Express Bus Operator

Just now, JeremiahC99 said:

What is the plan?

So far buses are being moved around to accommodate the depots with the RTS. For  example flatbush let go 6 RTS and received 5 NG hybrid from Grand Ave.  We have depots as we speak are receiving new buses " LFS, NF". 

1 hour ago, Calvin said:

shortage, perhaps

1 hour ago, T J Trainman said:

You will see.

I'm pretty sure there's a plan in place if the MTA is deciding to quickly remove the RTS out of the depots. But if it wasn't for the media this plan would have been delayed till the end of the year.

16 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Can't be true as of yet..  Don't get me wrong. Employees provide a great wealth of info.

However, ENY has 7 RTS left. There's no way all of them retired today and no additional XD40's came in yet.

So far: 7779, 7780, 7781 and now 7782 are all in house at ENY.

Looks like the FB count is at 42 RTS left.

Now I'm waiting for FB to start to experience the same situation by dropping all the left over RTS.

3 minutes ago, T J Trainman said:

That’s true, but they are making a big mistake with this. 

Why do you think they're making a big mistake?....

I heard EN got Zero RTS left?................................

On 3/27/2019 at 1:08 PM, Future ENY OP said:

Appreciate the clarification. I was always under the impression that those SBS44’s turn to SBS46 once they complete at WBP with a XD40. So my guess is that the XD40’s do return back as SBS44’s and not an interline for the 46. 

No problem...Basically those bus spotted on the sb44+ were due to bus shortage at the time the operator needed to pull out of the depot to start service. You will also see on Saturdays the SB46+ bus is being used on the B41 for a short trip from Kingsplaza to Empire BLVD as an extra service needed due to short services of the B41 returning to KP.

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

I definitely know about the bad snow weather days and they work the route until storm passes. However, as of late I’ve seen 2 to 3 XD40’s for SBS early AM pullout than they interline for the 46 at WBP. 

Thanks for confirmations Duece! 

From the looks of things: Grand Avenue, Kingsbridge and West Farms are getting dibs on the LFSA’s. Hope there’s enough to spread around. 

I just checked all the paddle runs for the AM sb44/46 and not one has any sort of interlining. The SBS runs are left alone and doesn't interline, the only line that interlines ONLY during AM rush hour service only are the following "B41, B44, and both the B2 and B31 always interline with each other" 

You'll see 5-9 Runs from the local B44 first pulls out as a B41 short trip to Empire BLVD and after goes back to its original route  starting point at Empire Blvd and Nostrand Avenue heading back to Avenue U.

B41 5 - 9 runs pulls out as B44 local to Empire BLVD or start as regular short trip from AVE P flatbush ave to Empire BLVD and after turns to local 44 from Empire to Avenue X last stop and head back towards the B41 to restart.  These interlining only occurs at FB depot only during Morning Rush hour service only. 

58 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

I believe the 2 B44 SBS XD40’s are interlines for the B46 SBS. (Can a FB op confirm on this) I usually see 1 pulling off from the Junction at about 6:30AM heading to Williamsburg Bridge. 

Random thought of the day: 4138, 4139 started working on the 41 yesterday (recent pickups from Grand Avenue)  and there are 3 RTS working the B41. 4954 is one that I’ve spotted this morning. 

.... and I kinda find it strange after November 2018 there hasn’t been another driverside wrap for any of the Brooklyn Division local buses. I know it’s been spoken about in the past that divisions outside Manhattan don’t really cater to driverside wraps on their local buses and Outfront (current MTA ad suppler) mostly cater to the Manhattan and Express bus divisions. 

20 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

This morning while watching "Good Day NY" They had a camera in Willamsburg and the Proterra drove by, there was also two SBS wrapped XD40s on the B44 SBS. This was at 7:30AM.

Yes that XD40 sbs44 was because of artic bus shortage. Anytime there are no Articulated buses available for a pull out, the yard dispatcher will send an XD40 SBS out in service for the SBS44. On bad snow weather they do the same thing by sending out some of the XD40's out on that route when its possible.

16 minutes ago, East New York said:

 

Unfortunately MTA doesn’t like to do that, and even if they did you likely wouldn’t want one unless you are a mechanic.

I have wanted one since I was a kid and if by chance I can get my hands on one I would only want one sold to another party like NYPD or FDNY. When MTA retires buses they drain them of all usable fluids and fuel. The exceptions are the buses that have ended up with other agencies. If that occurs you have a chance of getting something good like what has been seen with 7018, 9207, and the now infamous Black and white Mechanics RTS that’s at College Point all the time.

