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B63 to Get Real Time Tracking


jacsnyy

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Poster on the B63 Bus on Thursday states that starting February 1st, the B63 will get the Real Time Tracking System currently used by the M16 and M34 buses. Second cases for GuideARide information are being placed on top of the current ones.

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I have to say, I think the B63 is a perfect candidate for this. It's a good headway route which bunches a lot causing long delays between buses. Also, is the MTA trying to combat the short lived "Roadify" tracking system that was unsuccessful throughout Park Slope? Which other Brooklyn buses do you think you do well with it? I'm going to say the B82, B3, B41 would benefit from it. And out of Brooklyn, the Bx36 NEEDS a tracking system.

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I have to say, I think the B63 is a perfect candidate for this. It's a good headway route which bunches a lot causing long delays between buses. Also, is the MTA trying to combat the short lived "Roadify" tracking system that was unsuccessful throughout Park Slope? Which other Brooklyn buses do you think you do well with it? I'm going to say the B82, B3, B41 would benefit from it. And out of Brooklyn, the Bx36 NEEDS a tracking system.

 

You mean the Bronx right?:confused:

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I would've expected the B61/B62 combination to get em faster than the B63.

 

As I read the thread title last night, I thought a little about this....

 

only reason I think they're putting em on the 63 is b/c most of the route pans through dense commercial areas....

 

 

as for why the 63 was chosen first, in brooklyn...

it's probably due to what jacsnyy said in that post below yours (which I'm about to quote below... with which I agree with).....

 

 

I have to say, I think the B63 is a perfect candidate for this. It's a good headway route which bunches a lot causing long delays between buses. Also, is the MTA trying to combat the short lived "Roadify" tracking system that was unsuccessful throughout Park Slope? Which other Brooklyn buses do you think you do well with it? I'm going to say the B82, B3, B41 would benefit from it. And out of Brooklyn, the Bx36 NEEDS a tracking system.

 

B82 has a limited to *help* rectify its problems... I don't think the B41 needs em, per se, as buses come rather frequent... but it would look rather appealing along flatbush.... B3, I simply doubt...

 

Which Brooklyn routes do I think would do well with it...

I would say the B44, but that's getting +SBS+...

If (and I hate to bring this up) the B36 went to Kings plaza, I would say the B36...

 

I'm not lookin at a map right now, but off the top of my head, I'll throw the B25 out there...

(at least if they were to spend money puttin em up along fulton, it would cease talks of cutting the route),

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This is a surprise, Jay Walder said that tracking is coming to all Staten Island buses this year, but never mentioned Brooklyn...

 

That would be nice, but I don't see it as necessary on SI. Either the route is frequent enough that nobody cares when the next bus comes, or the route is too infrequent to warrant the tracking system.

 

To me, it is only useful if:

a) You are on a corridor where another route stops (so you know to just take the next bus that comes, if your bus is really late)

;) You are near a frequent corridor

c) You are close enough that you can walk to your destination

 

Most trips on SI don't fall into any of those categories.

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That would be nice, but I don't see it as necessary on SI. Either the route is frequent enough that nobody cares when the next bus comes, or the route is too infrequent to warrant the tracking system.

 

To me, it is only useful if:

a) You are on a corridor where another route stops (so you know to just take the next bus that comes, if your bus is really late)

;) You are near a frequent corridor

c) You are close enough that you can walk to your destination

 

Most trips on SI don't fall into any of those categories.

 

Let me guess: It'll be online tracking only, with signs at St. George, Eltingville, SI Mall, and maybe Port Richmond. The benefit with bus tracking on infrequent services is that one can estimate when the bus will arrive, thus lowering average wait time from 1/2 of headway to something much lower and reducing the need for bus shelters :eek:. Given that SI traffic isn't very unpredictable like Brooklyn/Queens, it shouldn't be problematic and provide a good insight to what a large-scale system would look like.

 

If commuter rail can do tracking by station, so can a half-hourly bus route. To me, tracking is useless on a high-frequency corridor: just go and wait for the next bus! The M16/34 were chosen probably due to their speed. The best use for tracking would a corridor that is infrequent, has many routes, and riders boarding at different points. Inbound to St George in the morning meets all these criteria.

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That would be nice, but I don't see it as necessary on SI. Either the route is frequent enough that nobody cares when the next bus comes, or the route is too infrequent to warrant the tracking system.

 

To me, it is only useful if:

a) You are on a corridor where another route stops (so you know to just take the next bus that comes, if your bus is really late)

;) You are near a frequent corridor

c) You are close enough that you can walk to your destination

 

Most trips on SI don't fall into any of those categories.

 

 

Staten Island especially needs them because of the long commute times. There are very few buses with good frequency, so most folks really rely on the schedule of buses to plan their trip. When taking the X14 or X30, I usually take the last express bus of the morning, so these countdown clocks would be a great thing since I have to scramble down to Forest and Manor should I feel as if I may have already missed the last X30 which runs about 10 minutes earlier than the X14.

 

I would argue that having them on SI routes could improve ridership. Take the S54 for example, which has a terrible problem with MIA buses during certain parts of the day... More people would take it if they knew when it was coming or could at least prepare with alternative routes quicker. A lot of Todt Hill project folks would love this, as they usually just wind up walking to Victory for the local bus instead of waiting for the S54, which may or may not come. It's also great for seniors on that line that have to walk with shopping bags and such from Victory Blvd and Manor uphill which is a real b*tch.

 

Walder must've realized that this is one the main gripes of Staten Islanders. We're always trying to guess if the bus already came early, is just late or broke down or what the story is.

