aemoreira81

In eastern Queens, a lot of routes tend to end dead without any connection, minus the routes going to and from Green Acres Mall. One proposal I would make, that would effectively make all Q5 and Q85 service run to and from Green Acres, would be to add a route running from Jamaica Center than runs north-south. That leaves 2 options, the Q4 and Q84. However, as the Q4's ridership is too heavy, I would extend the Q84 instead through Laurelton and Rosedale and branch it with a Q84 and a Q86. First, the Q86: To Rosedale, via 120 Avenue: Right on Francis Lewis Boulevard, snake around through Cambria Heights, Laurelton, and Rosedale to Sunrise Highway, then down 243 Street to 147 Avenue, turn along 147 Avenue to Brookville Boulevard, and end. This route would be signed: Q86 Rosedale 147 AV via 120 AV via F LEWIS BLVD Q86 Jamaica Parsons-Archer via F LEWIS BLVD via 120 AV To Jamaica, via 243 Street, right on Memphis, left on 246 Street, left on Francis Lewis, snake through Rosedale, Laurelton, and Cambria Heights, left onto 120 Avenue, and on to Jamaica. Now, the extended Q84: Instead of ending at 130 Avenue and Laurelton Parkway, the Q84 would turn left onto 130 Avenue to cross the Laurelton, and then turn right onto Brookville Boulevard. Operate along Brookville Boulevard to Francis Lewis Boulevard, and join the Q86. The return trip would be via a similar route. Q84 Rosedale 147 AV via 120 AV via BROOKVILLE BLVD Q84 Jamaica Parsons-Archer BROOKVILLE BLVD via 120 AV The turnaround for both would be via 147 Avenue, 235 Street, 147 Road, and Brookville Boulevard. To facilitate connections, the Q114 LTD stop would have a stop added at 147 Avenue and 235 Street. I would propose to have each route run at 15 minute intervals on the trunk and 30 minutes on each branch on weekends, and 10 and 20 off-peak (with more frequent service during the rush). The basic idea here is to not have orphaning of routes on the east end and to build a network instead of a hub and spoke. The Q84 and Q86 would each have different catchment areas in Laurelton, and more importantly, the Q5 and Q85 would have unified service and only one service route instead of branches.

And that's no laughing matter either. Even with shields, someone could try to yank the tie if a thug. Best to have it as a breakaway.

It's also possible that with XD60s, the LFSs and the XD60s can be in one pool together. Now, as for the XD40, I would wonder if the Bx41 could use rigid SBS buses for greater frequency, as frequency appears to be lacking there.

1024 new to West Farms and promptly ended up needing a road call.

That's exactly why I'm here. How do you not announce a long-term closure? This failure to announce is a true moment that deserves Donkey of the Day!

The 26 is actually proposed for full-time service under the Vision plan.

It can take 20-30 minutes just to get through that area. I got bus 19 struggling to get through earlier. It would basically tailor ridership and routes to where the ridership actually is, sometimes running routes along segments of existing routes but not along an entire individual daytime route.

I also have to wonder if the MTA should consider a concept of a nighttime bus network...between 11 PM and 5 AM, similar to what is the case in Toronto (which was Andrew Byford's last station before NYCTA, although that network precedes him). It would right-size routes to where they're needed. Some drivers would start their shifts on the regular network and end it on the nighttime, and vice versa.

A branch of the M50 that headed to Times Square. Also you had: M13 - now M8 M16 - now M34A SBS (renumbered only when SBS began in 2011) M17 - now M79 SBS M18 (pre-M3 Convent Avenue split) - now M86 SBS M107 and M19 - now M96 and M106 (the M19 was renumbered M106 later on) M20 (pre-M10 split) - now M116 M26 - now M23 SBS M27 - discontinued 2010 M28 - now M57 M29 - now M66 M30 - rush-hour variant of the M72 and M57, discontinued 2010 M32 - now Q32 - only former FACCO route under NYCTA operation today rather than MaBSTOA) M34 (first use - became M35) M58 - merged with the M31 in 1993 M106 - see M42 The only route the MTA created from scratch in Manhattan Division was the M60, created in 1992 from Lenox (2)(3) to LGA...it was extended to its current route in 1998. The M60 took over the M35's Astoria service.

For the B82, I am still convinced that, except for between East 13 to East 17, Kings Highway should be one-way eastbound between Ocean Parkway and Ocean Avenue, the busiest of the commercial stretch, along with eliminating parking on the west side of East 16 Street between Avenue P and Kings Highway. Parking would be replaced by changing parking on one side of East 17 Street between Avenue P and Kings Highway to angled or parallel parking, along with restored parking at bus stops westbound at East 18 Street, and East 9 Street and Coney Island Avenue (on the north side of Kings Highway). The short two way segment is because there is no real alternative. (Quentin Road would be one-way westbound from East 13 to Ocean Parkway.) The only segment that needs bus lanes is where they already exist now.

6123 is also in the SBS livery and is wearing advertisements. A lot of the Tuskegee Airmen XD60s now have ads on them as well. BTW, why have 5439-5443 not been delivered (redelivery for 5439)? 5439 was the final bus delivered in the blue stripe livery, but with all of the features on the blue and yellow buses.

