BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Future ENY OP]

Effective 8/31: Downtown Brooklyn bus lane in effect on Jay Street. From Livingston to Tillary. 7A-7P. 

[EastFlatbushLarry]

14 hours ago, Jdog14 said:

So with all this talk of social distancing, I recently got on a B7 to Midwood and every row had a person sitting in it blocking the other seat and I was forced to stand until someone got up.

 

Shit like this makes me wish I had a car. 

that's what's happening on most buses (40 footers specifically in my experience) these days re: the double seats. people will sit in the aisle seat & put their bag or spread into the window seat. honestly, i haven't seen it on artic routes, like the 53sbs, bx15, etc. definitely on the Q22 & Q35 for example 

[NBTA]

Is this new barrier really protective? I'm on a Bx3 that has it, and it really just looks like an attempt at plexiglass.

[NewFlyer 230]

13 hours ago, DaPr03 said:

This is the full context and photo with info taken by Trevor Logan Jr, looks like it is getting repaired there.

I’m surprised they are doing this for a bus that’s at retirement age, but hey if that means that they get to stick around a bit longer I’m all for it. These are personally my favorite of the Orion VII OG batches that the MTA ordered. The 2004s are my second favorite, but I always found them to be slow in comparison to the 2005 and the 06-07 units. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

12 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

I’m surprised they are doing this for a bus that’s at retirement age, but hey if that means that they get to stick around a bit longer I’m all for it. These are personally my favorite of the Orion VII OG batches that the MTA ordered. The 2004s are my second favorite, but I always found them to be slow in comparison to the 2005 and the 06-07 units. 

Well yeah, given the current economic situation, they may be forced to keep them longer than they want to, and at $500,000+ for each bus, doing this is still cheaper than buying new ones.

[trainfan22]

Some buses are showing "Fares Required" on their destination signs, I seen it on JAM and QV buses today..

 

 

 

[Calvin]

https://astoriapost.com/a-section-of-ditmars-boulevard-to-become-outdoor-dining-corridor-on-weekends?fbclid=IwAR0CPTDZZ8fOo7p8BwCAMv9f4tlvN-WVDmBN15QdR164jyTLzIyDFB8NZko

Expect changes on the Q69 routing as well as bus stops. 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Calvin
Outdoor dining to cover part of Ditmars Blvd on weekends

[RapidoNewLook]

26 minutes ago, trainfan22 said:

Some buses are showing "Fares Required" on their destination signs, I seen it on JAM and QV buses today..

 

 

 

I saw it on some UP and JG buses.

[B35 via Church]

2 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

Some buses are showing "Fares Required" on their destination signs, I seen it on JAM and QV buses today..

Yep.... Both B46 locals I took early this morning (coming & going), along with several other buses I saw along the way, had the Fare Required signage on them...

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Well yeah, given the current economic situation, they may be forced to keep them longer than they want to, and at $500,000+ for each bus, doing this is still cheaper than buying new ones.

Right - can't really afford to be buying too many buses willy-nilly right now...

5 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Effective 8/31: Downtown Brooklyn bus lane in effect on Jay Street. From Livingston to Tillary. 7A-7P. 

Although that stretch does get congested at times, IDK if it was all that necessary.... Whatever helps, I guess....

Edited August 28, 2020 by B35 via Church

[MTAbus677]

2 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

Yep.... Both B46 locals I took early this morning (coming & going), along with several other buses I saw along the way, had the "Fare Required" signage on them...

Maybe as a reminder that you have start paying in the front on local/limited buses on Monday?

[B35 via Church]

1 minute ago, MTAbus677 said:

Maybe as a reminder that you have start paying in the front on local/limited buses on Monday?

It's being pro-active; something like that, you don't just throw at riders (esp. ones that's been used to riding freely for just about half the year now) on the day of.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

Right - can't really afford to be buying too many buses willy-nilly right now...

That's actually one of the things they talked about in their doomsday plan. They may have to raid their capital budget. As was said above, some of the capital projects are already accounted for and thus will continue as planned, but everything else in the pipeline is up in the air. The State is broke and the Feds have not signaled anything as of yet in terms of any bailouts or additional funding.

Edited August 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[MTAbus677]

1 minute ago, B35 via Church said:

It's being pro-active; something like that, you don't just throw at riders (esp. ones that's been used to riding freely for just about half the year now) on the day of.....

Oh. Ok. Ridership on the bus has been pretty low.

[NBTA]

2 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

Some buses are showing "Fares Required" on their destination signs, I seen it on JAM and QV buses today..

 

 

 

I knew I wasn't blind, I saw one on the Bx1 that showed it for a second. Since when did we turn into NJT?

[B35 via Church]

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That's actually one of the things they talked about in their doomsday plan. They may to raid their capital budget. As was said above, some of the capital projects are already accounted for and thus will continue as planned, but everything else in the pipeline is up in the air. The State is broke and the Feds have not signaled anything as of yet in terms of any bailouts or additional funding.

I'm usually the resident pessimist, but for some odd reason, I'm leaning/guessing more on the yes side (to what extent, is another story).... How confident are you that they even will be bailed out?

Smaller nationwide public transit agencies OTOH are gonna be SOL....

3 minutes ago, MTAbus677 said:

Oh. Ok. Ridership on the bus has been pretty low.

