Except in lower Manhattan those bus lanes are taken over by clueless tourists or entitled folks driving around. Pretty much an everyday occasion near Union square.

You're not even allowed to drive in bus lanes during the day and the ticket printers are AGGRESSIVE.

Outside of daylight hours whether the bus even shows up or not when scheduled is practically a coin flip. Especially in Manhattan where practically every second or third scheduled bus seems to run (other than the bus lines on either side up and down Central Park).