BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[FlashThunder]

Saw 4747 parked at Manhanttanville garage... I wonder why it was there

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Saw 4747 parked at Manhanttanville garage... I wonder why it was there

According to a user, operator training.

[Turbo19]

Better hope the MTA doesnt cut the bus line to BM levels before that begins to happen. Or else you'll see more people taking the train (was gonna write "ride the instead" but due the nature of certain individuals, I decided to retract the original statement).

= ?

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Since when were ZFs cheaper than Allisons?

[Cait Sith]

In other notes, the QM10 sucks....

Like 3 QM10's bunched yesterday (unless one of them had the wrong sign or something).

 

When you have a 3rd Avenue variant and a 6th Avenue variant along with L.I.E traffic, that's bound to happen.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

When you have a 3rd Avenue variant and a 6th Avenue variant along with L.I.E traffic, that's bound to happen.

3 buses though, both variants operating every 30 minutes. That must've been some traffic then.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 buses though, both variants operating every 30 minutes. That must've been some traffic then.

Heh, I've seen two BxM2's together and they generally run every 30 minutes.  Same thing with the BxM18... I've also seen a BxM1, BxM2 and BxM18 threesome along the Henry Hudson Parkway. 

Edited December 29, 2013 by Via Garibaldi 8

[E For Erica]

Someone made a hit & run on a B52 yesterday omw to the from my friend... B/O had to take the bus out of service and everything. Poor Orion VII Old Gen

Edited December 29, 2013 by E For Erica

[trainfan22]

Someone made a hit & run on a B52 yesterday omw to the from my friend... B/O had to take the bus out of service and everything. Poor Orion VII Old Gen

That happened to me on a B44 I rode a while back, was a NG hybrid, someone swiped the bus and kept on driving.

[B35 via Church]

1/2 .I have actually gone to the first stop at times and taken the BM5 end to end. The last time there was a traffic counter, 4 of them (which for the typical ridership is 80-100% of the ridership) came from Brooklyn, most of it though from the stop on Linden/Elderts. I'm guessing like 4 or 5, since the riders on that last trip always changes (but I usually take that last trip, so the driver knows me). Keep in mind the QM15 never showed up, went MIA, so yeah, a good portion probably came from QM15 riders (as a matter of fact, there was a family of 4 waiting for the QM15 along with me today, waiting since like 10 minutes before the 15 is scheduled to pass, though the 15 never passed, and the 5 comes 20 minutes afterwards. They took the BM5 because it came first. When the QM15, that's what's most typical. I was glad when the MTA added the stops in Queens, but when I learned of the stop selection, I was like wtf? Piktin Avenue never gets used (I'd rather put the stop on Liberty), and the 81 Road stop is a hit or a miss). Metropolitan Avenue was more or less a good choice (that's the only stop I've actually seen, besides 63 Drive, that I've seen people board the bus). 

 

The only stop I would add is a stop on 88 and Conduit (where that pedestrian bridge), where the north area has no other express bus but the BM5 to take, so it comes out as a better choice (I would be glad if they added an Alderton Street stop, as that stop also gets good ridership (and lets me walk less), but the current last pick-up at 63 Drive is fine with me.

 

3. I mean, I havent taken a QM15 trip to Manhattan past 2:33 PM (from my stop). If I take the 5/15, it's one of those trips between 12:00 PM and 2:40 PM towards the city. If they are indeed new riders (which I hope they are), then I don't mind.

 

4. Yeah, the BM5 is like a "limited-stop" express, since it only makes 4 of the 9 QM15 stops north of the Conduit on Woodhaven/Cross Bay. However, both are given too little time from their respective first pick-ups to the their last pick-ups. They always run like 10 minutes behind all the time (the BM5 has this problem on Saturdays only, as more time is given on Weekdays).

 

5. Me neither, If I see three Lefrak express, I would just assume it's one 11, one 10 (6 Ave), and another 10 (3 Ave), but the fact that there were three 10's  caught me off guard.

1/2/4: That's what I'm getting at... I don't want to see a situation where the BM5 becomes bastardized & starts making too many stops along Woodhaven, to the point where QM15 service would become lessened (since the two routes are being used interchangably), to the point where some type of funky combination would become apparent, essentially screwing the riderbases of both routes..... This is what I think they're heading towards, to be honest.... The problem as you know isn't so much w/ the QM15 (usage), it's with the BM5..... I don't doubt for a second that they deem the BM5 as wasteful.... Not to mention on top of that, they've lessened service on the BM's on saturdays (including the 5)....

 

5: And I bet each one of those 10's had about a handful of ppl. on it.....

Not for nothin, but the 11's I used to see when I used to take the 16 had quite a bit of ppl. on it..... But also, I've taken 11's that were relatively empty.... What I'm basically sayin here is that the 10's usage is consistent, and the 11's usage is hit or miss......

