This is the absolute worst way to travel in New York City

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I still think it's annoying the way on the schedule, it says "Every 10 minutes" "Every 8 minutes", etc. I understand that the whole point is so that buses have the flexibility to run ahead of schedule, but at the same time, when service is running less frequently than every 8-10 minutes, it would be nice to get an idea of when the bus is supposed to arrive.

 

I will say that as far as SBS routes go, the S79 seems to be performing pretty well in terms of consistency. I work right around Hylan & Narrows, and the S79 bunches on occasion, but the longest gap I've seen was about 20 minutes (which isn't bad since midday buses run every 15 minutes anyway). 

I agree.  I actually decided to look at an M86SBS schedule last night as I was making my way from the Upper West Side to the Upper East Side (or at least I thought I was).  There were no eastbound M86 buses to be had anywhere. The closest one was about 10 stops away, with about 3 other buses behind.  The bunching in general on the M86 of late has been atrocious.  Last night there were four M86 buses packed up heading towards Broadway and I lucked out and got on one of the empty ones because the first two were insanely packed. Some of these buses would benefit from having exclusive bus lanes, especially if they go through the Trasverse.  Regarding the S79, I've found it to be fast the few times that I've used it, though I think it would benefit from artics to deal with the large crowds at certain stops.    

[DetSMART45]

I agree.  I actually decided to look at an M86SBS schedule last night as I was making my way from the Upper West Side to the Upper East Side (or at least I thought I was).  There were no eastbound M86 buses to be had anywhere. The closest one was about 10 stops away, with about 3 other buses behind.  The bunching in general on the M86 of late has been atrocious.  Last night there were four M86 buses packed up heading towards Broadway and I lucked out and got on one of the empty ones because the first two were insanely packed. Some of these buses would benefit from having exclusive bus lanes, especially if they go through the Trasverse.  Regarding the S79, I've found it to be fast the few times that I've used it, though I think it would benefit from artics to deal with the large crowds at certain stops.    

So what is the actual reason why artics aren't used on any SI routes?  Checked the updated roster on Google that Rick44 maintains just to make sure, and no artics are operated from Island depots.

 

Kinda goes against the whole SBS "rationale", where artics are to be utilized to maximize maintaining sardine can levels but having "faster" service.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

So what is the actual reason why artics aren't used on any SI routes?  Checked the updated roster on Google that Rick44 maintains just to make sure, and no artics are operated from Island depots.

 

Kinda goes against the whole SBS "rationale", where artics are to be utilized to maximize maintaining sardine can levels but having "faster" service.

I'm not really sure to be honest, but it seems as if the doesn't think that the S79 needs them, but I disagree. Those low floor hybrids can become insanely crowded. The layout is awkward, and should be reconfigured, even if that means fewer seats.  

[bobtehpanda]

I'm not really sure to be honest, but it seems as if the doesn't think that the S79 needs them, but I disagree. Those low floor hybrids can become insanely crowded. The layout is awkward, and should be reconfigured, even if that means fewer seats.  

 

The MTA had tested multiple layouts in the past; including a layout that was all-low floor. Apparently people hated the all-low floor concept, because they thought in the event of a crash that they would be screwed over.

 

Really, artics should have subway style bench seating and poles, because SBS is really just a placeholder for new subways (since somehow building SAS Phase II and reusing the tunnels is now supposed to cost $6B, and with that kind of cost inefficiency we will never see a new subway route in the outer boroughs within our lifetime.)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The MTA had tested multiple layouts in the past; including a layout that was all-low floor. Apparently people hated the all-low floor concept, because they thought in the event of a crash that they would be screwed over.

 

Really, artics should have subway style bench seating and poles, because SBS is really just a placeholder for new subways (since somehow building SAS Phase II and reusing the tunnels is now supposed to cost $6B, and with that kind of cost inefficiency we will never see a new subway route in the outer boroughs within our lifetime.)

I agree... I also think that the buses should have places to stand.  Some folks don't sit ever (myself included) which is why I like the newest artics because I can just stand in the middle area and be out of the way.  With the 40 footers the only place to stand is by the door, and you're constantly in the way.  The main issue with the artics buses overall is the aisles are too damn narrow, so if you were to sit, you would have people constantly banging into you. I get the impression that people purposely avoid certain seats on the buses, leading to packs of people in certain areas, and totally empty areas in other spots, which can make it a pain for boarding and getting off, as certain exits are more crowded than others.  Having three doors alleviates that problem, but what's funny now is that with the SBS routes in particular, you find the front of the bus to be much emptier while the middle of the bus is packed and no one wants to go to the back.  

