Q85Rosedale Posted June 12, 2010 Share #26 Posted June 12, 2010 iirc the licensed vans are supposed to have special TLC license plates and the little circle sticker with the TLC on it that says its approved I'll definetely check the licenses and see how many are legal on the Guy Brewer Lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted June 12, 2010 Share #27 Posted June 12, 2010 I take the Dollar Vans more often than not from Rosedale to Jamaica Center, about 3 out of 5 times a week because I HATE the Q111 and Q113 coming from Jamaica and I will admit, the driving is reckless but compared to 25 - 40 minutes on the Q111, these drivers cut the time in half and ALOT of people get off by the time I reach my stop, 230th place & 147th avenue. Also, when I'm late in the mornings, I ride the dollar vans, but as to whose licensed and whose unlicensed, I won't be able to tell because the vans all look the same, all have their designs and country flags in them. I personally also haven't seen any drivers "fight it out" or get into a confrontation, but I'll assume they occur on the Merrick Lines? You see how people embellish things (the story, I'm talking about).... they make it sound like dollar van drivers are ready throw 'bows, or draw heat if another driver takes "their" customer.... the worse I've seen, are arguments (which don't even be passenger related)... arguments occur b/w dollar van drivers due to their "I own the road" mentality (not sayin they're justified, or right, in feeling that way).... much as any two drivers would argue if one felt the other driver cut him off... or worse, resort to road rage.... far as licensed vs unlicensed, any dollar van rider that sits up there & tell me they actually check for that info, are full of shit... we know the risks, the second we get on these things.... and yes, let's talk comparable travel time b/w the dollar cab & the bus.... - A typical B35 ride from East 42nd st to East 18th st in the morning, is about 20 minutes. - Taking a dollar cab, I can leave my house at 7:45AM, and catch the 8am (... the ride itself, and the wait for a cab (with an available seat) are often equal.... Meaning, I can get from my house, to the subway, almost THREE times faster than the bus. ^^ assuming a B35 @ 42nd st during the AM rush isn't already sardined, or are flagging/bypassing/not taking in passengers @ 42nd (which I've noticed is happening more frequently as of late due to overcrowding)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan05979 Posted June 13, 2010 Share #28 Posted June 13, 2010 Not for nothing but I've talked to some of those dollar van guys -the jamaicans and their mad cool just trying to make some money, Don't break balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted June 13, 2010 Share #29 Posted June 13, 2010 Not for nothing but I've talked to some of those dollar van guys -the jamaicans and their mad cool just trying to make some money, Don't break balls. Times are rough. You do have to credit these guys for at least having something to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomotion69 Posted June 13, 2010 Share #30 Posted June 13, 2010 The ubiquitous Chinese commuter vans in Chinatown, Bensonhurst and Flushing. They come as 8 seaters, 15 seaters or even minibuses. They are a PITA for regular drivers. What about Elmhurst and Woodside with massive asian populations...They blow their horns like 10 straight times before even arriving at the corner, they will make u-turns with out giving it a second thought. Curbside pickup? HA, more like pick up in the middle of the street and let the cars behind them wait in frustration. You can tell what they are waiting for when you see 1 or more chinese people waiting on a corner. As a motorist you have to keep your distance from them as they will drop off and pick up anywhere they please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted June 13, 2010 Share #31 Posted June 13, 2010 What about Elmhurst and Woodside with massive asian populations...They blow their horns like 10 straight times before even arriving at the corner, they will make u-turns with out giving it a second thought. Curbside pickup? HA, more like pick up in the middle of the street and let the cars behind them wait in frustration. You can tell what they are waiting for when you see 1 or more chinese people waiting on a corner. As a motorist you have to keep your distance from them as they will drop off and pick up anywhere they please. Those areas got them too? Wow, I need to do some catch up. Popular legend has it that Asian drivers are the worse. I've seen many of these guys around: they really pollute the image of the Asian driver. Horrific driving etiquette. I happened to be in the Mainland 4 years ago and I swear I almost got hit because this guy thought the intersection was a racecourse. This is America, they ought to know how to drive. The DOT should be harsh on etiquette: put the turn signal on if you're turning, blow the horn when it's necessary and make right turns only at right lanes. I've seen that happen in on 8th Avenue. They think that when their vehicle is stopped by traffic, that they have every right to let someone on, even when the light is about to go green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 13, 