BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[aemoreira81]

So unnecessary.  The current system works just fine.  

 

But either choose the MTA Bus system or the NYCT system---create a unified network.

[Culver]

But either choose the MTA Bus system or the NYCT system---create a unified network.

Well they can't until the merger is 100% done. I'm sure they'll use the X prefix for all express routes at that point.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

But either choose the MTA Bus system or the NYCT system---create a unified network.

What's important is that people know which bus they need, which isn't an issue here.  The only thing that annoys me are the local bus riders pretending like they don't know the difference between an express bus and a local bus.  It wouldn't matter what sign they put up because they would still be trying to board and see if the B/O was foolish enough to let them on for free.  I love the ones that just close the door in their faces as they should be doing.  They know what bus they need, yet they come and try to hold us up anyway with BS.  Oh do you go to 34th street? The bus stop clearly says Drop-Off only.   If you want service like that, take a damn cab. Otherwise wait for the local bus.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Grand Concourse]

But either choose the MTA Bus system or the NYCT system---create a unified network.

For the SI ones, I think the M or D suffix is a good idea. For the Brooklyn ones, unnecessary. Now perhaps they should split the midtown and downtown segments? 

[Q43LTD]

For the SI ones, I think the M or D suffix is a good idea. For the Brooklyn ones, unnecessary. Now perhaps they should split the midtown and downtown segments?

Sounds like a good idea.

BM6-downtown variant of the BM1

BM7-downtown variant of the BM2

BM8-downtown variant of the BM3

BM9-downtown variant of the BM4

[Culver]

Random thought: make the express bus fare $5 so it's exactly double the local fare. Everything simpler when it's in increments of in this case $2.50. Next fare hike, $6 express, $3 everything else.

Sounds like a good idea.
BM6-downtown variant of the BM1
BM7-downtown variant of the BM2
BM8-downtown variant of the BM3
BM9-downtown variant of the BM4

I like it. Would certainly make it easier for people rushing to the bus in the morning to look at route number and see where bus goes.

[Q43LTD]

 

 

 

I like it. Would certainly make it easier for people rushing to the bus in the morning to look at route number and see where bus goes.

And it should expand to all boroughs.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

And it should expand to all boroughs.

For what purpose?  

 

Random thought: make the express bus fare $5 so it's exactly double the local fare. Everything simpler when it's in increments of in this case $2.50. Next fare hike, $6 express, $3 everything else.

 

 

I like it. Would certainly make it easier for people rushing to the bus in the morning to look at route number and see where bus goes.

Nope.  The cost of the express bus has NOTHING to do with the cost to run the local bus and therefore the cost should not be double. If that's the case then MetroNorth and the LIRR would be double the subway.  Completely foolish, since the express bus like MNRR and the LIRR are COMMUTER services and the subway and bus are city services.

 

Sounds like a good idea.

BM6-downtown variant of the BM1

BM7-downtown variant of the BM2

BM8-downtown variant of the BM3

BM9-downtown variant of the BM4

I don't see the point.  Why are people going to suddenly start reading the signage now because the bus number changed? That's the whole problem to begin with.  Nobody reads the damn signs.  Now my express bus was on detour today due to an event on Columbus Avenue.  The bus therefore stopped along Central Park West.  Some people waiting for the local bus see the bus stop (not near their bus stop either) and immediately come over and start asking a thousand questions.  Do you stop at Columbus Circle? Do you stop here? Do you stop there?  Meanwhile they were 3 short blocks from Columbus Circle so I couldn't understand why they would be asking such a stupid question other than to be obnoxious and see if he was going to take them.   The B/O just said "No I don't stop there as he should've done".  I walked to Columbus Circle in 5 minutes so I was baffled as to what was wrong with them that they could do the same, especially when they had plenty of energy to come over to the bus and ask obnoxious questions.

 

I have yet to hear of any express bus riders having difficultly figuring out where the bus is going so what exactly is supposed to be so confusing? It comes down to shear laziness.  The maps are right there at the bus stop.  Most people are simply too damn lazy to read them so no matter what bus number is listed it won't make a difference for those lazy people who don't need the express bus anyway.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8

[aemoreira81]

What's important is that people know which bus they need, which isn't an issue here.  The only thing that annoys me are the local bus riders pretending like they don't know the difference between an express bus and a local bus.  It wouldn't matter what sign they put up because they would still be trying to board and see if the B/O was foolish enough to let them on for free.  I love the ones that just close the door in their faces as they should be doing.  They know what bus they need, yet they come and try to hold us up anyway with BS.  Oh do you go to 34th street? The bus stop clearly says Drop-Off only.   If you want service like that, take a damn cab. Otherwise wait for the local bus.

