BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[MHV9218]

2 hours ago, Matthewmp4 said:

I saw 6824 sitting over at Schenectady Av and Lefferts Av by the B12 stop on Monday morning with Fresh Pond Depot stickers.

Technically that's still an FP bus, was back there later in the week.

6804 and 6826 are registered to EN. FP still has those 9 remaining OGs.

[danielhg121]

10 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I was on the Q46 tonight and was watching the passenger count on the tracker, and it was pretty accurate (maybe off by 2 or 3 people). Are they using sensors for this system or something new?

Yea, they have sensors on top of the front and rear doors that make the count pretty accurate.

[Lawrence St]

Quote

AM/PM Rush Hours, Thursday, December 24, Monday to Thursday, December 28 - 31, Q4, Q5, Q17, Q27, Q36, Q43, Q46, Q83, and Q85 Limited buses are not running, use Local buses instead.

So do they not not even bother putting reasons for route suspensions anymore?

[paulrivera]

10 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

So do they not not even bother putting reasons for route suspensions anymore?

Operator availability, probably.

[Lawrence St]

Just now, paulrivera said:

Operator availability, probably.

See this is what I don't get, if they need operators, why are they delaying the dates for bus op exams? Just do the exam virtually and speed up the hiring process, it should not be this big of an issue.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

52 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

So do they not not even bother putting reasons for route suspensions anymore?

 

41 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

Operator availability, probably.

 

39 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

See this is what I don't get, if they need operators, why are they delaying the dates for bus op exams? Just do the exam virtually and speed up the hiring process, it should not be this big of an issue.

No, it's modified schedules. This is another example of the  's cost cutting. They likely looked at passenger crowds and said we can run fewer buses on these days. Aside from that though, there remains a serious driver issue. Tonight, I waited about an hour and twenty minutes for a BxM2. Six of us.... No 6:30pm bus. 7:30pm bus finally came at 7:36pm. We had all been at the stop before 6:30pm.  couldn't even confirm where the bus was. Then a dispatcher in my group said they are short three drivers today (I assume out of Yonkers Depot alone). Systemwide, who knows. That is still bad because service out of Yonkers Depot today is hourly only.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[SoSpectacular]

2 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

So do they not not even bother putting reasons for route suspensions anymore?

This week in all boroughs except Staten Island buses are running on a reduced weekday schedule- some buses that usually get limited service will not, depends on the line. The reduced weekday schedules are usually put into effect on MLK Day/Columbus Day/Black Friday and the holiday break for students. The rest of the major holidays get Sunday schedules.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

10 hours ago, SoSpectacular said:

This week in all boroughs except Staten Island buses are running on a reduced weekday schedule- some buses that usually get limited service will not, depends on the line. The reduced weekday schedules are usually put into effect on MLK Day/Columbus Day/Black Friday and the holiday break for students. The rest of the major holidays get Sunday schedules.

Actually that is not accurate. That does not apply to  Bus. The only day  Bus will see reduced service this week is Friday for New Year's Day. You're referring to the NYCT lines.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Ultimategamer12c]

#9510 is back from NJ and is currently at Zerega.

[SoSpectacular]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Actually that is not accurate. That does not apply to  Bus. The only day  Bus will see reduced service this week is Friday for New Year's Day. You're referring to the NYCT lines.

Yes, most will figure what I meant. Not sure how MTA Bus is doing things, but I can look up their schedules

 

[NewFlyer 230]

On 12/26/2020 at 3:55 PM, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Just checked the Queens Bus Map (Sept. 2020), and for whatever reason, they changed the M60 from the dark blue used by the SBS routes to orange. I guess this was done to differentiate it from the Q70, since that area was cluttered with the dark blue, but now it clashes with the Q33. 

https://new.mta.info/map/5371

They managed to make a slight error with the routing. They have the M60 turning off of the RFK bridge to 21st street and then run down Astoria Blvd when that routing is impossible unless bus operators are driving GTA style off the bridge lol. 
 

I don’t know why they couldn’t choose to make the M60 red that way it has its own unique color along with the rest of the routes in the LGA/ East Elmhurst area. 

Edited December 28, 2020 by NewFlyer 230

[Lawrence St]

46 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

They managed to make a slight error with the routing. They have the M60 turning off of the RFK bridge to 21st street and then run down Astoria Blvd when that routing is impossible unless bus operators are driving GTA style off the bridge lol. 
 

I don’t know why they couldn’t choose to make the M60 red that way it has its own unique color along with the rest of the routes in the LGA/ East Elmhurst area. 

That routing is actually correct, eastbound M60's are still detoured off Astoria Blvd since is still working on the station and blocking the bus stop.

[GojiMet86]

5 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

That routing is actually correct, eastbound M60's are still detoured off Astoria Blvd since is still working on the station and blocking the bus stop.

 

Technically, the M60 comes off at 29 Street and not 21 Street. I think they show the southbound coming off at 21 because on the map, the stop is on top of 29 Street, so drawing the southbound line on top would make it confusing.

The problem is that they also forgot to put the stop on the northbound side. They separated the stops at 82 Street but not at 29 Street.