2010 Share #32 Posted June 13, 2010 I didn't know these vans existed in other neighborhoods i thought they existed in areas with a large Jamaican population. I know several lines of these vans that start out from Jamaica, Queens -Guy R. Brewer Branch -Jamaica to Far Rock (Q113) -Jamaica to Rosedale (Q111) -Merrick Branch -Jamaica to Cambria Heights (Q4) -Jamaica to Green Acres (Q85 and Q5) The vans pick up and drop off anywhere along a route, and payment is made at the end of a trip. During periods when even limited public mass transit is unavailable, such as the January 2005 Green Bus Lines and Command Bus Company strike or the December 2005 New York City transit strike, dollar vans may become the only feasible method of transportation for many commuters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted June 13, 2010 Share #33 Posted June 13, 2010 ^^ There's some vans that go down Linden Blvd also.... anyway, for the ones in Brooklyn: - the flatbush av vans.... they go from jay/livingston to kings plaza (B41) - the utica av vans.... they go from utica/eastern pkwy to kings plaza (B46) - the remsen av vans... they go from they go from utica/eastern pkwy to rockaway pkwy {very few of them go all the way down to seaview} (B17) - the Av. H/Glenwood cars... they go from Glenwood/Nostrand to rockaway pkwy (B6) - the church av cars... they go from East 18th st to East 98th st (B35) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted June 13, 2010 Share #34 Posted June 13, 2010 ^ You also got the ones on 8th Avenue, Bklyn to East Broadway/Market or to Flushing/Main. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engineerboy6561 Posted June 13, 2010 Share #35 Posted June 13, 2010 Other areas of the city that also have gypsy vans and cars not mentioned in article I know or have heard that also has them. Correct me guys if i am wrong.:confused::eek: Upper Manhattan/Washington Heights along Broadway Wakefield area along WP Road stations between Pelham Pwy. and Mt Vernon border. Riverdale/Broadway between 242 St (1)station and Yonkers. *This is a reason why either Bee Line or the should arrange for some form of overnight hourly bus service to at least Getty Sq/Yonkers and also to the Downtown Mt Vernon(Mt Vernon East)station as well.* Utica and Nostrand Aves.in Brooklyn. Church Ave in Brooklyn between Flatbush and Utica. 3rd Ave and also along Webster especially late nights between the 149th/Hub area station and Fordham. Mermaid/Surf Aves. in Coney Island between Stillwell Terminal and Sea Gate enterence on West 37th. I am sure B35 has alot to say about this article/issue since he lives in area filled with these vans and cabs. You should probably add the area in and around the Dyre Av station to that list. I fanned there once at around 4-5 PM and as soon as I stepped out of the train station, four or five different men asked me if I needed a taxi. I wound up waiting for about 35 minutes for the 55 bus to Cross County, and every time a train let out at Dyre these same guys would be crying, "Taxi!" at everyone leaving the station and occasionally surrounding a person if they did not walk quickly enough. I would not go so far as to call it harassment, but I swear to you I saw no TLC plates on any of the cars near the station. In fact, I saw one of the men who actually did get a customer take her to a nondescript Toyota with regular New York plates and take off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 13, 2010 Share #36 Posted June 13, 2010 In fact, I saw one of the men who actually did get a customer take her to a nondescript Toyota with regular New York plates and take off. A Toyota :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriston Lewis Posted June 13, 2010 Share #37 Posted June 13, 2010 What about Elmhurst and Woodside with massive asian populations...They blow their horns like 10 straight times before even arriving at the corner, they will make u-turns with out giving it a second thought. On top of that, they won't pick you up unless you're Asian. I'll give the other van operators credit, they'll pick you up no matter your color or creed as long as you aren't riding for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q85Rosedale Posted June 13, 2010 Share #38 Posted June 13, 2010 I didn't know these vans existed in other neighborhoods i thought they existed in areas with a large Jamaican population. I know several lines of these vans that start out from Jamaica, Queens -Guy R. Brewer Branch -Jamaica to Far Rock (Q113) -Jamaica to Rosedale (Q111) -Merrick Branch -Jamaica to Cambria Heights (Q4) -Jamaica to Green Acres (Q85 and Q5) The vans pick up and drop off anywhere along a route, and payment is made at the end of a trip. During periods when even limited public mass transit is unavailable, such as the January 2005 Green Bus Lines and Command Bus Company strike or the December 2005 New York City transit strike, dollar vans may become the only feasible method of transportation for many commuters. Also, you can't forget that there are many who will easily hop into a Dollar Van than ride a New York City Bus. Some, especially the ones that live by me on the Rosedale Dollar Van Lines (Q111) would pay the extra $2, money crisis or not, so that they won't have to be bothered with the excess