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Q43 Floral Park

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Everything posted by Q43 Floral Park

  1. The first sunday this month, I thought all of the tracking apps (MTA and 3rd party) were glitching because Ia route that should have been every 20 minutes until 1A was saying check back later at 8:50P. Waited 15 minute before leaving, then 10 minutes at the stop and just opted to walk along the route instead of taking one of the 2 seat alternates. It was nice out and I wanted to see if there were crowds (there were) or if something would come because broken tracker/new bus (nope). About 30 minutes later, a lone bus, passed me packed to the brim in the opposite direction. I finally reached out only to be told it wasn't a GPS glitch but that they ran out of operators 3 hours early. The bus I had just seen was on its last run because it vanished as soon as it hit the terminal. To me, it seems like its based less off of demand (this route was in the top 50 for weekend ridership pre-COVID, and there was an article out last summer saying it was the most crowded 40 ft route) and more so taking advantage of chronic issues (route unreliability is nothing new and they made zero announcements about it).
  2. it's great that they claimed the route needed no adjustments via the redesign, just to announce a cut service on the low where most riders won't read about it. imo the bx3 unreliability is largely self-inflicted and is used to justify reducing its service. it's easier to say 'service is delayed because of 181 st traffic' nearly every day than to admit its because: a) they've been randomly ending runs at kingsbridge rd for 5+ years and won't build them into the schedule, make them trackable or have them serve the VA Hospital b) telling operators to battery run and skip stops instead of putting some type of limited service together c) won't use any artics to address the crowds (i've seen more artics wind up on the Bx32 tbh) d) won't put a dispatcher at 238 street to make sure buses don't arrive and leave together.
  3. well they could but that would decrease ridership and increase the deadhead (its the shortest one after the BxM7) for starters. After looking at this report, they'd probably use the new terminal at 262 as a means to cut the AM Super Express runs (saying it won't carry well from 262-246 only), then we have less buses that are more crowded running the whole route... my BxM3 stop is still on the chopping block after going to the meeting and explaining it's on an isolated hill without any alternatives. so I don't we need trade, I think we need to demand an explanation for how we are supposed to accept 400+ stop cuts without seeing stop by stop ridership for every route or these drastic midday/sunday express cuts without seeing the average passenger counts on the runs in danger
  4. I’ll add this one: Southbound BxM3s left Getty Square at ~5:15 (missed it because I wasn’t expecting it) and 5:35 (caught at 6pm). The former tracked on the transit app until it hit the Deegan, vanished until 125, reappeared then vanished again by 62 st. (I should have gotten the bus number from the MTA app) and the latter is the actual run. There’s nothing tracking on the s/b 6:35 run and 2 n/b buses coming up Madison now. not really sure how this happened but if it’s true we’re looking at a 2 hour south bound service gap.
  5. BxM1/2: Riders north of 246 St have less service north of 254 and it'll only goes to 5th av (Bxm3/18). The BxM3 might take about same amount of time to hit the Deegan as the current BxM1 via 236/Riverdale does. If the BxM1/2 start at 246/HHP, I feel like all service would end up via Spuyten Duyvil. They'd cut those AM via Riverdale Av runs and justify it by saying they won't fill up on 5 stops/were there to speed up the rides of North Riverdale riders). BxM3: Broadway will have no service (north of Mosholu) and will probably lose service once MTA sees it not carrying. The new BxM4 will be late after getting stuck on the Deegan between 233-VCP and could have Sedgwick riders standing in the AM. Woodlawn would love this though, it's the only way they'd have a chance at <30 min headways. BxM4: riders on the Concourse/Norwood willingly pay 6.50 for the route with the shortest express section and this forces them to the if they want the East Side. I wonder if putting the stops on the main road would speed it up...
  6. If true: Bx36: I see the short turns still being 40fts. Bx19: needs all the help it can get. Bx15/39: I'm definitely biased on this as a KB rider but IMO they consistently gets the short end of the stick... they lost Bx55 LTD runs for Bx15 local runs which sucked for operators (I also can't think of another route where the locals are at 1 depot and the LTDs are at another). Then the Bx41 for the Bx39 which meant no SBS runs and longer deadheads. Every time a new order comes in either GH gets them first (NGs/LFS), they have to split it with GH (47xxs) or they get hand me downs that have been walloped elsewhere (the LFSAs). Putting the Bx15 out of KB would be a step in the right direction. Bx17: see below Bx35: makes sense That's what I'm trying to figure out.... The only route that can move to KB without them needing a lot more buses is the Bx32 (which would make more sense). I feel like it's like the Bx9, you might see 1-2 daily.
