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Brooklyn man at odds with City Hall for using private buses to rescue riders

Harry

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in New York City Bus

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Harry

Harry

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A young entrepreneur is putting private buses on the street Monday to rescue riders stranded by MTA cutbacks over the weekend.

 

And it's put him on a collision course with the city. Lawyers with the Department of Transportation say he's not authorized to pick up passengers on the street.

 

Joel Azumah, 27, of Flatbush, Brooklyn, will defy the city and begin running 10 bootleg buses and two vans along the X25, X29, X90 and QM22 lines today.

 

His vehicles will have the old route numbers posted in their windows and make every stop, though with less frequency.

 

"This is something I'd do for free if I had no expenses," Azumah said. "I have an interest in seeing people move as freely as they can."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/28/2010-06-28_he_fights_city_hall_to_give_folks_a_ride.html#ixzz0s9P5vXhb

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checkmatechamp13

checkmatechamp13

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I guess if and his friends are driving some of the buses, that brings the cost of labor down significantly.

If he's doing it with himself and some of his friends, then I see how he can make money, since at $6 per person, with 10 people on the bus, he gets $60, which is more than a taxi would charge. The question is how he is going to pay for the capital cost of buying the buses/vans.

 

NX Express is right. He shouldn't be trying to take over all 4 routes at once. The taxi stand at 71st Street/York Avenue would be much more popular considering it gives on-demand service, so his X90 route wouldn't do too well. The X25 probably isn't feasable (I think he's charging $3 per person) due to the fact that it was a high cost route to begin with.

If the X25 had 20 riders, that is 10 riders per direction (I think a passenger is counted as every person who boards), and 2-3 riders per bus. Even if ridership doubles to 6 people per bus, that is only $18. He could be spending that time on a more useful route.

The QM22 and X29 aren't as bad, since the QM22 costs $13.28 per person and the X29 costs $8.13 per person. Since he's saving on the costs of labor, those routes are his best bets.

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TrainFanatic

TrainFanatic

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Joel Azumah, 27, of Flatbush, Brooklyn,

 

Lol. You guys wouldn't believe how many dollar van drivers roam down the streets of Flatbush looking for passenegers to pick up. Those drivers make a damn good profit too since most of the time they shadow the bus routes. For instance; many pick ups can be seen at the intersection of Church and Utica in which most passengers want to make a trip to Kings Plaza, shadowing the B46 route.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Before we say things about him, let me just say this: I have to credit this guy for balls. As crazy as he might be, he has the balls to go out there and do something. Some people just sit and talk, they come up with great plans but never get them done. This guy just does it.

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B35 via Church

B35 via Church

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^^ heh, not this GI Joe right here typing this message, sorry brah....

Credit? yeah right.... When this guy azumah is ballin out of control, wipin his a** with hundred dollar bills & blowin his nose with fifties, then I'll credit him for cojones....

 

In the time being, I'll have my little "fun"...

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

 

 

 

This guy is from Flatbush? small world.....

 

tell me why I'm here thinking all along that this is one of those sellout type of black dudes... suit & tie wearing, briefcase rockin, all panache'd up & what not.... boy was I wrong....

 

I thought dude would be running all autobuses... this dude leanin on a dollar van in manhattan over there on water & broad lookin like a broke down wanna be chaffeur... aint that that same shirt baby joker wore in next friday.... straight comedy, for real....

 

I used to lurk on SILive forums, and I thought ppl. over there used to OD on him.... after seeing this stunt, I have to side with them.... from this particular article though, I also agree with "Doris Cruz"; I too would be iffy about filling out paperwork - just to get to work... that alone sounds like someone plotting & scheming on some bull.....

 

The QM22 and X29 aren't as bad, since the QM22 costs $13.28 per person and the X29 costs $8.13 per person. Since he's saving on the costs of labor, those routes are his best bets

CC, You're refusing to see the forest from the trees, bro.... it's so much more simpler than that.

 

the x29 & the QM22 are his best bets due to one word - Clientele.

 

Good luck gettin people coming off a commuter rail (MNRR) especially, over there @ grand central, wanting to hop in some guy's van to get to lower manhattan... there's a little thing called image.... those commuters would be embarrassed if their co-workers saw them leaping out of a van all suited up & what not....

 

same deal with Yorkville/upper east side riders on the old x90... bunch of snotrag, uppity, full of themselves sons of b****es... these are the same people who frown upon taking the subway... and out of the blue, Mr Azumah expects these people to join his "membership", to then have to pay to ride in his vans.... I want some of what he's smoking....

