7-express

On 4/18/2023 at 12:09 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

For anyone who takes CP routes regularly, I just heard back from one of my elected officials, to whom I complained about the blocked seat issue. This is what they told me:

"I heard back from my contact at the MTA - she spoke with the Depot and they have made announcements and spoken with operators. Please let me know if you continue to see these issues."

So, please post on here if you continue to see blocked seats and send in complaints with specific times, routes, etc.

I have personally started to see some improvements in this area...

Anecdotally, I have seen fewer front seats blocked off this month but it could very well because of different drivers with this pick.

2 hours ago, mikecintel said:

WOW! OK thanks for the update.  Then if it is delayed I think they will delay the Metro Card phase out now until 2025.  Thanks for the update but then next they will talk about OMNY and I think we will get the full story of it.

I honestly have no idea if the MetroCard will ever be fully phased out at this point since it seems like other organizations will be stuck with it and there seems to be no cohesive plan to get them to migrate (Roosevelt Island, PANYNJ, Bee-Line, NICE)

Well there's some OMNY news but not great news: https://nypost.com/2023/03/29/mtas-new-omny-system-faces-more-delays/

Basically full implementation has been pushed back to late 2025 now due to issues with commuter rail integration.

I'll leave this here: https://nypost.com/2023/03/18/new-nyc-subway-already-defiled-by-homeless-rowdy-riders/

I heard today that the MJ Quill roof deck reconstruction is going to cause some schedule changes at CP depot staring with the April pick.  Looks like they won't be able to stage buses in Manhattan anymore so all buses will have long deadheads from CP depot into the city for the PM rush.  Do you have any more information on this and how jacked up the schedules might be come April?

Does anyone know why there are 7 N/B AM rush hour trips of the Q44-SBS that terminate in Whitestone?

Looks like they're cutting back on mezzanine sizes and office space for the Phase 2 stations: https://nypost.com/2023/02/16/mta-shaves-back-station-plans-for-second-avenue-extension/

Did something crazy happen at CP depot this morning?  BusTime Looks like this with similar effect on the QM1/4/5/6/7/8/10/11/12:

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Service Alert for QM2 + Click for info

The 7:07am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:23am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:15am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:43am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 6:57am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:33am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 6:45am QM2 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

 

Service Alert for QM20 + Click for info

The 7:46am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:34am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:16am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:02am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:22am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:40am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 6:52am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 6:42am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

The 7:28am QM20 to E 57 ST/LEXINGTON AV is canceled

 

Service Alert for QM32 + Click for info

The 7:30am QM32 to 3 AV/E 55 ST is canceled

The 6:50am QM32 to 3 AV/E 55 ST is canceled

The 7:40am QM32 to 3 AV/E 55 ST is canceled

The 7:20am QM32 to 3 AV/E 55 ST is canceled

The 7:10am QM32 to 3 AV/E 55 ST is canceled

 

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

I’m convinced their entire mission is to make NYC entirely car free.

20 MPH speed limits, absolutely ridiculous.

Yeah I'm really looking forward to 2 hour trip run times for the QM2/20 to get back to Bay Terrace in the future...

It may even get worse due to a new proposal this year that could give the city the ability to change speed limits to 20 MPH or less in certain areas.  https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-could-drop-speed-limits-below-25-mph-under-hochul-proposal

More details on the Wi-Fi cuts here: https://gothamist.com/news/mta-cuts-free-wi-fi-from-nyc-buses

Mostly to cut $3.3 million in annual costs that only benefited an average of 33k riders.

The media has finally taken notice of it today with an article on Gothamist and PIX11.

https://gothamist.com/news/mta-cuts-free-wi-fi-from-nyc-buses

Mainly states that only an average of 33k folks were using it and cutting it will save $3.3 million annually.

Anyone note any weird issues with the Stop Requested bell system on the newer Prevosts?  I was on one yesterday and the bell kept ringing at random intervals even though no one was pressing it.  And the Stop Requested signal on the screen wouldn't clear when the driver opened the door at the bus stop.  So we just had to revert to folk just yelling out "next stop" in order to get off or standing near the front.

