November 1993 Staten Island Bus Map

[LRG]

What is the Teleport anyway, since we're on the topic about it?

[checkmatechamp13]

I believe it place where they put up a lot of office buildings to entice professional-type businesses to come to Staten Island. There is a complex in the Teleport (that the S46 used to divert to), but I also think the buildings along South Avenue are part of it as well.

 

You would think that with all of the office parks, there would be an incentive to make it more accessable transit-wise. There is only one route that serves it (the S46/S96), and it only helps if you are coming from the North Shore.

 

Then again, the office parks out in Long Island and New Jersey are also car-centric: They are usually located near a highway, rather than near a rail station (though more and more companies located in these parks are offering shuttles from nearby rail stations and transit hubs). In this case, the offices are running the shuttles from somewhere in the St. George Ferry Terminal.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

That stop gets a lot of riders as well, but I was referring to the stop across the street (where the X17J stops). It is the side where the northbound buses stop and the X10 drops off (the side where the former Staten Island Hotel is).

 

I've noticed that, lately, the express buses have been getting fewer riders during rush hour. Buses used to pull up with most of the seats full. Now, they pull up and there is room for everybody.

 

Since peak service is more expensive to provide (because of the split shifts and deadheading costs involved), they'll probably reduce the service a bit.

 

Ridership on the Staten Island express bus lines varies too much from one day to the next and Staten Island express bus riders flock from one line to the next since most of the drive to the express or are picked up.

 

Take me for example:

 

Monday & Tuesday, I took the X30 to work and got a late X10 to car service since I've been working late in the office to finish a project. This morning I took the X2 in and the X10 to car service. Now that the project is done I'll probably resume my regular commute and take the X30 and the X14 home.

 

The thing is the bus may be empty for a few weeks and then packed for the next two weeks. The X30 AM rush can be like that as well as the X14 PM rush, so you can just cut service based on the ridership pattern for a few weeks because that's very deceiving.

 

Anytime I take the X2 on a Monday or Tuesday it is usually crowded, but Thursdays or Fridays it won't be too bad at all like this morning. Aside from that, from the way I understand that the average out ridership they wouldn't cut it based on that analysis anyway, because the ridership would more or less balance itself out overall.

 

To show you how consistent ridership has been some express bus lines have not had their frequencies changed in a good two years like the X30. The X10 has basically been the same now for about a year, along with a few other lines.

 

To summarize that here are all of the express buses that I take from time to time on Staten Island and Brooklyn:

 

Staten Island:

X1, X2, X9, X10B, X10C, X11, X12, X14, X15, X17J, X17C, X30, X42

 

Brooklyn:

BM1, BM3, X27, X28

 

The funny thing is that I often times see some of the regulars that I ride with on other lines as well, so we all flock from line to line.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I believe it place where they put up a lot of office buildings to entice professional-type businesses to come to Staten Island. There is a complex in the Teleport (that the S46 used to divert to), but I also think the buildings along South Avenue are part of it as well.

 

You would think that with all of the office parks, there would be an incentive to make it more accessable transit-wise. There is only one route that serves it (the S46/S96), and it only helps if you are coming from the North Shore.

 

Then again, the office parks out in Long Island and New Jersey are also car-centric: They are usually located near a highway, rather than near a rail station (though more and more companies located in these parks are offering shuttles from nearby rail stations and transit hubs). In this case, the offices are running the shuttles from somewhere in the St. George Ferry Terminal.

 

The problem with the Teleport is that it's been vacant for some time now and they haven't been able to really lure any new tenants, so there is no point in running bus service there if no one is going to use it. Last I heard they still were looking for tenants.

 

They had a big company there for a while that took up a lot of the space and once they left they haven't had any luck getting anyone else.

[checkmatechamp13]

It's a shame that they configured the Teleport the way they did. As of now, the only way to get there is by traveling down the West Shore Expressway or South Avenue. I remember attending a meeting regarding the future of the West Shore, and one of the items discussed was the fact that there was no access from the communities to the west.

[Vistausss]

Then again, the office parks out in Long Island and New Jersey are also car-centric: They are usually located near a highway, rather than near a rail station (though more and more companies located in these parks are offering shuttles from nearby rail stations and transit hubs). In this case, the offices are running the shuttles from somewhere in the St. George Ferry Terminal.

 

Well, Hicksville actually has offices near the rail station. Same for Jamaica and there are probably more towns that have that.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well, Hicksville actually has offices near the rail station. Same for Jamaica and there are probably more towns that have that.

