Express bus cut talk

[checkmatechamp13]

During peak hours, the express bus is often faster, but off-peak, it is often faster to take a local bus to the subway, as opposed to waiting 30-60 minutes for an express bus.

[mark1447]

correct

 

 

 

incorrect

 

It would be CORRECT if passengers speed the load and if Express buses were tied in traffic as ive seen a lot

[Cait Sith]

correct

 

 

 

incorrect

 

Disagree, the subways most of the time can beat any bus that goes over the L.I.E.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

But are they really going to drive all the way to Manhattan?

 

The old company I worked with in Chelsea, we had four Staten Islanders in the office (excluding myself)... One was around my age and the others were middle aged... (Three on the South Shore i.e. Princes Bay and Great Kills) and one in Stapleton (the nice part of Stapleton though). Two of them drove in everyday (South Shore and Stapleton). One took the

X7 from Great Kills and one drove (Princes Bay) to the SIR and took the ferry from there, so yes... Some do drive in that can afford it. The two that drove in were principals in the construction company making six figures a year.

 

Of course I took the express bus in...

 

So you have 5 Staten Islanders...

 

Express Bus: 2 (West Brighton & Great Kills) (me and the dude around my age)

Car: 2 (South Shore & Stapleton) (middle aged males)

Car/SIR/Ferry/subway: 1 (Princes Bay) (middle aged female)

 

It's interesting to note that the female would've taken the express bus, but elected not to due to its high cost.

 

 

With that said, clearly those that can afford to drive in will. Some like myself hate cars and will elect to take the express bus. I couldn't imagine having to drive after 8+ hours of staring at a computer screen all day. If express buses were eliminated, I would actually either get a car and look into driving in or drive to the ferry.

 

At the moment, since I spend most of my time in the city and hate having to drive, I see no need for a car and thus give myself a budget for car service and the express bus.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

During peak hours, the express bus is often faster, but off-peak, it is often faster to take a local bus to the subway, as opposed to waiting 30-60 minutes for an express bus.

 

Off-peak can be faster than peak... Case in point... Late nights, the X1/X10 can beat 4/5 trains from Union Square or the Midtown area (Grand Central). From Union Square, the X1 can get me to Hylan and Clove in 35-40 minutes. The B/Os really move... :cool:

[East New York]

The one way that the MTA would be able to save money by eliminating these express routes is if the former passengers switched to NYCT services.

 

For example, under current circumstances, the BM4 costs $40 per person on weekends. However, the city covers that $40, so the cost to the MTA is nothing (but the MTA doesn't receive any money because the city is only covering the difference between operating costs and operating revenue).

 

If the BM4 were cut and the passengers all switched to the B31, the MTA would get $2.25 for every person who switched, since those would pay the fare to the MTA.

 

At least, that is how I understand the way MTA Bus works.

 

Huh? NYCT and MTAB are both divisions of MTA Bus Operations. Im not sure I know exactly what you are talking about.

[MHV9218]

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

[checkmatechamp13]

The old company I worked with in Chelsea, we had four Staten Islanders in the office (excluding myself)... One was around my age and the others were middle aged... (Three on the South Shore i.e. Princes Bay and Great Kills) and one in Stapleton (the nice part of Stapleton though). Two of them drove in everyday (South Shore and Stapleton). One took the

X7 from Great Kills and one drove (Princes Bay) to the SIR and took the ferry from there, so yes... Some do drive in that can afford it. The two that drove in were principals in the construction company making six figures a year.

 

Of course I took the express bus in...

 

So you have 5 Staten Islanders...

 

Express Bus: 2 (West Brighton & Great Kills) (me and the dude around my age)

Car: 2 (South Shore & Stapleton) (middle aged males)

Car/SIR/Ferry/subway: 1 (Princes Bay) (middle aged female)

 

It's interesting to note that the female would've taken the express bus, but elected not to due to its high cost.

 

 

With that said, clearly those that can afford to drive in will. Some like myself hate cars and will elect to take the express bus. I couldn't imagine having to drive after 8+ hours of staring at a computer screen all day. If express buses were eliminated, I would actually either get a car and look into driving in or drive to the ferry.

 

At the moment, since I spend most of my time in the city and hate having to drive, I see no need for a car and thus give myself a budget for car service and the express bus.

 

 

 

Damn. I can understand driving to get to the express bus, but I can never imagine driving into Manhattan. If nothing else, I could sleep or do some work on the express bus, whereas I would have to stay focused on the road if I drove.

 

Also, the express bus is usually faster-it gets to use special HOV lanes to get to Manhattan.

 

The more time/cost efficient way is probably to drive to the express bus, take the express bus as close as you can to your job, and then take a taxi the rest of the way.

 

I guess some people don't think logically like you and I.

 

MTA Bus is not directly under the DOT for service, as in money to MTA Bus is money to MTA Regional. Yes, ten years ago, that would have been true. Back then, the DOT-purchased vehicles had private operators and a switch from private to NYCT was $1.50 in the MTA's pocket. No longer. There's no gap, unless last night Jay Walder stayed up making changes...

