Routes of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

For additional reading, please see Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

Destination signs

Mylar (curtain) signs

Each bus was typically equipped with a three-piece destination sign; containing (in order), the route number, the letter describing the variation the route took and the end destination or terminal.

• Route number: self-explanatory
• Route letter:

• A white letter on a black background indicated a local service.
• A white letter on a red background indicated a limited or restricted stop service.
• A white letter on a black background with a red diagonal "/" over the letter indicated an express route.

• Route destination: Most routes were simplistic in nature, with "Downtown" and "City Line" likely being the most popular. More obscure destinations would be either a cross-street nearby or the town/village in which the bus ends. Most commuter routes carried "Buffalo" instead of "Downtown". In addition, a terminal at a Metro Rail Station may include either the name of the station or "Main" as its terminal.

Electronic signs

The basics of the curtain destination sign continued onto the electronic signs from their inception. To the NFTA's benefit, additional messages could be programmed into the signs, sometimes flashing messages unrelated to the route being served, but a clever marketing tool, nonetheless. Messages like "Go Sabres" or "Go Bills" were programmed, in addition to holiday greetings around the holidays like "Holiday Greetings" or "Happy Holidays".

With the introduction of electronic signs, the NFTA decided a allow the route letter "diagonal" and red background to retire, and instead, added "via Thruway", "via Expressway" or other veriation to cycle as a second message on the sign.

"Side signage"

The information is rather simple, with the route number and route name showing, with an additional message of abnormal routing, where warranted, such as an express or limited route, or "via"-type routing.

"Back signage"

Though not consistent, the back signage, when available, shows the route name, and possibly route letter only.

Present routes

All present services are ADA compliant, with all buses of the low-floor variety. Buses scheduled may also provide amenities such as Wi-Fi and bike racks. Of note, buses with Wi-Fi capabilities do not have USB charging stations at seats, although some other agencies introduced it at the same time as Wi-Fi.

In addition, most buses provide bike racks on the front of the vehicle.

Local routes

• 1 William
• 2 Clinton
• 3 Grant
• 4 Broadway
• 5 Niagara-Kenmore (previously known as route 5 Niagara)
• 6 Sycamore
• 7 Baynes-Richmond
• 8 Main
• 11 Colvin
• 12 Utica (previously known as route 12 East Utica)
• 13 Kensington
• 14 Abbott Road
• 15 Seneca
• 16 South Park
• 18 Jefferson
• 19 Bailey (previously known as route 19 Bailey-McKinley)
• 20 Elmwood
• 22 Porter-Best
• 23 Fillmore - via Hertel
• 24 Genesee (including route 24L Limited and 24X Express services)
• 25 Delaware
• 26 Delavan
• 29 Wohlers
• 32 Amherst Street
• 34 Niagara Falls Boulevard
• 35 Sheridan
• 40 Grand Island (also known as route 40 Buffalo/Niagara Falls)
• 42 Lackawanna (previously known as route 27 Ridge Road)
• 44 Lockport
• 46 Lancaster
• 47 Youngs Road
• 48 Williamsville
• 49 Millard Fillmore Shuttle (previously named 49 Hopkins, similar routing)
• 50 Main-Niagara (previously named 50 University, similar routing)
• 52 Hyde Park (previously named 52 Ontario, similar routing)
• 54 Military Road (previously named 54 Pierce, similar routing)
• 55 Pine Avenue
• Niagara Falls Trolley (previously known as 55T Pine Avenue Trolley, internally numbered route 155)

Express routes

• 60 Niagara Falls Express
• 61 Delaware Express
• 64 Lockport Express
• 66 Williamsville Express
• 67 Cleveland Hill Express
• 68 George Urban Express
• 69 Alden Express
• 70 East Aurora Express
• 72 Orchard Park Express
• 74 Hamburg Express
• 75 West Seneca Express
• 76 Lotus Bay Express
• 79 Elmwood Express
• 81 East Side Express

School routes

• 101 North South
• 102 Bailey-East
• 103 East-Suburban
• 104 South-Central
• 106 South-Suburban
• 110 West-North
• 111 South-Michigan
• 112 Grant-North

Light Rail

• Metro Rail (internally numbered 45, then route 145)

Other

• 249 Training bus (Used when training drivers. No passengers carried.)

