Express Bus Service 24 hrs - Staten Island

[Forest Glen]

What's your take on express bus service in Queens overall? I used the QM1A a few times and the X68. Seems like service is scarce on the weekends with just one bus an hour on many lines.

 

Truth be told, the QM5/6 are less busy on weekends than weekdays. The QM4 shouldn't even run on weekends (or outside of rush hour).

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 things:

 

1) The X17C doesn't run during rush hour, so passengers going between Worth Street and 34th Street/42nd Street have no direct bus-they have to transfer

 

2) The same situation applies to the X14-if you are trying to go between Frankfort Street and 23rd Street, you will have to transfer

 

 

 

I think Forest Avenue/Richmond Avenue could be considered the hub of the North Shore. You have the X30 for northern Midtown, the X10/X12 for Lower Manhattan, and the X42 for southern Midtown. Enough people use it so that it could be considered the North Shore's ETC. (Though I see way more people waiting for local buses than express buses)

 

Like I said, a transfer in Manhattan isn't the worst thing in the world.

 

You need to look at the schedule for the X17C more closely because it does run during rush hours. I see them running during the evening with the X17J.

 

 

As far as the X14 goes, it's always been that way. Those who need service up to 23rd street usualy get off at Hylan Blvd and transfer there for the X1.

 

As for the transfers go, the commute is already long enough as it is. With the cuts that the MTA has implemented, making a transfer isn't as "quick" as it used to be because it can be difficult to even get a bus since there is so much overcrowding.

[FamousNYLover]

I also wonder do you think any increase on Staten Island Ferry on evening rush hour was former Staten Island-Lower Manhattan Express Bus riders who got their bus discontinue.

With mix of residents, tourists, Staten Island Ferry is always running behind schedule.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I also wonder do you think any increase on Staten Island Ferry on evening rush hour was former Staten Island-Lower Manhattan Express Bus riders who got their bus discontinue.With mix of residents, tourists, Staten Island Ferry is always running behind schedule.

 

 

It's possible. People that take the X18 for example would have to either drive to another express bus or would be forced to take the ferry. The obnoxious slow moving tourists along with the new boats constantly breaking down certainly have not been helping the situation any.

[B35 via Church]

Checkmate...

 

X17c's do run during the rush, but (obviously) not near as frequent as they do during off peak hrs, when 17a's & 17j's don't run....

 

Saying that another way, when 17j's & 17a's are running, you will see less 17c's... but they are still running....

the timetable is confusing/misleading b/c the 17a, 17c, and 17j are separated w/i the timetable (instead of it being shown in a combined schedule/format)...

 

i.e.,

instead of 17a.. 17c.. 17j.. 17c.. 17j.. 17a

the timetable has it as 17a, 17a.... 17c, 17c.... 17j, 17j....

 

 

Think about it... the 17a starts @ worth/broadway & pans southward...... the 17j pans along 42nd st (outbound).... consider the service gap b/w worth & 42nd st if 17c's weren't running.....

 

I don't want to put ideas into the MTA's head, but when a's & j's are running, there is a staggering differential b/w the number of riders seeking a's or j's, as opposed to c's... I mean, you do have people that take the subway to bryant park (or TSQ) from wherever they work at, to catch 17j's...

 

but to have 17c's still running when a's & j's are running, can loom critical.... especially if ppl. need service past ETC....

[checkmatechamp13]

In the heart of rush hour, there is no X17C service.

 

Check for yourself:

 

http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/xpress/x017cur.pdf

 

There are no X17Cs leaving the Eltingville Transit Center between 6:20AM and 9:03AM.

 

There are no X17Cs leaving 5th Avenue/40th Street between 3:40PM and 5:49PM.

 

Some riders have service, but certain groups have to transfer:

Riders south Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road have no direct service to Central Manhattan (between Worth Street and 34th Street)

Riders between Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road and the ETC have no direct access to Manhattan south of 34th Street

Riders between the ETC and SIE have no direct service to Central Manhattan

 

In any case, riders on the X14 have the same problem-no access to Central Manhattan.