 

In years past, I might have understood since the equipment was not very different. But today, except for rare circumstances, express buses do not run in local service, and vice versa (740 and 746 were the last non-MCIs with express-bus seating). I seriously wonder if it's time to change the colors on the nose (where painted) and sides of express buses only (where ad space is sold)---instead of a white base, I would have a blue base, and a white stripe, along with Express on the nose. (The local bus livery would remain the same, as would the SBS livery.)

 

BTW, as per Grand Concourse's idea, I'd modify BM1 to BM4 to include M and D suffixes as well (for non-All Stops trips).

Edited July 28, 2013 by aemoreira81

[Via Garibaldi 8]

In years past, I might have understood since the equipment was not very different. But today, except for rare circumstances, express buses do not run in local service, and vice versa (740 and 746 were the last non-MCIs with express-bus seating). I seriously wonder if it's time to change the colors on the nose (where painted) and sides of express buses only (where ad space is sold)---instead of a white base, I would have a blue base, and a white stripe, along with Express on the nose. (The local bus livery would remain the same, as would the SBS livery.)

 

BTW, as per Grand Concourse's idea, I'd modify BM1 to BM4 to include M and D suffixes as well (for non-All Stops trips).

My point is that it won't make a difference what you do because people are hell bent on being lazy.  These people know very well that it's an express bus.  They don't care.  They're too lazy to wait for the local bus so they will attempt to get on if the driver let's them.  That's why there is no point in changing anything. If you're proposing this for express bus riders, there is no need to because WE know where we're going!  

 

It's like the same people that ask if the local bus makes such and such stops no matter how big the damn sign is and what it says.  There is only so much that you can do and if people are too lazy to read then you can make all of the prefixes you want.  Then they get on the damn bus and ask what the fare is, so they obviously know that it isn't a local bus.

 

I still am trying to understand what the purpose of this is and who it's supposed to serve??

Edited July 28, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8

[ciboii22]

5117 with Hanover signs now..

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

5117 with Hanover signs now..

did I miss a post about 5116 or they just skipped 5116?

[ciboii22]

did I miss a post about 5116 or they just skipped 5116?

They skipped 5116 for now.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

They skipped 5116 for now.

oh ok

[Culver]

 

 

Nope.  The cost of the express bus has NOTHING to do with the cost to run the local bus and therefore the cost should not be double. If that's the case then MetroNorth and the LIRR would be double the subway.  Completely foolish, since the express bus like MNRR and the LIRR are COMMUTER services and the subway and bus are city services.

Oh for f**k's sake are you serious? OK, let's go over this again: you live in New York City. You use a MetroCard to pay. The express bus is a city service, whether you like to believe that or not. Filthy peasants like myself are allowed to use them, too. In fact, the BM1/2/3/4 all have "commuter" stops relatively close to Manhattan. The express buses are not a separate service that runs in a separate world from the peasant transit lines called the subways and local buses. They operate within the boundaries of NYC (yeah, I know there's the one that goes to Yonkers), they are Bus or NYCT Bus services. They run out of depots. They are not a magic, separate service that places you above others. Just once, ONCE, can you make an argument on sensible reasoning and not your Randian obsession with class? You know what else is a "commuter" service? The subway. And local buses. Us plebeians have jobs, too, and we use the subways and buses to get to them.

 

Here's a reasonable argument for why $5 wouldn't work: it would decrease revenues. As it was a random thought, I hope it doesn't get judged too harshly.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Culver

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I know they run in the city. The point was that they're commuter services and should be treated as such since they cost more to operate than the local bus or subway. This has NOTHING to with class so you can just drop that BS line. 

[NewFlyer 230]

I know they run in the city. The point was that they're commuter services and should be treated as such since they cost more to operate than the local bus or subway. This has NOTHING to with class so you can just drop that BS line.