  7. I'll get around to riding the SX one of these days to see how it goes... my 2 worst express rides were: sitting in the rear stairwell on a SRO YON 92xx w/ mix-match seats and no heat in the dead of winter and a O5 CNG with local seats on the old 1A that hit every pothole to the point where a panel dislodged from the undercarriage and dragged from QB to Main. We don't have suburban 40 fts anymore so I just don't understand how you interline them and don't give the operator enough time to swap out buses... You pretty much have to pass BP to get from the Q64/110/112 to Rochdale and if its a Brewer run I can't fathom why you would just end at the Depot. QM1/2/9: don't know too much about the current routes but this looks good on a map QM3: Pros: it skips Northern west of Flushing-Main Neutral: While I've never seen anyone use it on LN, it's a long walk to Northern or HHE. Cons: Like B35 said it not serving Northern west of Utopia would kill it. PW service is better East of Bayside (hence the QM3 ridership being higher west of there). The time we save off Northern (w/o Flushing), we lose meandering to get to Northern by Broadway. Now you could put it on Sanford and still get the Northern riders but idk where you go from there (I imagine Sanford-Kissena-HHE would just be stuck in traffic)... All day service is ambitious when most people would probably just want a Q12 LTD. QM4/C/S/X: QM4 Extension to OG is perfect. I'm confused... I get the service patterns but if the QM4C/S/X don't make QM4 stops, why label them the same? For the X variant you could stop at Bell and go express from there (Oceania and F Lewis are dead) QM6: eh.. LIJ is a good Q46 terminal but I'm not sure how many express riders are getting on/off there. It takes 2 minutes to go from 260-LN on Union; via GO will take 10-15 minutes and it'll be hard to stop at LN Eastbound and still make the left (unless you have it do Union-80-LN and use the Q36 stop). The stop at 75th can go but you need one at 73rd. I know it's an awful routing but the whatever serves LN has to either end at the Plaza and not serve the parkway or go to Glen Oaks because... QM8/14/37: the GCP service road is narrow east of LN and NST would lose it w/all those buses terminating there. The problem w/ ending downtown service at the plaza is the current QM8 gets good ridership in GO. I'm not sure where you have the QM14 ending but there's no GCP/LN stop at all... you can't expect the people on the service road to walk to NST, 260/LN or LN/61. QM12: Something needs to be on Yellowstone North of QB. QM21: would Rochdale be okay only having service along one side (idk how long it takes to walk through). I always wondered why there's no FL/250 st stop for the x63 but why cut Hook Creek out? QM22: I think an East Elmhurst/Jackson Heights route might fare better... QM64/68: Peak, I'd probably have the QM68 as the route at Main St and then the next stop at Midland. Let the QM64 stay the same but just run express from the Van Wyck to the city.
  8. They make the same stops now but I was saying if you change the QM5 route to make less stops and leave the SX with one pick up would it still be worth it (idk if the people using it are west or east of 188). Thanks for the breakdown on the hypothetical service. On side note: someone mentioned this in another thread but BP had an O7 on the QM21 this AM... While I get interlining, it seems kinda messed up to have people paying 6.50 to hit every bump on the LIE... Had to be glad it can't happen on my express route(s).
  9. I think all 3 routes already run more frequently than that in the AM (if you were to avg the 6-8am runs)... in the PM, the QM5 SX runs would be serving half the stops it serves now. Might be better off having a QM1 or QM6 SX... my comprehension of scheduling is minimal so maybe someone can break it down for me: if a route (in general) is shortened and then covered by 2 other routes, I would think it would require less buses per hour (unless the stops it's keeping to itself are the high generators) because you're going to need more buses on the 2 other routes. ex. if you split the Q27 in half at QCC; made the Flushing portion a branch of the Q26 and extended some Q83s up to old Q75 terminal to give Oakland Gardens direct Jamaica service and left the Q27 as a standalone bet Murdock-120 (an obv. horrible idea), wouldn't the branched Q26 and extended Q83 require more service than the Q27?
