North Loop, South Loop & Coler Hospital Service
The RIOC Red Bus is a dedicated island circulator operating continuous loops connecting residential complexes, transit hubs, and institutional campuses along Main Street.
Buses connect at the central transit hub outside the Roosevelt Island subway station and Tramway Plaza.
- • North Loop: Departs Subway/Tram hub north along Main Street stopping at Manhattan Park, Roosevelt Landings, Motorgate Garage, and the Octagon (888 Main St)
- • South Loop: Departs Subway/Tram hub south along East Main St directly to Cornell Tech campus and Southpoint Park entrance
- • Coler Hospital Weekday Extension: Serves NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler (900 Main St) during weekday rush hours (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
- • Real-Time Bus Tracking: Departures and GPS positions are available on the Transit App and TransSee
Operating Hours & Schedule Frequency
The Red Bus operates every day of the week with late-night service aligned with subway schedules.
Frequency adjusts based on morning and evening commuter surges.
- • Morning Peak (7:00 AM – 9:30 AM): Every 5 to 8 minutes
- • Evening Peak (4:30 PM – 7:30 PM): Every 8 to 10 minutes
- • Midday & Weekends: Every 12 to 15 minutes
- • Late Night (After 11:30 PM): Every 20 minutes on the clock
Free Boarding Rules & Stroller/ADA Accessibility
No ticket, MetroCard, OMNY tap, or proof of island residency is required to board the Red Bus. Passengers board through the front doors and exit through rear doors.
The entire fleet is 100% ADA-accessible with low-floor kneeling mechanisms and wheelchair boarding ramps.
- • Boarding: Front door entry, rear door exit with zero fare validation
- • Accessibility: Low-floor kneeling buses with mechanical wheelchair ramps at all stops
- • Strollers: Foldable strollers are requested during peak morning runs to maintain aisle clearance