A good chunk of overall/system-wide ridership I'm afraid is never coming back... The people that have to still rely on public buses better get used to longer waits for crowded buses).... The MTA may as well refrain from publicly disclosing the ridership stats in 2021 for this year's bus usage.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

I'm usually the resident pessimist, but for some odd reason, I'm leaning/guessing more on the yes side (to what extent, is another story).... How confident are you that they even will be bailed out?

Smaller nationwide public transit agencies OTOH are gonna be SOL.....

Well I've been talking with a few people, and also working with a few of the large advocacy groups like Riders Alliance and Transportation Alternatives. Those two groups will be going around soliciting support from elected officials. They already are.  I honestly don't know. I mean they just got 4 billion from the Feds not even five months ago and that's almost exhausted already, and now they're looking for $12 billion more. My guess they'll get something, but I don't know about $12 billion. Mind you, that would only get them through 2020-2021, and they are still talking about fare hikes AND toll hikes WITH that $12 billion in hand. It's crazy.

[NBTA]

Interesting pattern we have going in Kingsbridge.

Bx1/10: Normal

Bx7/20 Northbound: Via Broadway, turn right onto 230th Street, turn left onto Bailey Avenue, turn left onto 231st Street and resume regular route.

Bx9 Southbound: Via Broadway, Turn left onto Van Courtlandt Park South, Turn right onto Bailey Avenue, turn Left on 225th Street and resume regular route.

[QM1to6Ave]

I just got an email from the MTA's automated email listserve about front-door boarding resuming on the 31st. Interestingly, it says "Members of our EAGLE teams will be in the system to remind you about the change. " I wonder if this means they will not be giving out summonses for a while,  just written reminders to pay the fare, like when they started rolling out SBS at the very beginning. 

 

[B35 via Church]

35 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I just got an email from the MTA's automated email listserve about front-door boarding resuming on the 31st. Interestingly, it says "Members of our EAGLE teams will be in the system to remind you about the change."

I wonder if this means they will not be giving out summonses for a while,  just written reminders to pay the fare, like when they started rolling out SBS at the very beginning.

Lol... I think it means the exact opposite - They're going to be in the system & they'll be chomping at the bit to dole out summonses to those that are non-compliant; akin to a trigger happy cop....

Eagle team is known for busting inside (random) SBS buses like the dam kool-aid man-turned-drill sergeant & by no means am I expecting some kind of change of heart when it comes to that!

Basically, I think the word "remind" is being used VERY loosely there.

Edited August 28, 2020 by B35 via Church

[NewFlyer 230]

31 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I just got an email from the MTA's automated email listserve about front-door boarding resuming on the 31st. Interestingly, it says "Members of our EAGLE teams will be in the system to remind you about the change. " I wonder if this means they will not be giving out summonses for a while,  just written reminders to pay the fare, like when they started rolling out SBS at the very beginning. 

 

Yeah I wonder about this too. To me the word “remind” is probably their polite way of saying that “we are going to hand out tickets to any MF that doesn’t pay the fare” lol. 

I’m sure we will see people complaining on social media about the fare being enforced again. 

[Calvin]

Before the front door payment occurs on Monday, some local buses has a X shape covered with tape on the front doors meaning no one enters (elderly are the exception). 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Calvin
number change

[Iron Valiant]

1 hour ago, Calvin said:

Before the front door payment occurs on Monday, most local buses has a X shape covered with tape on the front doors meaning no one enters (elderly are the exception). 

I have only seen Flatbush buses with the tape X on the front doors.
Correction: Elderly & Disabled.

Edited August 29, 2020 by Snorunts

[Calvin]

10 minutes ago, Snorunts said:

Most buses? I’ve only seen Flatbush buses with the tape X on the doors.

Correction: Elderly & Disabled.

That's what I meant, made a change to that. Got it mixed up with the back door paper that's on the front doors. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Calvin

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, B35 via Church said:

Lol... I think it means the exact opposite - They're going to be in the system & they'll be chomping at the bit to dole out summonses to those that are non-compliant; akin to a trigger happy cop....

Eagle team is known for busting inside (random) SBS buses like the dam kool-aid man-turned-drill sergeant & by no means am I expecting some kind of change of heart when it comes to that!

Basically, I think the word "remind" is being used VERY loosely there.

 

1 hour ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

Yeah I wonder about this too. To me the word “remind” is probably their polite way of saying that “we are going to hand out tickets to any MF that doesn’t pay the fare” lol. 

I’m sure we will see people complaining on social media about the fare being enforced again. 

I took an SBS bus the other day - M34 at 8th and 34th. Not a single person went to the machine to pay. I said to myself, little do they know that the SBS lines were NOT free, save the S79.

[B35 via Church]

52 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I took an SBS bus the other day - M34 at 8th and 34th. Not a single person went to the machine to pay. I said to myself, little do they know that the SBS lines were NOT free, save the S79.

I'm a hop, skip, and a jump away from the B46/SBS.... Much of nobody around here's been thinking twice about using the TVM's; they may as well be street ornaments as far as they're concerned....

As simplistic as it sounds, the basic mindset is that "The bus is free".... The first week or so after this Monday, I just might refrain from using the bus (that very monday, specifically)... I don't want to be around the general public during the onset of any announcement/apprisal informing passengers that they now have to pay.... I do worry about the backlash that b/o's may/are going to get, as a result of it all.... Shooting the messenger, basically....