Does the Lincoln Tunnel really carry 1850 buses into NY in four hours?

[Ruken]

@muldoonthief

A standard bus is 40 ft along. If they space the buses 6 bus lengths apart, that’s 280 ft total between the front of each bus. If one bus passes every 8 seconds, that’s a speed of 280 ft/8 sec = 35 ft/sec = 25 mph, so one every 8 seconds in a dedicated lane is very feasible.

Supporting that, my (fuzzy) recollection is that the speed limit is 35 MPH.

[Tastes_of_Chocolate]

Per the Port Authority of NJ and NY ( Traffic & Volume Information | B&T ), they reported 129.7k busses Eastbound in the Lincoln tunnel in January 2026. If January had 27 working days, that’s about 4k/work day (assuming less busses on weekends and holidays). 1,850 for the morning rush seems very doable.

[Cartooniverse]

@Chronos

Also, from what I understand, parking is very hard to come by in Manhattan, so there’s a strong incentive for folks to use public transportation rather than their own vehicles.

As a long-time resident of Enwye, as NYC was called by The Straight Dope as early as Cecil’s very first book, I’d like to present you with this tasteful yet expensive silver-plated Understatement Of The Year Award.

It used to be complicated. Now with rideshare companies, it is utterly nightmarish.

[Cartooniverse]

@Ruken

@muldoonthief

A standard bus is 40 ft along. If they space the buses 6 bus lengths apart, that’s 280 ft total between the front of each bus. If one bus passes every 8 seconds, that’s a speed of 280 ft/8 sec = 35 ft/sec = 25 mph, so one every 8 seconds in a dedicated lane is very feasible.

Supporting that, my (fuzzy) recollection is that the speed limit is 35 MPH.

The stated speed limit unless otherwise noted in NYC is 25 MPH. It’s been a while since I rode into PABT on a bus and so haven’t seen any speed limit signs INSIDE of the Terminal proper.

That said, out on the highway leading to the Lincoln Tunnel? Yes, dedicated Bus lanes. Yes, the buses speed like all hell. Yes, it’s unnerving to be next to them.