref> and in which it was decided that the CI&B would own two tracks and give the BC&N trackage rights over one,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Fight Between the Newtown and Coney Island Railroad Companies|date = 12 February 1862|page=2}}</ref> the Brooklyn City and Newtown Rail Road opened the line to the public on January 28, 1862. The route stretched from Fulton Ferry east to stables at Throop Avenue and a depot at Marcus Garvey Boulevard (then Yates Avenue, later Sumner Avenue). Tracks were laid in Fulton Street, Front Street, Gold Street, Willoughby Street, University Plaza (then Debevoise Street), and DeKalb Avenue.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Newtown Railroad|date = 2 January 1862|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=City and Newtown Railroad Co.|date = 18 January 1862|page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Opening of the Newtown Railroad|date = 27 January 1862|page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Newtown Railroad|date = 28 January 1862|page=2}}</ref> The eastbound track, in Water Street and Bridge Street rather than Front Street and Gold Street, was soon opened. By July, the line was extended northeast on DeKalb Avenue and southeast on Seneca Avenue to the Myrtle Avenue Park in Ridgewood, Queens.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Brooklyn City and Newtown Railroad Company|date = 11 March 1869|page=2}}</ref>

In order to enable the company to avoid the narrow Debevoise Street and a dangerous westbound curve at Debevoise Street and DeKalb Avenue,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Local Railroads|date = 15 March 1869|page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Change of Railroad Route|date = 24 May 1869|page=10}}</ref> a law was passed in 1869 to allow a single track in DeKalb Avenue and Gold Street between Debevoise Street and Willoughby Street. The company laid a single track plus a "siding", but used both for revenue service, rerouting all trains in both directions to the new route in August 1869.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Corporate Sharp Practice|date = 14 August 1869|page=2}}</ref> Eastbound trains were moved back to Willoughby Street and Debevoise Street once a single track was built to replace the two;<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=DeKalb Avenue Railroad|date = 25 August 1869|page=3}}</ref> by then, the Hunter's Point and Prospect Park Railroad (Crosstown Line) was also using Willoughby Street.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Cross Town Railroad|date = 9 April 1869|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Travel|date = 3 June 1869|page=4}}</ref>

Starting on May 3, 1871, the Park Avenue Railroad's Vanderbilt Avenue Line shared the tracks between Fulton Ferry and Concord Street.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Park Avenue Line of Cars|date = 3 May 1871|page=4}}</ref> In March 1872, a law was passed to allow the BC&N to build in DeKalb Avenue west from Debevoise Street to Fulton Street, and use the Brooklyn City Rail Road's trackage in Fulton Street to Fulton Ferry.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=From Albany|date = 28 March 1872|page=4}}</ref> After some opposition from the City Railroad,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Rival Railroads|date = 20 March 1872|page=4}}</ref> the route was changed in April to turn off on Washington Street after passing City Hall.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=From Albany|date = 3 April 1872|page=3}}</ref> Despite objections from Washington Street residents,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Railroad Matters|date = 5 April 1872|page=3}}</ref> the new route, using Washington Street north to Front and Water Streets,<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Change of the DeKalb Avenue Railroad|date = 16 July 1872|page=4}}</ref> was opened on September 4, 1872.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Change of Route|date = 4 September 1872|page=3}}</ref> The old route continued to be used by short-turn trains to Yates Avenue.<ref>David Rumsey Map Collection, J.B. Beers & Co., [http://davidrumsey.com/maps1120607-28807.html A new and complete street directory of Brooklyn], 1874; the following routes are listed for the "Dekalb Avenue R. R.": :ROUTE NO. 1. Fulton Ferry to Montrose Avenue, via Water, Washington and Fulton Streets and Dekalb Avenue and Chestnut St., to City Line. Returning by same route to Front, thence through Front and Fulton Sts. :ROUTE No. 2. Fulton Ferry to Yates Ave., via Water, Bridge and Willoughby Sts., Debevoise Place and Dekalb Ave. Returning by Dekalb Ave., Gold, Front and Fulton Streets.</ref> The BC&N stopped using the old route later that decade, but the Vanderbilt Avenue Line continued to use it until 1883, when it built a track in Concord Street west of Bridge Street in order to serve the new Brooklyn Bridge.<ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Events in Brooklyn|date = 10 June 1883|page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=Unused Tracks|date = 2 October 1883|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = Brooklyn Daily Eagle | location = Brooklyn, NY |title=The Board of Aldermen|date = 10 June 1884|page=2}}</ref>

The Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad leased BC&N on December 1, 1897<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Watson |first1=Edward B. |last2=Linder |first2=Bernard |date=October 1969 |title=Brooklyn Trolley Companies |url=https://erausa.org/pdf/bulletin/1960s/1969/1969-10-bulletin.pdf |journal=New York Division Bulletin |publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association |volume=12 |issue=5 |pages=3–7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Senate |first=New York (State) Legislature |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QiBLAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22DeKalb+Avenue+and+North+Beach+Railroad%22+1897&pg=PA565 |title=Documents of the Senate of the State of New York |date=1917 |publisher=E. Croswell |pages=565 |language=en}}</ref> and this became an important CI&B branchline.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cudahy |first1=Brian |title=How We Got to Coney Island |date=2002 |publisher=Fordham University Press |location=New York |isbn=0823222098 |url=https://research.library.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=nysh |access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>{{rp|182}} The DeKalb Avenue and North Beach Railroad (also leased to the Coney Island and Brooklyn) built the branch on Stanhope Street.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wek6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22DeKalb+Avenue+and+North+Beach+Railroad%22&pg=PA7489 |title=The City Record: Official Journal |date=1900 |publisher=New York City |pages=7489 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Commissioners |first=New York (State) Board of Railroad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ymw2AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22DeKalb+Avenue+and+North+Beach+Railroad%22+1897&pg=PA186 |title=Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of New York |date=1901 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Commissioners |first=New York (State) Board of Railroad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RG42AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22DeKalb+Avenue+and+North+Beach+Railroad%22+1897&pg=PA1537 |title=Annual Report |date=1901 |language=en}}</ref> Buses were substituted for streetcars on January 30, 1949.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Linder |first=Bernard |date=August 1965 |title=BMT Trolley Routes 1940-1956 |url=https://erausa.org/pdf/bulletin/1960s/1965/1965-08-bulletin.pdf |journal=New York Division Bulletin |publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=7}}</ref>