 

You sure do know a lot about the local scene here for someone in the "lowlands". Do you come here a lot or are you from here or something originally? B)

 

Of course your English is perfect which doesn't surprise me since the Dutch are very good w/it and it's also close to English like German is and the other Northern European languages.

 

Ich spreche Englisch, Spanisch, Italienisch, Deutsch und Französisch, und Dir? B)

[LRG]

WTH, this is a language thread now?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

WTH, this is a language thread now?

 

lol... No I'm just f*cking around w/the guy. I am curious though how he knows so much if he lives in the Netherlands...

 

Anyway to get "back on topic" on some local lines in particular, the frequencies haven't really changed that much at all. B)

[LRG]

lol... No I'm just f*cking around w/the guy. I am curious though how he knows so much if he lives in the Netherlands...

 

Anyway to get "back on topic" on some local lines in particular, the frequencies haven't really changed that much at all. B)

 

Perfect examples are the S54/55/56/57.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Perfect examples are the S54/55/56/57.

 

I think the only thing saving the (S54) is that it's a school route, otherwise it would probably have been cut a long time ago. They've reduced night service all the way down to 22:30 for the last bus back to West Brighton. I have noticed that the times that I've used it now (3 or 4 times when I didn't want to take car service from the X12), they have arrived on time though because before if you tried to get one after say 21:30 you could forget it. I think they just weren't sending them out.

 

The thing that makes that bus attractive for me is that it's just like taking car service because it doesn't stop but maybe once or so before it reaches the stop I would use so it's just as fast and saves me $10.00, but it's just the matter of getting one. I think if I haven't moved yet I would consider using that line more once they put tracking on it, this way I can see ahead of time if a bus is coming or if I need to call for a cab. I mean it's only a 5 minute ride and I'm off of the bus.

[LRG]

Yeah the S54 is every 30 minutes...for an hour or two during the rush hour service is more frequent because of the Wagner H.S. students but that's it.

 

The S54 should have been cut back to Seaview Hospital at all times except rush hours. If that happened S54 weekend service could have been saved.

[Santa Fe via Willow]

Yeah the S54 is every 30 minutes...for an hour or two during the rush hour service is more frequent because of the Wagner H.S. students but that's it.

 

The S54 should have been cut back to Seaview Hospital at all times except rush hours. If that happened S54 weekend service could have been saved.

 

The 110, the 54's former name & identity, ended/began all the time from Seaview. That changed when the 110 was metamorphosized into the 54.

[checkmatechamp13]

The 110, the 54's former name & identity, ended/began all the time from Seaview. That changed when the 110 was metamorphosized into the 54.

 

If you ask me, that change made sense. If the S59 followed the same route that the S4 followed back then, riders in Great Kills would have access to the SI Mall, but it would take them a very long time to make the trip, since they would have to loop back to Richmond Avenue.

 

Under the current pattern, at least they have access to points on the North Shore.

 

I don't think the S54 should be cut back to Seaview during non-rush hours, though. That would leave the entire Great Kills area with no bus service. True, it gets very low usage in the area, but so do the S55 and S56, and they run all day weekdays.

[LRG]

If you ask me, that change made sense. If the S59 followed the same route that the S4 followed back then, riders in Great Kills would have access to the SI Mall, but it would take them a very long time to make the trip, since they would have to loop back to Richmond Avenue.

 

Under the current pattern, at least they have access to points on the North Shore.

 

I don't think the S54 should be cut back to Seaview during non-rush hours, though. That would leave the entire Great Kills area with no bus service. True, it gets very low usage in the area, but so do the S55 and S56, and they run all day weekdays.

 

The S55 and S56 pick up Tottenville H.S. students as early as the afternoon since students in their senior year have less classes and don't have to be in school all day.

 

A compromise to have the S54 replaced outside of rush hours in Great Kills would be to have the S79 operate via Giffords Lane every half hour during daytime hours so the area won't have loss of bus service when the S54 is out, and could even operate in tandem with the S54 even during rush hours (these buses could be designated as 'S79A') so passengers would have service every 15 minutes during that time.

[checkmatechamp13]

I suggested that at one point, but everybody thought it was a bad idea because, if the S79 gets +SBS+, it would end up becoming too confusing.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I suggested that at one point, but everybody thought it was a bad idea because, if the S79 gets +SBS+, it would end up becoming too confusing.

 

Especially on that line... Another problem with that line is the bunching, so that would make things even worse.

[LRG]

I suggested that at one point, but everybody thought it was a bad idea because, if the S79 gets +SBS+, it would end up becoming too confusing.