  10. 1a. I like this plan and agree that no service cuts are a good thing but can you help me understand how? The branched QM6 would definitely need more runs [neither NST or GO is going to take peak only service] and I think the QM1 might also need some if its going to do Main-188 solo. Meanwhile, giving up the GO+73rd riders, eating into more of the QM6 base and running express after 188 means the QM5 only has 10 standalone stops for ridership. To me that = QM5 runs becoming QM1/6s = HHE bet. Springfield-LN getting less service. 1b. I could be wrong but I've been under the impression that express ridership in Oakland Gardens North (via 73rd Av) is higher than express ridership in Oakland Gardens South/Hollis Hills (via Union) [north has denser housing + the Q88 is local vs. south is all homes but has the Q46 LTD]. I agree that most riders probably aren't north of 73rd but I would think the bulk find it easier to get to 73rd over Union [that parkway is in the way]. In other words, if Midtown service were to be extended in OG, I thought the 73rd service would need to be supplemented before Union. If you throw new stops on Springfield at 75th/77th into the equation, would people choose them over the more frequent service at Springfield/73 (QM1/5) or Springfield/Union (QM5/6G/6N)? 2. Gotcha, I never taken the QM4/44 3. Your QM8 runs east from Douglaston to GO before heading to the city. I was asking how much time it'd save over the current crawl
  11. IIRC, they said the NST-Downtown QM1As didn't become QM9s because they weren't carrying well and people could x-fer at Chevy. I agree that the Qm1/7 don't do enough, I'm just curious about a few things: 1. How do you set the headways? Going off the maps, I'm envisioning a service cut between Glen Oaks/LN Plaza (fine) but too much service on Union 188-Springfield (QM5/6/6G) and not enough on 73 Av (Qm1). 2. Why not start the QM1 at Cloverdale? I know the QM5 won't need the coverage but I imagine trying to layover at Springfield/HHE is going to be a pain. 3. How much time does going in the reverse direction cut off the QM8?
  12. 3221 is still listed at ECH. Can confirm, it was on the BxM3 with YON decals last week.
  13. *continues to wait for KB to catch up to the rest of the borough by having at least one bus with wi-fi and/or usb outlets* Congrats on 10 years.
  14. Forgot to post this earlier but 3435 was on the BxM1 last week.
  15. I didn't think this warranted a new thread because it technically has to do with proposals/ideas... Over the past week or so, I've notice countdown clocks going up in the Bronx. So far I've found one at the W/B Bx9/22/28 stop at the Kingsbridge/Grand Concourse; N/B on University Av/Burnside #2 (Bx3/40/42) and Tremont (Bx3/36). Besides the fact that I haven't seen any marketing on how many we'll get (maybe it's just a trial), my question is: who makes the call on where they get placed? While I'm grateful to see them on routes I use, I just find it odd because Fordham or 231 Street seem like they would have been better locations for the first ones. Fordham because of the many routes (I still don't understand how the M23/86 SBS got the digital stop clocks before the Bx12 SBS) and 231 Street because of how inconsistent those routes are. IMO, The one on Kingsbridge should probably be at Jerome and/or University because those stops are more heavily trafficked than GC. Also the fact that the signs aren't digital means they can't display short turns...
  16. I know the primary purpose was for interborough riders but it seems like over the years, intraborough ridership has shifted from the Bx40/42 to the Bx36, maybe as an unintended consequence (still inclined to think they knew this would happen). I can't prove it and I don't recall what the pre-artic headways were (I agree they're partially to blame for the bad service) but the combination of the Bx36 being more frequent and having LTD service makes it more attractive, even in cases where I specifically need a Bx40/42 stop. Granted the Bx36 has it's own bunching issues (tbh it needs some Q5/85 style LTD runs that end at WFS/HC) but I'd rather just walk to it than play with the Bx40/42. That's interesting... them giving the Bx36 LTD service to avoid Bx39 LTD service never really crossed my mind because: a) the runtime on the coverage portion from Parkchester-Story isn't long at all (its 9 minutes to Randall local or LTD) b) Bx39's would still be in a bunched up line North of BPE (only place a bus would be able to bypass another would be Boston Rd) They had a somewhat valid complaint regarding the noise because the Bx14 never ran CNGs (Locust Point is far more isolated/quieter so I honestly didn't see the problem). At the same time they also didn't want Parkchester riders on the Bx14 having access to CC (not like there was any reason for them to ride over there), which is why they let it get cut. Country Club's pride caused a self-inflicted wound that messed up service for years... I was at the point where I felt like they should have just forced everyone to walk to the Q50 at Bruckner if they wanted a way out. Lol yeah a friend of mine refuses to admit to living in CC because they