 

...and I don't even smoke.

 

 

Look, I don't wish ill-will on the guy... My thing is, I don't like the fact how dude is going about this.... it's almost like he's hustling.... people need something reliable to get to/from work everyday, not some fly by night service some guy is running because he wants to prove that he can stand up to the MTA.....

 

furthermore, could you imagine the SERIOUS backlash this man would get if he were a dread with a flag of some west indian country shown in ANY capacity, on his vans....

 

I give him one thing though, he sure is playing the part....

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Harry

Harry

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The long-running QM22 bus route to Manhattan has been saved by a private bus company - thanks to the efforts of one teenage rider.

 

Many straphangers have been taking the express bus from Jackson Heights, Queens, for more than 20 years. But it was 16-year-old Ali Fadil of Little Neck, Queens, who found a way to save the line, one of dozens discontinued by the MTA on Sunday.

 

"I've been taking this route off and on for the last 10 years, since I was very little," said Ali, who just completed his junior year at the Academy of American Studies in Long Island City, Queens. "This whole situation really got me going. I felt like it would be a good opportunity for me to serve the community."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/29/2010-06-29_teen_gives_qm22_folks_a_lift.html#ixzz0sF9eHRPl

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xloakedx

xloakedx

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C'mon at least someone is stepping up to the plate about this. MTA obviously doesn't give a damn, they just care about keeping a monopoly on mass transit throughout the metro region. This guy is an entrepreneur and therefore are plenty of positives being made here, He has made himself a job and a job for others, creating profit which would be eventually taxed, supplying a demand, and funding himself and his operation meaning no government subsidies. And the city wants to shut him down, give me a break!

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checkmatechamp13

checkmatechamp13

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C'mon at least someone is stepping up to the plate about this. MTA obviously doesn't give a damn, they just care about keeping a monopoly on mass transit throughout the metro region. This guy is an entrepreneur and therefore are plenty of positives being made here, He has made himself a job and a job for others, creating profit which would be eventually taxed, supplying a demand, and funding himself and his operation meaning no government subsidies. And the city wants to shut him down, give me a break!

 

Plus, in addition to the profits that he is able to get (like I mentioned before, I don't think some of his lines are profitable) that are able to be taxed, the time that people save results in them being able to have the energy to work an hour or two longer, which results in more wages to tax, and more productivity.

 

Plus the MTA ran buses where they weren't even needed -resulting in partially filled buses or just oversized buses when smaller ones did the job just fine. The MTA is better off not having to deal with those lines. Let some other ppl run them on their expense.

 

The main cost in running the bus is the driver's wage, so smaller buses really wouldn't result in too much of a cost savings.

Basically, even though those other passengers might've used other MTA services, and given the MTA the money instead of him, he is basically volunteering to maintain the service coverage for people. I never heard of somebody complaining about volunteer work except for now.

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JAzumah

JAzumah

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"The taxi stand at 71st Street/York Avenue would be much more popular considering it gives on-demand service, so his X90 route wouldn't do too well."

 

And what pre-tax benefits do taxis offer? The X90 is the strongest of the bunch and will be stronger next week when people start returning from vacation.

 

 

"If the X25 had 20 riders, that is 10 riders per direction (I think a passenger is counted as every person who boards), and 2-3 riders per bus. Even if ridership doubles to 6 people per bus, that is only $18. He could be spending that time on a more useful route."

 

The X25 needs a re-launch and we are going to do that. It is hard for people to ride a bus that they don't know exists.

 

 

"Those drivers make a damn good profit too since most of the time they shadow the bus routes."

 

I don't drive dollar vans. The van is used for seasonal over the road work.

 

 

"Good luck gettin people coming off a commuter rail (MNRR) especially, over there @ grand central, wanting to hop in some guy's van to get to lower manhattan... there's a little thing called image.... those commuters would be embarrassed if their co-workers saw them leaping out of a van all suited up & what not...."

 

LOL...I have been contacted about doing EXACTLY that by those same commuters. It is my bias towards buses holding up the case. I'd prefer to run bus equipment on that line.

 

 

"I thought dude would be running all autobuses... this dude leanin on a dollar van in manhattan over there on water & broad lookin like a broke down wanna be chaffeur... aint that that same shirt baby joker wore in next friday.... straight comedy, for real...."

 

Sounds personal. I don't believe dollar vans go to the Jersey Shore...daily.

 

 

"from this particular article though, I also agree with "Doris Cruz"; I too would be iffy about filling out paperwork - just to get to work... that alone sounds like someone plotting & scheming on some bull....."