Past routes

Local routes

• 4 Broadway via Memorial ("4C" was replacement service to route 17 Central Terminal)
• 4 Broadway-Cheektowaga (included past variations 4HJKMPRSTW)
• 4 Broadway-Lancaster-Alden (included past variations 4ADF)
• 8 Main-Niagara Falls Boulevard (replaced by route 34-Niagara Falls Boulevard)
• 8 Main-Williamsville-North Bailey Meadows (replaced by route 48-Main/Williamsville)
• 9 Parkside-Zoo (replaced by route 18-Jefferson/Parkside, then 39-Parker, then Buffalo Transit, Inc, then eliminated)
• 10 West Utica (replaced by realignment of route 12-Utica)
• 13 Kensington-Suburban
• 15 Seneca-West Seneca
• 17 Central Terminal (replaced by 4C Broadway, then eliminated in March, 1993)
• 17 Kensington-Suburban replaced in some areas by routes 32 and 67.
• 18 Jefferson-Parkside (Parkside Avenue service eliminated prior to end of 1995. Replaced by route 39-Parker, then Bflo Transit, Inc., then eliminated)
• 20E Entertainment Shuttle; a late-night service that connected Canisius College, Medaille College and Buffalo State College with the Chippewa Entertainment District. Ran primarily weekends, however, ran a short-lived Thursday version.
• 21 Michigan-Forest (eliminated March, 1993. Portion of Michigan Avenue service replaced as route 8B-Main, then eliminated)
• 24 Genesee-Lancaster-Wende-French & Bonita (included past variations 24ABCDF)
• 27 Ridge Road (eliminated December 24, 1995; Ridge Road and Seneca Street service still offered on route 42-Lackawanna)
• 27 Wende Shuttle (eliminated March 8, 2015)
• 28 Sheridan
• 30 Kenmore-Airport (eliminated October 31, 2010; replaced by extension of route 5-Niagara-Kenmore and route 47-Youngs Road).
• 31 South Buffalo Crosstown (pka Odgen-Tifft or Bailey-Ogden)
• 33 Tonawanda-North Tonawanda
• 35 Hamburg via Abbott Road (changed to merge with 14 Abbott Road local service. Ridge and Turnpike service removed.)
• 36 Hamburg (eliminated 3/3/2018 - alternate service available on routes 16 and 42.)
• 37 Hamburg via Camp Road (replaced by route 74 Boston)
• 38 Buffalo-Angola-Lotus Bay (eliminated December 24, 1995; rush-hour service offered on route 76-Lotus Bay Express)
• 39 Parker (eliminated December 24, 1995; temporarily continued as part of Bflo Transit, Inc.)
• 41 Sheridan-Harlem (eliminated December 23, 2001)
• 42 North Campus
• 43 Mall Shuttle (eliminated September 2, 2001, replaced temporarily by route "4B" and "4C" extension of route 4-Broadway)
• 46 ECMC Shuttle (service directly to ECMC offered on route 13-Kensington from Utica Station)
• 51 Buffalo Avenue
• 51 Military Road North
• 53 Pierce-Niagara
• 55T Pine Avenue Trolley (replaced by Niagara Falls Trolley)
• 56 River Road
• 57 Flex-Tonawandas (some service retained as part of route 25D to Mid-City Plaza)
• 58 Lockport-Niagara Falls (period of no service, operated as "55L" service on route 55-Pine Avenue, then Rural Niagara Public Transportation)
• 58 Lockport City (period of no city service, then route 201-Lockport Shuttle, then Rural Niagara Public Transportation).

Express routes

• 62 Parker Express (eliminated 4/27/2012-no alternate service available)
• 63 Riverside Express (eliminated 4/27/2012-local service offered on routes 3-Grant and 5-Niagara/Kenmore)
• 65 Amherst Express (eliminated 4/27/2012-alternate service offered on route 49-Hopkins and 66-Williamsville)
• 71 Holland Express (alternate service offered on Coach USA-Erie buses)
• 73 Lancaster Express (no alternate service available)
• 80 ECC Campus Shuttle (alternate local service available on routes 47-Youngs Road and 48-Williamsville to North Campus, 14-Abbott Road to South Campus, and most downtown-bound buses are within walking distance of City Campus), additional service is offered on Campus Shuttle Service buses)
• 82 Outer Harbor Shuttle (no alternate service)

Special routes

• 90-96 Buffalo Bills Express routes
• 97 Darien Lake Express

School routes

• 105 Central Express
• 107 Central East
• 108 Genesee North
• 109 Utica North
• 113 Clinton South
• 114 Central North
• 115 Sycamore South
• 116 Central
• 117 Kensington
• 118 Ogden
• 121 Michigan

Metrolink routes

• 200 North Tonawanda-Wheatfield (eliminated 5/1/2012, no substitute service)
• 201 Lockport Shuttle (no substitute service)
• 202 Parking Shuttle (routes 14 Abbott and 16 South Park come within a short walking distance of route area)
• 203 ECMC-Wende Shuttle (replaced by 27 Wende Shuttle, then eliminated. No substitute service)
• 204 Airport-Downtown Express (eliminated in June, 2019, replaced by new 24L and 24X service)
• USA-Niagara Link (internally assigned route 205 - Now operates as "Niagara Falls Trolley")
• 206 Buffalo State-Wegmans (services shifted internally to Buffalo State College, on the college campus)
• 207 Elmwood-College Shuttle (service offered on route 20 Elmwood and route 206 Buffalo State Shuttle)
• 208 Grant-College Shuttle (service offered on route 3 Grant and route 206 Buffalo State Shuttle)
• 209 Medaille-Zoo Shuttle (eliminated 5/1/2012, no substitute service)
• 210 Buffalo Airport-Niagara Falls Shuttle (eliminated 4/29/2012. No comparable service.)
• 211 ECC Shuttle (tri-campus service now offered by Campus Shuttle Service)
• 216 Gowanda-McKinley Mall (eliminated 5/1/2012. No substitute service)

Planned routes that never materialized (or in a minor form)

This section is in process of creation/updating. Please check back for updates.

• 33 Sheridan Drive (35 Sheridan offers similar service.)
• 41 Union Road (41 Sheridan-Harlem and 42 Lackawanna offered similar service for connecting suburban ring route(s).)