 

1. lol... I've been amazed at how many people don't have change on the express buses in Riverdale and in the Bronx. The BxM4 I was on the other day, I get on and take a seat and get settled...  Eventually this older white guy asks me if I had change and I said no, but that he could use my card in a little while.  He just motioned me off and went and sat back down. Not sure what he did since I got off before him.  Folks on the Riverdale buses can be extremely obnoxious... It's like okay you don't have change but do you need to hold up the whole damn bus and make a scene about it? Take their sweet time getting on the bus (usually middle aged "prima donnas") then they have to stand and think about which seat their rumps should be blessed by and so on blocking the whole damn aisle in the process so no one else can get a seat that's behind them. It's quite nauseating.  Then they go on and on about how they don't have change until someone offers to shut them up and dip if they have money on their card.  On a few occasions I've offered my card if asked. It's usually men that ask me.  They are far less dramatic, and knowing personally how horrendous getting a Metrocard in Riverdale can be (very few stores carry them in upstairs Riverdale) I've softened up my stance on letting folks use mine.  Even if you go down the hill in the Bronx along Broadway, there is no guarantee that you can get a Metrocard, since most of MVM's are usually broken or can't take credit cards or some other nonsense.  Really ridiculous.  238th only has one MVM and 242nd has three I believe but most of them generally can't take credit cards or are busted, so unless you're walking around with a decent amount of cash, good luck... 

1) I get miffed when I would get asked for change on an express bus... My attitude is, if you have the income to afford to take the express bus, you shouldn't have to ask for change on an express bus.... Makes you come across as a damn beggar.....

 

As far as letting ppl. use my MC, I've hardened my stance on that - when you have folks tryna swap your MC with theirs, or walking off the bus with your MC (to then tell the b/o, oh, this isn't the bus I need... That happened on a BM1 earlier this year (PM commute)), or being fickle with recompensing you.... The whole thing is hassling....

 

Heh, I've seen two BxM2's together and they generally run every 30 minutes.  Same thing with the BxM18... I've also seen a BxM1, BxM2 and BxM18 threesome along the Henry Hudson Parkway.  

I remember taking the BxM18 sometime ago out of Greenwich/Battery (1st stop), and by time we got to Canal st, the next BxM18 trip caught up to us..... That day, I got off by the dunkin donuts over by 230th - and needless to say, that 2nd bus was well into Riverdale by then....

 

Seeing the BxM1/2/18 running in unison.... I thought that was intentional; I don't know how many times I've experienced that (albeit within Riverdale) when I used to fan the Riverdale expresses after work.....

Edited December 29, 2013 by B35 via Church

[E For Erica]

That happened to me on a B44 I rode a while back, was a NG hybrid, someone swiped the bus and kept on driving.

Lol HA! Reckless Drivers be like "Take that you hybrid piece of shit" 

 

And I didn't see any B44 Selects when I was in Bk yesterday...

Edited December 29, 2013 by E For Erica

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5: And I bet each one of those 10's had about a handful of ppl. on it.....

Not for nothin, but the 11's I used to see when I used to take the 16 had quite a bit of ppl. on it..... But also, I've taken 11's that were relatively empty.... What I'm basically sayin here is that the 10's usage is consistent, and the 11's usage is hit or miss......

 

1) I get miffed when I would get asked for change on an express bus... My attitude is, if you have the income to afford to take the express bus, you shouldn't have to ask for change on an express bus.... Makes you come across as a damn beggar.....

 

As far as letting ppl. use my MC, I've hardened my stance on that - when you have folks tryna swap your MC with theirs, or walking off the bus with your MC (to then tell the b/o, oh, this isn't the bus I need... That happened on a BM1 earlier this year (PM commute)), or being fickle with recompensing you.... The whole thing is hassling....

 

I remember taking the BxM18 sometime ago out of Greenwich/Battery (1st stop), and by time we got to Canal st, the next BxM18 trip caught up to us..... That day, I got off by the dunkin donuts over by 230th - and needless to say, that 2nd bus was well into Riverdale by then....

 

Seeing the BxM1/2/18 running in unison.... I thought that was intentional; I don't know how many times I've experienced that (albeit within Riverdale) when I used to fan the Riverdale expresses after work.....

5. Yeah I've seen a few QM10's like that myself along 6th Avenue... Completely empty, which is pathetic because they only during rush hour.

 

1. I was reluctant about it on Staten Island, but having personally had extreme difficulty getting a Metrocard in Riverdale, I've become a bit more flexible for the reasons I mentioned before. The last time I tried getting a Metrocard along Broadway, I lost almost 20 - 30 minutes because of that problem.  Never again... On Staten Island, it's more about folks just not wanting to pay.  Folks in Riverdale always have the cash out.

 

I mean if the stores are out up the hill, you've got a long walk down the hill to Broadway and then you have to schlepp down to 230th and Broadway to get the express bus from 242nd or 238th then wait by those projects with all of the trash strewn about (or schlepp back up the hill if you want to wait for the express bus in more civilized and sanitary conditions).  That's a commute in and of itself.  If anything I'll just walk up to the BxM3 from there and get on at 246th and Broadway, another ride I wasn't fond of.  Too many damn stops for one and I didn't care for the crowd either.  

