BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Lawrence St]

22 hours ago, Calvin said:

I heard the MTA is having a rodeo down at Orchard Beach tomorrow. Although, I wonder if the forecast predicts heavy rain this weekend will cause it to not happen or pull it to another weekend where it's nice and cloudy. 

Does anyone know what time it starts?

[NewFlyer 230]

It was nice catching the conehead LFS’s back to back on the Q112 and Q20A. By this time next year Queens will be dominated LFS’s especially the coneheads. 
Any updates on the new XD40s for MTA Bus? 

Edited September 24, 2023 by NewFlyer 230

[Calvin]

15 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

It was nice catching the conehead LFS’s back to back on the Q112 and Q20A. By this time next year Queens will be dominated LFS’s especially the coneheads. 
Any sign of the New Flyers XD40s for MTA Bus? 

The New Flyers may be in presentation next year or soon in months, if a new unit out of the order decides to show up in the MTA Bus system. On the outside, I think that the old gens will be off of Baisley Park Depot by the holidays. 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Calvin

[SubBus]

On 6/4/2023 at 11:13 PM, SubBus said:

Some  shenanigans:  

Heading south on Remsen onto Ralph, I observed 5 N/B  buses between Lenox/Remsen and Snyder/Ralph.  Heading back north on Ralph, there were 4 S/B  and NIS buses....

This was all taking place on Saturday evening....

Well the weekend shenanigans on the continues.  This time a little better, as there was only 3 N/B  buses between Clarendon and Snyder....

Also spotted 3500 at Gateway Center Mall in Brooklyn...

[B35 via Church]

Rode the Q102 from the Astoria PJ's yesterday.... This is the second time now that I've recently taken that route, where we rode through Roosevelt Island (I got off at {the south side of} QBP)...

This is moot, being that the network's about to get revamped, but IDK what Q102's are (technically) supposed to do, as far as its terminal situation on that end of the route is concerned.... With Goldwater Hospital gone (and Cornell Tech being built the way it is), it's literally impossible for buses to terminate the way they used to.... So back in 2013/14 (whenever Goldwater closed for good) is when they had buses stopping dead at the Tram; that much I get.....  However, I'm noticing buses that I've been on (and checking buses on bustime from time to time) are riding through the Tram, riding through Roosevelt Island in & of itself, to take longer layovers on the Astoria end of the route....

Speaking of terminal scenarios, the terminal & layover situation on the Astoria end of the route (with the Q18, 19, 102, and 103) now is another mess... Buses no longer make that right on 1st, right on 26th, right on 2nd, and make that left to get back to 27th... Instead (Lol), they make a LEFT on 1st, to double back on that cul-de-sac around the projects, to get back to 27th.... Buses physically layover on 27th av (same side of the projects), taking up most of the traffic lane, and all of the (unwarranted) bike lane.... Managed to find a google screenshot.... This is what I'm talking about... It's just 2 buses in that screenshot, but when I was out there yesterday, there were 4 buses lined up behind each other.... The Q102 I got on, was the 2nd bus in line... I wasn't paying attention, but somehow it managed to weave its way b/w the buses in front & behind it, to get to the bus stop to pick us all up...

With the proposed network, they have the proposed Q18, 19, 39, and B62 running to the projects.... Looking at the proposed service levels for those 4 routes, it's easily set to be more proposed cumulative service on them, compared to that of the cumulative service on the current Q18, 19, 102, and 103.... In laymens, there would be an increase in BPH over there... Something's going to have to give.

 

[Calvin]

On 9/23/2023 at 12:12 PM, Lawrence St said:

Does anyone know what time it starts?

11 AM to around 3 PM from what I've heard yesterday. 

[NewFlyer 230]

6 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Rode the Q102 from the Astoria PJ's yesterday.... This is the second time now that I've recently taken that route, where we rode through Roosevelt Island (I got off at {the south side of} QBP)...

This is moot, being that the network's about to get revamped, but IDK what Q102's are (technically) supposed to do, as far as its terminal situation on that end of the route is concerned.... With Goldwater Hospital gone (and Cornell Tech being built the way it is), it's literally impossible for buses to terminate the way they used to.... So back in 2013/14 (whenever Goldwater closed for good) is when they had buses stopping dead at the Tram; that much I get.....  However, I'm noticing buses that I've been on (and checking buses on bustime from time to time) are riding through the Tram, riding through Roosevelt Island in & of itself, to take longer layovers on the Astoria end of the route....

