aemoreira81

1 hour ago, JeremiahC99 said:

At your request, i moved the post here to have it relate to the topic.

As far as Rockaway-Brooklyn service is concerned, I suggested the Q22 be extended into Brooklyn because the route serves almost the entire peninsula and extending it to the Junction would make the route more useful by providing a one seat ride to major traffic generators inn Brooklyn, such as the newly-redeveloped Kings Plaza Mall, complete with new stores like Primark, the upscale Zara, and other regular stores like Burlington and JCPenny. A mall undergoing redevelopment like Kings Plaza could use additional service, especially as the malls new stores will become popular.

A Rockaway-Sheepshead Bay proposal would help alleviate some traffic by providing them a good alternative to driving. Currently, three buses or a very excruciating subway journey involving multiple transfers is required to get between the two popular areas. This is why too many people drive to the Rockaway Beaches.

In the past, I have proposed extending to Q22 to the Junction, with some short turn trips operating within the Rockaway Peninsula, and a branch of the Q35 going vía Knapp Street to Coney Island via the Sheepshead Bay station and Avenue Z. The B4 would be truncated to the Sheepshead Bay station. This was later modified to have all Q22s to the Junction and all Q35s to Coney Island/Sheepshead Bay.

Note that the idea of a Q22 to Brooklyn is not new. In fact it was proposed in 2004 by Urbitran Associates when they studied the then-privately-operated Q22 and other private routes. One of the recommendations of the route was to extend the Q22 to Flatbush Avenue (with short trippers only operating working the peninsula) and eliminate the Q35.

Now that it is 2019, I still believe that a Q22 to the Junction is still a good idea. However, in response to concerns to traffic, I will suggest a branch of the Q35 to go west via Knapp Street and the Sheepshead Bay station (replacing the B4 east of Sheepshead Bay station), while leaving the Q22 and Q35 routes alone. Q35 headway’s may slightly be reduced to encourage some B41 and Q35 riders to switch to this new routes (and somehow, relieve some crowding on the  and  trains). The new route would operate between Coney Island station via Shell Rd, Avenue Z, the eastern end of the B4. Knapp Street, Avenue U, then follow the Q35 route into Rockaway Park.

Routing changes and extensions in the peninsula will be discussed in the Queens thread.

This will improve service by giving a direct bus ride between Sheepshead Bay and the Rockaway, something sorely need in the NYC of 2019.

On the Brooklyn portion, is there really much of a market for a route between Sheepshead Bay and the Rockaways that requires a direct route? Or would extending the B36 or B4 to Kings Plaza make more sense? (I would go with the B36, which could then terminate at a shared stop with the southbound Q35.) An extension of the B36 would also bring fresh ridership destined for Kings Plaza.

As for the Q35 coming FROM the Rockaways, I would suggest that perhaps it should, instead of stopping on the far side of Avenue U, instead pull into the terminal and utilize the B2 stop. Customers could then cross the street (with a 60-second walk phase) at the mid-block crosswalk to transfer to the B36.

On the issue of one-way streets, it is with other motorists in mind, to create at least one through lane for cars and room for trucks to make deliveries. The right side would be reserved for trucks only while the left side would be for shoppers' parking. After all, everything in the world has been on a truck at some point, and the city should work with the trucking industry to ease commerce. Additionally, double parking need is largely reduced.

On 5/1/2019 at 8:42 PM, Autocar said:

It's a very sad day that the end of the RTS Era has arrived.  It only proves my theory that the NYCT still lives by the credo of "Scrap First and Ask Questions Later ". They never learn. The reporter who wrote the now infamous article about the RTS model buses in my opinion belongs in prison and the Transit Executives who are responsible for pulling perfectly serviceable buses from doing what they were supposed to be doing should join the reporter in jail because they are guilty of Criminal actions.  This is a grave injustice. 

The last RTS buses were among the oldest buses in service in transit service in the USA. There are still two operators of Flxible Metros (Omaha Metro and CARTA) in the USA, but they don't get nearly the use buses in large cities get. These buses did their time.

The other question is: nationwide, who is still operating the RTS?

