North Shore Line

All of those ideas are terrible! Too much going on! The current SI routes are fine just need some very minor alterations and/or extensions short-turns. The Bronx and SI express re-designs show that the MTA are not looking to change EVERYTHING just a few obvious necessities here and there. As an immediate stop-gap measure, how about implementing TSP on all major Staten Island routes, especially the S40, S44, S46 and S74, S76 and S78 as those three from looking at BusTime seem to miss the ferry by 1-3 minutes the most. The buses should have the ability to turn the lights green and put signs wherever it is in operation to let drivers know. On another note, after buses reach a certain point they should be able to operate slightly early if need be to connect with the SI FERRY. The Staten Island buses since BUSTIME already do not operate on any type of schedule regardless. So look "REALISTICALLY" at how the routes should be changed and not drawing a bunch of lines on a map because you think it needs run somewhere.

I think I found out why Castleton is receiving the 8700s, meet the new S79 Select Bus Service! /sarc

Only the S79 and S83 would become 100% articulated routes. All the rest would remain 40-footer routes with the possibility of having articulated runs introduced where need be. The S59 would be unchanged because the S94 Limited would make S89 stops using Marsh Avenue and half of the S44 runs would operate to College of SI. The S81 can remain in this plan. The service reduction on the S51 comes from having only the S50 operate through Ft Wadsworth. The S51 would remain on School Road. The S55/S56 can take whichever routing will get them there the fastest, using the least amount of buses possible. An S55 or S56 CSI extension should already exist. The Teleport-WSP extension is for coverage but certainly not necessary. I'm towing the MTA line in that they have been only creating new super-routes lately or very short shuttles and SI does not need any more SBS routes or a bunch of short shuttles, only increased services. The North Shore needs all-day limited-stop services, the East Shore areas that the S52, S74, S76, S78 serve need short-turns, the south shore needs increased S79 services, CSI needs more coverage, S93 needs articulateds and some areas need service in general. It's going to be interesting to see the official plan for restructuring the local buses. My idea is to have the South Shore receive a split S79 that operates either via the X1 routing or the X7 routing between the bridge and ETC. The North Shore and West Shore receives two limited-stop "super-routes", the S90 serving Teleport & WSP and the S94 Limited serving Richmond Avenue, SI Mall and ETC. Meanwhile. the S46 and S96 are cut back to increase frequencies on those lines and the S48 receives a Bayonne-HBLR branch once the bridge construction is completed. Mid-Island (Victory Blvd) runs the risk of being over-served, so the only thing I suggest is articulated buses on the S93. Maybe that area you mention often around Gothaels Road/SIE service roads could be served by a zone express S67 using Watchogue. The other North Shore neighborhoods (Stapleton, Rosebank, etc.) would benefit from more increased short-turns rather than more limited services. The other areas would continue to get screwed however! What do you suggest checkmate?

Changes for SI Local Bus Service in 2018 Predictions : So this is how the SI Network should be changed: Yukon Depot would have all the hybrids and most Novas LFS replaced by USB/WIFI 2018-2019 Nova LFSA articulated buses. Charleston and Meredith/Castleton would also receive 10-15 articulated buses each. Some LFSA will be in SBS scheme for the S71 +SBS+ and S79 +SBS+. The S57, and most S44, S61, S62, S91 and S92 would be swapped to Castleton Depot. The S53, S83, S90 and S93 would operate out of Yukon Depot. This in anticipation of the development happening all across Staten Island, S40 - Service Reduced. S42 - Remains the same. S44 - Add College of SI extension. Every other S44 terminates at College of SI or SI Mall. S46 - Services cut back to Forest Avenue. South Avenue services replaced by S90 all times except late nights. Now operates every 10 minutes. S48 - Service Reduced. S50 - New, St George to Bay Ridge - 86th Street via Bay Street. No local stops. Replaces the S81. S51 - Service Reduced. S52 - Extended to Dongan Hills train station. S53 - Swapped to Yukon Depot. Artics Introduced. Short-turns at Victory Blvd or the S54 terminal. S54 - Remains the same. Possible extension to ferry and short-turn at Seaview Hospital. S55 - Add College of SI extension. S56 - Add Teleport-West Shore Plaza extension. S57 - Remains the same. S59 - Remains the same. Artics Introduced. S57, S61, S62 - swapped back to Castleton Depot. S66 - Remains the same. S71 +SBS+ - A variant of the S79 that uses the X7 routing to Eltingville Transit Center. SBS Artics Only. S74, S76, S78 - More short-turns near the ferry. S79 +SBS+ - SBS Artics Only. No more hybrids on SI. S81 - Eliminated. Replaced by the S50. S83 - Artics Only, Limited Stop S53 bypassing South Beach. Operates 7 days a week. S84, S86 - Remains the same. S88 - St George to HBLR via Forest and Morningstar, some s48 runs will now operate to HBLR every 30-60 minutes as S88. S88 operates with the same hours as the HBLR. S89 - Remains the same. S90 Limited operates 7 days a week 445am-130am weekdays and 5am-1am Saturdays and Sundays. Route changed to serve Teleport and West Shore Plaza. Artics Introduced. S91, S92 - Remains the same. S93 - Artics Introduced. S94 - Artics Introduced. Eltingville Transit Center extension. Makes only S89 and S79 stops. Makes all stops between Jewett and Morningstar however the amount of stops in that segment are reduced. Service expanded to every 30 minutes to/from St George rush hours, middays and evenings. No weekend service. S96 - West Shore Plaza and Teleport service replaced by S90. S96 now operates to/from Goethals Road North or Mariners Harbor instead. S98 - Remains the same. X6/X16 - Eltingville Transit Center to either Newark Airport or a Northeast Corridor train station.