However, since this is the final retirement phase, they may retain a few for sale. I just want some damn parts! Lol

But if I could snag 9525, 4983, 4987, 5000, 5012, or 5234 man oh man...... I would opt for 5124 but you can keep the maintenance on that ZF for someone else. I don’t think anyone will ever maintain one of those better than MTA.

MTA will also go down in history as the best maintainers of The Detroit Diesel engine ever. Detroit Department of Transportation will go down in history as the worse. How ironic! Lol

There's a guy who has one of the old RTS nearby flatbush depot parked inside his drive way. The bus is currently wrap and only a few time I saw him drive off with it during night time.... When I get the chance and remember I will take a picture of it and post it here to show you.

Hey @EastNewYork are any of these RTS's that are being pulled away from the roster will eventually be up for sale to the public?  

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Looks like Flatbush gets an original back with 4221. Let’s see if more Grand Avenue buses make their way to Flatbush Avenue. (Only guessing in response for TA to start scrapping RTS) 

A few of the RTS are being scrap this week from Flatbush.

4 hours ago, FLX9304 said:

On what fb group that story is from?

No group. At the moment Flatbush depot operators are being trained on the XD60 just so when the current fleets changes from LFSA to XD60, that the operators is equipment qualified.  The information in regards to  some of the current 7600's  buses may get unwrapped and thrown into local service was explained during a shop gate at the depot sharing a few information to whats coming up for the depot.

1 hour ago, trainfan22 said:

Surprised the NG will be the most hated once the RTS leave. I thought the Orion hybrids in general were the most liked buses overall by MTA drivers. 

Without a doubt If I had to pull out a bus and they only had an RTS and and NG left, I would pick the NG to be in service. But like always once a vehicle starts to become old people will start to hate it. 

2 minutes ago, King Transit said:

I am an Xcelsior fan/op, they are my favorites too. The XN60s and the XDE40/60s are my most favorite Xcelsiors. I do like the RTS'(2nd favorite model), but my main ones are the 1990-91 TMC units with 6v92(w/V731) and trapoxidyzer( along with the Novabus 1997-99 units). 

During my childhood I use to praise the RTS's especially when they started rolling out with the new blue cushions seats. I use to love the way the engine sounds as the operator accelerates. But now being on the other side sitting behind the wheels of the RTS's I change my mind lol........

Hands down on the B41 I try my best to pull out an XD especially dealing with walkers and wheelchairs passengers they are perfect to kneel and load. When its possible the yard dispatcher try their best to provide me an XD especially on the weekends. When I know I'm pulling out an XD my entire mood swing changes and I know I'm have a great day out there lol.

2 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

So if FB management decides to scrap all the RTS. Where to get NG’s from. Jamaica? Yukon? Casey Stengel. You MJQ not giving it up and plus those 3800’s FB had them before going to Manhattan or send back the XD40’s from East New York and Ulmer Park? 

"I wish"

The AGM at FB was the GS for maint' dept and I heard rumors he favors the RTS's since they use to love repairing them at FB.

The NG will be the future hated buses as more of the NF's comes in play. The only thing sucks with the NG's  are the kneeler takes so long to raise back up.

1 minute ago, King Transit said:

The RTS' are your most favorites ? That's what I was thinking about before.

Nope they're not my favorite!.. I love the NF 7000's over anything right now.

6 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

As of right now Flatbush will retain most of their  RTS. As more RTS are retired from ENY they are getting some low 65xx buses from Fresh Pond.

Hopefully the Flatbush LFSA’s can head to West Farms or TU/100th. 5332 is unwrapped and is still in house at FB awaiting its next move. 

Stop hurting my feelings about them RTS's at FB...... The more I see them around, the more I feel sick lol. 

8 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

If the SBS extends to Flushing. Its a good thing and a bad thing.. The good thing is from this layover it can do 2 things..

A) Go down Graham and make the first left on Debevoise than back onto Broadway.

B) Turn right on Flushing than another right on Sumner Place for layover.

The bad part of the layover is between 3pm and 8pm when everything gets so tight around Broadway.

As for the XD40 (additional buses) FB will not receive since the whole order is officially accounted for.

Option B is a no go. If I'm having the same vision as you on Broadway make a right on Flushing?

