Select Bus Service Ridership figures 2014-2015

[GreatOne2k]

 Ridership figures are listed by       2014 ridership# / 2015 ridership#

 

Route        weekday  avg         Saturday  avg      Sunday avg       weekend avg            total
 
B44LCL   18,767 / 18,035    14,349 / 13,911  12,498 / 11,872  26,847 / 25,783  6,238,555  /  5,992,307
B44SBS   17,249 / 18,986      9,856 / 10,888    7,682 /  8,309  17,538 / 19,197  5,343,199  /  5,876,749

 

BX12LCL 13,360 / 12,816    9,384  /  8,962     7,698 /   7,606  17,082 / 16,568    4,332,834  /  4,172,262
BX12SBS 35,343 / 35,840  25,858 / 27,335   19,693 / 20,735  45,551 / 48,070  11,480,072 / 11,749,519

 

BX41LCL 11,489 / 10,556     9,032 / 8,514        7,156 / 6,305   16,188 / 14,819   3,809,589  /  3,498,999
BX41SBS 13,588 / 13,675     8,029 / 8,214        6,111 / 6,454   14,140 / 14,668   4,231,024  /  4,284,537

 

M15LCL   16,151 / 15,255  11,696 / 10,987    10,006 /  9,479  21,702 / 20,466    5,287,945  / 4,993,659
M15SBS   33,446 / 30,774  17,910 / 17,443   15,440 / 14,575  33,350 / 32,018  10,316,649 / 9,563,126

 

All of the local buses listed here are declining, but all of the Select buses listed here are increasing (except for the M15SBS)

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

The Bx12 on Saturdays is almost pulling what the M15 pulls on weekdays. I don't know which route that speaks more to but there's something to be said for both sides of that. 

[N6 Limited]

How's the M60?

[LTA1992]

It hasn't been around long enough yet.

[checkmatechamp13]

It hasn't been around long enough yet.

 

The reason he only put up those 4 routes is because those are the only ones where there's separate local & SBS buses (the MTA ridership stats only include the total for the whole route). The M34/34A, M86, M60, and S79 are all SBS-only, and so there's nothing to separate. Their weekday stats can be found here. Unfortunately, the MTA hasn't updated the weekend stats for NYCT routes, so you'd need a separate FOIL request to obtain them.

[B35 via Church]

The broad discrepancy b/w local usage & SBS usage I'd expect on the Bx12 & the M15, based on sheer passenger volume alone...

 

The (closer) discrepancy b/w the two services on the Bx41, I also expected - especially realizing the "relationship" (if you will) b/w the Bx41 local & the old Bx41 LTD b/w Gun Hill & the Hub.... I would say that the SBS Bx41 is a bit more utilized than the old LTD Bx41's..... Basically, I wouldn't expect it to be a case of the Bx41 SBS usage blowing Bx41 local service out of the water (like, with the aforementioned two routes)....

 

The discrepancy b/w the two services on the B44 is a joke.... I've been vehement enough about how much of a detriment Rogers av would be for the SBS before day one, and even the MTA's own stats illustrate this.... Too bad there's no way to B49 limited-ing the B44 SBS (by that I mean, only have the B44 SBS run along Nostrand av... b/c for starters, that would mean bringing back LTD service along NY av - or increasing the headways of the B44 local along NY av ).... I have yet to see a crowded 44 along Rogers at Church av - Compare that to Nostrand av @ Church, where they're packed as hell....

 

 

The Bx12 on Saturdays is almost pulling what the M15 pulls on weekdays. I don't know which route that speaks more to but there's something to be said for both sides of that. 

The Bx12 on weekends, easily.....

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

I'm at the point where I don't really know how to respond. I'm usually a fan of stats but some of my take on these is like beating a dead horse. We get that the Bx12 is heavily utilized and that the M15 is as well despite losing passengers to alternatives that most Manhattan routes are dealing with. The one thing that's shocked me going through these numbers on a year by year is seeing the Bx12 (these days) in that number one position surpassing the M15 and B46's of the world. I thought it would be in that #3 spot for a good while longer. The thing is that this is happening on the strength of SBS given the declines in Bx12 local usage that have occurred during these recent years. I would mainly attribute the growth to increased usage out of both Inwood and Co-op City since packed buses in those areas are somewhat common and that ridership is a far departure from what the LTD days saw in those areas. The main noticeable change beyond the ridership is that when SBS came around the outer ends of the Bx12 saw significantly more service then under the LTD and the increased usage could just be a reaction to that. The "success" of the Bx12 is almost standing out in a way where it should be looked into as a guide of how to operate other high ridership routes. Given what's going on with the B46 a few pointers could be used.

[DetSMART45]

Flame me all you want, but I'd say the MTA is cooking the books in favor of SBS, since that's what their mission is -- to sell the "wonders" of SBS in cahoots with the DOT.

 

I've given plenty of reasons why, it's up to you to scroll back/search for them.

 

Ironic, isn't it, how they tout their "successes" of SBS and yet don't say anything about their improvement of Locals where SBS is not involved (meaning: over 90% of routes) ........

[checkmatechamp13]

Flame me all you want, but I'd say the MTA is cooking the books in favor of SBS, since that's what their mission is -- to sell the "wonders" of SBS in cahoots with the DOT.

 

I've given plenty of reasons why, it's up to you to scroll back/search for them.

 

Ironic, isn't it, how they tout their "successes" of SBS and yet don't say anything about their improvement of Locals where SBS is not involved (meaning: over 90% of routes) ........

 

If they were cooking the books, they wouldn't have reported the ridership losses on the M15, and they wouldn't have reported the initial decrease in ridership that took effect when the B44 initially received SBS.

 

AFAIC, the stats themselves aren't intentionally tampered with. They may be sloppy, but what's the saying "Never attribute to maliciousness what you can attribute to incompetence"? And then their interpretation of some of their own stats is half-assed. 

 

As much as some of us like to bash the MTA and their implementation of the SBS, there are some cases where it has been a clear success. As a passenger, the S79 is loads better with the limited stops and the bus lanes, compared to what it used to be. Not to say that there aren't flaws in its implementation, nor that it's the automatic answer to problems like bunching and overcrowding, but it is a good program for some routes.

[N6 Limited]

Sometimes bunching and crowding is due to Bus Operators driving slow or playing games with colleagues.

[LTA1992]

Flame me all you want, but I'd say the MTA is cooking the books in favor of SBS, since that's what their mission is -- to sell the "wonders" of SBS in cahoots with the DOT.

 

I've given plenty of reasons why, it's up to you to scroll back/search for them.

 

Ironic, isn't it, how they tout their "successes" of SBS and yet don't say anything about their improvement of Locals where SBS is not involved (meaning: over 90% of routes) ........

 

Well, as someone who has and continues to use some of the routes, the improvements were not a lie. As previously stated, the S79 is worlds beyond what it used to be. The B44 SBS being routed up Rogers has made that trip better for me as well. The Bx12 SBS speaks for itself. I mean, it has it's issues. Overcrowding being the main. If it wasn't for the large gradients, I'd advocate for the conversion to streetcar (provided it's designed correctly). I haven't ridden the M15 SBS in a while and the last time I did was around the building collapse last year, so service, as well as the traffic, was deplorable. I am not a regular rider on the Q44, M60, or Bx41 SBS routes, so I cannot comment on them.