No they are not commuter services. This is not New Jersey where buses travel long distances for more than an hour and a half. Most NYCT/MTA express routes trips are about an hour with some a little longer. The MNR and LIRR can be called commuter services.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Yo the s79 is astraight up a piece of shyt...

 

I regret riding it today...

 

I was on 4253 and it was crawling up the bridge at 25-30 mph...

rattling like crazy

 

what a select they call this

Edited July 29, 2013 by XcelsiorBoii4888

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No they are not commuter services. This is not New Jersey where buses travel long distances for more than an hour and a half. Most NYCT/MTA express routes trips are about an hour with some a little longer. The MNR and LIRR can be called commuter services.

The distance doesn't matter.  Express buses carry commuters TO AND FROM Manhattan from areas outside of the city and that's their main purpose.

 

"An express bus service (also known as commuter bus service) is a bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus services between the same two commuter points."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Express_bus_service

[Cait Sith]

Yo the s79 is astraight up a piece of shyt...

 

I regret riding it today...

 

I was on 4253 and it was crawling up the bridge at 25-30 mph...

rattling like crazy

 

what a select they call this

 

The diesels do the same, it is considered to be an incline.....

[Culver]

Yo the s79 is astraight up a piece of shyt...

 

I regret riding it today...

 

I was on 4253 and it was crawling up the bridge at 25-30 mph...

rattling like crazy

 

what a select they call this

Tell me about it. The ride on Narrows Road on those things is unbearable. I start to feel bad for the Yukon depot workers having to maintain those things after a ride down that street both ways.

[Culver]

The distance doesn't matter.  Express buses carry commuters TO AND FROM Manhattan from areas outside of the city and that's their main purpose.

 

"An express bus service (also known as commuter bus service) is a bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus services between the same two commuter points."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Express_bus_service

Yes. And they run within the city. Run by the . Run out of regular depots. And use MetroCard for payment. You're not special. I wish you knew how hilarious it is to read your brand of crazy.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yes. And they run within the city. Run by the . Run out of regular depots. And use MetroCard for payment. You're not special. I wish you knew how hilarious it is to read your brand of crazy.

That still doesn't mean they aren't commuter buses.  It doesn't matter who runs them.  Their primary purpose is to carry riders from the outerboroughs outside of the city borders to Manhattan. The Hudson Rail Link buses use Metrocards also and the LIRR and MNRR are run by the and they're still commuter services.  It has nothing to do with being special.  

 

Last I checked Yonkers was not within the city, nor is Lake Success.    The Bee Line BxM4C bus accepts MetroCards too and runs from Westchester, but I guess that's not a commuter bus either.  Smh

Edited July 29, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Culver]

That still doesn't mean they aren't commuter buses.  It doesn't matter who runs them.  Their primary purpose is to carry riders from the outerboroughs outside of the city borders to Manhattan. The Hudson Rail Link buses use Metrocards also and the LIRR and MNRR are run by the and they're still commuter services.  It has nothing to do with being special.  

 

Last I checked Yonkers was not within the city, nor is Lake Success.    The Bee Line BxM4C bus accepts MetroCards too and runs from Westchester, but I guess that's not a commuter bus either.  Smh

I acknowledged the BxM3. That still doesn't explain your hilarious "OMG IT'S COMMUTERZ" response. I mean, you could've just said "hey, well they'd make less money if they charged $5, and budget is tight" in response to my random thought and I would've been like "yeah that makes sense, just throwing it out there." You went straight to the "IT'S SPECIAL" line and then explaining to us how express buses are totally special and different from everything else in the world, which was trollifically funny.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I acknowledged the BxM3. That still doesn't explain your hilarious "OMG IT'S COMMUTERZ" response. I mean, you could've just said "hey, well they'd make less money if they charged $5, and budget is tight" in response to my random thought and I would've been like "yeah that makes sense, just throwing it out there." You went straight to the "IT'S SPECIAL" line and then explaining to us how express buses are totally special and different from everything else in the world, which was trollifically funny.

Who said anything about being special?  They cost more to run just like commuter trains (which I can't believe you seriously didn't know that) and they function the same way in which commuter trains do, which is to bring people who live OUTSIDE of Manhattan TO the BUSINESS CENTER.  Period.  This has nothing to do with class or any of that BS.  It's just a simple fact.  That's why all of them end either in Midtown or Downtown to bring people to the business centers and if you need to go elsewhere you use the subway or the local bus.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8