Bus Drivers that don't know the route

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Another one of my pet peeves... Express Bus Drivers that don't know the route. This is a huge problem on Staten Island, and this also leads to passengers being stranded. I took an X10 home tonight and the driver didn't know that he was supposed to turn on 32nd and 5th and take Park Ave down. When I realized that he had continued down 5th in error and I went up to him and asked if he was detouring and he goes "Oh!! They told me to turn on 23rd [street and Broadway] and I don't do the X10". Meanwhile he missed two stops and he was already almost 20 mins late with an empty bus when he arrived at 45th and 5th where he almost passed all of us by, which leads me to think he probably missed other people before us. I understand that drivers get thrown out on different routes at the last minute, but what is up with so many guys not knowing the routes? I have never seen this problem in any of the other boroughs except Staten Island. Can someone shed some light on this?

[SevenEleven]

Another one of my pet peeves... Express Bus Drivers that don't know the route. This is a huge problem on Staten Island, and this also leads to passengers being stranded. I took an X10 home tonight and the driver didn't know that he was supposed to turn on 32nd and 5th and take Park Ave down. When I realized that he had continued down 5th in error and I went up to him and asked if he was detouring and he goes "Oh!! They told me to turn on 23rd [street and Broadway] and I don't do the X10". Meanwhile he missed two stops and he was already almost 20 mins late with an empty bus when he arrived at 45th and 5th where he almost passed all of us by, which leads me to think he probably missed other people before us. I understand that drivers get thrown out on different routes at the last minute, but what is up with so many guys not knowing the routes? I have never seen this problem in any of the other boroughs except Staten Island. Can someone shed some light on this?

 

There you go.. Service to S.I. is so complex as is, I even ask myself questions. It's simple. If a B/O doesn't know the route, then you can't really blame him especially when you get called to do fill-ins all the time.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There you go.. Service to S.I. is so complex as is, I even ask myself questions. It's simple. If a B/O doesn't know the route, then you can't really blame him especially when you get called to do fill-ins all the time.

 

You're right you can't, but what I'm curious about is if Staten Island gets a high level of fill-ins compared to the other boroughs and if so why?

[MTV Operator]

Part of the problem is newly hired b/os may get thrown in staten island and not know anything about staten island. 90 % of b/o in staten island live in staten island.

[553 Bridgeton]

If the b/o doesnt know the route, its not there fault. I was thrown onto the 552 Middle Township-Crest Haven route and I didnt know it for squat. I was only told the road to drive on and how to get to the Middle Township to start the route and I was sent on my merry way.

 

Dont sit there and blame the B/Os. Your starting to get really annoying with all your service problems.

[B35 via Church]

^^^ I was JUST about to make that same point about this guy... but figured I tried to keep peace... for now...

 

 

Anyway, It's not a peeve for me when a driver don't know a route...

9 times out of 10, I'm usually the one to head to the front of the bus to help them out....

 

If you don't know something, you simply don't know it.....

 

 

What does bother me though, is when b/o's take diversions, and don't tell/announce pax beforehand...

shit, with me, it doesn't even have to be a formal announcement... just be like, yeah, I'm taking ______ due to construction on the _______...

[KNIGHTRIDER3:16]

We at Queens Surface Corp had like 15 routes or something like that and had to know the Stops in A matter of 2-3 weeks so yeah it was tough but the foamer or what ever you wanna call me already knew most of them so yeah it's hard for A Bus Op to learn all at once.

[jmazz77]

MTA just had a new class on SI, so you probably got a newbie. It's not his fault. Especially if he is on the extra list, he's gonna get lost a few more times. So if you see him, wait for another bus.. Or just help the guy/gal out..

 

Although, if he is a newbie, he should of had some notes written down. When I first started, on the local routes I made notes on index cards of the directions for each route.. All the turns, landmarks, etc.. Anything that would help me b/c I personally don't like not knowing where I am going. I would use a binder clip if the bus had that plastic strip on the dash, or I also carried (learned to carry lol) push pins for the buses that don't have a place to hang my flash cards.

 

For the express routes, I had an additional card for the stops b/c at night for some reason I had a tough time seeing them. Too many damn signs in Manhattan! lol Parking signs with 10 different rules, bus stop signs with 10 different routes.. It can confuse a new driver very easily.

[B35 via Church]

We at Queens Surface Corp had like 15 routes or something like that and had to know the Stops in A matter of 2-3 weeks so yeah it was tough but the foamer or what ever you wanna call me already knew most of them so yeah it's hard for A Bus Op to learn all at once.

a b/o knowing stops on 15 routes isn't foaming...

 

but a b/o that be doin codebreaking on the side...

*cough* foamer *cough*...

 

lol...

 

but yo... how much DO you get paid for codebreakin though... I heard that's that Matrix hustle right there !