[bobtehpanda]

I agree... I also think that the buses should have places to stand.  Some folks don't sit ever (myself included) which is why I like the newest artics because I can just stand in the middle area and be out of the way.  With the 40 footers the only place to stand is by the door, and you're constantly in the way.  The main issue with the artics buses overall is the aisles are too damn narrow, so if you were to sit, you would have people constantly banging into you. I get the impression that people purposely avoid certain seats on the buses, leading to packs of people in certain areas, and totally empty areas in other spots, which can make it a pain for boarding and getting off, as certain exits are more crowded than others.  Having three doors alleviates that problem, but what's funny now is that with the SBS routes in particular, you find the front of the bus to be much emptier while the middle of the bus is packed and no one wants to go to the back.  

 

The Europeans have already done this, but it wasn't invented here and New York is different, so we will never see this.

 

[YungMarxian]

this is what happens with communists and bums like Bloomberg and DeBlahblah in office.  Man I miss Rudy in City Hall

 

Bloomberg and DeBlasio are both neoliberals... a capitalist far cry from communism or socialism. You can dislike both all you want, as do I, but the red-baiting is counterproductive and uneducated.

[collagedchen300]

Maybe cut the Q32 line to 7 Av and West 58 Street, where M20 to South Ferry is. And for M4, maybe you could just remove its terminus to Madison Square Garden.

Outbound M4 will be rerouted to 8 Av.

 

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[B35 via Church]

.....And for M4, maybe you could just remove its terminus to Madison Square Garden.

Outbound M4 will be rerouted to 8 Av.

This is what the M10 used to do.... Charter buses dominate that corner of 31st & 8th (which were the troubles the M10 had to deal with; jockeying for position with those things).... You aren't getting an M4 or any other public bus to end over there....

[IAlam]

Maybe cut the Q32 line to 7 Av and West 58 Street, where M20 to South Ferry is. And for M4, maybe you could just remove its terminus to Madison Square Garden.

Outbound M4 will be rerouted to 8 Av.

 

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A decent amount of people get on the Q32 and M4 at Penn station so you'd end up screwing them over

[collagedchen300]

A decent amount of people get on the Q32 and M4 at Penn station so you'd end up screwing them over

You're right. But I thought of reducing traffic to improve travel speed for commuters.

 

 

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[78 via Stew Leonards]

NYC sucks nowadays. Modern technology sucked the fun out of mass transit

[collagedchen300]

NYC sucks nowadays. Modern technology sucked the fun out of mass transit

And we are waiting for new technologies like...

1. new metro cards with bar codes for subway entrance, that customers can simply scan to speed up the crowded queue in major stations.

2. Bar codes for multifunctional (subways and other local buses) transfer card issued in buses for whom paid by coins only, in case some doesn't have metrocard, but want to save time and money from buying a single ride card.

Swiping sometimes gets commuters nervous, even though they swipe their cards correctly as they are instructed, they couldn't enter, and may intentionally miss their catch and may blow their gasket.

Overall, the boldest tape at bottom of metrocard a are for buses, and bar codes are for subway entrance. This idea is like you use your CUNY ID card to enter a campus.

[78 via Stew Leonards]

And we are waiting for new technologies like...

1. new metro cards with bar codes for subway entrance, that customers can simply scan to speed up the crowded queue in major stations.

2. Bar codes for multifunctional (subways and other local buses) transfer card issued in buses for whom paid by coins only, in case some doesn't have metrocard, but want to save time and money from buying a single ride card.

Swiping sometimes gets commuters nervous, even though they swipe their cards correctly as they are instructed, they couldn't enter, and may intentionally miss their catch and may blow their gasket.

Overall, the boldest tape at bottom of metrocard a are for buses, and bar codes are for subway entrance. This idea is like you use your CUNY ID card to enter a campus.

I'm talking about the technology created post 2004 buses themselves. The techno thing aint cool.  Little things with the metro card obviously aint too bad

[S78 via Hylan]

I'm talking about the technology created post 2004 buses themselves. The techno thing aint cool. Little things with the metro card obviously aint too bad

Nothing lasts forever. You have to embrace it.

[IAlam]

NFC is definitely the direction most cities are going atm 

[B35 via Church]

NYC sucks nowadays. Modern technology sucked the fun out of mass transit

I agree to a point with what you're saying, and I even made a post professing as such (although it wasn't in the realm of not being fun)....

