aemoreira81

Even worse are the ones at JFK, which are 22 years old. Not even the former Green Lines 1985 GMC RTSs ran this long. Only the former RTS 3503 (finishing life as 1837) ran this long, being retired at 23. (Most agencies retire buses at 12-14.) Now, as for the Wi-Fi, I would hope all of the purchases delivered in 2011 and later (plus the 1200s) also get outlets.

On extending the Astoria Line to the airport---how are you dealing with the instrument landing system approach for Runway 4? Planes pass over Astoria Boulevard and the Grand Central Parkway just before touchdown. Also, if Stengel closes, is there a major expansion in place for College Point, or will some routes be deployed elsewhere? I can't see Stengel closing without an expanded Jamaica Depot in place.

For the B82---there are a whole bunch of 7600s parked at JFK Airport for the service, along with some Bx6 SBS artics, 9502/3, and 7484.

5518 has been renumbered to 102, and there is also a bus 100 on the roster as well. Are there any plans to renumber the remainder of the fleet, at least those below 5600? If 174 and 180 (the ex-Bee-Line O5s) are renumbered, there are 84 numbers available up to 185. Also of note: bus 13 was photographed (not by me) on the M11---is that a test of endurance?

I couldn't get it...and I saw that someone said it was a hybrid and modified my post to ask where the B82 SBS fleet will be sourced...existing fleet or new buses?

Curious: will the B82 SBS be sourced initially from the existing ENY fleet, or will it be with the next XD40s or XDE40s coming in?

One thing I would throw out there might be an S66 restructuring to give the route its own unique market. The route serves Grymes Hill, which while it looks close to Victory Boulevard on paper, has a difference in elevation enough to warrant its own market. From the ferry: Regular S66 route to Louis Street, then: left on Louis Street, right on Howard Avenue, winding along Howard Avenue to Clove Road, continue onto Tioga Street, merge onto Little Clove Road, left on Renwick Avenue, left on Milford Drive, right on Ocean Terrace, winding down Ocean Terrace to Manor Road, right on Manor Road, left on Victory Boulevard, right on Jewett, and existing route through Westerleigh to Port Richmond. From Port Richmond: regular S66 route to Victory and Manor, then: right on Manor Road, left on Ocean Terrace, winding through northern Todt Hill, right on Milford Drive, left on Clove Road, right on Howard Avenue, winding down Howard Avenue to Louis Street (the end), left on Louis, right on Victory, and to the ferry. New ridership generators would be as follows: Todt Hill Houses (one-seat ride to the ferry) Petrides Campus (semi-full-time service) St. John's University, Staten Island (easier service to the ferry with direct service at the front gate and at Greta Place, without having to walk to Arlo Road along Howard Avenue). The real surprise is how Todt Hill Houses doesn't have a ferry connection. That said, this likely requires one additional bus per hour and I would also propose Saturday service but not Sunday service yet.

I would be shocked if any CNG buses get saved, because they need to be re-tanked.

Actually, with the next orders of LFS rigids and the Cuomo XD40s, the first hybrids (without the gold signs) may be as good as gone. As for the fleet, I expect a mixed fleet solely because buses can't be built fast enough.

The idea is now to get the remaining RTS buses retired...as well as knock out the first hybrids.

If the Brooklyn DDSO is ever closed, that property could be partially repurposed as a barracks, and it would be better located with respect to the airports and SBS (with SUNY Maritime as a satellite).

There are only four CNG depots...West Farms, College Point, Jackie Gleason, and Spring Creek. The N means CNG-powered articulated buses. That said, CNG or diesel, the B103 could use articulated buses. That is what I was thinking as well. One should have people with at least peace officer status enforcing the rules. Also one has to keep in mind that state troopers have been on a ticket blitz within city limits (although currently, the troopers are rotated in 2 weeks at a time from upstate until a full-scale barracks is established within city limits)...they wrote nearly 16,000 traffic summonses last year. TBTA Police or state troopers would be able to then check to see if these evaders are wanted on something else. The state police is basically under a mandate of zero tolerance.

More related to SBS enforcement than anything...with all of MTA Bridges and Tunnels now open-road tolling, why can't the MTA redeploy some of the TBTA officers or (or with the governor assigning some state troopers once a permanent barracks location is secured) to Select Bus Service enforcement and protect revenue? This would supplement the Eagle Team squads. Obviously B/Os would need to recognize the grey trooper uniforms, but that can be done with a bulletin.

I'd probably fall out of an open door busting my gut laughing (and then walk to the SIR). Those students think they can get on without dipping their passes...LOL!