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Let me guess: It'll be online tracking only, with signs at St. George, Eltingville, SI Mall, and maybe Port Richmond. The benefit with bus tracking on infrequent services is that one can estimate when the bus will arrive, thus lowering average wait time from 1/2 of headway to something much lower and reducing the need for bus shelters :eek:. Given that SI traffic isn't very unpredictable like Brooklyn/Queens, it shouldn't be problematic and provide a good insight to what a large-scale system would look like.

 

If commuter rail can do tracking by station, so can a half-hourly bus route. To me, tracking is useless on a high-frequency corridor: just go and wait for the next bus! The M16/34 were chosen probably due to their speed. The best use for tracking would a corridor that is infrequent, has many routes, and riders boarding at different points. Inbound to St George in the morning meets all these criteria.

 

Can you please elaborate by what exactly you mean?

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And no one mentions the B46?

B46 service is frequent enough to the point where it isn't really needed...

 

 

To me, tracking is useless on a high-frequency corridor: just go and wait for the next bus

This....

 

 

To me, it is only useful if:

a) You are on a corridor where another route stops (so you know to just take the next bus that comes, if your bus is really late)

B) You are near a frequent corridor

c) You are close enough that you can walk to your destination

- I partially agree w/ 'a'....

 

- with 'b'...

bro, you said yourself that "Either the route is frequent enough that nobody cares when the next bus comes, or the route is too infrequent to warrant the tracking system."

 

now peep this....

a route is frequent enough where real time tracking you feel, isn't necessary... but yet, you feel real time tracking is necessary if you are near a frequent corridor... that sounds contradictory to me...

 

that's like me sayin, real time tracking isn't needed for the B41... but b/c I'm around the junction, real time tracking is needed along Flatbush av....

 

- 'c', I don't know what your logic is w/ this one...

If I can walk to my destination, why on earth would I need real time tracking for a bus....

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B46 service is frequent enough to the point where it isn't really needed...

 

 

 

This....

 

 

 

- I partially agree w/ 'a'....

 

- with 'b'...

bro, you said yourself that "Either the route is frequent enough that nobody cares when the next bus comes, or the route is too infrequent to warrant the tracking system."

 

now peep this....

a route is frequent enough where real time tracking you feel, isn't necessary... but yet, you feel real time tracking is necessary if you are near a frequent corridor... that sounds contradictory to me...

 

that's like me sayin, real time tracking isn't needed for the B41... but b/c I'm around the junction, real time tracking is needed along Flatbush av....

 

- 'c', I don't know what your logic is w/ this one...

If I can walk to my destination, why on earth would I need real time tracking for a bus....

 

:o I meant if the route you take runs infrequently, but you can walk over to another route.

 

For example, if you are on the B65 and you see that it is delayed, you can walk over to the B25 or B45, which run more frequently (I don't think they run too much more frequently, but I can't think of any better examples off the top of my head)

 

c) If your destination is far enough to warrant taking a bus, but the bus is so delayed that you are better off walking.

 

For example, there were times when I had to go from Port Richmond to Mariners' Harbor on the S46, but because I didn't know when the next bus was coming, I walked and was able to beat it. (and other times when I tried the same thing, I was passed by 1 or 2 buses)

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;) I meant if the route you take runs infrequently, but you can walk over to another route.

 

For example, if you are on the B65 and you see that it is delayed, you can walk over to the B25 or B45, which run more frequently (I don't think they run too much more frequently, but I can't think of any better examples off the top of my head)

 

c) If your destination is far enough to warrant taking a bus, but the bus is so delayed that you are better off walking.

 

For example, there were times when I had to go from Port Richmond to Mariners' Harbor on the S46, but because I didn't know when the next bus was coming, I walked and was able to beat it. (and other times when I tried the same thing, I was passed by 1 or 2 buses)

 

 

For a "little guy" as you put it, you've got balls of brass walking through those neighborhoods. :cool:

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They aren't as bad as people make them out to be. There are still plenty of nice houses in the area and I'm sure their owners aren't going to let their neighborhood turn into a slum.

 

Personally, I think that Stapleton is worse. Last summer, I was an intern in an office on Bay Street and somebody set a car on fire right outside the office. I just can't picture that happening in Mariners' Harbor.

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They aren't as bad as people make them out to be. There are still plenty of nice houses in the area and I'm sure their owners aren't going to let their neighborhood turn into a slum.

 

Personally, I think that Stapleton is worse. Last summer, I was an intern in an office on Bay Street and somebody set a car on fire right outside the office. I just can't picture that happening in Mariners' Harbor.

 

I think along Forest Avenue is tolerable to a degree but going towards Richmond Terrace along South Ave. forget it. It looks like a third world country. Stapleton I wouldn't even set foot in.

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Personally, I think everything up to the railroad tracks is alright. The houses all look well-maintained up to that point. After the railroad tracks, the area starts to get more shabby (and the fact that Richmond Terrace is nearby with all of those warehouses and all doesn't help).

 

Part of the reason for me feeling more comfortable in that area is because a lot of students in my school live in that area, and none of them have ever really told me of any problems (except for one friend who lived north of the railroad tracks). Therefore, I felt more comfortable visiting the area and found out for myself that it isn't too bad.

 

I guess we all have different tolerances as far as what we consider to be "safe". But you have to consider that not all "bad" areas are equally bad. You can't compare any section of Mariners' Harbor to a place like Brownsville or some of the neighborhoods in Detroit or Camden.

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lol @ balls of brass to walk through mariners harbor.... stapleton is worse (much more of a slum)....

 

if you think port richmond is bad w/ the mexican population or w/e, take a walk through new cassel...

some dude half my size tried to come up on me w/ a boxcutter in front of (what looked like) all his boys...

it happened when I got impatient & walked the N22 route from LIRR hicksville to westbury...

 

 

this is about the only time I agree with johhny boy... that neighborhood got hempstead beat IMO....

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