[FamousNYLover]

On first day of Holiday Bus Stop Change, X1 was suppose to use 7th Av from 50th to 42nd Sts b/c of bus stop closed for Holidays at 50th St/6th Av and 5th Av/48th St. I have seen three X1 B/Os made mistake. I keep wondering if if any SI riders waited for 7th Av/50 St are furious. On Weekday basis, even X9 B/O made mistake!

 

Before the fare hike and service cut, when M11/M14D bus stop change from 15th St truck traffic to 14th St, one M11 B/O made mistake and use 15th St because he was new.

 

Another time, before X25 was cut, long time ago after 9-11, bus/express bus was $2/$5. X25 bus stop was northside of Vesey St in opposite of WFC Building and this B/O worked b/4 9-11, and he wasn't aware of change, so he pulled up on X90 side, so he gave me free ride, even thought I had $5.00.

 

Second last year's Holiday Bus Stop Gridlock, M2/M5 LTD was suppose to stop on 53rd St instead, they made error and stop on 47th St.

[BZGuy]

It's tough being thrown into that situation, give the guy a break.

 

Looking at transitwiki, Castleton has 20 local lines, 10 express plus 6 tripper lines that they have to know.

 

Thats 36 lines.....I'll bet you 50 bucks right here and now that NOBODY that works outta Castleton knows all 36 lines except they guys that "camp out" on the extra list.

 

One of the Manhattenville guys on here went to work outta JFK and said that they gave him 3 days to learn 11 lines.

 

And there is only one word for s**t like this: Asinine

[B35 via Church]

lol @ the b/o's coming out to rip this guy a new one.....

[Kamen Rider]

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

[Joel Up Front]

And no bus operator would intentionally get lost.

 

Now I see why KR called you JohnQPine wannabe...

[553 Bridgeton]

A B/O wouldnt get lost intentionally plain and simple.

[B35 via Church]

unless he's intentionaly getting lost, cut the man some slack. Nobody's perfect.

 

I know you're making the same point all of us basically are....

 

but what would be the benefit of a bus driver purposefully getting lost ?

[Kamen Rider]

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

[BusOperator3319]

 

Another one of my pet peeves... Express Bus Drivers that don't know the route. This is a huge problem on Staten Island, and this also leads to passengers being stranded. I took an X10 home tonight and the driver didn't know that he was supposed to turn on 32nd and 5th and take Park Ave down. When I realized that he had continued down 5th in error and I went up to him and asked if he was detouring and he goes "Oh!! They told me to turn on 23rd [street and Broadway] and I don't do the X10". Meanwhile he missed two stops and he was already almost 20 mins late with an empty bus when he arrived at 45th and 5th where he almost passed all of us by, which leads me to think he probably missed other people before us. I understand that drivers get thrown out on different routes at the last minute, but what is up with so many guys not knowing the routes? I have never seen this problem in any of the other boroughs except Staten Island. Can someone shed some light on this?

He could have been on the Extra List when you are on the Extra List you do almost every route that comes out of the Depot or whatever the union assigns you to do which could be the same route every day or something different some people can't remember a route in one day like I and others can it takes time they only give you one to two days to learn one route cut them some slack

[BusOperator3319]

 

Part of the problem is newly hired b/os may get thrown in staten island and not know anything about staten island. 90 % of b/o in staten island live in staten island.

Believe it or not some Bus Operators that's out of Staten Island Division live in neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania

[Via Garibaldi 8]

@Bridgeton553 - I got on an X13 once with a fill-in and gladly showed the guy the entire route since I was early, so spare me about me being a pain in the ass. I would've helped the guy had I known he didn't know the route but I could tell he wasn't a rookie. Anyway once I saw him going the wrong way, I asked him if he was detouring and then told him which way he was supposed to take. I asked the question because it happens a lot on Staten Island. The problem was not with the B/O but w/management because they apparently give the drivers the wrong info on routes. In any event, why can't they just give the B/Os a mini map or something? You can get that right off of the MTA website or better yet, they're usually right on the bus...

[Kamen Rider]

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

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It's easy for you to stand there and say that. put yourself in the drivers shoes on this one. He doesn't need to be a total greenhorn to get confused, and once that starts, he's not going to be thinking straght.

 

And that's why I went up and told him the right way to go. If I was a real **** I wouldn't have said anything.

[FamousNYLover]

Do you remember when MTA Bus and LIB was doing both and Buses, I remember one of Baisley Park B/O talk wrong route on Bus when I was riding on LIB on .

[brokecrazy]

Once I got on the X25 and the lady asked me if I knew the route.

I had the timetable map, but noone but me rode that bus anyway.

Also, on the B15, that lady had no idea where to go once she got to the airport and wound up in one of the parking lots.

[jmazz77]

Once I got on the X25 and the lady asked me if I knew the route.

I had the timetable map, but noone but me rode that bus anyway.

Also, on the B15, that lady had no idea where to go once she got to the airport and wound up in one of the parking lots.

 

I did the X25 once in line training. I was with a 10yr vet and she didn't even know it and got lost.She said she did it maybe 5 times in her career. Glad the X25 is gone. It was just retarded. I think we had 3 riders that trip.