JohnQPine Posted April 25, 2010 Share #1 Posted April 25, 2010 They've taken control of LI Bus yet the service distribution is still quite messed up. The main problem is too many buses on low ridership routes, and too few on high ridership routes. The N22 and the N27 are 2 examples of high ridership routes that dont have enough service. Lately every N22 I've taken between RF and Hicksville has no seats. And then there's the N27, particularly on weekends is JAMMED because its only once an hour. Last Saturday I had to stand all the way from Roosevelt Field to Greenvale. Then we have buses on the N80,N81 etc that are fairly empty, esp on Saturdays. I'm really suprised the MTA hasn't combined the N80 and N81 to an hourly route, eliminated the N73, and making the N51 a rush hour only route. I was really hoping to see 20 min rush hour headways on the N27, with half hourly service on weekends. The N27 sees about 80% of its weekday load on Saturdays, yet has half the service. No wonder buses are jammed! The N22, particularly east of Roosevelt Field, serves very impoverished areas like New Cassel, it needs service every 15 min at most times like the N15. I just dont get the MTA, why they dont adjust service to the high demand routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queens Surface Posted April 25, 2010 Share #2 Posted April 25, 2010 The budget cuts on service should handle all your "low ridership needs". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoSpectacular Posted April 25, 2010 Share #3 Posted April 25, 2010 I will say that Long Island Bus is screwed up when it comes to weekend schedules, hence why I do not fan it on a weekend. Hour-long headways ftl. But what can you do? Just plan accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted April 25, 2010 Share #4 Posted April 25, 2010 They've taken control of LI Bus yet the service distribution is still quite messed up. The MTA has been running the service for over 40 years. LI Bus has always been the stepchild of the MTA simply because its ridership is predominantly either poor, illegal (immigrants), or both. As a result they have very little political clout, and with budgetary concerns things aren't going to get better anytime soon. That's just the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak7 Posted April 25, 2010 Share #5 Posted April 25, 2010 LI Bus has always been the stepchild of the MTA simply because its ridership is predominantly either poor, illegal (immigrants), or both. As a result they have very little political clout, and with budgetary concerns things aren't going to get better anytime soon. That's just the way it is. That explains the poor service on high-ridership routes. But what about the excess of service on low-ridership routes? I have an idea to why the MTA didn't eliminate the N73: The obvious idea would be to eliminate the N73 and add trips/maybe Sat service to the N74. But, the MTA considers these routes as an unbreakable pair and a change to one must be made to the other. Eliminating both routes makes no sense from anyone's viewpoint, so all they can do is leave it alone. N78 midday trips should also be cut and become N79 short-turns, but they can't do that either for the same reason. They should really look at every route with Saturday but no Sunday service and carefully determine if that route's Saturday service is necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checkmatechamp13 Posted April 25, 2010 Share #6 Posted April 25, 2010 The same way that high ridership routes running in poorer areas with less political clout are overcrowded, the converse is also true: that areas with low ridership have richer people with more political clout that are able to ask for empty buses to serve their areas, which is the reason for the extra service on routes with low ridership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnQPine Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted April 25, 2010 The MTA has been running the service for over 40 years. LI Bus has always been the stepchild of the MTA simply because its ridership is predominantly either poor, illegal (immigrants), or both. As a result they have very little political clout, and with budgetary concerns things aren't going to get better anytime soon. That's just the way it is. I know you're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnQPine Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share #8 Posted April 25, 2010 The same way that high ridership routes running in poorer areas with less political clout are overcrowded, the converse is also true: that areas with low ridership have richer people with more political clout that are able to ask for empty buses to serve their areas, which is the reason for the extra service on routes with low ridership. This is what's going on. Like all the ppl at the hearing from Merrick screaming about loosing the N53. But since the majority of folks on routes like the N22 and N27 dont speak english, well...you get the idea. Most of the increase in LIB ridership these past 10 years has been illegal immigrants, its to the point now that service notices are posted in english and spanish. http://www.mta.info/libus/bus_info/spring_adjustments.html http://www.mta.info/libus/bus_info/n24_spring2010.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NX Express Posted April 25, 2010 Share #9 Posted April 25, 2010 I just don't get the MTA. Who does? It has never made any sense and never will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOB2RTO Posted April 25, 2010 Share #10 Posted April 25, 2010 Does MTA do the scheduling, or does Nassau County still do that part????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnQPine Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share #11 Posted April 25, 2010 Does MTA do the scheduling, or does Nassau County still do that part????????? I think the county USED to do the scheduling, but now the MTA does. Still doesn't get rid of the patronage routes. It seems routes like the N73, N74, N80, N81, N50, N51 are patronage routes, because they never seem to be touched. Well they did try to cut the 51, but it was saved. Like I said, I think the 51 should be weekdays only in AM and PM rush hours. Same goes for the N50, which is always empty, except rush hours. N73 should be eliminated, and the N80 and 81 combined into one route. You also have the N57 and N58, but the 58 does seem to get quite busy. The N57 should probably be eliminated. But knowing the MTA, when and if more cuts are announced, they'll go after reducing frequencies on busy routes like the N27, N22,etc. Look at what they are doing with Jones Beach. The 87 is already gone from their newly redesigned schedule web page. It was rare to have an empty N87 trip, but its gone. That route has been running in some form for many, many years. My mother took it from Wantagh when she was a teenager! Jones Beach bus service needs an overhaul, but I think the Wantagh route should be kept. If the MTA