crowding on the Q111 and Q113, the loud passengers and the oh so slow bus drivers. I am one that will easily hop on a dollar van if they had one for the Q85 and easily walk the 1/2 Mile from S. Conduit like I do in the evenings to avoid the crowd on the 111. The other two dollar vans in Queens (Linden And Merrick) (Q4 & Q5) easily receive as much passengers but if they see a bus at Jamaica Center, they will hop on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted June 13, 2010 Share #39 Posted June 13, 2010 Quick Question for the Queens guys... Which of the dollar van "branches" (or whatever you wanna call em) would you say, or know, picks up the most amt. of passengers? just curious.... you can list em in order if you want... I can tell you, here in Brooklyn, the Flatbush av. vans carry the most amt of passengers, by far.... the church av dollar cabs are a close second.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 14, 2010 Share #40 Posted June 14, 2010 Quick Question for the Queens guys... Which of the dollar van "branches" (or whatever you wanna call em) would you say, or know, picks up the most amt. of passengers? just curious.... you can list em in order if you want... I can tell you, here in Brooklyn, the Flatbush av. vans carry the most amt of passengers, by far.... the church av dollar cabs are a close second.... I would say Merrick Blvd because it carries more bus routes than the Guy R Brewer, also there's more different branches on the Merrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 14, 2010 Share #41 Posted June 14, 2010 The Far Rockaway Branch is key...it uses a 29 seat minibus instead of 15 seat E-Series...It transports people from the isolated part of Queens (Far Rock) all the way to Jamaica...Plus there's only one bus that runs over there and thats the Q113 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted June 14, 2010 Share #42 Posted June 14, 2010 Don't want to go OT but, the dolmuses in Istanbul have a similar function. Called shared taxis, they run on fixed routes and would not leave until all the seats are filled. In a way, what we are seeing here are basically dolmuses, however, probably more wild and no-rules compared to the Turkish counterparts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 14, 2010 Share #43 Posted June 14, 2010 Don't want to go OT but, the dolmuses in Istanbul have a similar function. Called shared taxis, they run on fixed routes and would not leave until all the seats are filled. In a way, what we are seeing here are basically dolmuses, however, probably more wild and no-rules compared to the Turkish counterparts. Jamaica (Caribbean) does the same thing the whole country practically is run by taxi...there's only city buses in the capital City Bus Taxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q85Rosedale Posted June 14, 2010 Share #44 Posted June 14, 2010 The Far Rockaway Branch is key...it uses a 29 seat minibus instead of 15 seat E-Series...It transports people from the isolated part of Queens (Far Rock) all the way to Jamaica...Plus there's only one bus that runs over there and thats the Q113 I've never seen the Far Rock Dollar Van, How often do they run ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 14, 2010 Share #45 Posted June 14, 2010 I've never seen the Far Rock Dollar Van, How often do they run ? Not really sure but they use a minibus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infamous85 Posted June 14, 2010 Share #46 Posted June 14, 2010 Not really sure but they use a minibus Yeah and those mini buses are large, they probably hold as much people (or more) as that Designline Demo (Wachovia) bus. I remember riding one from Southside to the 5 towns area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Louis Car 09 Posted June 14, 2010 Share #47 Posted June 14, 2010 Not for nothing but I've talked to some of those dollar van guys -the jamaicans and their mad cool just trying to make some money, Don't break balls.Nothing wrong with making money,just do it responsibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 15, 2010 Share #48 Posted June 15, 2010 Yeah and those mini buses are large, they probably hold as much people (or more) as that Designline Demo (Wachovia) bus. I remember riding one from Southside to the 5 towns area. I've never seen the Far Rock Dollar Van, How often do they run ? Minibus that they actually use 30+ Passengers Dollar Van 15 Passengers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q85Rosedale Posted June 15, 2010 Share #49 Posted June 15, 2010 Minibus that they actually use 30+ Passengers Dollar Van 15 Passengers My window is pointed directly towards 147th Avenue So Im definetely looking out for that now lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R44 CNG Posted June 15, 2010 Share #50 Posted June 15, 2010 My window is pointed directly towards 147th Avenue So Im definetely looking out for that now lol I'll probably go to the Av to hunt these i noticed that the dollar van lines have different terminals...ex. Merrick Blvd Line hangs out in front of Jamaica Center entrance and Movie Theaters...ex. Guy R Brewer Line hangs out on Guy R Brewer in front of Gertz Mall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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