Should the MTA provide overnight service on more local buses

[Via Garibaldi 8]

i was looking at some local bus schedules, and I was surprised that many of them don't have overnight service, and stop running about 01:00 in the morning.  Seems rather early to me, especially considering how many people work at odd hours these days.  Thoughts?

[BronxBombers]

Depends on the bus route and where it serves.

[QM1to6Ave]

The Q46 could use more service at 2-4 am. I've had to take it on occasion at that time, and the 1 or 2 buses per hour can be pretty full. The green cabs do a good business now from the Union Turnpike E/F station overnight since the buses are really infrequent.

 

I'd also love it if the QM5/6 ran past 12:30 am back to Queens, but I understand that is not necessary

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The Q46 could use more service at 2-4 am. I've had to take it on occasion at that time, and the 1 or 2 buses per hour can be pretty full. The green cabs do a good business now from the Union Turnpike E/F station overnight since the buses are really infrequent.

 

I'd also love it if the QM5/6 ran past 12:30 am back to Queens, but I understand that is not necessary

I would argue that it would certainly help residents like yourself who live far out.  I can tell you right now that the times that I have missed the last BxM2 due to detours (yes there have been detours that late at night along 6th Avenue that weren't posted  ), the commute is well over two hours with the train and then the long wait for the Bx10, which only runs hourly.  The Bx7 stops running after about 01:30 or so and sooner on weekends.  That means that many folks will take a yellow taxi and pay $35.00 - 40.00 to get to Riverdale.  I too have done taken a cab to the city when the express buses were a mess, but only when others agree to carpool, which made the cost only $10.00 - 20.00 with a tip.  I just don't want to spend more than $20.00 in a taxi ride.  Seems like a ripoff.  Anywho, in comparison that last BxM2 can take just 35 minutes or so total which is a very quick commute over the subway bus combo, hence why many folks opt for it.  

 

I was asking this because there are quite a few heavily used local bus routes that don't have any overnight service, which I was quite surprised by.  I would also imagine that not having any overnight service on so many lines could be a financial burden especially in poor areas.  In my case, I used to spend a lot more on car service at night when I lived on Staten Island (roughly around $300.00 a month between weekends and late nights), but since I have moved here and have Metro-North, I rarely use cabs mainly because I feel as if I have a multitude of transportation options, so I would rather use those where possible.  Late nights, I can simply take Metro-North if I'm near Grand Central and walk from the station to my apartment, which I have done on quite a few occasions when the weather is nice.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Don't forget some routes duplicate subway service, so they might not really be needed.

Speaking of subway duplication, why does the Bx39 have no late night service south of Gun Hill Road or late night service at all?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Don't forget some routes duplicate subway service, so they might not really be needed.

Speaking of subway duplication, why does the Bx39 have no late night service south of Gun Hill Road or late night service at all?

I don't know about that.  Let's use the Bx1/Bx2... It runs primarily along the Concourse, but there isn't subway service along the entire length of each route.

[MysteriousBtrain]

I don't know about that.  Let's use the Bx1/Bx2... It runs primarily along the Concourse, but there isn't subway service along the entire length of each route.

Bx2 does not need late night service, but the Bx1 could use it since the concourse is busy enough to need it. In fact, the Bx1 was proposed for 24/7 service before the 2010 budget cuts.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Bx2 does not need late night service, but the Bx1 could use it since the concourse is busy enough to need it. In fact, the Bx1 was proposed for 24/7 service before the 2010 budget cuts.

Well yeah, you don't need both of them but certainly the Bx1.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Ok besides the Concourse or Manhattan (primarily south of 59 Street and 1-10 Avenues), is there any other route you think that bus service is needed to compliment a subway service?

[MTA Dude]

Honestly, I think that the Q17 and Q27 should have less late night service. The Q25 survives with 1-2 trains per hour with some standees and I think that the Q17 and Q27 should be able to do the same.

[qjtransitmaster]

The Q46 could use more service at 2-4 am. I've had to take it on occasion at that time, and the 1 or 2 buses per hour can be pretty full. The green cabs do a good business now from the Union Turnpike E/F station overnight since the buses are really infrequent.

 

I'd also love it if the QM5/6 ran past 12:30 am back to Queens, but I understand that is not necessary

fair enough.

[bobtehpanda]

Ok besides the Concourse or Manhattan (primarily south of 59 Street and 1-10 Avenues), is there any other route you think that bus service is needed to compliment a subway service?

 

The Q60...

[NewFlyer 230]

Honestly, I think that the Q17 and Q27 should have less late night service. The Q25 survives with 1-2 trains per hour with some standees and I think that the Q17 and Q27 should be able to do the same.

They all run every 60 minutes. These routes are fairly empty most of the time. Between 1-5AM they are good enough.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Don't forget some routes duplicate subway service, so they might not really be needed.

Speaking of subway duplication, why does the Bx39 have no late night service south of Gun Hill Road or late night service at all?

Because south of Gun Hill , it's not needed.

 

Those trips are actually Bx41 trips at night, just changed to the Bx39 notation north of Gun Hill, since there isn't a Bx41 to Wakefield Notation anymore. That's why the Bx39 is situated from KB overnights, compared to GH in the day.

