X22 Super Express Proposed

[JAzumah]

I'm not too familiar with the AE7. Will the X21 be a direct replacement or will it have a different route?

 

Direct replacement.

[commuter01]

Direct replacement.

 

Great replacement, lasted about 2 weeks. Now how about refunding the money of those of us who bought ticket books. I've been waiting weeks for my replacement. I tried calling but the phone number has been disconnected. My e-mails have gone unanswered. Imagine that!!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

As of today, representatives from the South Shore, as well as the company that ran the service are still pressing to find some way to restore express bus service for former riders in some capacity. Something has to give sooner or later because Michael Grimm and other local representatives have been on the MTA hard for the last few months and this has been brought up several times now in the media...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

They already know about the X21, which will begin next Monday. We will run it while the MTA figures out what they are going to do. My goal is to have the MTA on the route come April 2011.

 

How is this time going to be any different from the other express bus failures you've rolled out on Staten Island? And that's not sarcasm, but a real question. I'm sure you can expect Staten Islanders to be very skeptical of any express bus service you're providing. I mean you've been shut down quite a bit of late, so how can riders expect you to provide service that they can rely on??

[East New York]

Great replacement, lasted about 2 weeks. Now how about refunding the money of those of us who bought ticket books. I've been waiting weeks for my replacement. I tried calling but the phone number has been disconnected. My e-mails have gone unanswered. Imagine that!!

 

You should send him a private message. And if you don't mind my asking, what is a ticket book? I'm assuming it's like a pass?

 

How is this time going to be any different from the other express bus failures you've rolled out on Staten Island? And that's not sarcasm, but a real question. I'm sure you can expect Staten Islanders to be very skeptical of any express bus service you're providing. I mean you've been shut down quite a bit of late, so how can riders expect you to provide service that they can rely on??

 

First of all, you could try to be a little less rude. Second of all, I dont think it was a "scheme" at all. There is a lot to running a transit operation that you have no clue about. If the MTA along with the DOT stopped hating on Transport Azumah, maybe we wouldn't have these problems and they could work together. But that's another topic of discussion.

[Q101viaSteinway]

Maybe this why Azumah stop service

 

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/atlantic_express_president_wan.html

[East New York]

Maybe this why Azumah stop service

 

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/atlantic_express_president_wan.html

 

Thanks. This also reiterates the post I just made. The DOT is willing to subsidize AE, yet whenever Azumah tries to fill a service gap, there always seems to be some political bullshit in the game.

[ML111]

It is about that, but then again it isn't.

 

The city is not ready to re-franchise a service, however they also do not want a deregulated mess between in-city operators (private vs. MTA). Yes, there are political entities at play, especially in the form of contributions and legislative power. At the end of the day however, it comes down to this: the nature of public transportation is that it rarely breaks even, let alone make money. How do you operate a service below operating cost while attracting a customer base, maintain service and make a profit? Sooner or later one of those arms have to fall - usually it is picked up by a subsidy, but with the subsidy comes more rules and stipulations. It's an endless cycle.

 

Until NYC realizes that the model they have to follow is the one that has been almost perfected across the river, this will always be the situation.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You should send him a private message. And if you don't mind my asking, what is a ticket book? I'm assuming it's like a pass?

 

 

 

First of all, you could try to be a little less rude. Second of all, I dont think it was a "scheme" at all. There is a lot to running a transit operation that you have no clue about. If the MTA along with the DOT stopped hating on Transport Azumah, maybe we wouldn't have these problems and they could work together. But that's another topic of discussion.

 

 

I was asking an honest question... It may sound rude or snide, but I don't beat around the bush. As far as the whole running of the transit operation, to be honest, that's not my cup of tea, nor do I want it to be. My main concern is service.

[East New York]

I was asking an honest question... It may sound rude or snide, but I don't beat around the bush. As far as the whole running of the transit operation, to be honest, that's not my cup of tea, nor do I want it to be. My main concern is service.

 

If you had left the word "scheme" out, I probably wouldn't have said anything. That word in itself says alot.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If you had left the word "scheme" out, I probably wouldn't have said anything. That word in itself says alot.

 

Well yes, scheme as in plan... I mean you just can't run a service without a plan, so that was my point. Of course you could but it wouldn't be wise.

[East New York]

Well yes, scheme as in plan... I mean you just can't run a service without a plan, so that was my point. Of course you could but it wouldn't be wise.

 

But making accusations when you dont know any of the details is mere speculation.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

But making accusations when you dont know any of the details is mere speculation.

