In Staten Island, the largest street railway company was the Richmond Light & Railroad Co. In addition, the Staten Island Midland Railway operated a few routes. After the Staten Island Midland Railway failed in 1920, the New York City Department of Plant and Structures began operating those streetcars, along with some trolleybus routes beginning in 1921.
In 1925, the Tompkins Bus Co. was formed, and was awarded a franchise to operate gasoline buses on Staten Island. Buses replaced the Department of Plant and Structures streetcar and trolleybus routes, and new bus routes were formed serving previously unserved areas.
In 1927, the Richmond Light & Railroad Co. became Richmond Railways. And in 1933, a Richmond Railways subsidiary Staten Island Coach Co. began operating buses, replacing the Richmond Railways streetcars. The two separate bus systems continued to operate until 1937, when the Staten Island Coach Co. began operating the Tompkins Bus Co. routes. The former Tompkins Bus Co. routes were given new route numbers in the 100's.
In 1946, the Staten Island Coach Co. failed, and the Isle Transportation Co. began operating the buses on Staten Island. But the Isle Transportation Co. failed in 1947, and the city took over the buses.
Route Route Old Route Buses Introduced Number Name Number Streetcars Discontinued S 40 Richmond Terrace S 1 1/21/34 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 42 St Marks Pl/Bay St S101 4/ /25 New Bus-Tompkins S 44 Cary Av/Henderson Av S102 3/20/25 New Bus-Tompkins S 44 Richmond Av (Victory-north) S 4 12/31/33 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 44 Richmond Av (Victory-south) S 4 1934 New Bus-Staten Island S 46 Castleton Av S 3 1/14/34 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 46 Walker St/South Av S 3 6/21/36 New Bus-Staten Island S 48 Forest Av S107 5/ /25 New Bus-Tompkins S 51 Bay St S 2 1/ 7/34 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 51 Father Capodanno Blvd S 2 1936 New Bus-Staten Island S 52 Jersey St S 5 12/31/33 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 52 Cebra Av S 5 3/14/37 New Bus-Staten Island S 52 Tompkins Av S104 1927 New Bus-Tompkins S 53 Clove Rd/Verrazano Narrows S 7 11/21/64 New Bus-NYCTA S 54 Manor Rd S110 8/21/27 Tompkins Replace DP&S Streetcar S 54 Giffords La/Nelson Av S 4 6/ 3/29 New Bus-Tompkins S 55 Annandale Rd/Richmond Av S115 1930 New Bus-Tompkins S 56 Richmond/Arthur Kill/Foster S115 1930 New Bus-Tompkins S 57 Watchogue Rd S106 1938 New Bus-Staten Island Victory Blvd/Watchogue Rd S106 1938 New Bus-Staten Island S 57 Bradley Av/Brielle Av S111 8/ 1/27 Tompkins Replace DP&S Trolleybus S 57 Brielle Av/Rockland Av S111 1932 New Bus-Tompkins S 59 Richmond Av (Victory-north) S 4 12/31/33 Replace Richmond Streetcar S 59 Richmond Av (Victory-south) S 4 1934 New Bus-Staten Island S 61 Victory Blvd S112 1930 New Bus-Tompkins S 62 Victory Blvd (Jewett-east) S112 1/26/34 Tompkins Replace DP&S Streetcar S 62 Victory Blvd (Jewett-west) S112 8/ 1/27 Tompkins Replace DP&S Trolleybus S 66 Victory Blvd/Jewett Av S 6 1/26/34 Tompkins Replace DP&S Streetcar S 66 Howard Av/Clove Rd S 6 7/30/51 New Bus-NYCTA S 74 Richmond Rd S113 10/16/27 Tompkins Replace DP&S Streetcar S 74 Arthur Kill Rd S113 10/16/27 Tompkins Replace DP&S Trolleybus S 76 Richmond Rd/New Dorp Lane S117 1920's New Bus-New Dorp Beach Bus S 78 Hylan Blvd S103 3/24/37 New Bus-Staten Island S 79 Hylan/Verrazano Narrows new New Bus-NYCTATrolleybuses were introduced on what would become routes 111 and 112 effective 10/8/21. While trolleybuses were introduced on what would become route 113 effective 11/4/22.
Not listed are limited or express bus routes into Manhattan, created in recent years. The 11/21/64 opening of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at last connected Staten Island with the rest of New York City. Also not listed are several rush hour routes introduced in recent years, numbered in the 80's and 90's.