Hey, I spotted Orion 3G 7056 with full "MTA Bus" labels. This means nothing as there are Orion Vs with "MTA Bus" labels on SI but to see it on 3G is interesting.

The S54 could use Lane C with the S46 and S48. I wouldn't implement this plan until the Novabus LFS fleet are in at Castleton Depot but the S54 would gain and pick up some new ridership over time due to the new extension. It would make getting across Staten Island much easier. Another idea would be when it is running every 15 minutes every other bus could operate to New Dorp instead of Seaview Hospital along the S57 route.

Here's a new proposal; extending the S54 bus to St George Ferry at all times. The S54 would operate 5am-1am between St George Ferry and Eltingville or Seaview Hospital 7 days a week. The headways would be every 15 minutes during rush hours and every 30 or 20 minutes at other times meeting each ferry. When it is operating at 15 minute headways, every other bus would terminate at Seaview Hospital. The extension to St George Ferry would be along Richmond Terrace making all current S40 stops to/from St George.

It seems to have happened overnight but the Prevost buses are now showing up on Castleton express routes. Seen some on the X10 and X14.

I would rather a new Select Bus Service on the north shore of SI to the ferry rather than midday S89. Remember, an additional local/limited bus service on SI takes away service from somewhere else. Once the HOV lanes are complete, X-buses will be able to use them 24/7 which means fast service to PATH at WTC.

It is interesting indeed. I propose that S44 become a Select Bus Service along Castleton Avenue for a number of reasons. -As the article mentioned, a significant portion of the North Shore right of way was entirely flooded out. Had there been a rail line or bus line there built pre-Sandy, a majority of that line would have been washed away right into the Kill Van Kull. -The S44 operating along Castleton Avenue instead will straighten out the lengthy line. Thus making it easier to place new Select Bus Service stations along the Castleton corridor and give the S46 local a different route to St George using the side streets that the S44 currently operates on. -The S44 Select Bus Service would change ridership patterns ALL across the North Shore. I propose that there also be "branch" runs to/from Teleport and/or West Shore Plaza so that Port Richmond, Mariner's Harbor and Graniteville are still serviced by the areas the North Shore BRT was planned to service. -The map I placed has the S44 SBS making between 15-18 stops making commutes faster from areas that DO NOT currently have any "faster" means of reaching St. George except during the small AM "peak" rush hour window on weekdays. -To add to that, possibly have the S44 SBS service terminate further south at Eltingville Transit Center for connections and Park & Ride there. -The S44 SBS operating to and from the SI Mall and Teleport would mean it could be served by any of the 3 depots, Yukon, Castleton or Meredith if need be for more efficient service. -(That being said, Castleton Depot is a great depot but it should NOT have any Select Bus Services. Leave that for Yukon Depot who is already operating the S79 Select Bus Service and doing a great job at that. That is why I did not mention a S46 SBS or S40 SBS.) -The S44 SBS would probably only travel 30 minutes tops from end-to-end considering that it will be the first North Shore route making only SBS stops the entire route unlike the current format of having the LIMITED buses short-turn or run local after a certain point. -I know I am not the only one who has seen several rather empty S79 SBS running up and down Hylan and Richmond this year. The S44 SBS would be used more by riders than the S79 SBS if given a few years especially with a branch servicing Mariner's Harbor. -All of the Staten Island bus depots are slated to receive new buses this year and the next, which should pave the way for better bus service on Staten Island. -The S1 North Shore BRT is not a good idea from the start. For that plan, I would rather have the MTA simply add S90 service in a similar fashion to the new and improved S93; operating every 30 minutes or meeting with each ferry.

