MTA nixes express bus for outer borough students who commute to school in Manhattan

[Harry 1,076]

Hundreds of city students from the outer boroughs will have to choose between paying more to commute to school in Manhattan this fall or using a longer route.

 

As part of this summer's fare hikes, the MTA quietly cancelled the discount on the express buses that gave students half off.

 

"To pay $11 a day, five days a week, it's a lot on my family; it's unfair," said Johnathan Trosa, 17, who takes the bus to get to Regis High School by 7:30 a.m. from Throgs Neck, in the Bronx.

 

"The express bus comes right near my house and drops me off right near my school. ... ," he said. "This makes the commute much more difficult."

 

The student fare will rise to $5.50 per trip from $2.50.

 

"It's pretty upsetting," said Daniel Masterson, 15, who gets in a morning nap on his hour and 15-minute commute from City Island in the Bronx to Beacon High School in Manhattan.

 

"To me it's going be a really big inconvenience."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/08/14/2009-08-14_mta_nixes_student_express_bus_break.html#ixzz0OA80sfXA

[R32 3348 10]

This is going to be a problem for many students in the city come September. When they went through with the budget cuts I was wondering why there was no outcry over the loss of the student discount. These students will just have to take the local bus to the train to school, but it will take them longer. I know this one girl in my class who used to wake up at 5:30 every day to go to school, but once she discovered the QM1A she could get up an hour later. This will be an inconvenience, especially since we students don't have incomes.

 

That being said people shouldn't be B&M'ing. Just take the bus to the train and it won't take you that much longer in most cases.

Edited August 15, 2009 by R32 3348

[R62A 1991 2]

The MTA Buses have finally raised their Student Fare? Oh...man, that was a lifesaver when I had to get to Mill Basin from Manhattan three years ago...they should have kept the fare at half, honestly.

[metsfan 2]

gets an .

 

- A

[KeystoneRegional 246]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Forest Glen 4]

This sucks, especially for kids heading to Bronx Science.

[RokuSix 3]

This isn't fair. When I was in high school, the express bus was my best option. It felt safer than the subway particularly during my sophomore year, in which I'd have to begin heading to Manhattan as early as 6:15 AM. As I'm older, the subway became a better option, but as a younger teenager it was simply easier for me to take the bus.

 

Half-fare is a good compromise, though.

[LRG 216]

I wonder how this will play for all the student railfans who manage to lie to their parents and go rail/busfanning when their parents think they have school on a non-school day!

 

There goes their lunch money....

:-/

[dmouse 522]

I wonder how this will play for all the student railfans who manage to lie to their parents and go rail/busfanning when their parents think they have school on a non-school day!

 

There goes their lunch money....

:-/

 

Playing hookie?

well I'm not complainig but some just abuse the privlage of having a "free" or "reduced" student pass.

I'm starting high school in Sept and we get issued free Mertrocards if we put in for one. But its a bummer for those students who use express bus service.

 

Imagine if this happen to local bus routes...

[MTR Admiralty 4]

This sucks, especially for kids heading to Bronx Science.

Nope, people in our school use either the train/bus combo, the school bus or the X32. Personally, I believe the X32 should be cut.

No it isn't. Besides, that school doesn't mean anything anymore.

Excuse you? If you weren't a student from that school, you have no right to say shit about it. Even though I've seen many faults with the administration, I (and many of my colleagues) feel offended by your remark.

[Locomotion69 14]

Let these spolied brats go to a school closer to their home and stop the whining already. It's not the end of the world. You can't always get what you want in life. Even better go to school on a bike, the exercise will do wonders for them.

[Luis1985 1]

i still think $5.50 is pretty expensive for an express fare. it's bad enough the LOCAL fare is $2.25.

[LRG 216]

33rd Street brings up a valuable good point. Why in the world do Bronx Science students deserve the luxury of an express bus to take them from their homes in Queens to the Bronx? I really don't get it. You know that its main intention is for Bronx Science students because if their school's not open, whether for vacation or if an emergency closes the school down, then it won't run. The MTA doesn't give a damn about regular passengers who need to commute between the Bronx and Queens and are willing to pay the premium fare.

[Forest Glen 4]

Um, Bronx Science is one of the best schools in the city. The students who attend that school took a hard test to get in. Give them a break and let them ride the express bus for a reasonable price.

[LRG 216]

One of the main reasons the MTA took that privilege away is because the City is so damned cheap. The City owes the MTA millions of dollars to cover lost revenue. If the City keeps it up, eliminate Student Metrocars all together. If that happens, I'll be happy.

 

Besides, Bronx Science isn't too far from a subway station. Guess those students are too spoiled because of the X32 as well as other express buses.

