Jump to content

SoSpectacular

Veteran Member
  • Posts

    3,572
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    9

Everything posted by SoSpectacular

  1. The B61 isn't slow getting to downtown, if it wasn't for the backup of traffic on Colombia/Atlantic of everyone trying to squeeze onto the BQE it's a straight shot.
  2. Blame the street redesigns that haven't fixed or made worse the traffic conditions on the roads. Can't even use certain "backdoor" streets to be put in place because everyone else is using the same streets to circumvent traffic. It's practically hopeless to keep close to schedule. Better take what you can get or adjust your schedule to allow yourself more time. Don't do that. You are just asking to get hurt. Your best course of action is to put in a customer complaint if a bus flags your stop. Plain and simple. Don't be stupid.
  3. Let's just say there's a couple of guys on the road out there that like to take advantage of certain situations to cut their time and head back to the depot... It definitely happens
  4. Growing up in Queens I'd always heard it referred to as the "Colosseum Block, or Coli Block"
  5. It is whichever calls you first. If get called up for one exam the other could pull you up as well if it is for another division. Your time served in the earlier exam upon hiring would count toward your probationary period so it's all about getting your foot in the door.
  6. I once did a run where I did two trips that started from Nostrand on the B8. The first bus starts at 4:49, then 5:13, 6:04, 6:26, 6:49 and every 20-30 minutes roughly until around 9:10pm. After the line becomes a 25-minute headway after 8pm they are a little more frequent because of it.
  7. See, you were lucky to get a pull-in that was deadheading. Over here, where we mainly have reliefs instead of pull-ins at the PM rush hours you get "Keep it in service" from console. Some might work something out but they don't want to blow/cancel trips if at all.
  8. I don't think they're going to want an operator pulling a bus in out of service mid-route during the rush hours and getting back on the road in time.... Not feasible...
  9. Bus can't be pulled out from the depot if the A/C isnt working, but IF it does happen to break down/cease functioning mid-tour it's not considered a safety-sensitive defect...
  10. The Eagle team busts a lot of people abusing the SBS. Local... not so much. We can't hit that F5 button enough nor keep track of all the farebeats that get on a local bus. Especially the B35... LOL.
  11. This all depends on the current needs of each region/depot. Some depots may see large numbers of retirees/transfers to other depots but sometimes a depot may be so short on operators they can force an entire class there. I've heard of entire classes getting sent to Staten Island or Michael J. Quill, but luckily if you do get forced to SI or Queens you are able to get a one-way transfer out when an opening is available in your destination depot. You don't have to worry about this until you are actually in training and pass the initial 7-10 days, though. Just hope your timing is right! Luckily I had a choice when I started but I was ready for whatever came my way.
  12. If you have a dash cam that also posts your current speed you can use that as proof...
  13. Not a fan of it, you are still limited to one angle. There is no "rocking and rolling" that Zerega themselves emphasized on in our 7-day training. I don't see this going far...
  14. They're usually the depots that are large and handle a decent amount of heavily used routes, like West Farms and Gleason which are pretty up there with work that exceeds 9-10 hours but they tend to be high seniority for that reason
  15. They've ramped up the installation of the new radio system in recent months. Gleason almost has all their buses outfitted...
  16. That kind of thing always happens where multiple buses share any specific corridor. Then again, that kind of thing also happens when buses bunch and they're both on layover (except one of them is most likely late and delaying to leave until their follower(s) picks up the slack). Don't wanna get crush loaded with passengers then sit there making every stop because "DING! PLEASE EXIT THROUGH THE REAR DOOR"
  17. You need 3 years+ with your license. Permits don't count towards this requirement
  18. Bus lanes are absolutely no help other than where they are, and that's only if they are free of obstruction. When I used to live in Flushing I rode the 25/65 a whole lot and never really had any issue, but then again this was in the ballpark of 10-15 years ago when things were vastly different. These days I don't know how it is but there's been load of changes along Kissena/Parsons that definitely could have crippled the line in the name of "safety improvements". It's not uncommon for operators to be late and miss layovers. It's even advised to take a personal when we're starting to feel overwhelmed/stressed out and step back. Also, it's not uncommon for runs/trips to be open or cancelled. There aren't enough bodies to cover all the open runs and that's also going to back things up. It's crazy...
  19. Very rare to be put in place these days when people are running late or are severely delayed- but with everything going on with the roads these days there's not much that can be done. Road capacity got kneecapped in places, extra traffic lights that are too close together and are timed improperly, construction is gonna tie everything up. Just seen a new set of lights go up along the route I'm doing now, but luckily they're timed to go green with the next block.
  20. They do not make much sense in a city with narrowed and tighter streets. It's hard enough to make some of the turns now with the way DOT redesigned things
  21. Not happening until cash fares/Metrocards are fully phased out
  22. It's very similar up in surface. Not uncommon to be asked when the next bus is/will arrive or what the current headways are. It's not like I can whip my phone out and pull up an APP that can help estimate a bus' given location on a map, but too many can't be bothered with tapping on a screen to do anything else but send messages and make phone calls...
  23. All I'm going to say is, it used to be a LOT easier to get around 10 years ago compared to now. Too many extra light signals, blantant double parking, being limited to one lane of roadway screws with bus traffic heavy. Even if you have bus lanes, not all of them have cameras or any enforcement at all. Some roads/lanes are too narrow that we have to take up two of them just to give us the space cushion we need. Remember how we had to maintain 4-feet spacing between the bus and parked cars on our right? That's pretty much out the window these days.
  24. Remember that days 1-5 are basically your learning days. 6 and 7 are the ones you cannot screw up on in order to qualify. So definitely don't stress things!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.