Speaking of terminal scenarios, the terminal & layover situation on the Astoria end of the route (with the Q18, 19, 102, and 103) now is another mess... Buses no longer make that right on 1st, right on 26th, right on 2nd, and make that left to get back to 27th... Instead (Lol), they make a LEFT on 1st, to double back on that cul-de-sac around the projects, to get back to 27th.... Buses physically layover on 27th av (same side of the projects), taking up most of the traffic lane, and all of the (unwarranted) bike lane.... Managed to find a google screenshot.... This is what I'm talking about... It's just 2 buses in that screenshot, but when I was out there yesterday, there were 4 buses lined up behind each other.... The Q102 I got on, was the 2nd bus in line... I wasn't paying attention, but somehow it managed to weave its way b/w the buses in front & behind it, to get to the bus stop to pick us all up...

With the proposed network, they have the proposed Q18, 19, 39, and B62 running to the projects.... Looking at the proposed service levels for those 4 routes, it's easily set to be more proposed cumulative service on them, compared to that of the cumulative service on the current Q18, 19, 102, and 103.... In laymens, there would be an increase in BPH over there... Something's going to have to give.

 

The Q102 is a route that I believe should have been broken up and restructured a long time ago because ultimately it is attempting to serve many purposes but that very attempt seems to be a hinderance to the route. It’s attempting to be an accessible alternative to the  and , it’s a backup to the Q18 and Q19 from the Astoria PJ’s to the Astoria line and it connects Roosevelt Island to Queens Plaza. 
 

I personally believe what should service Roosevelt Island is a shuttle route from island to Queens Plaza without buses actually terminating on the island. It would loop around and lay over at Queens Plaza. I would not attempt to connect it to any other route like the MTA proposed in the last redesign plan with the Q104. In fact the current Q94 late night shuttle route is exactly how I’d route this shuttle but it would loop around the north part of the island like the Q102. I like the Q105’s proposed routing and I believe it would be more useful for both Astoria residents and those who need to get to Rikers depending on how long that place stays open.
 

I was surprised when I first discovered that those buses that terminate at the Astoria PJ’s loop around that little cul-de-sac but if the driver moves the bus into the right position they don’t have to worry about reversing to complete the turn. Over there along those blocks (1st street, 2nd street, etc they have been doing building and doing construction for a while which I know interfered with the buses ability to layover and even get down those blocks. 

[B35 via Church]

11 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The Q102 is a route that I believe should have been broken up and restructured a long time ago because ultimately it is attempting to serve many purposes but that very attempt seems to be a hinderance to the route. It’s attempting to be an accessible alternative to the  and , it’s a backup to the Q18 and Q19 from the Astoria PJ’s to the Astoria line and it connects Roosevelt Island to Queens Plaza. 
 

I personally believe what should service Roosevelt Island is a shuttle route from island to Queens Plaza without buses actually terminating on the island. It would loop around and lay over at Queens Plaza. I would not attempt to connect it to any other route like the MTA proposed in the last redesign plan with the Q104. In fact the current Q94 late night shuttle route is exactly how I’d route this shuttle but it would loop around the north part of the island like the Q102. I like the Q105’s proposed routing and I believe it would be more useful for both Astoria residents and those who need to get to Rikers depending on how long that place stays open.

I personally don't have a problem with the proposed Q104, as I do see folks in RI, at the very least, taking those 104's to get to commercial Broadway (including getting to commercial Steinway st.).... It's one of the main reasons why I suggested that very thing happen for the Q104 on these parts over a decade or so ago... While I don't necessarily disagree about dismantling the current Q102, I've never been wild about "M35"-ing Roosevelt Island service (meaning, relegating it to a shuttle b/w it & QBP).... I especially hated that age-old proposal on these transit forums way back in the day, of extending the Red Bus to QBP... But yeah, I find that there are times where literally nobody gets on a Roosevelt Island bound Q102 at QBP & there are times where Q102's are crushloaded leaving QBP.... That ridership pattern is too hit-or-miss for my liking....

I don't have too strong an opinion one way or the other about that proposed Q105, largely because I think the current Q100's importance in the network has waned..... One of the rare instances where the MTA's slowly ran a corridor's skip-stop service (Q100) into the ground, to actually bolster a corridor's local service (Q69)..... So taking the Rikers Island service off 21st & having it run on 31st instead is just *whatever* to me...

 

[Calvin]

Buses that are fare free so far like the B60 and Q4 are going green. Seen two photos from the transit group that's colors are like lime in the route and destination. 

[Q43LTD]

So who remembers when the alternated between the hospitals on Roosevelt Island? 

[NewFlyer 230]

11 hours ago, Q43LTD said:

So who remembers when the alternated between the hospitals on Roosevelt Island? 

I remember that service pattern. That lasted until late 2009/ early 2010 when the MTA decided to eliminate some closely spaced stops and have all buses travel north before going south to the tram. Plus it eliminated the confusion on whether or not the bus would go to Goldwater or Coler Hospital first.

[Q43LTD]

1 hour ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

I remember that service pattern. That lasted until late 2009/ early 2010 when the MTA decided to eliminate some closely spaced stops and have all buses travel north before going south to the tram. Plus it eliminated the confusion on whether or not the bus would go to Goldwater or Coler Hospital first.