find that mason-dixon line pointless. I'm going to have to try that end of the 42 one day but I agree with BM5 using Balcom straight would be more efficient.. So you'd bring back the old Bx23 but extended on both ends... Is there any particular reason for keeping the Edgewater Park and Locust Point routes separate? Also why cut the Bx8 off of Bronxwood north of GH? I'm not saying that the fact that it's always been up there is reason enough to keep it, but it'd leave a decent gap between WPR and Eastchester. While I haven't ridden the Q42 it seemed easier to reduce because everything sans the stop on Rex/Fern and the Sayres portion are near more frequent routes. This was all I could find but yeah they wanted to cut the whole Q84 like it isn't .4-.5 miles away from the Q4 for the most part. It's bad enough its the M3 of Merrick Blvd... http://www.straphangers.org/fare/facts_service_cuts.pdf
  17. My memory is spotty but I remember them saying they wanted to add overnight service in a bunch of places at the start of 09 (IIRC there was talk of bringing the Bx3 back 24/7), only to turn around and try and leave us with a bare bones system months later. The 2009 version had them axing the Bx4/18/20 and they even tried to suggest cutting the Bx10/M79/96 overnight. They had to take back that Q84 cut by the time January 2010 rolled around because telling people to walk to Linden/ expecting the Q4 to absorb those riders was a joke. IMO, once they decided to kill the Bx14, cutting the Bx8 in any form went smooth off the table because that was the only way (at the time) to replace it in CC. They've had to walk back so many of the cuts (M6 ->M55; Q79 -> Q36; Bx14 -> Bx4A/Bx24 etc.) that I've honestly been wondering if they had to actually do anything or they just wanted to see if they could get away with it... Re S76: I know you live in SI so you know more about this than me but that cut always seemed like it was based on the assumption no one wanted to go up/down New Dorp/Mill Rds on weekends (which seemed like BS). Bx31: From taking it... Edenwald causes the bunching primarily but all the construction around Einstein isn't helping it or the Bx21 at this point. Bx14: thanks for the breakdown... I'd shave 2 minutes off from Waters, I get that it won't hit many traffic-prone areas but it will hit every light.. I'd be fine (more or less) with the Bx36 replacing the 4A so long as it hits the circle. I'm convinced they put LTD service on the Bx36 so they wouldn't have to do anything with the Bx40/42 (making the excuse that they're close enough University- WFS that you should just take the former). Just waiting for them to try and SBS the Bx36.... Last N/B turn off of 174 is Longfellow, S/B is Boone. It's funny because I recall mentioning a while back that the Bx21 to Bay Plaza might be more useful than the Square and someone said Morris Park people don't want to go there because they go to Manhattan and Westchester for shopping ... The Bx8 hits a lot of schools though (more than the Bx31) so I feel like thats the only time intermediate ridership is noticeable. I know a few people who used the Bx8/26 to get to Bedford Park from TN back in HS. Personally I feel like it should go up Bronxwood to 233 (from there it doesn't really matter where it ends as long as its not Katonah/242) and there should be a separate E 222 St bus route. About the ADA issue, I mean long time Bx8 (or Bx23 depending on how old they are) riders never had access to an ADA station until the 2010 mess... At the end of the day, I'm of the belief that one community didn't want the other to have easy access to it and that's how we ended up with this whole mess (the Bx14 wasn't broken...). Re Bx40/42: I always use the Bx40 in TN (because it skips TN houses) but how is the ridership back there? Lol Locust Point would lose it over Artics on Tierney (I can already hear the complaints about the D60s being too loud despite the CNG's being noisier) ....
  18. 1) Your sentiment might be true for 219 , Morris Park and Middletown because there's no bus connecting to them (I know the Bx8/24 serve the latter but you have to pass other stations to get there). Also all 3 of those stations have lower ridership than the ones the Bx8 serves... Once you put a bus there, people are going to use it regardless of whether or not it's walking distance or has bad headways. The amount of people who will wait 10-15 minutes for the Bx3 just to go to/from Broadway and Orloff (not even those going up the steps/walking further uphill) is pretty high. 2) It runs until 10pm because those last runs tend to be dead and even if it ran until midnight, I'm inclined to believe it'd only be north of the Square... The weekend headways should be 20 minutes but considering the is out half the time, it gets covered by the Shuttle Bus a lot in Morris Park. As for axing it completely....It's in between the S46/96 and B57 in terms of weekday ridership; S76 and Q84 on weekends. There is no way that will ever happen. Point blank.
  19. The south end feeds into the at Buhre because walking from TN/CC/EP to that station is laughable. The north end feeds into the Bx26/28/30 in addition to the Bx12. 