=== Bus service ===

thumb|left|A 2005 Orion VII OG HEV (6625) on the B38 on Smith Street at Fulton Mall

Prior to January 2019, the B38 local was based out of the Grand Avenue Depot while the B38 Limited was based out of the Fresh Pond Depot. On weekends, buses from both depots were utilized on the local route. On January 6, 2019, the B38 became fully assigned to the Grand Avenue Depot since the route was planned to be converted to using articulated buses, which was announced by the MTA in July 2019. Consistent with the conversions of other bus routes, the frequency of service was decreased by 1 to 3 minutes on weekdays, and by 2 to 3 minutes on weekends, as each articulated bus can fit 115 passengers, compared to the 85 riders that can fit onto a standard {{Convert|40|feet|meters|abbr=}}-long bus. In order to accommodate the longer articulated bus stops, four bus stops in Brooklyn and five stops along Seneca Avenue in Queens were discontinued during the week of August 12–16, 2019. In addition, 14 bus stops were adjusted. The route started using articulated buses on September 1, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://new.mta.info/sites/default/files/2019-08/b038cur.pdf|title=B38 Bus Timetable|date=September 1, 2019|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=September 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bklyner.com/mta-to-cut-4-brooklyn-stops-on-b38-route-with-switch-to-longer-buses/|title=MTA To Cut 4 Brooklyn Stops On B38 Route With Switch To Longer Buses|last=Wong|first=Pamela|date=August 14, 2019|work=Bklyner|access-date=September 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bklyner.com/myrtle-ave-bid-petitions-against-b54-bus-cuts-rally-on-thursday/|title=Myrtle Ave BID Petitions Against B54 Bus Cuts, Rally On Thursday|last=Wong|first=Pamela|date=August 6, 2019|work=Bklyner|access-date=September 3, 2019}}</ref>

On December 1, 2022, the MTA released a draft redesign of the Brooklyn bus network.<ref>{{cite web | last=Brachfeld | first=Ben | title=Draft plan for new Brooklyn bus network aims to finally end decades of slow, unreliable service | website=amNewYork | date=December 1, 2022 | url=https://www.amny.com/new-york/brooklyn/mta-draft-redesign-brooklyn-bus-network/ | access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Brooklyn bus riders could finally get faster service under MTA redesign | website=Crain's New York Business | last=Spivack | first=Caroline | date=December 1, 2022 | url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/transportation/brooklyn-bus-riders-could-finally-get-faster-service-under-mta-redesign | access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref> As part of the redesign, all B38 buses would operate to Catalpa Avenue at all times, and the Metropolitan Avenue/Linden Hill Cemetery branch would be discontinued. Closely-spaced stops would be removed. The B38 Limited would also be discontinued because the increased stop spacing would make it redundant.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Draft Plan: B38 Local|url=https://new.mta.info/project/brooklyn-bus-network-redesign/routes/b38-local|access-date=2022-12-05|website=MTA|language=en}}</ref>

thumb|right|200px|An Orion VII NG HEV on the Metropolitan Avenue-bound B38 local near Brooklyn Tech, as seen from Ashland Place in Fort Greene

==Connecting bus routes== Source:<ref name=busbkln/><ref>{{Cite NYC bus map|Q}}</ref> * {{NYC bus link|B25|B26|B41|B52|B103}} (at Tillary Street) * {{NYC bus link|B45|B65}} (at Joralemon/Fulton Streets) * {{NYC bus link|B57|B62|B67}} (at Jay Street) * {{NYC bus link|B69}} (at Vanderbilt Avenue) * {{NYC bus link|B48}} (at Classon/Franklin Avenues) * {{NYC bus link|B44|B44 SBS}} (at Bedford/Nostrand Avenues) * {{NYC bus link|B43}} (at Tompkins/Throop Avenues) * {{NYC bus link|B15}} (at Marcus Garvey Boulevard/Lewis Avenue) * {{NYC bus link|B46|B46 SBS}} (at Malcolm X Boulevard) * {{NYC bus link|B47|Q24}} (at Broadway) * {{NYC bus link|B54}} (at Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn) * {{NYC bus link|B60}} (at Wilson Avenue) * {{NYC bus link|B13}} (at Wyckoff Avenue) * {{NYC bus link|Q54}} (at Metropolitan Avenue; Stanhope only) * {{NYC bus link|Q55|Q58|Q98}} (at Myrtle Avenue, Queens; Seneca only)

==References== {{reflist|1=30em}}

==External links== *{{commons category-inline|B38 (New York City bus)}}

Category:Streetcar lines in Brooklyn Category:Streetcar lines in Queens, New York B038 B038 Category:Railway lines opened in 1862 Category:1862 establishments in New York (state)