6 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Maybe I'd go 1 step further to possibly say that the last stop should be at the back of Woodhull. Directly pass the B47 bus stop..

At the corner of Marcus Garvey & Park for the accommodations for artics for the 46+.

Perfect left turn into Park Avenue (with a separate TSP light)  than a slight right onto Broadway.. (However, this is above my paygrade and this type of executive decision would require loss of parking spaces along that corridor and I think Bed-stuy has endured enough trouble when it comes to parking.)

They stating so far the 46+ may extend to Flushing ave which i believe would be a bad idea since Broadway to flushing during peak hours is a hot mess. I did have some thoughts  on how I would make the 46+ XD60's turn-around at the original stop, but that would be in a different discussion thread..........

I saw someone mention that FB won't be receiving any new XD40's for local service  which sucks, but a few days ago the union chairman at FB was encouraging operators to go learn the new Artic XD60's since they will be the replacement of the LFSA and he also  mention about how some of the wrap 7600's XD40's would be unwrapped and go to local service once the XD60's officially roles out on the 46+. If that theory does come in play, I can see them pushing out some of the RTS's out of FB.

6 hours ago, JFK Depot said:

The 6 having the heaviest ridership out of 44 41 and 82 (only reason I mention the 82 is because it’s the next line up in Bklyn)  I can’t see why they didn’t look into that further... Granted the 6 at certain points isn’t streamlined but I’m sure with enough study an B6 SBS can happen 

I don't depend on that so call data MTA use to determined which lines has the most passenger traffic. You have to remember sometimes fare beaters uses the back door and  sometimes operators don't even press the F5 to record unpaid passengers.  I know on the 41 almost every other stops I see passengers going through the back door or going through the front asking for a ride. 

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Wow. That’s something very interesting an 76xx bus on the 41. 

The last time I saw a SBS rolling down Flatbush was a rush hour artic working the 41 than deadheading to the 44 on Empire.  Too bad they can’t have a LFSA artic do one trip on the 41 to empire in the morning. 

Yes that sbs46 bus doing an 41 empire trip usually happens  with certain dispatcher on post and when the 41 is way behind schedule with no buses coming to KP anytime soon. The dispatcher ask the operator on the sbs46 thats done for the day if they want to do an extra service?.... Of course its OT

If I had the opportunity to roll that LFSA on the 41, I would 🤪. 

Added note: “On school trips out of FB depot the 41, 46, 44, 47, B12 and B7 uses the 76xx buses in the afternoon”. 

55 minutes ago, JFK Depot said:

Lol the 41 is on the table...  the Q58 will probably mirror how the Q44 is with bus lanes in certain places 

At 16:17 a sbs46 bus was used for the 41 for a short trip from kp to empire blvd. Today a lot of passengers traffic at KP

1 minute ago, Jdog14 said:

 

The M14 A/D is largely the same route besides the extreme ends of each route. The B46 and B41 run nowhere near each other til you reach KP and have two completely different markets seperate of each other

6 hours ago, Jdog14 said:

 

So the dollar van nonsense can affect Utica Ave also? Hell no...that would be a big mistake..

 

No interlining should be happening whatsoever with SBS routes. Leave them seperate.

On 3/1/2019 at 7:26 AM, JFK Depot said:

Makes perfect sense...  and since this idea includes running 60s how about interlining the SBS’s at KP... 1 comes down as a 41 and goes back up as a 46 and vice versa

Before SBS started on the 46, At FB depot both the 41 and the 46 use to interline. Some run was the first half you would do the B41 and your second half you  would do B46. At the moment only the B2 and B31 interline at FB and some AM rush hour runs has B44 doing a short trip on the 41 from Ave P to Empire Blvd. 

On a Busy day where the 41 is extremely behind schedule at KP, dispatchers usually use a sbs46 bus to do a short trip  on the 41 from KP to Empire Blvd especially on a special holiday where kp is jammed.

5 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

That’s a copy. How’s the handling of the bus? Haven’t seen the 4 buses in service as of late. The last I saw was 6119 working the 44 about 2 weeks ago. 

Both 6117 and 6125 is on the track to be oulled out this afternoon 

3 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

That’s a copy. How’s the handling of the bus? Haven’t seen the 4 buses in service as of late. The last I saw was 6119 working the 44 about 2 weeks ago. 

6117 was behind me this morning pulling in the depot approximately at 0950hrs. Last stop was Avenue U.