 

It is well known that he has run service on Staten Island before that didn't go so well for whatever reason and in the end the service ceased so what sort of accusation am I making other than a fact? Aside from that his company was in the news anyway recently for having routes shutdown, so yes, I would think if the average rider had this information they would be skeptical.

[checkmatechamp13]

It is about that, but then again it isn't.

 

The city is not ready to re-franchise a service, however they also do not want a deregulated mess between in-city operators (private vs. MTA). Yes, there are political entities at play, especially in the form of contributions and legislative power. At the end of the day however, it comes down to this: the nature of public transportation is that it rarely breaks even, let alone make money. How do you operate a service below operating cost while attracting a customer base, maintain service and make a profit? Sooner or later one of those arms have to fall - usually it is picked up by a subsidy, but with the subsidy comes more rules and stipulations. It's an endless cycle.

 

Until NYC realizes that the model they have to follow is the one that has been almost perfected across the river, this will always be the situation.

 

In Japan, they have routes that make a profit, but I don't know what the labor costs are over there.

 

In any case, there are dollar vans in NYC that make a profit, but the drivers generally don't make that much money.

[East New York]

It is well known that he has run service on Staten Island before that didn't go so well for whatever reason and in the end the service ceased so what sort of accusation am I making other than a fact? Aside from that his company was in the news anyway recently for having routes shutdown, so yes, I would think if the average rider had this information they would be skeptical.

 

My point is you dont know the details as to what really went down.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

My point is you dont know the details as to what really went down.

 

No, I don't, nor does the average rider, so my question isn't an accusation but a mere question of curiosity to understand how his takeover would differ from past results, whatever the reason for the results, as I'm not really interested in the politics behind him being shutdown.

 

If riders begin using his service and they become dependent on it and then he gets shutdown again, they'll become stranded yet again. It's not a nice feeling to leave in folks' mouths.

[East New York]

No, I don't, nor does the average rider, so my question isn't an accusation but a mere question of curiosity to understand how his takeover would differ from past results, whatever the reason for the results, as I'm not really interested in the politics behind him being shutdown.

 

If riders begin using his service and they become dependent on it and then he gets shutdown again, they'll become stranded yet again. It's not a nice feeling to leave in folks' mouths.

 

An accusation and a question are two totally different things. All I was saying is you could have worded that much better.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

An accusation and a question are two totally different things. All I was saying is you could have worded that much better.

 

You don't know me so I guess it comes off rather blunt, as I can be rather sarcastic, but no harm was intended. However, me and Jazumah aren't exactly strangers. I don't know him personally, but I know him well enough from other sites.

[B35 via Church]

I got Garibaldi's general message in that post in question.... I DO think the word scheme was used, as an act of maliciousness... quite frankly though, I agree w/ the guy's general message, outside of the wording in that little post title.....

 

Me, I don't think Joel's services are "schemes"... his intentions are good... his route ideas make sense... don't get the sense that he's a con-artist; out to take advantage of people....

 

my problem w/ the guy's services, lies w/i the fact that, there's always "something" that goes awry... I mean, most private services aren't reliable, but when you have a history of running unreliable services, let's face it, there's gonna be backlash from people.... you're gonna get people that doubt you.... Worse, opting to go back & forth w/ internet users as much as he has over the years (especially SI-ers, since his services in NYC usually cater to them) doesn't help his cause either... it's just not a good look if you're a man of business.....

 

I can definitely understand why the SI-ers that know of him, and/or used his services, have harbored enough venom & release it at him, every chance they get....

 

Garibaldi, I can be very blunt also... Problem I see w/ your defense to ENY's replies, is that.... Someone that stands behind their words don't resort to excuses (i.e. the "you don't know me's") & semantics (sayin you meant scheme as in, plan) as to what they meant.... your damage control tactics aren't working right now dude....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I got Garibaldi's general message in that post in question.... I DO think the word scheme was used, as an act of maliciousness... quite frankly though, I agree w/ the guy's general message, outside of the wording in that little post title.....

 

Me, I don't think Joel's services are "schemes"... his intentions are good... his route ideas make sense... don't get the sense that he's a con-artist; out to take advantage of people....

 

my problem w/ the guy's services, lies w/i the fact that, there's always "something" that goes awry... I mean, most private services aren't reliable, but when you have a history of running unreliable services, let's face it, there's gonna be backlash from people.... you're gonna get people that doubt you.... Worse, opting to go back & forth w/ internet users as much as he has over the years (especially SI-ers, since his services in NYC usually cater to them) doesn't help his cause either... it's just not a good look if you're a man of business.....