[FamousNYLover]

To me:

Queens:

Q72: Later evening service should be every 30 minutes instead of 60 minutes.

[darrylbaniaga38]

The Q33's 15 minute headways in the evening could be extended to maybe 12 or 1 in the morning. I usually take the 11:30 out of Jackson Heights and sometimes the B/O would have leave people behind because it gets so packed, which strands everyone waiting on Roosevelt. Granted, people can take the Q32, but a lot of the people I see on the bus get off past Northern. The least the could do is add another trip at midnight because the next scheduled bus is at 12:30.

[161 New York]

The s59 should be hourly or 1.5 hr headways between 01-05h between Richmond Ave/Hylan and Port Richmond on a modified basis to include Marsh Ave (bypass SI Mall) that way Richmond Ave/Marsh Ave/Richmond Hill Road have near end to end coverage. Times to be optimized for SIR and s78 St.George connections as much as possible.

 

The x1 (to Manhattan) between 21h - 05h should include Bay Ridge 86th St (the existing x17 weekend stop)
The x1 (to Staten Island) between 01 - 05h should include Bay Ridge 86th Street as well.

 

The x10 & x17 (to Staten Island) should be ran until 24h/midnight on Saturday & Sundays at least hourly after the current schedule.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The s59 should be hourly or 1.5 hr headways between 01-05h between Richmond Ave/Hylan and Port Richmond on a modified basis to include Marsh Ave (bypass SI Mall) that way Richmond Ave/Marsh Ave/Richmond Hill Road have near end to end coverage. Times to be optimized for SIR and s78 St.George connections as much as possible.

 

The x1 (to Manhattan) between 21h - 05h should include Bay Ridge 86th St (the existing x17 weekend stop)

The x1 (to Staten Island) between 01 - 05h should include Bay Ridge 86th Street as well.

 

The x10 & x17 (to Staten Island) should be ran until 24h/midnight on Saturday & Sundays at least hourly after the current schedule.

I would agree about the X10 running 24/7, and I would run the X17 longer, but not 24 hours yet... At some point they may have to if the X1 ridership overnight keeps growing. The thing is everyone uses the X1. It would behoove the to study how much of that ridership comes from the North Shore or near the SIE and run later X10 service. The last X10s during the week are usually packed.

 

I also wonder if the is being stingy with overnight service in part because of the unions and having difficulty filling those runs, or is this guy a cost cutting measure? If they increased the spans and frequency on some lines, they would see more ridership.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Because south of Gun Hill , it's not needed.

 

Those trips are actually Bx41 trips at night, just changed to the Bx39 notation north of Gun Hill, since there isn't a Bx41 to Wakefield Notation anymore. That's why the Bx39 is situated from KB overnights, compared to GH in the day.

Isn't is easier to just rename it the Bx41? Or do they all end at gun hill road at late nights?

[Cait Sith]

Honestly, I think that the Q17 and Q27 should have less late night service. The Q25 survives with 1-2 trains per hour with some standees and I think that the Q17 and Q27 should be able to do the same.

 

Trains? o_O

And the Q17/27 operate every 30 minutes after Midnight, seems acceptable to me.

[Q43LTD]

Actually for the Q27, its 45 minutes

[Gotham Bus Co.]

i was looking at some local bus schedules, and I was surprised that many of them don't have overnight service, and stop running about 01:00 in the morning.  Seems rather early to me, especially considering how many people work at odd hours these days.  Thoughts?

 

At the very least, every feeder route that runs overnight (1:00AM to 5:00AM) should operate on the same headway as the connecting train or ferry. It gets confusing when most routes run every 60 minutes but some run every 30 minutes (M15, Q3, Q44) or 40 minutes (Q17, Q43, Q85).

[NewFlyer 230]

I wonder why the Q10 runs every 20 minutes overnight like it needs it. I rule out the Airport because the Q3 runs every 60 minutes. Then again the Q10 gets more special attention than the Q3 and that's probably due to the area it runs to Kew Gardens.

Some routes may not need as much service as they have overnight but it's kind of necessary in some cases such as the Q64. The layover time for that route would be at least 45 minutes if they ran every 60 minutes.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

At the very least, every feeder route that runs overnight (1:00AM to 5:00AM) should operate on the same headway as the connecting train or ferry. It gets confusing when most routes run every 60 minutes but some run every 30 minutes (M15, Q3, Q44) or 40 minutes (Q17, Q43, Q85).

The problem is some routes have higher ridership over night than others.

[bobtehpanda]

I wonder why the Q10 runs every 20 minutes overnight like it needs it. I rule out the Airport because the Q3 runs every 60 minutes. Then again the Q10 gets more special attention than the Q3 and that's probably due to the area it runs to Kew Gardens.

Some routes may not need as much service as they have overnight but it's kind of necessary in some cases such as the Q64. The layover time for that route would be at least 45 minutes if they ran every 60 minutes.

 

The general idea is that the airport has very odd hours for arriving/departing flights, and for airport employees the airport never really "closes".

 

To be honest, with the opening of AirTrain it's debatable whether or not the Q10 needs that much service these days.