doesn't want to waste money running empty buses in lousy weather, schedule alot of the buses are (fair weather buses). If its raining by say 10am in the morning, these buses will not run. Ferry companies do this. Why cant MTA think outside of the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOB2RTO Posted April 25, 2010 Share #12 Posted April 25, 2010 I think the county USED to do the scheduling, but now the MTA does. Still doesn't get rid of the patronage routes. It seems routes like the N73, N74, N80, N81, N50, N51 are patronage routes, because they never seem to be touched. Well they did try to cut the 51, but it was saved. Like I said, I think the 51 should be weekdays only in AM and PM rush hours. Same goes for the N50, which is always empty, except rush hours. N73 should be eliminated, and the N80 and 81 combined into one route. You also have the N57 and N58, but the 58 does seem to get quite busy. The N57 should probably be eliminated. But knowing the MTA, when and if more cuts are announced, they'll go after reducing frequencies on busy routes like the N27, N22,etc. Look at what they are doing with Jones Beach. The 87 is already gone from their newly redesigned schedule web page. It was rare to have an empty N87 trip, but its gone. That route has been running in some form for many, many years. My mother took it from Wantagh when she was a teenager! Jones Beach bus service needs an overhaul, but I think the Wantagh route should be kept. If the MTA doesn't want to waste money running empty buses in lousy weather, schedule alot of the buses are (fair weather buses). If its raining by say 10am in the morning, these buses will not run. Ferry companies do this. Why cant MTA think outside of the box? We have that here. Just go to Riverdale section of the Bronx. I bet those express buses will never get cut, even though those residents, have some of the best access to the subway. Hell they squeezed in an elevator at 231st, with barely any room to do that there, but yet Van Cortlandt, Woodlawn, 241st, and Dyre have none, when they have all the room they need to put 4 elevators if they wanted. Politics at work, here at MTA Going your way......If you have the pull to get us to go your way........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsbridge Bus Posted April 26, 2010 Share #13 Posted April 26, 2010 Who does? It has never made any sense and never will. Maybe when Jay Walder gets out it would make 1% more sense but never completely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NX Express Posted April 26, 2010 Share #14 Posted April 26, 2010 Maybe when Jay Walder gets out it would make 0% more sense but never at all Corrected for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gotham Bus Co Posted May 5, 2010 Share #15 Posted May 5, 2010 They've taken control of LI Bus yet the service distribution is still quite messed up. The main problem is too many buses on low ridership routes, and too few on high ridership routes.... I just dont get the MTA, why they dont adjust service to the high demand routes. The MTA's role in Nassau County is still that of a contract carrier, with the County government still fully responsible for funding the service. If the county wants empty buses here and overcrowded buses there, that is what will run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnQPine Posted May 5, 2010 Author Share #16 Posted May 5, 2010 The MTA's role in Nassau County is still that of a contract carrier, with the County government still fully responsible for funding the service. If the county wants empty buses here and overcrowded buses there, that is what will run. Well if you're right, that needs to change. :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32 3348 Posted May 16, 2010 Share #17 Posted May 16, 2010 Maybe when Jay Walder gets out it would make 1% more sense but never completely IDK when it became cool to bash Jay Walder for no reason. He's been putting in more effort to fix this system than Sander and Kalikow. He may have very high benfits but he cut 500 or 600 managerial jobs along with the current jobs being cut as well as a 15% pay cut among the administration. Considering he's been in office for only a few months you can't exactly blame everything on him either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsbridge Bus Posted May 16, 2010 Share #18 Posted May 16, 2010 IDK when it became cool to bash Jay Walder for no reason. He's been putting in more effort to fix this system than Sander and Kalikow. He may have very high benfits but he cut 500 or 600 managerial jobs along with the current jobs being cut as well as a 15% pay cut among the administration. Considering he's been in office for only a few months you can't exactly blame everything on him either. Well, I'm not the best at thinking;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East New York Posted May 16, 2010 Share #19 Posted May 16, 2010 The MTA's role in Nassau County is still that of a contract carrier, with the County government still fully responsible for funding the service. If the county wants empty buses here and overcrowded buses there, that is what will run. From my understanding this is no longer the case. When the MTA took over the entire LIB operation, the contract either ended, or was terminated. LIB is now completely under Regional Bus Ops. Headquartered at none other than my East New York Depot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RokuSix Posted May 16, 2010 Share #20 Posted May 16, 2010 I've noticed those problems on many suburban routes. There's an unfair assumption that the bus is a tool of the lower class. Plenty of middle class people use the bus from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted May 16, 2010 Share #21 Posted May 16, 2010 No state or federal bureaucracy is perfect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32 3348 Posted May 16, 2010 Share #22 Posted May 16, 2010 I've noticed those problems on many suburban routes. There's an unfair assumption that the bus is a tool of the lower class. Plenty of middle class people use the bus from time to time. Yes, but on Long Island most of the middle class uses cars or the LIRR to get around. LIB is left for the lower classes as the main ridership base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnQPine Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share #23 Posted May 19, 2010 Yes, but on Long Island most of the middle class uses cars or the LIRR to get around. LIB is left for the lower classes as the main ridership base. True, even Suffolk Transit gets more mainstream ridership. LI bus is mainly day laborers. Its quite depressing, actually. But I think it has to do with Nassau's socioeconomics, there's no middle class, just the wealthy and the poor that work for them. Suffolk has a much larger % of middle class, and at least part of the middle class takes the bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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