 

I can definitely understand why the SI-ers that know of him, and/or used his services, have harbored enough venom & release it at him, every chance they get....

 

Garibaldi, I can be very blunt also... Problem I see w/ your defense to ENY's replies, is that.... Someone that stands behind their words don't resort to excuses (i.e. the "you don't know me's") & semantics (sayin you meant scheme as in, plan) as to what they meant.... your damage control tactics aren't working right now dude....

 

When I said "scheme" I didn't mean it in the way you're putting it, but just the way I explained it when ENY asked. I wasn't even thinking along the lines that you mentioned above. I was coming from a point of view that the guy perhaps lacks planning, not so much that he is out to take people for a ride. I don't think he's that malicious, but as someone whom is in business surely he has an objective. If you're going to go at it with the city as he has tried to repeatedly you'd better come with a damn good plan and as we know, if the city really wants to take you out they'll find a way to do so.

 

You see I haven't been personally affected by his services per se, BUT me and him have had heated discussions in other forums about services for Staten Island that we both strongly disagree with, so if there is any venom from it it's from that perspective, one of them being his incessant up in arms attitude about the S89 and his plans to try to take out his service and also has overall stance on express bus service for Staten Island.

[B35 via Church]

Great replacement, lasted about 2 weeks. Now how about refunding the money of those of us who bought ticket books. I've been waiting weeks for my replacement. I tried calling but the phone number has been disconnected. My e-mails have gone unanswered. Imagine that!!

 

Imagine that you come on here trolling.

 

If you were seriously concerned about getting your money back, you wouldn't have done so in an open forum....

 

He'll see this post (spare me the "I don't care's")....

 

Wonder what your chances would be then, for a refund now... and that's just taking your post here on face-value....

 

 

In any case, there are dollar vans in NYC that make a profit, but the drivers generally don't make that much money.

 

they sure don't... I mean, the consensus is that, since they're making tax free money, they're rollin in doe... lot of those dudes got side hustles when they aint behind the wheel....

 

I once knew of a dollar cab driver that drove the "full route" on Church, from E 98th to E 18th [many these days, don't go past (ralph/remsen & church)]... doing roundtrips from 5:30am to 9pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 10pm on the weekends... and dude said he was still struggling to make ends meet....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Imagine that you come on here trolling.

 

If you were seriously concerned about getting your money back, you wouldn't have done so in an open forum....

 

He'll see this post (spare me the "I don't care's")....

 

Wonder what your chances would be then, for a refund now... and that's just taking your post here on face-value....

 

 

 

 

they sure don't... I mean, the consensus is that, since they're making tax free money, they're rollin in doe... lot of those dudes got side hustles when they aint behind the wheel....

 

I once knew of a dollar cab driver that drove the "full route" on Church, from E 98th to E 18th [many these days, don't go past (ralph/remsen & church)]... doing roundtrips from 5:30am to 9pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 10pm on the weekends... and dude said he was still struggling to make ends meet....

 

 

I've always disliked those things as I remember them from my days of going to Kings Plaza with their reckless driving and blocking of the B2 bus stop before it was moved. You're only charging a dollar and you can only fit so many people in those vans. There's gas expenses and car expenses which fluctuate amongst other things, so once you take that it to consideration, there isn't much left.

[JAzumah]

You don't know me so I guess it comes off rather blunt, as I can be rather sarcastic, but no harm was intended. However, me and Jazumah aren't exactly strangers. I don't know him personally, but I know him well enough from other sites.

 

You know me from the internet?! Really Via Garibaldi 8? Think about what you just said.

 

Perhaps you don't understand what is occuring, so let me fill you in.

 

On December 1, Atlantic Express wrote a letter to its customers saying that it would be happy to keep running the AE7 for a city subsidy, but that people can use the X22, X23, or X24 if the route stops. On December 22 and 23, unsigned flyers purported written by a "fellow commuter" were placed on every seat on the AE7 slandering my company. I have a copy of the flyer and you can see whether commuters talk the way they do on this flyer. My lawyers drafted a C&D on Christmas Eve.

 

On Day 1, I had HALF the traffic I was expecting. HALF. It is really tough to run an operation that depends on 260 trips a day to break even with just 153 trips. I decided to shut this service down myself because the whole thing was getting too crazy to balance.

 

All of a sudden, Atlantic pops up again and says for $675,000, they can restart the AE7.

 

See a pattern?