3273 seems to have a busted GPS.  Wasn't showing this morning on BusTime but it showed up on time.

Got a notice via email advertising reduced-fare OMNY for folks with MetroCards expiring this year.  No real news but it seems like they'll send reduced-fare OMNY cards out to folks with expiring MetroCards later this year whenever they become available.  Guess we'll just have to wait till the spring OMNY update to the board for any additional news.

Quote

Not ready to tap? That’s ok. When your Reduced-Fare MetroCard nears its expiration date, we will mail you a new one or send a Reduced-Fare OMNY card, which will become available later this year. Whether you decide to start tapping with your card or device now, or wait for a Reduced-Fare OMNY card, you can keep using your MetroCard until you use up any remaining value or your card expires

I saw the governor wants the CityTicket expanded to cover peak hours too: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-public-transit-expansions-increase-access-affordability-and-safety

Wonder if this is the nail in the coffin for certain at risk lines like the QM3 that run relatively close to the LIRR.

Looks like the $5 CityTicket will be expanded to 24/7 within city limits sometime in the future: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-public-transit-expansions-increase-access-affordability-and-safety

10 hours ago, Princelex said:

With this news about wi-fi going away, I wonder if they will do away with the USB ports too. I can’t see that happening but this is the MTA we’re talking about here.

I doubt they'll get rid of USB ports though.  There's no upkeep charge like there probably is with a mobile data plan and the maintenance is probably just limited to plugs that have been vandalized/damaged.

15 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It was brought to my attention today that the  plans to eliminate Wi-Fi on all buses.  If you use Wi-Fi on the express bus, post here.  If you don't use it or stopped using it, also post as to why.

I also encourage everyone to fill out this link and provide the  with feedback if they want Wi-Fi to be kept: 

https://contact.mta.info/s/customer-feedback

I just noticed the disclaimer today to when connecting to the WiFi.  It says mid-January and we're awfully close to it so they could be yanking the plug in just one or two weeks.

I do use the WiFi just to keep my data usage low on my plan.  But it is indeed quite slow.  It's okay for general browsing but forget trying to do anything media intensive on it.  Probably contributes to the lack of popularity as everyone is trying to stream a video one way or another.

6 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I still get very few with the partitions. I know some drivers don't like the partitions, so they purposely get buses that don't have them. Funny thing is the union asked for them. 

I guess a lot of the fixed ones are going to CP depot so far?

I know my PM bus driver exclusively asks for an MCI to take out and hates the new Prevosts.

11 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The one I got coming to the City and the one going back (also a new one) also had air circulating.  I'm trying to have patience with this because there are SO many damn issues with these buses that they are trying to fix (that they created in the first place).  The screens... The AC... The seat situation... And that doesn't include the partitions that have been delayed due to sourcing delays. It's a huge undertaking given the few hundred or so express buses and it's been very slow going.  

 

I have noticed that more often than not now, I am getting the Prevosts with the fixed screens, seats, and installed partitions now.  So it seems they're getting traction now.

5 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Just report that one then. They are slowly making tweaks as I continue to talk to them. I'm on a new express bus now that has the overhead blowers on for the entire time. The coolest bus I've been on yet.

I have yet to encounter a Prevost with working overhead blowers.  I checked the one I was on this morning and it was dead.

I got a 135x bus this morning and while the bins were padlocked on the driver's side, this one did have steel cable that was trimmed properly.  Seems like maybe it was only the 137x bus I was on yesterday so far...

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I am not sure how true this is, but I was told by one of the drivers that they had started locking the overhead bins because the drivers were leaving them filthy. I haven't seen such instances, but I may take the express bus tomorrow and if I get a new one, I'll have a look.

I'll check again tomorrow morning since my AM driver usually takes out a Prevost.  But this is probably why drivers always leave their stuff on the first seat instead of the overhead bins...

Weird possible safety issue I noticed this morning on a newer Prevost is that the locked overhead bins behind the driver are locked with some weird looking padlock that has sharp steel wire sticking out of it.  I almost cut my hand on it this morning trying to grab onto the overhead ledge while exiting.  Not sure if it's on other buses or just this one (137x).