North Shore routes? Especially in Mariners' Harbor and West New Brighton? On the topic of the B82 SBS, has any fleet been allocated for it yet, such as 6094-6108 (even numbers) as more LFS artics for SBS arrive into Quill?

Quill has 8082 as well. BTW, does anyone know who got 7484?

At least the B83 has a point in its routing though...to serve the Linden Houses housing project. The B20 dips down for the same reason. The issue is making a route like the B84 more useful...could that be a branch of the B20? I would have it assume the B20 short turns and route it via Elton and Vandalia to directly serve the new development.

Yes it is.

7484 is at the service center at JFK Airport awaiting prep.

Any date for the XE40 EIS?

One thing I might consider proposing might be to take the B82 SBS off of Kings Highway west of Coney Island Avenue and reroute it along Avenue P instead, filling a major gap in network coverage east-west. As a four lane road for most of it, traffic would move closer to the statutory speed limit than it would along Kings Highway. Service to the would be lost, but service to the would be maintained. Stops would be added at East 5 Street, McDonald Avenue/Dahill Road, West 8 Street, and Stillwell Avenue/Bay Parkway. Lost coverage along Kings Highway could be covered by a B7 extended to West 7 Street.

The street grid in the area doesn't really leave any other choice. Going up to 125 via Broadway increases the distance. It's for the same reason that the M60 terminates at 106 Street---ideal place for a turnaround where Broadway diverts to the east and West End Avenue begins.

I would keep the current route with some short turns during the rush hour. However, I do fully agree with renaming the Bergen Beach branch the B40.

Could you please repost your idea with the S55/S56 as well? I do agree with somehow rerouting it to Bricktown Mall. As for the S61 running down Platinum instead of Yukon, I did think about that, but one would have the rerouted S54 serving SI Mall and Pergament Properties. Also, a driver change can be done at the Yukon Depot's front door. As for the S54 and a direct connection to Hylan Boulevard, that section isn't frequently used and such connections could be routed through ETC. Now, for connections to destinations along Hylan during the midday not to Bricktown Mall, I would propose a different restructure: extending the weekday S59 along Hylan Boulevard, but shorten it to Prince's Bay. Instead of going all the way to Tottenville, I would propose runnnng it only to Seguine, where the S59 would then turn south along Seguine to serve Staten Island University Hospital South and then terminate at the end of Seguine Avenue. Middays, the S59 would run every 40 minutes to Prince's Bay (every other bus). The idea is to make the S54 more useful. Operationally, the S59 would take the place of the S54 at Castleton and the S57 would also return to Castleton.

Proposal: South Shore restructuring I would propose the following restructuring of the routes: 1. Create a new route called the S72. This route would more closely follow the SI Railway into Great Kills by using Amboy Road and Giffords Lane, Leverett Avenue, and Armstrong Avenue instead of Arthur Kill Road. This route would run primarily between Eltingville Transit Center and the SI Ferry Terminal. Between the Amboy/Richmond split and the SI Ferry Terminal, the S72/74 would provide 15-minute service middays and weekends (more frequent during peak). Service west of ETC to Bricktown would be slightly reduced to every 30 minutes. (The proposed S72 route through Great Kills is already serviced by the X7 and X8. 2. On weekdays, some S72 trips would be extended to run via Woodrow Road to Tottenvile High School, using most of the S56 route except along Seguine Avenue (instead using Amboy Road to reach Tottenville High School). This would result in the elimination of the S56 completely. Savings there would be from right-sizing service west of ETC and eliminating the S56. 3. Restructure the S54 to a route running between the Staten Island Ferry and Seaview Hospital, and then onward to the Yukon Depot, running daily, taking over the S61 route through New Springville, via Rockland Avenue, Forest Hill Road, Merry Mount Street, and Marsh Avenue. This would provide weekend service to the Todt Hill Houses as well as reduce a sparsely-used segment in Great Kills and Eltingville. Great Kills customers could use the S72 to the S57 to reach the North Shore, which would be retained for network coverage. Customers along Nelson Avenue could walk to Great Kills for the SIR or the S72. 4. Restructure the S61 to a more direct route to Eltingville TC and bypass SI Mall altogether (that segment is being taken over by the restructured S54). It would run down Forest Hill Road to Yukon Avenue, then along Yukon and Richmond Avenue to ETC, achieving an objective in Post #1367. Savings: the S56 is eliminated and converted into a route that is useful, giving Great Kills better and more useful service, adding service to the Todt Hill Houses, and having a route from the south to CSI via ETC. The problem is still making the S55 useful. Operationally, the S72 would be at Charleston and the S54 would move to Yukon Depot. If Yukon is full, the S61 would move to Charleston.