Are the O7 CNGs all done? The remaining RTS buses, once they pull in (only 5171 is still out), may be completely done as well.

6 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Have you taken the Q53 north of Queens Blvd by any chance, or otherwise ventured along that part of Broadway? There's no real reason to subject the Q59 to that (and then some).....

For what you're presenting here, the Q70 may as well be two services:

• one running from 61st-Woodside to the airport (via 65th st subway), and...
• one running from Moore terminal straight to the airport

And I'm not opposed to severing the services here...the one from Moore would get a lot more service and could run easily with articulated services by itself. Is there that much ridership originating from Woodside?

As for rigids on SBS, when Brooklyn Division gets artics for the B46, I'd actually wonder if it may be worth it to send some of the blue/yellow SBS buses to LaGuardia. Also, keep in mind that B6 (the airline) is a major carrier at LGA, but is not served by LaGuardia Link (it has exclusive use of the Marine Air Terminal). I'll take your offer and suggest this:

Q70: 74/Broadway straight to the terminals, except Terminal 1 (Marine Air) - using articulated buses (the 10 additional artics from 6234-6286 could be used for this, because the capacity is needed). This would require current 7-minute headways, but fewer buses since there is no longer the leg back to Woodside.

Q80: 74/Broadway to Marine Air only---using rigid buses, every 10 minutes.

Q90: Woodside to all terminals following the M60 path around the airport---using rigid buses, every 12 minutes.

IMO, the hours on the LaGuardia Link should also be reduced from 24 hours a day to 4:30 AM to 12:30 AM (LaGuardia curfew rule). During this time, the Q33 would be extended into the Central Terminal Area for the major purpose of carrying employees in and out, and the Q47 would be rerouted to terminate at the front door to LaGuardia Depot.

While on the subject of Battery Park City, is there a particular reason why the M9 doesn't serve north Battery Park City at all, with a stop for Brookfield Place by the American Express tower? (Failing that, there should be at least a stop after the turn onto West Street for the M9 to use that serves northern Battery Park City.

Also, I would say that (to better serve the Whole Foods and Target), perhaps the M9 should instead use Murray, Greenwich, and Park Place instead of the narrow Warren Street across TriBeCa. This would put a stop northbound directly across the street from Target.

On the 6234-6286 batch, the 10 for expansion, in my opinion, should be for the Q70 for capacity increases...putting the Q53 and Q70 in one pool. The Q70 absolutely needs the extra capacity. Right now, the Q53 SBS fleet is 25 buses and the Q70 LaGuardia Link is 12 buses, and there are 15 SBS-wrapped XD60s at JFK (occasionally, a local XD60 might go on the Q52 SBS).

Also, keep in mind that the 15 electric artics should be for Quill, and likely the M14 route. That could displace 15 XD60s to the B82. 

As for Flatbush, one would need more than 53 artics for the B44 (36 buses) and B46 (48 buses) if both go all articulated. Currently, Tuskegee Airmen has 25 XD60s (6033-6081 odd numbers)---I can't see them jumping up to 79. Instead, I see most of the other 54 going to Flatbush and East New York.

1 hour ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Reminder that 6234 is currently assigned for local service. It has yet to be seen if 6234 will be unwrapped or see service on a different route other than the Q53.

What local route could use an articulated bus at LaGuardia?

1 minute ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

I'm a little Confused. So what you're saying is that Buses should go via Broadway and 61st. Then they get to 74th Street up Roosevelt or some other street. Then LGA bound buses do WHAT!?! 

The dispatcher would have freedom as to how they get to the airport, turning right or left depending on how traffic on Broadway is.

This comes out of the idea of the Q70 needing capacity increases and that cumbersome turn around 74th and Broadway that requires going around the block on what can be cumbersome, especially during rush hour. I would propose this rerouting as a loop.

From LGA, instead of serving 74/Broadway  first, the Q70 would instead turn right onto Broadway with an immediate stop for drop-off only at the 65 Street  station, allowing a discharge of passengers there (the entrance is right at the exit ramp). Then, west on Broadway to 61 Street, making a left there to serve the 61 Street/Woodside /LIRR station complex. Then lastly, the Q70 would run east on Roosevelt to 74 Street/Broadway, and lay over.