 

"My thing is, I don't like the fact how dude is going about this.... it's almost like he's hustling.... people need something reliable to get to/from work everyday, not some fly by night service some guy is running because he wants to prove that he can stand up to the MTA....."

 

The state law REQUIRES that in order to comply. It's called buspooling. This is why the route is legal. You have to be able to prove that the riders are not public. This is why NYCDOT is out of its jurisdiction. BTW, hustlers tend not to speak to NYSDOT enforcement 9-10 months before a project.

 

 

If people are talking about the clothes I am wearing, it is pretty obvious that they do not understand the gravity of what is happening. The MTA has made the most service cuts in one round since 1975. Remember what happened that year? NYC almost went bankrupt. NYS is insolvent right here, right now. History is repeating itself.

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B35 via Church

B35 via Church

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CODE RED CODE RED.... bus cuts are rampant.... aaaaahhhhh everyone run for their lives !!!!

 

not understanding the seriousness of what's happening.... c'mon dude..... and I suppose you comin with the cape on, swooping through and saving the public from this great disaster... gtfo here with that... and I like how you avoided the part about standing up to the MTA.....

 

call it personal, call it whatever you want... to add fuel to the fire, I guess... let this sink in... you have a little man complex (in more ways than one I might add)... reading your posts across the forums, you will resort to pulling anything out of your ass to convey to others that you are so justified in your operations...

 

and everything the MTA does in its operations, are all done so illegally.... it's exactly what I meant by you playing the part; you're so innocent, and the MTA is so guilty.... playing david in a david & goliath situation gets no remorse or pity out of me... go run that short game on the suckers that don't know any better....

 

I see right through the smokescreen... cheap advertising at its finest - bash your nemesis (lemme say "competitor") & big yourself up in the process..... If you seriously think private transportation (not just your company, but ANY company of the like) will reign supreme over public transportation in this country... man, that cloud 9 you're sittin on will become ever so dark.... and, hell, being as mouthy as you are across these forums over the years WILL be your downfall in the longrun.... now that you recently made public headlines, people WILL be doing more research on you... and let's face it, your track record aint nothin to write home about... This is why you stay on the humble & give people as little ammunition as possible....

 

 

The state law REQUIRES that in order to comply. It's called buspooling. This is why the route is legal. You have to be able to prove that the riders are not public. This is why NYCDOT is out of its jurisdiction. BTW, hustlers tend not to speak to NYSDOT enforcement 9-10 months before a project.

please...

 

buspooling, carpooling, & vanpooling are all ride-sharing tactics... whoopty freakin doo... people that carpool generally know each other (otherwise, it would be considered hitchhiking), people that run vanpools & buspools often do so for monetary.... gain.

 

you wanna know what hustlers do... do though....

they try to snake and find ways around things by any & all means possible... legal or not (don't think legal hustles don't exist out here)...

 

Apple core membership card... guess I gotta show my drivers license to prove I'm an adult too.... and my birth certificate to prove I'm an american citizen... yeah, okay.... I wanna join a club to assist me into getting to work 5 days a week... Sounds like fun... I get to meet new & interesting people in the process....

 

While having someone siphon information out of me as best as they can.

Again, your operation resembles a HUSTLE more than it does a longstanding formidable business endeavor.... all HUSTLES are not illegal.

 

 

 

LOL...I have been contacted about doing EXACTLY that by those same commuters

In how many numbers....

 

that's if I believe you (spare the rhetoric about you not having to prove anything).... I mean, desperate times call for desperate measures right?

 

 

I don't believe dollar vans go to the Jersey Shore...daily.

they don't have to....

 

and while you're down there, tell nicole I said what's up....

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nycbusfan

nycbusfan

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I saw one of the buses on 23rd Street on Friday. It was a 45 foot Van Hool which was newer than anything the (MTA) put on the X90. From what I can see Transport Azumah looks like a good operation. The only thing I didn't like is that I couldn't veiw the X29 schedules on their website as a yahoo error came up. If I was able to veiw that page I might have taken the bus on Friday.

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Q101 E Midtown

Q101 E Midtown

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I saw one of the buses on 23rd Street on Friday. It was a 45 foot Van Hool which was newer than anything the (MTA) put on the X90. From what I can see Transport Azumah looks like a good operation. The only thing I didn't like is that I couldn't veiw the X29 schedules on their website as a yahoo error came up. If I was able to veiw that page I might have taken the bus on Friday.

 

It's actually like that with the X29, X25, and X26(which I suspect never ran).

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