That's not the point. The S79 SBS was not all that popular at it's inception either and almost didn't even become a reality for the same reason, yet it is now used very well. The same would happen with a S44 SBS of some sort or any North Shore select bus service. It would take some time but more people would use the line if it became more convenient to use. If a S44 SBS were created it should be operated the same as the S79 SBS, no pre-boarding fare collecting, just operating as a faster limited per say. There is a market for that and people would ride it that do not currently. The S59 and S89 ridership and schedules would be greatly effected by having SBS service along all of Richmond Avenue.

Truth be told, Staten Island is not receiving any new form of rail. What is being asked for here is some sort of Select Bus Service (SBS) for the North Shore of Staten Island. The original plan called for an entirely new right of way for buses only. It would have essentially replaced the S40 and S90 buses with an 8-stop Select Bus Service called the S1. This seems very expensive and not everyone lives near the S40 or S90 bus. I think the best solution would be to take advantage of the fact that Yukon already is a Select Bus Service depot and expand that fleet instead. The S44 would become the new Select Bus Service for the North Shore but operating along Castleton Avenue replacing the S46. This new S44 via Castleton Ave would operate along the current S46 route until Morningstar and Walker Street where it will continue the current S44 route. The S44 Select Bus Sevice would make all S96 stops along Castleton Avenue and all S89 stops along Richmond Avenue The S44 Select Bus Service would operate to/from St George Ferry via Castleton Avenue and either the SI Mall, Teleport via the current S96 route, short-turn in Port Richmond or extend to Etlingville Transit Center. All of the buses could be shared between the S44 and S79 and this would be easier and cheaper to put in place. The S46 re-routed via the current S44 route to West Shore Plaza. So no buses turning at the intersection of Morningstar and Walker.

Just want to thank the si bus drivers who are doing an amazing job despite the shortage issues. The S40 bus needs articulated buses asap or more service because it is becoming overcrowded every single time I ride it now. The S44 is doing very well now as well no need for any changes. The RTS are finally back on the line and they are good ones from brooklyn. The Select Bus Service hybrids are appearing on every line except the S79 lol. The S79 even had a RTS on it as well.

"The LTD would open new and faster travel options that were not available before-hand." Ridership would most likely increase after new improvements are brought into place. If that same thinking was applied in the past, the S53 would still be terminating every other bus in Sunnyside with every 30 minute service to Port Richmond and there would be no S93.

A new limited route along the S53 would certainly attract not only current riders but also new riders. The S53 is the busiest on the Island, more than the S46 and the S79 Select. The LTD would open new and faster travel options that were not available before-hand. The best plan would be to have S93 between CSI and Bay Ridge via Victory/Clove/Narrows Rd 5-days a week. This has already been revealed to be coming to SI in 2014. However, the S53 would be truncated to Sunnyside or Victory Blvd/Clove Road on weekdays with a S83 via Castleton/Broadway/Narrows Rd serving the north shore with a transfer available at Victory Blvd/Clove Road. S83 would make all local stops between Victory Blvd/Clove Road and Port Richmond.

How the S83 Limited (S53 LTD) looks on MTA BusTime :

The S40 was a victim to service cuts not lack of ridership. The 20-minute headways are unnecessary though, either run the bus every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes. The schedule on the 20 minutes has two out of three buses missing the ferry by a couple of minutes while on Sundays every bus is correctly timed. http://www.mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/staten/s040cur.pdf

The S67 to Mariner's Harbor is a solid plan and I hope it goes through. The only minor issue would be some of the S57 buses would still have to run via Willowbrook Road to serve the schools unless those become S67 school runs. Now there's still two known markets left semi-untapped. College of SI Loop to Bay Ridge via Victory Blvd on Middays, Evenings and Saturday. Port Richmond to Bay Ridge LIMITED via Narrows Road North/South, 7 days a week. These are two potential service additions that would save time for riders between Staten Island and the Brooklyn local train at 86th Street. The services would probably pay for themselves eventually like the Q52 has for example. Maybe a petition can be started for these two as well?