 

Like I said, transferring isn't the worst thing.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

In the heart of rush hour, there is no X17C service.

 

Check for yourself:

 

http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/xpress/x017cur.pdf

 

There are no X17Cs leaving the Eltingville Transit Center between 6:20AM and 9:03AM.

 

There are no X17Cs leaving 5th Avenue/40th Street between 3:40PM and 5:49PM.

 

Some riders have service, but certain groups have to transfer:

Riders south Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road have no direct service to Central Manhattan (between Worth Street and 34th Street)

Riders between Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road and the ETC have no direct access to Manhattan south of 34th Street

Riders between the ETC and SIE have no direct service to Central Manhattan

 

In any case, riders on the X14 have the same problem-no access to Central Manhattan.

 

Like I said, transferring isn't the worst thing.

 

I knew that the X17C didn't fully run, during certain parts of the rush hour, BUT it does run with the X17J during the later parts of the rush hour. You see I don't need to look at the schedule because I work in Midtown and I see the X17Cs running with the X17Js around 06:20 - 06:30 which is still rush hour... Besides, there is no need to have the X17C during certain parts of the rush hour since you have the X17J in Midtown and X17A Downtown.

[B35 via Church]

I don't need to go by the timetable to tell me x17c's DO run during the rush, either....

 

and isn't rush hour between 4-7pm....

you mention that 5:40 pm like that's the end of rush hour or something....

[Grand Concourse]

Why do you keep proposing this ridiculous idea?

 

Oh, god forbid someone has to transfer for an express bus fare.... :roll:

LIRR riders depending on where they live pays a lot more and still have to transfer depending on where they need to go. Where is it written people are entitled to one seat rides? You want a one seat ride get a taxi or limo service.

 

There are a few "transfer express bus points" on Staten Island, particularly at the Hylan Blvd stop going and coming from the Verrazano along the service road, as well the first and last stop on Staten Island. In Manhattan, some express bus riders will also transfer to other express buses at the first stops, although these are not official transfer points to my knowledge.

 

Ok then. At least you answered it honestly. I still think they could allocate the buses better to where they are needed more.

[checkmatechamp13]

I don't need to go by the timetable to tell me x17c's DO run during the rush, either....

 

and isn't rush hour between 4-7pm....

you mention that 5:40 pm like that's the end of rush hour or something....

 

I was trying to make the point that many express bus riders do have to transfer to make their trip.

 

By the way, when the X17J is running, X17Cs only run south of 42nd Street (which makes sense, since riders north of there could just take the faster X17J. The first X17C to actually leave 57th Street/Lexington Avenue leaves at 6:38PM, 10 minutes after the last X17J.) There is no point in Manhattan where X17Cs and X17Js run together.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I was trying to make the point that many express bus riders do have to transfer to make their trip.

 

By the way, when the X17J is running, X17Cs only run south of 42nd Street (which makes sense, since riders north of there could just take the faster X17J. The first X17C to actually leave 57th Street/Lexington Avenue leaves at 6:38PM, 10 minutes after the last X17J.) There is no point in Manhattan where X17Cs and X17Js run together.

 

Forget the schedule my friend because I see X17Cs and X17Js running right behind each other right at 46th & 5th on a daily basis during the week and this is around 06:20 - 06:30 roughly, so just forget the schedule...

[B35 via Church]

minus the laughter...

 

I was trying to make the point that many express bus riders do have to transfer to make their trip.

 

By the way, when the X17J is running, X17Cs only run south of 42nd Street (which makes sense, since riders north of there could just take the faster X17J. The first X17C to actually leave 57th Street/Lexington Avenue leaves at 6:38PM, 10 minutes after the last X17J.) There is no point in Manhattan where X17Cs and X17Js run together.