 

Well, I would hope that the S79 +SBS (or even a limited) would run only during rush hours and weekends when the route gets most usage as during midday hours the mall is dead, meaning the S79 is...dead. But on weekends the S79 is a heavy-used line.

 

I still think a limited S79 is better than a +SBS S79, but if the +SBS S79 goes through, I won't object.

 

During rush hours, only the S79 Limited/+SBS would run, meaning there is no S79 Local; riders who want local service would need the S78 along Hylan Boulevard and the S59 along Richmond Avenue, and riders along Giffords Lane have the S54. Outside of rush hours on weekdays, there's the S79 Local (no Limited/+SBS), in which buses every half hour (an 'S79A') would serve Giffords Lane along the S54 route so riders wouldn't be "assed out".

 

On weekends, however, the S79 Limited/+SBS would operate along Richmond Avenue, whereas the S79 Local would operate every 15 minutes, with every other bus operating via Giffords Lane (again, 'S79A') (Richmond Avenue service would be every half hour and Giffords Lane service would be every half hour).

 

Sounds like a good idea to me. The S54 would be too redundant if it were to operate along the full route south of Seaview Hospital outside of rush hours, which is what led to its demise on weekends in the first place. If my above plan were to happen, the S57, S74 and S79 would basically serve as interim replacements for the S54.

[checkmatechamp13]

But even if the S79 doesn't get many riders from the mall, doesn't it get riders along Hylan Blvd?

[LRG]

But even if the S79 doesn't get many riders from the mall, doesn't it get riders along Hylan Blvd?

 

I've only used the S79 once on a weekday afternoon (around 1:00) and it did get riders along Hylan, but most of those riders got on within the vicinity of New Dorp, where the New Dorp H.S., the strop malls and car dealerships are located. The bus was also heading to Brooklyn.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This morning I took the X2 in yet again... (I know I'm getting a little addicted to the idea of leaving later and still getting in at 10:00)... Anyway the X1 was screwed up so the lines at all of the stops were crazy. It wasn't even that long either because I had only waited for my X2 for 5 minutes and apparently two X1s hadn't come yet. (They run every 5 minutes or so during 09:00). Anyway, I was thinking how amazing the X1 is in terms of how the buses come one right after another or 4 or 5 at a time.

 

I was wondering when the following express bus lines were started?

 

X1

X2

X3

X4

X5

X7

X8

X9

X10A

X10B

X10C

X11

X12

X14

X15

X17C

X17J

X19A

X23

X24

X30

X31

X42

 

I know the X30 was created around 2006 or so and the X23 and X24 are pretty recent too...

[checkmatechamp13]

I remember reading an article that said that the first express bus started from the South Shore as a few trips per day in 1968. I'm assuming that was the X1.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I remember reading an article that said that the first express bus started from the South Shore as a few trips per day in 1968. I'm assuming that was the X1.

 

Wow, I'm telling you, when I tell people that I take the express bus they go, "Oh, so you take the express bus to the ferry??" LOLLOL

 

What's also interesting is the last X2 that the added in the morning. I'm sure their thinking was to take some of the load off of the X1, but people are addicted to that line like crack because of the frequency and also because it stops Downtown and heads to the West Side of Midtown. However, it's nice to see the last X2 getting some usage because service to Midtown East during that time can be quite annoying are difficult to get.

 

I personally would consider taking the X15 into the subway sometimes, but that line has too long of a wait and I know others have the same mindset, so they all run to the X1. What the should do is run some of the other lines later, this way they wouldn't have to run so many X1s. I'm surprised at how many folks take the (S53) to Hylan Blvd for express bus service when the X15 and X10 is there, but like I said both run with long headways and there aren't many seats when they arrive either compared to the X1 and X2.

[Santa Fe via Willow]

I say leave the 54's route alone. Anyway, don't some (54)s {& (57)s} end &/or start from Seaview in the morning &/or at other times? I'll have to factcheck that.

 

The x1 used to be the original x13.

 

The original x8 was a Port Richmond/Downtown Brooklyn express bus route. That's interesting, an X-bus that DIDN'T go into Manhattan AT ALL.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I say leave the 54's route alone. Anyway, don't some (54)s {& (57)s} end &/or start from Seaview in the morning &/or at other times? I'll have to factcheck that.

 

The x1 used to be the original x13.

 

The original x8 was a Port Richmond/Downtown Brooklyn express bus route. That's interesting, an X-bus that DIDN'T go into Manhattan AT ALL.

 

Yeah that is interesting, and even more interesting that they actually had a Downtown Brooklyn express bus route. Well back in the day Port Richmond was a great area and then the SI Mall opened up and the area fell on hard times and businesses left to the South Shore. :cry: