MTA debuts its Select Bus Service on a workday and ... it's just an 'awful,' 'absurd' mess

[Harry]

The city's much ballyhooed Select Bus Service was Slow Bus Service during its workday debut Tuesday.

 

A trip from East Harlem to South Ferry took a mind-numbing 98 minutes yesterday morning - 27 minutes longer than its scheduled running time and 10 minutes longer than the service it replaced.

 

Dozens of the specially marked M15 Select buses traveling in bus-only lanes on First and Second Aves. were greatly slowed in northern Manhattan and midtown by the usual culprits: construction, traffic and red lights.

 

One southbound bus the Daily News boarded was halted nearly 30 times by red lights. And rider confusion with the new on-street payment system also caused some minor delays.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_construction_confusion__and_cars_in_nono_lanes__turn_select_service_debut_into_b.html#ixzz12ExzvGZk

[ciboii22]

Woah thats a long ride

[Joe]

"bus" and "rapid transit" don't go together.

[Pablo M 201]

"bus" and "rapid transit" don't go together.

It can if it's done right.

[Kamen Rider]

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

[Q43LTD]

They want it work abousilty perfect from the start? not gonna happen.

Now imagine SBS in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island or even Westchester

[KNIGHTRIDER3:16]

Just the thought of 1&2 avenues pretty much sums it up.

What they should of devised was A barrier along said designated sections to it's only one way and nobody could get in but that is just A thought on behalf.

SBS not going your way

[SoSpectacular]

It was once rapid transit but it became mass transit...

[Lennyj17]

Too Bad NYC could never install something so Great....

 

 

 

 

[mark1447]

Its just the first day of the week, it ill take time for this to get to where it needs to go. Plus time is also being taking because of the buses being delayed for passengers to be assisted on how the +SBS works at the bus stops.

 

Same thing happened with the Bx12+SBS in 2008, so this isn't new.

 

If people would of tried out he SBS12 before they wouldn't be in this mess.. Some of them.

[Cait Sith]

Just the thought of 1&2 avenues pretty much sums it up.

What they should of devised was A barrier along said designated sections to it's only one way and nobody could get in but that is just A thought on behalf.

SBS not going your way

 

Thats what I was thinking, to install a barrier of sorts that borders the bus lane with the car lanes.

 

Its just the first day of the week, it ill take time for this to get to where it needs to go. Plus time is also being taking because of the buses being delayed for passengers to be assisted on how the +SBS works at the bus stops.

 

Same thing happened with the Bx12+SBS in 2008, so this isn't new.

 

If people would of tried out he SBS12 before they wouldn't be in this mess.. Some of them.

 

My sentiments exactly.

[LRG]

Shitty bus service much?

 

It's the first weekday so they need more time before a real analysis of the service can be provided, like a month.

[QM1to6Ave]

Thats what I was thinking, to install a barrier of sorts that borders the bus lane with the car lanes.

 

the problem with barrier lanes is that when a bus breaks down (when, not if) it can cause delays, even if its a non-permanent barrier, someone needs to open it up. THen again, a broken down bus in the current bus lane defeats the purpose of the lane, too.

[Kamen Rider]

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

[Fresh Pond]

Its still too early to tell

 

People drive where and how ever they seem to want to. I saw a livery cab this morning driving through the Plametto St. terminal, which has been bus only for about 2 months now.

 

Cabs do that all the time over there that's nothing new...late at nights, they all line up at the B13 bus stop waiting for people to come in

[Cait Sith]

the problem with barrier lanes is that when a bus breaks down (when, not if) it can cause delays, even if its a non-permanent barrier, someone needs to open it up. THen again, a broken down bus in the current bus lane defeats the purpose of the lane, too.

 

There are such things as motion sensor barriers, they use that technology in Europe for buses and blocks off cars. But of course, that would put a hole in the wallet of the MTA, and structually, its not viable along the messed up streets of 1st and 2nd avenues.

[INDman]

"bus" and "rapid transit" don't go together.

 

It's a bus line, what did the people expect?

[East New York]

"bus" and "rapid transit" don't go together.

 

I have to disagree with this one Joe. BRT is working effectively all over the world. Once people get used to the M15SBS, we will see buses flying up and down the Avenues, moving people much faster than the cars are.

[SIR North Shore]

The media is only talking about the frustrations of SBS on 2nd Avenue but it's actually a very welcome improvement for those traveling between South Ferry and Houston Street. There was no limited stops south of Houston prior to SBS, so now I can actually consider taking the M15. Before it would take about 1 hour on the limited from South Ferry to 23rd Street but now I could there in about 20-25 minutes.

[aemoreira81]

The media is only talking about the frustrations of SBS on 2nd Avenue but it's actually a very welcome improvement for those traveling between South Ferry and Houston Street. There was no limited stops south of Houston prior to SBS, so now I can actually consider taking the M15. Before it would take about 1 hour on the limited from South Ferry to 23rd Street but now I could there in about 20-25 minutes.

 

I'm not sure about 2 Avenue so much, but SBS buses do fly up 1 Avenue indeed. Something needs to be done about the bunching though (such as having SBS buses that do short-turn at Houston Street).