 

That 2nd paragraph sounds rather contradictory.

Then again, I don't know if by "together" you mean one right behind the other... or, 17c's running period, when 17j's are....

 

The point is, the 17c does run when the 17j does... although they may not literally be back-to-back to each other....and I'm talking b/w 57th & 42nd (where the 17j turns off, of course)....

 

Now how frequent that happens on a daily/weekly basis, that I can't answer... But I've seen it on multiple occasions, hell, this calendar year alone....

 

You can use the schedule as a guide, but quite frankly, I think you're relying too heavily on it....

 

...to make a case that's not even true.

[Shortline Bus]

minus the laughter...

 

 

 

That 2nd paragraph sounds rather contradictory.

Then again, I don't know if by "together" you mean one right behind the other... or, 17c's running period, when 17j's are....

 

The point is, the 17c does run when the 17j does... although they may not literally be back-to-back to each other....and I'm talking b/w 57th & 42nd (where the 17j turns off, of course)....

 

Now how frequent that happens on a daily/weekly basis, that I can't answer... But I've seen it on multiple occasions, hell, this calendar year alone....

 

You can use the schedule as a guide, but quite frankly, I think you're relying too heavily on it....

 

...to make a case that's not even true.

 

 

In NYC whenever i use a schedule it's only useful for either express buses on weekends/late evenings i.e last bus leaving Manhattan or late evening/overnight service.

[JAzumah]

You are correct about the X17C and X17J running together. The MTA knows that the current X17J PM route leaves bigger holes, so they start running Cs earlier to compensate. The employment mix between 23 Street and Worth Street have a lot of later starts and end times (10AM-7PM etc), so the Cs are in the right place.

 

The X1 changes were long overdue. The X2 through X9 are all X1 variants. Running X1s north of 23 Street was duplicative. By forcing people onto the components, service could operate where needed. A 24 hour X1 isn't needed except on Friday and Saturday nights.

[Shortline Bus]

You are correct about the X17C and X17J running together. The MTA knows that the current X17J PM route leaves bigger holes, so they start running Cs earlier to compensate. The employment mix between 23 Street and Worth Street have a lot of later starts and end times (10AM-7PM etc), so the Cs are in the right place.

 

The X1 changes were long overdue. The X2 through X9 are all X1 variants. Running X1s north of 23 Street was duplicative. By forcing people onto the components, service could operate where needed. A 24 hour X1 isn't needed except on Friday and Saturday nights.

 

 

 

That could be a compromise and start out running Overnight X1 service with Friday and Saturday night service as a 'trial.'.:tup:

If things go well then expand it to 24/7 x1 service 365 days a year.

 

Not to get off topic but that is what the Metro North should also be doing on their '3' lines on the new haven, harlem and hudson river coordiors with Friday and Saturday Night overnight service.

Other transit agencies around the nation provide 'trials' for expanded service so why can't the ?

[Kamen Rider]

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

[Via Garibaldi 8]

That could be a compromise and start out running Overnight X1 service with Friday and Saturday night service as a 'trial.'.:tup:

If things go well then expand it to 24/7 x1 service 365 days a year.

 

Not to get off topic but that is what the Metro North should also be doing on their '3' lines on the new haven, harlem and hudson river coordiors with Friday and Saturday Night overnight service.

Other transit agencies around the nation provide 'trials' for expanded service so why can't the ?

 

Weekend service on both the X1 and X10 still needs to be more frequent. The X10 in this morning was standing room only at 09:00am. There are usually more folks taking the express buses on the weekends especially this time of the year. I think they should run "holiday" service and add a few more runs like they do during days before major holidays.

[B35 via Church]

In NYC whenever i use a schedule it's only useful for either express buses on weekends/late evenings i.e last bus leaving Manhattan or late evening/overnight service.

 

Only time I use a tangible schedule is if I'm traveling (by bus) outside of city limits, on a route I've never been on before.... and I seldom do that everytime....

