A subway is not worth it because it would be very costly. Bus drivers such as Emilio Colon, who drives East-West across 72nd Street, say it takes less than 30 minutes to get across town, but that unforeseen circumstances often force them to slow down. There is no direct route through Central Park at 72nd Street, so Colon's route takes him down to 65th Street, where he crosses the park. That adds at least five to 10 minutes to the ride, he says. There are also large construction sites in the '60s on the West Side that back up traffic, he says.
Commuters wait patiently for a ride that can take nearly an hour to ride two miles.
He says he arrives more quickly by bike than if he takes the bus.