Outbound to LGA, a dispatcher could then have the freedom to send a bus up Broadway, doing the loop around the block, or up 75 Street to 37 Avenue to the BQE.

The main advantage? For those not needing ADA access, one can get off the bus sooner. The main disadvantage? For Woodside-originating customers, they have to change buses at 74/Broadway.

Just now, Lil 57 said:

Same for 8573 for Yukon. Haven't seen it on BusTime or BusTrek

None of the LFSs seem to be tracking. All of the XD60s are though.

Curious: why hasn't 6234 entered service? Typically arrivals go into service the next day.

On 4/21/2019 at 11:48 AM, MysteriousBtrain said:

4799 involved in a major fire/accident, back majorly damaged. Put on the scrap line at the moment.

Burned bus backs and dragging a mattress over a suspension bridge. Seen it, covered it. Talk to us at Farmers. We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two!

4 hours ago, The TransitMan said:

Um...that happened back in 1990-1991 and look how that turned out. In 1991, two-way streets yet again!

The Queens borough president at the time opposed it. But she's long gone! This would relieve traffic congestion at areas like Sutphin Boulevard, where I would even say that one crosswalk (on the south side) should be permanently fenced off.

1 hour ago, King Transit said:

Hmmmn, I wonder why ???

 

All express buses will be cashless. (This includes Academy buses on the SIM23/24.) The problem is: in Staten Island, there are only two places where one can add money to a MetroCard: St. George, and Eltingville Transit Center. The MTA has advised customers who use cash to consider an EasyPay Express MetroCard.

If not for the move to OMNY, the MTA would probably treat the SIR as a subway route with turnstiles. This is the first step toward OMNY.

Also posted in the revamping thread: B6 and B103 around Nostrand Junction:

What about making Glenwood and Avenue H a one-way pair between Flatbush and Albany? Glenwood would be one-way eastbound and Avenue H one-way westbound. Anyone who rides the B6 or B103 knows that there can be a jam between New York and Flatbush, with that as a choke-point.  With that, a left turn that lasts the entire red light at Flatbush and Glenwood would be possible. (Under this, the B11 would have its first stop to Sunset Park relocated to the B41 stop on that block.) Being one way would permit 2 through lanes of traffic; speed humps would be installed at various points to prevent speeding as well as a speed camera at Glenwood Road before Brooklyn Avenue (enforcing a school zone for St. Vincent Ferrer's school). On Avenue H, having 2 lanes would eliminate the traffic jam where New York Avenue dumps traffic onto Avenue H by having 2 through lanes instead of 1.

Separately from that, I would add a B6 Limited stop at East 45 Street (the B103 had this recently added both ways) to serve Altice's payment center.

In the outer boroughs, more one-way streets should be considered as well. Examples:

Queens: Make Jamaica Avenue and Archer Avenue a one-way pair between Sutphin Boulevard and 168 Street (Brewer for Archer). 139 Street would become a one-way southbound street between Jamaica and Archer. 168 Street and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard would be northbound one-way between Jamaica and Archer. There would be 2 bus lanes, 1 car lane, and 1 truck delivery lane on Jamaica with deliveries allowed before 7 PM and between 10 AM and 3:30 PM, and the following pattern on Archer:

• Van Wyck to 146: Shared traffic, eastbound only.
• 146 Street to 150 Street: Curbside bus lane, 2 shared lanes, truck parking on north side, eastbound only.
• 150 Street to Parsons: Curbside layover zones on both sides (pickup zone after 153), offset bus lane, 2 lanes for cars (including a left turn-only lane for Parsons), eastbound only
• Parsons to 160: 2 lanes of shared traffic, bus lane for Q111/2/3/4 pickups, eastbound only
• 160 to Brewer: 2 shared lanes, eastbound only
• Brewer to 168: 2 way traffic

Brooklyn: Make New York Avenue a one-way street on the northern segment the entire way (Avenue H to Fulton Street) with two exceptions:

• Foster Avenue to Clarendon Road (access to Flatbush Gardens)
• Linden Boulevard to Winthrop Street (to get around Kings County Hospital and SUNY Downstate)

This would help improve speeds on the B44 Local.