 

I agree, why do they deserve the luxury of express bus service, when there are so many other schools in this city that are just as good as, if not better than, Bronx Science? :confused:

[Ken S. 4]

I suggest everyone read this as to why some high school students don't go to their local high schools and need the express buses.

[Forest Glen 4]

I can only think of two schools that are better-Stuy and Hunter.

[Ken S. 4]

That doesn't prove anything.

 

It explains why these kids travel the distance they do each day.

[Fresh Pond 5,362]

When I was a freshman in high school, I used to live in Gerritsen Beach where there was only 2 buses there in that whole area. While going to school in manhattan, the BM4 became my only lifeline to get to school and back. And with the drivers I had sometimes, they would let me on without paying the extra 2.50. Some of these kids live where there is no other option but take the express bus, so I feel their pain...

 

And on a side note about the X32. It makes no sense for them to have their own personal bus when the train is a few blocks away. Either expand it or get rid of it. But idid read something a while back (like a year or 2 ago) that they was thinking about getting rid of it and jus making it into a Queens-Bronx route (I think it was to be called the Q94 (I'm not sure)

[MTR Admiralty 4]

33rd Street brings up a valuable good point. Why in the world do Bronx Science students deserve the luxury of an express bus to take them from their homes in Queens to the Bronx? I really don't get it. You know that its main intention is for Bronx Science students because if their school's not open, whether for vacation or if an emergency closes the school down, then it won't run. The MTA doesn't give a damn about regular passengers who need to commute between the Bronx and Queens and are willing to pay the premium fare.

You don't get it because you don't go there, simple. More than 60% of the people there are from Eastern Queens, in areas where the subway don't go. They have to bus 30 minutes to the nearest train station. Who's to blame? The parents for letting them live so far? The kids for taking a test and getting into a school that's too far? The school because it is too far from many students? What infuriates me the most is that most of you are not even students or faculty of the school, what gives you the very right to say anything about us and our commuting fashion? What gives you the very right to judge whether or not we need this service?

Listen, if you are not one of us or one of the MTA people, you shouldn't judge whether or not we need it. It's all that simple.

Um, Bronx Science is one of the best schools in the city. The students who attend that school took a hard test to get in. Give them a break and let them ride the express bus for a reasonable price.

The private bus company serves the school well, as a rising senior and having been witnessing many things that happened, I have to say there is no need for the X32 bus service.

Besides, Bronx Science isn't too far from a subway station. Guess those students are too spoiled because of the X32 as well as other express buses.

How dare you even use that word. You're not even from there, you don't even have to right to judge whether or not we are spoiled. And to lay fact on you, most of us don't even take the X32. And to be very honest, I feel there is no incentive of the MTA to even run the X32.

That doesn't prove anything.

Yes it does. You're not me. You're not my friends and classmates who travel nearly 2 hours to school everyday. We get our asses at home around 5, do our work, eat. We are lucky enough to sleep at 12. Many of us sleep at 1 or 2. I once had to stay till 4 working on a project. And then we have to wake up at 5 in the morning? Take the bloody train or bus to school and make sure we arrive on time?

 

As a student from the school, I can safely calculate that 90% of the students from the school live at least 30 minutes by train or bus from the school. Out of that number, 85% live at least an hour by train or bus from the school. And from that number, 7 out of 8 come from Queens. I have friends who live in Ozone Park, Coney Island, Bay Ridge, even Jersey. Hell, maybe some from Staten Island too.

 

SO EXCUSE YOU.

How can you even understand us if you never been through this? How about the insomniac who takes 4 or 5 APs. You want to tell him to not take a single AP to save on sleep?

 

I can't even believe you all. It's sheer ignorance you have. How about the person who has extracurriculars? Plays on the team until 9 PM? And then has a gutload of work to do? We're trying to survive here and yet you are criticising us because we are spoiled brats? I have enough of your ignorance.

 

I feel the X32 is not needed, not because we are spoiled, but because there is a good enough bus company that handles our services well. The B and D is 12 minutes away from school, the 4 train is 7 minutes from school. Many of us take the bus from the station to school. I am a living witness of this. I know what goes on and off in our school, I am the proper representative on this forum from my school.

It explains why these kids travel the distance they do each day.

Agreed.

No it doesn't. I can't believe someone is actually using Wikipedia as a source.

I can't believe someone who is not from my school has the bollocks to declare us as "spoiled". The nerve of you.

[Queens Surface 434]

LMAO where is the luxury of the X32, they dont even use MCIs and they only run 3 buses a day.