 
 Like BM5 said, The Bx8 is one of the few long and drawn out Bronx routes that functions somewhat well in spite of bunching. It's literally the only north-south route through Morris Park (the Bx31 being in between Einstein and Amtrak limits its usefulness) and walking those blocks gets tiresome very quickly, it's the only way to get from parts of Burke/Bronxwood to a train (some people x-fer to it at Pelham Pkwy and it gets a decent load going to/from 225 .) Also a lot of students use it. The Bx8 gives the south end the exact amount of service they seemingly want (they have yet to ask for it to run later like the old Bx23/40s did). Personally I use the Bx8/12 combo over the Bx12/39 when going to get food up WPR because once the Bx8 is off WPR there's no chance of traffic impeding it.
 
 This is where I'm confused though... Where is a new route going that southern Bx8 riders will want to go that they can't already get to? The people that aren't driving/aren't taking the BxM9 into the city for the most part want Whitestone/Bay Plaza or the . As for nearby routes.... The bx5 via Crosby was a mess, sending the Bx23 south of PBP ruins the loop, I actually think City Island would be mad if the Bx29 didn't go to Bay Plaza (still don't get how its not 24/7). You can't send the Bx24 south because Crosby won't have service, it can't loop CC + serve TN/EP and we all remember what happened the last time they tried to send a bus down Stadium Av... That leaves branching the Bx40 again and it's already spotty enough plus the Bx8 is a faster ride to the . 1) I don't know how they've turned a blind eye to Tremont service for this long... It literally takes 60-75 to get from the Square to Burnside on a good day.
 
 2) I mentioned the Bx21 serving Waters and running S/W of E 180 because I know 2 people who uses it for work (it's a minute amount, but it led me to wonder if others do). Even if thru-service is only relevant peak, getting rid of it doesn't seem like a good idea to me. As far as bunching, a friend of mine who uses it has explained to that the Bx21 bunching is like Bx9 levels of awful minus half the service. Now the Bx31 could serve Waters but I'm inclined to think it's already doing too much. I had a late meeting around Einstein a few weeks ago, took the SBS across and when I hit WPR, the next 3 Bx31 were still in the vicinity of Edenwald Houses. Ended up taking the Bx12-8-21, made all of the connections perfectly and got there before a Bx31 hit Gun Hill. Could have been an isolated incident but I definitely lost confidence in the reliability on that route (it also doesn't short turn anywhere). 
 
 I appreciate you giving the "Bx14" run time breakdown and I have a few questions:
 how exactly did you calculate it? (I'd like to try some myself)
 How long would WFS turnaround take/ how is it occurring? 
 (In theory, with the Bx9/40/42/Q44 taking up the entire south side I'm concerned that the Bx14/21 would only be able to serve WFS in one direction. While I'd rather not see this split be a thing, I'm almost inclined to say this hypothetical Bx14 could run down WF Road and end with the Bx35 if the Bx11 goes to Parkchester.)
 How long would a run take Peak and/or with poor traffic conditions and would it be a service cut or improvement?
  20. Correct, you'd probably shave a good 5-10 minutes off of it. I don't feel like there are a lot of people riding Wash Hts-Soundview but I feel like a decent amount are riding intraborough West to East Bronx. Also can the Bx39 handle WPR south of Parkchester alone? With the 4A I was surprised to see a decent amount of people using it from the to Parkchester North.. It's infrequent but it's still more service than the Bx14 provided. A Bx36 via E Tremont is more of a Bx40/42 coverage route than a Bx4A replacement and while the buses do bunch horrendously, the portion between the Squares might be the fastest.. Plus it'd give them an excuse to not fix the 40/42. Having the 1st S/B stop on the Bx8 on WPR causes some problems (can't access the stop if there's a Bx39/BxM11 there etc.). Combining the southern part of the Bx8 and the eastern part of the Bx21 doesn't sound like a route that's going to carry well IMO. Cutting off the Waters Pl portion of the 21 ignores the hospitals, businesses and Westchester Yard; ending the 21 at E 180 Street means anyone coming from the south can't access Einstein. From what I've seen both the Bx8 and Bx21 tank in Morris Park because of hitting every light and then bunching. I do support more short-turm service north of the Square on the Bx8 but with the Bx21 I have no idea where you could possibly short turn it in either direction. Jubanion: The Bx31 doesn't come close to a train between Gun Hill and the Square, I don't really see a way to make it more enticing.
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