 

 

When we replaced the X90 with charter bus service, the city ACTIVELY came after me. What did they offer the X90 customers? A TAXI STAND at York Avenue & 71 Street has now replaced a route that used to carry 620 passengers. Do you think that is adequate? The average time to catch a taxi during rush hour is 13 minutes. What did they replace the QM22 with? NOTHING.

 

The city used a person as an "observer" that had no training whatsoever in buses. My lawyers deposed him. He said himself that it was an "unusual" assignment.

 

Now, let me pose a question. Let's say that you were the New York City Department of Transportation and you had just sued us to stop us from providing bus service. Why would you then report our company's SUBCONTRACTOR to the New York State Department of Transportation? Why would the state then question that carrier when it isn't their operation? Why would the state come to a conclusion about what we were doing without speaking to us?

 

Still think everything is on the up and up with the city, right?

 

 

Some people think I do this because I believe that I am SO AWESOME. That's not the way it works. I would rather not tangle with bus companies that finance the mafia (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/01/24/2008-01-24_school_bus_owner_paid_mob_union_fbi.html), but these people feel that we are all bait. They are taking money that should be going to the MTA to help out "friends". The MTA will be forced to make more cuts soon and the only way that these cuts work is to force everyone on the remaining system. I rode a bus two days ago in Brooklyn that was sent out in horrible mechanical condition. These are things that were literally eliminated when I was younger. In other words, we are going back to the 1970s.

 

I don't want to see that. It took 20 years to recover from 1975. I want to be able to continue to have a large, useful transit system, but the politicization of its operation will continue until it breaks. This is why I am getting lots of resistance. They know that if I stick someplace, they are in trouble. It will show a model that is currently deemed "not possible", which is unsubsidized bus operation in NYC. The only reason it is not possible is because too many people would be cut out of the loop. There are many institutions built on the premise of subsidy and I am threatening their existence. NYC is the single largest transit market in the US and this market is perfectly capable of supporting a network of both subsidized and unsubsidized services.

 

On Staten Island, the federal government has been instrumental in protecting private carrier operations, so other tactics are used to undermine me. In Pennsylvania, actual vehicle damage is done to "unwanted" buses. These parties love to talk about service standards, but the reality is that these metrics come at a monumental cost that they raise through sources other than the farebox. A $7,000 MC9 can maintain the same commuter run schedule as a $550,000 D4505, but the D4505 operators look down their nose as you despite the fact that they are being funded through the Federal Transit Administration.

 

I am not going to be left alone until I knock down someone so large that the ground shakes when they fall. Then, I'll be left alone. However, that is no excuse for not trying. No one is going to hand me the money.

 

 

Some "bus fans" simply don't understand how things really work and it shows by the way they talk. You can't POSSIBLY KNOW anyone from the internet.

[JAzumah]

Imagine that you come on here trolling.

 

If you were seriously concerned about getting your money back, you wouldn't have done so in an open forum....

 

He'll see this post (spare me the "I don't care's")....

 

Wonder what your chances would be then, for a refund now... and that's just taking your post here on face-value....

 

 

 

 

He'll get his money, but his actions aren't going to speed it up. As long as he has sent me his name and address, he'll definitely get it. Obviously, a failed project leaves some damage and that is what I am fixing right now.

[JAzumah]

It is about that, but then again it isn't.

 

The city is not ready to re-franchise a service, however they also do not want a deregulated mess between in-city operators (private vs. MTA). Yes, there are political entities at play, especially in the form of contributions and legislative power. At the end of the day however, it comes down to this: the nature of public transportation is that it rarely breaks even, let alone make money. How do you operate a service below operating cost while attracting a customer base, maintain service and make a profit? Sooner or later one of those arms have to fall - usually it is picked up by a subsidy, but with the subsidy comes more rules and stipulations. It's an endless cycle.

 

Until NYC realizes that the model they have to follow is the one that has been almost perfected across the river, this will always be the situation.

 

Until downstate agencies stop smoking crack, they will continue to have big issues.

 

Look at the amount of turf that is covered in NJ on $262M in subsidy. That is all NJT gets to operate 1,200 buses, lease another ~800 buses, as well as for commuter and light rail services. They can do this because they do not have asinine fare policy that allows people to travel from Valhalla to Far Rockaway for $2.25. That would cost at least triple that in NJ. I understand that zoned subway fares are illegal, but there is no need for such a long trip to be priced that way. The private sector would price sensibly and if they got too greedy, someone will come along and bop them on the head.