 

 

You are correct about the X17C and X17J running together. The MTA knows that the current X17J PM route leaves bigger holes, so they start running Cs earlier to compensate. The employment mix between 23 Street and Worth Street have a lot of later starts and end times (10AM-7PM etc), so the Cs are in the right place.

Yep.

 

This explains the crushloaded 17c's I see on battery pl, around 6-7 pm....

 

 

The X1 changes were long overdue. The X2 through X9 are all X1 variants. Running X1s north of 23 Street was duplicative. By forcing people onto the components, service could operate where needed.

 

A 24 hour X1 isn't needed except on Friday and Saturday nights.

I think most of us felt that there were simply too many variants... On top of that, people were (and really, still are) looking solely for x1's.... It's just that no one expected anything to happen to the route.... the x2-x9 shouldn't exist for the purpose of being ppl's backup plans/second options - which I think a lot of riders do use them for....

 

and that last statement is spot on.

[Cait Sith]

Oh, god forbid someone has to transfer for an express bus fare.... .

 

In a sense, its not really a "transfer" it took me a while to realize if you took a local bus or train onto an express bus, it'll still rip a $5.50 out of your metrocard, happened to me a bunch of times on the BxM7A (which I still take on occasion). For Express Bus Plus riders, its a win-win, Pay-Per Ride customers, its a win-lose. Transferring off from an express onto a local, you are safe and it might allow a 2nd transfer, after I got off of the BxM10 which was my first transfer (lol, loss of $5.50), I had a 2nd and 3rd transfer from the Bx31 to the train

[Cait Sith]

In the heart of rush hour, there is no X17C service.

 

Check for yourself:

 

http://mta.info/nyct/bus/schedule/xpress/x017cur.pdf

 

There are no X17Cs leaving the Eltingville Transit Center between 6:20AM and 9:03AM.

 

There are no X17Cs leaving 5th Avenue/40th Street between 3:40PM and 5:49PM.

 

Some riders have service, but certain groups have to transfer:

Riders south Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road have no direct service to Central Manhattan (between Worth Street and 34th Street)

Riders between Arden Avenue/Arthur Kill Road and the ETC have no direct access to Manhattan south of 34th Street

Riders between the ETC and SIE have no direct service to Central Manhattan

 

In any case, riders on the X14 have the same problem-no access to Central Manhattan.

 

Like I said, transferring isn't the worst thing.

 

I'd like to add onto this.

 

During the rush hour on the Downtown portion of the route, when the road ops/dispatchers hear about issues along the x17J, they would send off-schedule x17As or what was supposed to be x19s to fill in the gap, I have seen countless times were 2 x17As would come to State Street back to back, and then minutes later, a 3rd x17A, then an x19 or two coming down.

 

-EDIT- : Multi-Quote is being a biatch to me right now.....

[B35 via Church]

I'd like to add onto this.

 

During the rush hour on the Downtown portion of the route, when the road ops/dispatchers hear about issues along the x17J, they would send off-schedule x17As or what was supposed to be x19s to fill in the gap, I have seen countless times were 2 x17As would come to State Street back to back, and then minutes later, a 3rd x17A, then an x19 or two coming down.

 

-EDIT- : Multi-Quote is being a biatch to me right now.....

 

I've seen x17J's operate via Brooklyn...

 

I've also seen what you're speaking of....

There be a mix of 17a's & 17c's (the a coming more often than the c), but the x19, nowhere to be found... when I used to take the x19, the last two runs of the day, I had it downpacked... what it was, was that, even though the schedule said the last bus was set to arrive at 6:35pm (or w/e it was), the bus that came around that time, would be the 2nd to last bus... which was SRO just about everytime....

 

then about 5 mins later, a nice, empty x19 right behind it.

 

I'm referring to how the routes ran, before the cuts....

I have no idea how things are w/ the 19 now....