[LRG 216]

The fact of the matter is, why do Bronx Science students feel that they deserve the luxury of a bus that basically serves for their purpose only??? It's pitiful that there are three X32s during the morning that come from different parts of Queens, just to take kids to school! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there are a whole bunch of other schools that are just as good or even BETTER than Bronx Science within all of New York City, but they don't have express bus service to transport them to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon. So why does Bronx Science deserve that luxury then? Regular working people deserve bus service between Queens and the Bronx as well. The MTA should think about extending the hours of the X32 for those who work in the Bronx, or even think about creating rush-hour bi-directional service instead. Bronx Science is overrated, and I'm not afraid to say it. They should provide them with cheese buses to conform them with what all other schools in this city have.

[MTR Admiralty 4]

The fact of the matter is, why do Bronx Science students feel that they deserve the luxury of a bus that basically serves for their purpose only??? It's pitiful that there are three X32s during the morning that come from different parts of Queens, just to take kids to school! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there are a whole bunch of other schools that are just as good or even BETTER than Bronx Science within all of New York City, but they don't have express bus service to transport them to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon. So why does Bronx Science deserve that luxury then? Regular working people deserve bus service between Queens and the Bronx as well. The MTA should think about extending the hours of the X32 for those who work in the Bronx, or even think about creating rush-hour bi-directional service instead. Bronx Science is overrated, and I'm not afraid to say it. They should provide them with cheese buses to conform them with what all other schools in this city have.

You are ignorant of our school's operations and functions.

1. We have cheese buses and more kids take that and the subway than they do take the X32.

2. I am an opponent of the X32 as there is no incentive towards operating it.

3. The reason why our school and some selected schools get specialised services is because of this: most of the people who go there live very far away and that these people are concentrated in an area that would make sense to run an express bus to and from that area to the school. Stuy and Brooklyn Tech are more centrally located, plus they have an array of subway options. You can read a map, can you? Look at Regis and Science, all the way in the Bronx. And Beacon with its market in Queens.

4. There is not enough of a market between the Bronx and Queens, as a whole, to support express bus service. However, they should consider axing the X32 and use that money to offer limited-stop buses between several locations in the Bronx to Queens, including Fordham and Riverdale. Markets that are readily accessible for such. There was a plan two years ago that would have the Q94 replace the X32, and run from Flushing to Fordham. That's what I'm looking for. It could help our school out and it could help the locals out, it won't be rush hour only and it will be the price of a local bus.

5. You may say Bronx Science is overrated, but so what? That shouldn't come into account whether or not a destination deserves a specific service. Besides, stating a school is overrated is simply personal opinion, not fact.

6. The bottom line is, the X32 is a waste of money. It is not accessible to all, its hours are too discriminating for regular patronage, the market/demand is low and the MTA should consider offering several limited stop bus routes from Bronx and Queens in order to better serve everybody. However, stating that it is luxury, calling our school overrated and declaring us to be "spoiled" is exaggerated personal opinion.

[B35 via Church 9,251]

What infuriates me the most is that most of you are not even students or faculty of the school, what gives you the very right to say anything about us and our commuting fashion? What gives you the very right to judge whether or not we need this service?

The same right you have to feel as irate as you are.... Your opinion isn't anymore important than anyone else's...

Get off that high horse, pal.....

--------------------------

 

 

 

* Who thinks the x32 should STAY? That's what I'd like to know....

 

And since there are more specialized high schools here in NYC, should express bus service be provided to those schools, as well?

 

You want your child to attend a specialized H.S.... can't afford a car, don't have someone to drop the student to/from school, don't want your kid taking subways & (local) buses, go ahead & let them take an express bus.... but don't sit there & whimper when it's asked for said student to board an express bus, to (now) pay the full fare... You want top notch education for your child, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for it; whether that's in the form of tuition, and/or any extra (transportation) fares......

 

It's either all or nothing, there's no in-between... either get rid of the x32, or have special express runs serve the rest of these specialized high schools.... This is why you have people saying Bx. Science kids are spoiled....

[KTrainExp 16]

One of the main reasons the MTA took that privilege away is because the City is so damned cheap. The City owes the MTA millions of dollars to cover lost revenue. If the City keeps it up, eliminate Student Metrocars all together. If that happens, I'll be happy.

 

 

Why don't you buy me another house then if your supporting the fact that the city should eliminate Student Metrocards? You are obviously ignorant of where some people live. I agree that there are two train stations closely spaced together near that school and there's no need for that express bus, but I support the student cards 100%. Either you lived closed to your school your whole life, or you didn't go to school at all.

 

@LRG, bike? We don't have the luxury that you do living 10 - blocks from your school.