 

So how come some MTA Bus routes like the BM4 stayed around while more cost-efficient routes like the X16, X18, and X29 were eliminated?

 

Off-peak can be faster than peak... Case in point... Late nights, the X1/X10 can beat 4/5 trains from Union Square or the Midtown area (Grand Central). From Union Square, the X1 can get me to Hylan and Clove in 35-40 minutes. The B/Os really move... :cool:

 

You have to factor in the longer waiting time for the express bus, though I agree that, if you can get on an express bus at the right time, you can speed your trip significantly.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Damn. I can understand driving to get to the express bus, but I can never imagine driving into Manhattan. If nothing else, I could sleep or do some work on the express bus, whereas I would have to stay focused on the road if I drove.

 

Also, the express bus is usually faster-it gets to use special HOV lanes to get to Manhattan.

 

The more time/cost efficient way is probably to drive to the express bus, take the express bus as close as you can to your job, and then take a taxi the rest of the way.

I guess some people don't think logically like you and I.

 

 

 

So how come some MTA Bus routes like the BM4 stayed around while more cost-efficient routes like the X16, X18, and X29 were eliminated?

 

 

 

You have to factor in the longer waiting time for the express bus, though I agree that, if you can get on an express bus at the right time, you can speed your trip significantly.

 

Two things...

 

#1. These guys have the money to spend...

#2. They have to be at construction sites at crazy hours, so I would think that the times they'd leave Staten Island in the morning, they wouldn't hit any traffic and they'd be better served to drive in. I could remember sometimes I'd catch the first X16 of the morning (06:45) when we had early office closings for summer Fridays and we'd be in the city by about 07:20.

[MHV9218]

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

[checkmatechamp13]

I guess I can understand that. I friend of mine who used to work in Westchester at crazy hours, and he would drive through Manhattan. He said he could get there in 40 minutes if there was no traffic.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You tell me! :cool:

 

I don't honestly know the logistics for certain routes being kept or not. You've got a wild number of factors, from political representation in affected areas to union contracts meaning you can't dock pay just because you're cutting service (not without a legal mess, at least). Chances are, the MTA always has a reason.

 

Were there any MTA Bus express bus routes entirely eliminated??

[checkmatechamp13]

The QM23 was eliminated (the QM15 was an alternative) and the BxM7B was replaced with 2 BxM7A trips extended to City Island. The QM22 in Astoria was also eliminated.

 

These routes all only had a few runs per day (I believe it was 1 for the QM23, 2 for the BxM7B, and 2 for the QM22)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Cut all SI Express bus service and make you guys take the ferry.

 

 

Wishful thinking...

[MHV9218]

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

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Hmm...

 

For starters, the MTA didn't take over Academy's lines. The MTA spilt the routes with Atlantic Express, leaving the X23 and X24 to Atlantic.

 

All of Liberty Lines's buses made it (though later we did lose the BxM4A and BxM4B). Queens Surface everything came over (we lost the QM1A later on). However, Green Bus Lines saw the Q89, QM22 and QM23 disappear a little later. Jamaica we got everything, and the same with Triboro Coach (however the "W" in QM24W was killed).

 

If the city pays for the buses run by MTA Bus, then why would they cut anything? I mean how bad does service have to be on MTA Bus lines for them to eliminate it?

[MHV9218]

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

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No, that's what we were just saying, the city doesn't pay for the MTA Bus lines -- not since the takeover. The cancellations were just simply low ridership killings.

 

If I recall correctly, didn't the city give money for MTA Bus to replace the old buses when it took over?

[MHV9218]

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

[Michael]

If they cut Express bus service what other choice would people have? They would go to local bus and subway service before there ever were express buses.And you know what? They survived back then and they would now too..

[Forest Glen]

nope

[LRG]

Typical one-word answers....

[Forest Glen]

I'm just so damn sick of ths express bus hatred. Express buses always get singled out. It's the same thing at Subcrap.

[LRG]

I'm just so damn sick of ths express bus hatred. Express buses always get singled out. It's the same thing at Subcrap.

 

Don't you think you're taking it too personally??? It's just a service. And if the service is inadequate and/or is costing the MTA money to keep the service running (which they normally do) and not generating enough revenue/ridership, then the service deserves to be reduced or cut altogether. This goes the same for local buses too, so I'm not single-handedly putting down express buses.

[Cait Sith]

Don't you think you're taking it too personally??? It's just a service. And if the service is inadequate and/or is costing the MTA money to keep the service running (which they normally do) and not generating enough revenue/ridership, then the service deserves to be reduced or cut altogether. This goes the same for local buses too, so I'm not single-handedly putting down express buses.

 

The way I see it, 40ft suburbans can work perfectly on a number of routes. It's just Staten Island who would need the MCIs much more than other boroughs

 

I'm just so damn sick of ths express bus hatred. Express buses always get singled out. It's the same thing at Subcrap.

 

Gee, taking it a little personally are we? No one is really "hating" on express buses. The only reasons they are mostly singled out is because the MCIs are pure gas guzzlers and there are many routes where ridership is just poor to such a level where they should be cut....in which forms the age old prophecy that they are costing the MTA too much dough.