 

I miss taking that route though... I get out of work too late now...

[Cait Sith]

I've seen x17J's operate via Brooklyn...

 

I've also seen what you're speaking of....

There be a mix of 17a's & 17c's (the a coming more often than the c), but the x19, nowhere to be found... when I used to take the x19, the last two runs of the day, I had it downpacked... what it was, was that, even though the schedule said the last bus was set to arrive at 6:35pm (or w/e it was), the bus that came around that time, would be the 2nd to last bus... which was SRO just about everytime....

 

then about 5 mins later, a nice, empty x19 right behind it.

 

I'm referring to how the routes ran, before the cuts....

I have no idea how things are w/ the 19 now....

 

I miss taking that route though... I get out of work too late now...

 

I remember before the cuts, when there was an accident by the NJ side of the tunnel, there were x17Js, x22s & x30s going via Brooklyn via the West Side Highway while some x17Js took the FDR down. I havent been in that part of downtown since the QM7/8/25 change (bleh), it seems as if I should make another visit sometime soon....

[Grand Concourse]

In a sense, its not really a "transfer" it took me a while to realize if you took a local bus or train onto an express bus, it'll still rip a $5.50 out of your metrocard, happened to me a bunch of times on the BxM7A (which I still take on occasion). For Express Bus Plus riders, its a win-win, Pay-Per Ride customers, its a win-lose. Transferring off from an express onto a local, you are safe and it might allow a 2nd transfer, after I got off of the BxM10 which was my first transfer (lol, loss of $5.50), I had a 2nd and 3rd transfer from the Bx31 to the train

 

It's been years ago, but I think during a 'trip' I got off the subway at Madison Sq and got on the BxM6 [or whatever line to Pelham Bay Park] and took the QBx1 to Flushing. But I don't think I ever lost anything [ie: transfer carried over].

But ok, I concede that point about the transfers then, as you'd have more experience from your rides than I would.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I've seen x17J's operate via Brooklyn...

 

I've also seen what you're speaking of....

There be a mix of 17a's & 17c's (the a coming more often than the c), but the x19, nowhere to be found... when I used to take the x19, the last two runs of the day, I had it downpacked... what it was, was that, even though the schedule said the last bus was set to arrive at 6:35pm (or w/e it was), the bus that came around that time, would be the 2nd to last bus... which was SRO just about everytime....

 

then about 5 mins later, a nice, empty x19 right behind it.

 

I'm referring to how the routes ran, before the cuts....

I have no idea how things are w/ the 19 now....

 

I miss taking that route though... I get out of work too late now...

 

When the X17J, X22 or X30 can't go through New Jersey, they will re-route them over the Verrazano bridge. The X17J will do the X17C route.

 

This has happened three times on the X30 and happened last week. We take the West St. down from 42nd usually and then go into the Battery Tunnel. From there the X30 runs like the former X16 did, however it's first stop isn't until Clove & Victory, which is usually it's last stop, so in sum it basically does the X30 morning run excluding the stops on South Avenue after South and Forest.

 

Going to Manhattan though we do the entire X30 pick up then circle around and take the SIE on to the Verrazano. From there we take West St. non stop up to 42nd st and then follow the normal route once we reach 9th Avenue.

 

I'm not sure how they re-route the X22 though. My guess is that they'd follow the X17 across the SIE and then hook over until it can take it's normal route down to Tottenville.

[checkmatechamp13]

The X22 used to go via NJ in the AM rush and via the FDR Drive and SIE in the PM rush, so it is possible.

 

When the X30 does that, it has to suck for the people on the western end of the X30. I would imagine that everybody west of Manor Road would try to use the X14, X10, X12/X42, or X17J, depending on where they live.

 

By the way, how does everybody know when the X30 will be doing these reroutes. It doesn't matter so much in the PM, but in the AM, it is important to know how much time to leave so you're not late for work.