Make Kings Highway one-way eastbound between East 16 Street and Ocean Avenue (all traffic) and between East 13 Street and Ocean Parkway (except for B82 buses - arrangement similar to Glenwood Road bus lane, which has worked to reduce B6 and B82 running times by allowing a direct path to Rockaway Parkway ; that eliminated a circuitous loop on the B82 and reduced the B6 path from 8 turns to 4, with the first 2 turns directly being into the station).  Deliveries would be encouraged before 10 AM by restricting parking on the southbound side between East 9 and East 13 to trucks only making deliveries.

A rumination: what about making Glenwood and Avenue H a one-way pair between Flatbush and Albany? Glenwood would be one-way eastbound and Avenue H one-way westbound. Anyone who rides the B6 or B103 knows that there can be a jam between New York and Flatbush, with that as a choke-point.  With that, a left turn that lasts the entire red light at Flatbush and Glenwood would be possible. (Under this, the B11 would have its first stop to Sunset Park relocated to the B41 stop on that block.) Being one way would permit 2 through lanes of traffic; speed humps would be installed at various points to prevent speeding as well as a speed camera at Glenwood Road before Brooklyn Avenue (enforcing a school zone for St. Vincent Ferrer's school). On Avenue H, having 2 lanes would eliminate the traffic jam where New York Avenue dumps traffic onto Avenue H by having 2 through lanes instead of 1.

4106 transferred from Kingsbridge to Flatbush. 6147 new to Flatbush.

7800 new to East New York.

10 hours ago, ABOGbrooklyn said:

How come the Bronx gets new buses while Brooklyn gets their hand me downs?

Except for Flatbush, every Brooklyn Division garage has gotten new local buses recently (FB is getting just for SBS). Gleason got 107 new CNGs (69 rigids, 38 artics) while the rest of Brooklyn Division is getting new blue and yellow local XD40s.

On 4/17/2019 at 9:17 AM, Future ENY OP said:

Basically. KCC needs to look at CSI. I believe CSI had a similar issue many moons ago of not letting buses stop in front or near the campus. 

This could be simply worked out with KCC but I see the indifference. 

Now they stop mid-way in the campus (admin loop), and the crowding problem has been largely resolved with headways no greater than 12 minutes (it used to be 30). I would also have to wonder about perhaps a B1X pattern, with the first stop being Brighton Beach. I would dispatch it like this during peak times:

First B1: express to Brighton Beach, all stops afterward to Bay Ridge.

Second B1: local to Bay Ridge

Third B1: bypass KCC, start pickup at second stop.

Also, CUNY needs to consider buying its own buses and then leasing them to one central contractor.

Staying in Manhattan Beach:

Just a rumination, but what about establishing a pre-payment station at the loop before Kingsborough? It would be used for all routes originating there, similar to the Orchard Beach bus terminal.

Also, during peak times of class changes, as well as when Goldstein lets out, select buses should be told to start at the second stop to handle other Manhattan Beach ridership. Also, I have to wonder: might a seasonal B44 SBS branch make sense to relieve the B49, in particular? This would be an extension of several Avenue U short-turns. The season would be September to June, excluding the last week of the calendar year, with reduced service when only Goldstein is in session.

When did Spring Creek get 2848? Also, East NY got 7798 and 7799 (today on the B82 and B84, respectively).

8551 ended up at Kingsbridge. 8555 was on the M100.

7791 is now at East New York...it was my ride home on the B82 tonight.

6 hours ago, RailBus63 said:

Those 2003 D60HF's lasted 16 years in hard service - that is a tremendous accomplishment for an articulated bus.  Many transit agencies struggle to get the mandated 12 years out of an artic.  Kudos to the TA mechanics. 

Some agencies try to extend the life of an articulated bus by replacing the joint at around 10 or 11.