 

[B35 via Church]

5 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

That routing is actually correct, eastbound M60's are still detoured off Astoria Blvd since is still working on the station and blocking the bus stop.

No it isn't actually correct; far from it..... What they have illustrated as far as that goes is dead wrong.... Eastbound M60's aren't turning off the bridge at 21st street. Stop it.

55 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

They managed to make a slight error with the routing. They have the M60 turning off of the RFK bridge to 21st street and then run down Astoria Blvd when that routing is impossible unless bus operators are driving GTA style off the bridge lol....

4 minutes ago, GojiMet86 said:

Technically, the M60 comes off at 29 Street and not 21 Street. I think they show the southbound coming off at 21 because on the map, the stop is on top of 29 Street, so drawing the southbound line on top would make it confusing.

The problem is that they also forgot to put the stop on the northbound side. They separated the stops at 82 Street but not at 29 Street.

Yeah, and the SBS stop is still colored blue, even though they changed the color of the M60 line on the map to orange

[Lawrence St]

22 minutes ago, GojiMet86 said:

 

Technically, the M60 comes off at 29 Street and not 21 Street. I think they show the southbound coming off at 21 because on the map, the stop is on top of 29 Street, so drawing the southbound line on top would make it confusing.

The problem is that they also forgot to put the stop on the northbound side. They separated the stops at 82 Street but not at 29 Street.

 

Oh you right, woops! Haven't had my coffee yet.

[Ultimategamer12c]

#9560 is at Zerega  as well from ENY Depot.

[Bay Ridge Express]

8 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

They managed to make a slight error with the routing. They have the M60 turning off of the RFK bridge to 21st street and then run down Astoria Blvd when that routing is impossible unless bus operators are driving GTA style off the bridge lol. 
 

I don’t know why they couldn’t choose to make the M60 red that way it has its own unique color along with the rest of the routes in the LGA/ East Elmhurst area. 

[paulrivera]

I’m trying to find the reduced weekday schedules on Google maps and they’re so hard to decipher because they also kept up the regular weekday schedules.

so now it looks like some of the buses run every couple of minutes, which obviously isn’t really true.

[checkmatechamp13]

16 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

I’m trying to find the reduced weekday schedules on Google maps and they’re so hard to decipher because they also kept up the regular weekday schedules.

so now it looks like some of the buses run every couple of minutes, which obviously isn’t really true.

Use Trip Planner. Go to "Service in the Area", pick a point along your route of interest, and then click on the route and direction.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 hours ago, paulrivera said:

I’m trying to find the reduced weekday schedules on Google maps and they’re so hard to decipher because they also kept up the regular weekday schedules.

so now it looks like some of the buses run every couple of minutes, which obviously isn’t really true.

I honestly don't recommend Google Maps. I had someone else complaining about trying to find the closest bus stop to where they live. Google Maps repeatedly directs them to a stop almost 20 minutes away walking or directs them to make an unnecessary transfer. I have put in a few trips myself just to see, and the directions really don't make sense.

 

8 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Use Trip Planner. Go to "Service in the Area", pick a point along your route of interest, and then click on the route and direction.

Yeah you always say that, but you forget to mention that you use the OLD Trip Planner, which is how you are able to pull up the entire schedule. The new version does not show the entire schedule, which is annoying. It only shows a few trips. You should post the link for him of the old version.

[QM1to6Ave]

I don't know if ridership really is as low as it usually is for Christmas week, since there is much less travel than usual. my buses and trains have been more full this week than usual (and include the usual non-mask wearing a**holes)

[checkmatechamp13]

28 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I don't know if ridership really is as low as it usually is for Christmas week, since there is much less travel than usual. my buses and trains have been more full this week than usual (and include the usual non-mask wearing a**holes)

The other thing I noticed is that the roads in general are a bit more crowded than expected. Maybe with all the quarantine restrictions, people are staying within NYC (but still traveling) rather than going away for the holidays.

@paulrivera  @Via Garibaldi 8 Here is the link: http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/ui_web/serviceinthearea/default.aspx

[QM1to6Ave]

23 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

The other thing I noticed is that the roads in general are a bit more crowded than expected. Maybe with all the quarantine restrictions, people are staying within NYC (but still traveling) rather than going away for the holidays.

@paulrivera  @Via Garibaldi 8 Here is the link: http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/ui_web/serviceinthearea/default.aspx

Yup--especislly PM rush, i was expecting to fly home, but there's the usual traffic! I mean, it's still covid level, so not like the pre-Christmas 2019 level traffic, but still! I want one benefit from covid in the form of quick commute time lol

[danielhg121]

I don't know if this has been asked before but why is there 1 MCI D4500CT in both Eastchester and Yonkers Depots (numbered #2247 and 2248)?  

[Via Garibaldi 8]

15 minutes ago, danielhg121 said:

I don't know if this has been asked before but why is there 1 MCI D4500CT in both Eastchester and Yonkers Depots (numbered #2247 and 2248)?  

Probably an error... 2247 and 2248 are both at Yonkers Depot and have been for some time now. I get one of them on occasion, so I know they're there.