The service operates 24-hours a day, except early Monday mornings. The service operates six routes, with two regular services within the city, one extended route to the Long Beach's eastern suburbs, two midday routes on weekdays, and one overnight circulator; tourist trolleys are used during the summer months.[2] Viability of such an extensive service in a suburban setting is made possible by Long Beach's high-density layout: due to the limited supply of land on the island, fewer than 40% of homes are detached houses, making Long Beach one of the fifty densest cities in the country.[3] The service also plays an important role in transporting the many tourists who arrive in the summer by train from New York City, and a tourist trolley route is operated during the summer months.[2]
Because it is owned and operated independently by the City of Long Beach, and not by Nassau County, Long Beach Bus was unaffected by the 2012 privatization of Long Island Bus.
Much of what now constitutes the Long Beach Bus network originally was operated privately.[4][5][6] It was taken over by the City of Long Beach in the mid-20th century, following the 1947 bankruptcy of the Long Beach Bus Company and subsequent legal issues with the Beach Transit Corporation, which operated the system under a franchise for the city from 1947 until the early 1950s.[5][7]
In 1973, the City of Long Beach considered possibly having the system taken over by the then-new Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority.[8] The plans were ultimately called off, with the system remaining in the city's control.[8]
Fare
The fare for all routes is $2.25, except for the Point Lookout service, which has a $2.75 base fare.[9]
Long Beach Bus Pass
Bus passes, known as the Long Beach Bus Pass, are also available for purchase.[2][10][11] The passes, introduced on October 1, 2022, come in two variants: 10-trip passes and 20-trip passes. The standard fare for a 10-trip pass is $22.50, while the standard fare for a 20-trip pass is $45.00.[2][10][11]
Bus routes
A map of the Long Beach Bus routes and select stations, as of 2024.