I think the fact that there has been no news regarding Staten Island's local bus future, there may be some big changes in store down the line. There's new development happening on Staten Island, particularly at the St George Ferry itself with the New York Wheel, new retail and a giant new mall. The Staten Island Mall is being expanded with a few new stores including Target. Bustime has certainly made traveling by bus on staten island easier and possibly more popular? The large tolls on the vz bridge should fund a S53 limited, which is getting more and more crowded each year and already exceeds the criteria needed for a limited route. One difference now, is the when service expansion comes to Staten Island they will be prepared with four depots now rather than 2. Charleston and Meredith may have simply opened at the wrong time when all the service cuts took place.

The S40 is the only option to the ferry between that or the S66. Victory Blvd has entirely too much traffic. The S40 needs an entirely new schedule though because it does not make sense. Each day should run like the Sunday Schedule with each run meeting a ferry with time to catch it. The introducing of some off-peak S90 service ahead of the north shore changes would help a great deal as well because that's what the new bus way will be albeit a bit more fancy.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. Imagine if you were on the Q44, Q35, Q52/Q53 or M60 and it had to divert into all the nearby neighborhoods and make all kinds of turns, twists and stops along the way before crossing the bridge. There should be a straight shot S53 from Port Richmond right through to Bay Ridge once it reaches the Staten Island Expressway. If you need the South Shore when this SIE S53 is running transfers are very easy along the highway as well and the S79 SBS is now available and more frequent instead of the railroad.

I now have to use the S53 early in the morning and my god is that bus slow. Everytime I used it, the S53 made every single stop on it's way to brooklyn. It does not makes sense why north shore riders have to travel through the south shore and south shore riders never have any seats. The S53 should certainly be split into two routes or something that cuts the travel time down.

You believe the S59 should be left alone for what reason? Richmond Avenue actually had 24/7 service via the S59 until 1995 when service was cut. Why should Richmond Avenue not have 24/7 local bus service once again in 2013 and beyond, this time with St George access as well. Cutting S59 service off at 8pm-ish would, 1. eliminate unecessary duplicate service on Richmond Avenue at a time when traffic is very calm and the S44 makes very good time, 2. free up more buses for the S44, 3. keep things cost-neutral. The current S44 route has improved a great deal over the last few months, however I would chalk that up to the new S79 having only 22 stops vs 90+ stops. The new S44 would run 8pm, 8:30, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11, 11:30, 12am, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30am. Very simple schedule to keep, and once again traffic is non-existant along the S44 route after 10pm. The S59 route in Port Richmond is entirely within walking distance of the S44. The S59 would cease running after 8pm every day and those costs would be diverted to extending the S44 south to Eltingville and 5 new overnight runs. Richmond Avenue and other corridors served by the S44 would have solid 30 minute service evening and overnight hourly service to/from the SI Ferry. There is no good reason why people would not use this bus!

Very nice post! When you state it that way, the S57 and S66 are clearly outdated and it is very possible that your plan would increase ridership on both lines and make both much more useful. The issue with the S63 is that it would be another bus on Victory and probably run out of Yukon, maybe it could absorb some of the S62 runs? The S61 and new S66/S67 could better handle St George riders somehow with less S62 St George and more S63 to Brooklyn. Hopefully they'll move to 6bph on Castleton/Forest with limiteds in the near future. Goethals Road North and Richmond Avenue would require a special light to move traffic the right way if it became two-way. The expressway exit and Goethals Road would never be green at the same time. There are more important things for SI other than weekend service to Grymes Hill at the moment especially knowing how things have to be cost-effective. Your proposal is a great idea overall, and Watchogue probably needs the new service more than extra service to CSI. Now I have another proposal: Overnight S44! The S44 replaces S59 for the night after 8pm or 9pm and runs between Eltingville/Richmond Avenue or Eltingville Transit Center and St George. Ricmond Avenue would have overnight bus service to/from St George Ferry for the first time. How do they get home now? Must be a long walk from the S48, S62, S74 or S78. This service change would be great for the future. And buses would only have to run every 30 minutes and every hour.