I think it alternated terminating at Goldwater and Coler as well. Might have to check the archives. 

[N6 Limited]

On 9/25/2023 at 10:19 PM, Calvin said:

Buses that are fare free so far like the B60 and Q4 are going green. Seen two photos from the transit group that's colors are like lime in the route and destination. 

Has there been any early feedback on how the free routes are doing? 

[B35 via Church]

16 hours ago, Q43LTD said:

I think it alternated terminating at Goldwater and Coler as well. Might have to check the archives. 

Remember that like it was yesterday..... Yeah, while each trip served both hospitals, alternating trips terminated at one of the 2 hospitals.... From Queens, you either had the trips that panned southward toward Goldwater (to eventually end at Coler), or the trips that panned northward toward Coler (to eventually end at Goldwater)...

[Q43LTD]

4 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Remember that like it was yesterday..... Yeah, while each trip served both hospitals, alternating trips terminated at one of the 2 hospitals.... From Queens, you either had the trips that panned southward toward Goldwater (to eventually end at Coler), or the trips that panned northward toward Coler (to eventually end at Goldwater)...

The way the 102 is set up, it could easily be 2 routes. One from Roosevelt Island to Queens Plaza and Astoria to Queens Plaza. But, there's the proposed 104 and 105 routes. Is it just me, or is the trying to make Court Square more "lit" than Queens Plaza?

[trainfan22]

4836 is on the B82 SBS if anybody is interested.

[Calvin]

Baisley Park may not have any more old gens by next week. Only JFK will have most of them running with the exception of two that are at LGA with a big chunk of Next Gen Hybrids in-service. 

[B35 via Church]

10 hours ago, Q43LTD said:

The way the 102 is set up, it could easily be 2 routes. One from Roosevelt Island to Queens Plaza and Astoria to Queens Plaza. But, there's the proposed 104 and 105 routes. Is it just me, or is the trying to make Court Square more "lit" than Queens Plaza?

They got the proposed Q104 serving (both ends of) Roosevelt Island & the proposed Q105 serving 31st, but nothing going Roosevelt Island - QBP.... While I think that current rider pattern on the Q102 is hit or miss, I don't necessarily think that connection should be completely eradicated/ignored/discontinued.... Then the question/problem becomes one of, having 2 routes access Roosevelt Island....

As far as Court Sq. vs Queens Plaza, they're just trying to lessen the amt. of buses that terminate around Queens Plaza.... If it's anything that's being overserved (or, attempting to be made more lit), is Hunters Point Ferry.....

 

[B35 via Church]

The (official) fare free routes..... Are all the destination signs in green for those routes, or was the particular bus on the B60 I drove past coming home today an anomaly? It wasn't that half amber/half green shit you sometimes see on the (glitched/damaged/whatever the case is) front destination sign either.... It was more of a darker shade of green anyway & every single letter was that color....

[Kingsbridgeviewer382]

1 minute ago, B35 via Church said:

The (official) fare free routes..... Are all the destination signs in green for those routes, or was the particular bus on the B60 I drove past coming home today an anomaly? It wasn't that half amber/half green shit you sometimes see on the (glitched/damaged/whatever the case is) front destination sign either.... It was more of a darker shade of green anyway & every single letter was that color....

All the fare-free routes use green on the route displays.

[B35 via Church]

Just now, Kingsbridgeviewer382 said:

All the fare-free routes use green on the route displays.

Alright, thank you.

[Travis Mcnonald]

On 9/27/2023 at 4:51 PM, Calvin said:

Baisley Park may not have any more old gens by next week. Only JFK will have most of them running with the exception of two that are at LGA with a big chunk of Next Gen Hybrids in-service. 

It seems that your prediction came sooner than anticipated. As of 9/28, all remaining 2006-2007 Orion 7.501 OG Hybrids have been moved to JFK/FR Depot.

[Calvin]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxx3RvpLc8g/?img_index=1

If you must need to commute by bus from A to B, you should be careful of heavy pool of flood water. The rain is heavy compared to last week. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Calvin

[Travis Mcnonald]

On 9/23/2023 at 9:47 PM, NewFlyer 230 said:

It was nice catching the conehead LFS’s back to back on the Q112 and Q20A. By this time next year Queens will be dominated LFS’s especially the coneheads. 
Any updates on the new XD40s for MTA Bus? 

In a way, Queens has been dominated by LFS's for sometime now except for southeastern queens which is still largely Orion 7. The Jamaica area is the last O7 stronghold having 7 depots in the area that use them (including NICE's Mitchel Field from time to time on the n4/n4X).

[Travis Mcnonald]

Is there any updates on the whole "New Manhatta" project that was proposed last year? I'm legit curious to see if they are going to go ahead with it.