With me, it's not the technology itself - but the over-focus on the technology that's doing it....

 

I'd argue that Law Enforcement sucked the fun out of mass transit for a lot of people....

And I'm saying that as someone that's never taken a photo or a video of any bus or train in my life.

[FLX9304]

What's funny is that there are so few bikes using the actual bike lanes that it seems pointless if they're all going to ride IN the actual traffic. I see it all of the time on the Upper West Side along Amsterdam and Columbus.

especially bike Messengers who don't even use it. I see them on the other side of the lanes that prohibits bikes on that. Stay in your lane and nothing will happen to you instead of riding with traffic

 

 

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[Via Garibaldi 8]

especially bike Messengers who don't even use it. I see them on the other side of the lanes that prohibits bikes on that. Stay in your lane and nothing will happen to you instead of riding with traffic

 

 

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Agreed.  They even come on the damn sidewalks.  I almost got run over by some stupid delivery guy who was riding down the sidewalk instead of in the street, and for some odd reason, he kept going into the street and back on to the sidewalk. Some of them are aware of the fact that they're supposed to be riding in the street and still do anyway and then they apologize when you give that what the F are you doing? look.

[DaTransitMan4608]

Maybe cut the Q32 line to 7 Av and West 58 Street, where M20 to South Ferry is. And for M4, maybe you could just remove its terminus to Madison Square Garden.

Outbound M4 will be rerouted to 8 Av.

 

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I think there should be another branch of the Q32 that heads to the West Side via 59th St, maybe have terminate at Pier 96 or John Jay.

[bobtehpanda]

especially bike Messengers who don't even use it. I see them on the other side of the lanes that prohibits bikes on that. Stay in your lane and nothing will happen to you instead of riding with traffic

 

 

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To be fair, a lot of times (because of illegally parked police cars, delivery vehicles, etc.) it's either impossible or unsafe to stay in the bike lane.

 

Delivery in this city, in general, is really crappy at following local traffic regulations, to the point where the delivery companies have a parking ticket amnesty program.

[FamousNYLover]

Maybe NYCDOT has put sign on 34th St/7th Av: NO LEFT TURN EXCEPT BUSES" where this could only be spotted in Flushing Northern Blvd westbound lane turning left at  southbound Main St, but which completely some ignorant car drivers ignores the bus lane and bus turn lane.

[collagedchen300]

Maybe NYCDOT has put sign on 34th St/7th Av: NO LEFT TURN EXCEPT BUSES" where this could only be spotted in Flushing Northern Blvd westbound lane turning left at southbound Main St, but which completely some ignorant car drivers ignores the bus lane and bus turn lane.

Too annoying for all bus drivers. That may be like the bike lane situation. I suggest to have surveillance cameras installed since Flushing is one of major areas. That area of where you were viewing, especially the bike lane, need more eyes on that.

 

 

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[collagedchen300]

I think there should be another branch of the Q32 that heads to the West Side via 59th St, maybe have terminate at Pier 96 or John Jay.

Or terminate your second branch of Q32 at 12 Av and West 39 street, via 57 Street instead, a direct service via 12 av, where the NY Waterway Midtown Terminal, thus, going there is not far.

The 59 (outbound) and 60 (inbound) streets are for going to and from penn station; 57 street is for NY waterway midtown terminal, to avoid confusion.

Also, name Q32A for Penn station and Q32B for terminus @ Hudson.

How's that?

 

 

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[MassTransitHonchkrow]

The love affair with SBS IMO is nothing more than their desire to cut costs. Have new buses paid for with federal funds and cut overhead where possible, and it's a success!

It'll still take real effort to address the $ 39 billion Elephant in the room ...

That debt's gonna be the end of the MTA, sooner or later.

 

#MassTransitHonchkrow ????

Getting to know the Hudson Valley one bus stop at a time... ????????

Rudy was an enemy of the MTA who worked with the governor to prevent it from being funded properly. He's part of the reason buses are late.

I believe this article from 1995 illustrates the same climate we face now.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/28/nyregion/budget-chief-for-giuliani-joins-mta.html

A criticism of the MTA budget, and the hiring of a man who unfrotunately agreed with the hype.

His name? Joe Lhota, who also ran against de Blasio in 2012.

Transit can only succeed if it is forcibly decoupled from politics by law.

 

#MassTransitHonchkrow ????

Getting to know the Hudson Valley one bus stop at a time... ????????