 

2.  As for the BxM1, BxM2 and BxM18, it seems like the rookies or the slow B/O's are all thrown on the BxM18. On the rare occasion you'll get a veteran that knows how to move and takes advantage of super express set up.  For a while you'd get nothing but fillers for certain trips on the BxM18 until they finally got some regulars. I guess they had fired a bunch of B/O's (Yonkers does that regularly, as too many of them just don't pan out.  Everything from dabbing in "this or that" (I'll leave it at that) to various other things).  

 

There are a few BxM2 and BxM18 trips where the buses can and do meet up and run together to Riverdale, but part of it also depends on how well the B/O's move.  We've been left in the dust by some BxM2's while on the BxM18 and that's including the stops the BxM2 makes along Madison... The BxM1 and BxM2 can also run together as the schedule allows for that too, but that also depends on how well the B/O's move, so yes it's the mix of the two.  I'm honestly looking forward to new pick because just about all of the BxM1 B/O's drive at a snail's pace in the morning unless you catch one of the Super Express buses that skip Spuyten Duyvil and the BxM18 drivers... Forget it... The morning B/O I've taken while nice is just God awful slow... Over an hour to get from Riverdale to 56th street... If you want Downtown forget it... You may be looking at close to two hours with some B/O's. The chick just doesn't know to move with traffic.  In fact she was so slow that I caught a later Super Express BxM1 that beat her to Midtown.  We were coming across 106th street from 5th to Lex and I see a BxM18 coming towards 5th and I said to myself, wait a minute that's her!???! We're talking about a difference of almost 30 minutes between when that BxM18 comes and when that BxM1 picks up in Riverdale.  I decided to track the bus on Bus Time and she was still stuck in traffic on the Upper East Side while we were already dropping off in Midtown.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

See why I don't like slow B/Os? I mean if you have full bus, you really shouldn't be all textbook about everything. Drive the bus and get there.

[Missabassie]

See why I don't like slow B/Os? I mean if you have full bus, you really shouldn't be all textbook about everything. Drive the bus and get there.

Damn right... Git'er Done!

[Fresh Pond]

See why I don't like slow B/Os? I mean if you have full bus, you really shouldn't be all textbook about everything. Drive the bus and get there.

And when the driver gets written up, then what...

[Turbo19]

Truthfully I could see as to why some don't see speed as a priority when it's an hourly wage. It doesn't justify it, but it's quite understandable viewing it at another angle.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

And when the driver gets written up, then what...

I know what he's saying... Most of the veterans know how to move, stay on time and also drive safely.  The rookies coming in can't do both... Drive like old ladies and are generally always late.  One of my buddies that I get drives safely at a good speed and always makes sure that he doesn't come early or miss anyone.  It can be done... It's just called doing the job the way that it should be.  Some guys are too busy daydreaming or looking at skirts.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

I know what he's saying... Most of the veterans know how to move, stay on time and also drive safely. The rookies coming in can't do both... Drive like old ladies and are generally always late. One of my buddies that I get drives safely at a good speed and always makes sure that he doesn't come early or miss anyone. It can be done... It's just called doing the job the way that it should be. Some guys are too busy daydreaming or looking at skirts.

Thank you.

Edited December 30, 2013 by XcelsiorBoii4888

[Calvin]

just wondering:

 

Is yonkers depot located in the bronx or upstate in westchester county?

[Orion VII 4 Life]

just wondering:

 

Is yonkers depot located in the bronx or upstate in westchester county?

In Westchester.

 

Not really upstate though lol

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

In Westchester.

 

Not really upstate though lol

Westchester and anything besides Long Island that isn't city limits is upstate. For them its a wierd term, as they have their own names (e.g: Capital District, Thousand Islands, Southern Tier, Adirondack Regions, etc.). Then the people in those areas refer to us as downstate (which is understandable, but not commonly used). Edited December 31, 2013 by Q23 Central Terminal

[Culver]

Was on the S53 today. It's a crying shame what Daimler did. Even with the SI abuse, a bunch of those 3Gs still in mint condition. They make the XD40s seem like taped-together shitboxes. Would've been nice to have 690 more of them, rather than the incompetently designed Novas (nice wheelbase, a**holes, completely destroyed interior spacing) or the rattly pieces of shit NFI pumps out without a care in the world now that they dominate the market.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Was on the S53 today. It's a crying shame what Daimler did. Even with the SI abuse, a bunch of those 3Gs still in mint condition. They make the XD40s seem like taped-together shitboxes. Would've been nice to have 690 more of them, rather than the incompetently designed Novas (nice wheelbase, a**holes, completely destroyed interior spacing) or the rattly pieces of shit NFI pumps out without a care in the world now that they dominate the market.

 

I must agree. Those 3Gs are in super solid condition. I ride them on the weekdays when I have school. Run solid, eats bumps, and once it gets up there it moves. 

[Missabassie]

NFI may be get'n too big for their britches....

Still wish we'd gotten LFRs instead of old school LFs...

Edited December 31, 2013 by Missabassi

[NewFlyer 230]

NFI may be get'n too big for their britches....

Still wish we'd gotten LFRs instead of old school LFs...

Yeah true I just can't understand how they aren't allow to run on NYC streets and the XD40's are basically a restyled version of the LFR. We should have at least gotten XN40's the CNG version. Maybe we will get them when the Orion VII CNG's retire.