It looks as though only East New York Depot did it on a few...they didn't do it on 7667, 7676 (rear, was done on the side), or 7677.

For the Bx6 SBS, but not the local...I would propose this change: To Hunts Point Terminal: instead of following the Bx6 along Spofford and Halleck, the Bx6 would instead run straight down Hunts Point Avenue to its end at East Bay Avenue. The SBS stop on Halleck at East Bay would be relocated across the street to Hunts Point and East Bay. It would then rejoin the Bx6 Local south of East Bay. To Manhattan: via Halleck Street, left on Oak Point Avenue (see below), right on Hunts Point, past Spofford, and regular. No stops would be changed. To accommodate this change, Oak Point Avenue, a 1-way eastbound street, would be changed to 2-way traffic between Halleck Street and Hunts Point Avenue (it is currently a 1-way pair with East Bay Avenue between Tiffany and Halleck Streets; Oak Point Avenue is then a 2-way street to its namesake rail yard). This plan would save money from fewer turns and a straighter shot. As for the Bronx Division...I'm surprised a redo is proposed for the Bronx, given that the bus routes were mostly redrawn completely in 1984. (The current Bx19 was two different routes, ending at what was then Lincoln Hospital - the old site now demolished, as one example, and the Bx7 Boston Road was turned over to The Bee-Line System in that redo; the Bx5 short turns between West Farms and White Plains Road are a legacy of the old Bx54.) By contrast, the other boroughs never really saw a wholesale restructuring.

That bus is likely being held until the investigation is complete...remember a passenger died on that bus. Based on the damage sustained, I'd be surprised if it sees service again.

7667 surprised me on the B82. I ended up coming home on 7669. Have 1075 or 1078 seen service yet?

5076, 5086, and 5088 have had their fareboxes removed and will be heading for the ECH graveyard soon.

There is a major shopping district on 231 Street, as well as a NYPL branch. I know the line turns short of Broadway, but it's still close to the shopping district. This also allows for a seamless transfer with the Bx1 and Bx10. Now, as for express bus service in Manhattan, depending on load factor dictations, what about combining the BxM7 and BxM8 on weekends? I would have to look at the load factor numbers, but if the BxM7 schedule was pushed back 10 minutes, it could be done operationally.

The fleet used for the Olympics, specifically, was 8924-9073. As for the 1996 Novas, is that less than 10 now active?

9 years ago this week, SBS began on the Bx12, using a dedicated fleet of 35 buses (5734-5768). How time flies. As for the B82 SBS, I expect it for fall. In Spring Creek Towers, the bus lane has been painted, and Flatlands Avenue has had street markings removed along much of it in anticipation for street paving (I expect street marking there and on Kings Highway to begin soon, even though I personally don't believe a bus lane is needed on those streets as it would create a nightmare for other traffic). The last area to get work will likely be Glenwood Road.

When the MTA figures out how to run artics at the western end of the Bx6, particularly a tight right turn on Riverside Drive before turning onto Riverside Drive West (the through bypass) that is already difficult with rigids, then they will head to the Bx6 SBS. An alternative might also be to just change the routing and have the Bx6 SBS end at Columbia Presbyterian, which might not be a bad idea at all, as that is a major job generator and would give riders along the 161/163 corridor direct access to a hospital. Would such require a hearing, since it discontinues service to Riverside Drive? As for the XN60s, they typically lay over at Bay Plaza proper or at Pelham Bay during the midday, rather than returning to West Farms.

The Bx30 north of Gun Hill Road to just before the city line...Bee Line's 60, 61, and 62 are all open-door, although all services have an open-door policy. This is likely as a result of when the old Bx7 (pre-Bronx Division realignment) was discontinued. (Today's Bx7 was the M100 in the Bronx.)

Except it was drivers complaining...and the MTA was furious with Akademiks in 2004 when Akademiks ran an ad with the tag line: Read Books. Get Brain. (Of course, no one at the MTA knew what "getting brain" really meant.)

Someone at Outfront Media (formerly CBS Outdoor, Viacom Outdoor, Infinity Outdoor, and TDI/Transportation Displays Inc.), which has the advertising contract for the MTA. (They used to have the contract for NICE and Bee Line as well, but they switched to Gateway Outdoor.) One version of that company, along with Outfront predecessor Gannett Transit, acquired by Infinity Outdoor, or Van Wagner, acquired by CBS Outdoor, has had the ad contract since at least the 1960s except for 2007-2010 when it was Titan (now owned by Alphabet, Inc., parent of Google). The name change to Outfront was when CBS did a partial spinoff before a later full spinoff. Also, did you know that all political ads have been banned from MTA vehicles and stations since about 2014?

According to WABC-TV, those ads will be coming off of all buses that have them (some buses still have VIM/YMI Jeans ads). The museum has threatened a lawsuit; however, this could become a test of Miller v. California.

They have run ads on MTA vehicles before. A few years ago, it was advertising a Funland touring exhibition. What I would ask though is: why is ad space not used on the front of express buses, or a full wrap on the back, or anywhere (other than Vision Zero ads) on buses in the new livery. That's a lot of wasted ad space if you ask me.