BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Oh come on now... You know how many express bus riders HATE riding the subway, and I've had quite a few them tell me this very bluntly during conversations.  They avoid the subways like the plague.  Now you and I don't like them, but will take them for short distances. I grew up riding the subways, but I think I would be more receptive to them if I wasn't constantly hit up for money just about every time that I ride. That wasn't such a problem back in the day.  I kid you not.  Now, the only times of late where that hasn't happened is when a cop was in my car and that isn't too often.  Otherwise you get the crazies, the people selling candy, the Showtime people or someone just outright begging, sometimes in various languages. That one always gets me. I like to see how bilingual they are, so if they speak a language that I do, I'll listen and see how well they speak in both languages. lol

HAHA that is all very true

[East New York]

17 hours ago, paulrivera said:

Anyone who normally takes the SIM23/SIM24 tomorrow morning:

Don't.

It ain't coming. So many Academy drivers are running out of hours out there it's not even funny.

Thank heavens the doesn't do split shifts.

They actually do have split shifts. One of my friends actually has an express split out of BP, and another out of CP. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

HAHA that is all very true

Speaking of the QM4, I had an idea. I've been having a long discussion with folks in my advocacy group about ways to improve ridership during off-peak periods. Saturdays it is dead in Forest Hills because of Shabbat. I proposed either having a few more stops on Queens Blvd to attract subway riders and/or extending it to 188th and 64th via the Horace Harding Expressway and having it terminate there. You could then have the QM5 skip Fresh Meadows or have it stay and provide more service to that area since you have those co-ops there.  Either way it needs more ridership. Thoughts?  I have to think some subway riders would use it if it made one or two more stops along Queens Blvd.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Lawrence St]

1 minute ago, East New York said:

They actually do have split shifts. One of my friends actually has an express split out of BP, and another out of CP. 

I dont mean to bug you, but how many buses other then 5477 got into a bad accident yesterday.

[East New York]

By the way, there was no time to prep for the storm as the actual accumulation was more than predicted. That’s why you didn’t see chains out like normal and by the time the forecast changed it was too late to put them on. 

There are quite a few buses that were damaged. Mainly artics, and many of them actually Novas. Lots of articulated sections are ripped or damaged. Yesterday was a complete transit disaster.

[Lawrence St]

7 minutes ago, East New York said:

By the way, there was no time to prep for the storm as the actual accumulation was more than predicted. That’s why you didn’t see chains out like normal and by the time the forecast changed it was too late to put them on. 

There are quite a few buses that were damaged. Mainly artics, and many of them actually Novas. Lots of articulated sections are ripped or damaged. Yesterday was a complete transit disaster.

Yes I know. I don't blame MTA for what happened (which is a first.) 

[Lil 57]

According to BusTime Limited service is back on, the  website isn't updated yet though.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Someone posted this from last night:

 

[Brillant93]

33 minutes ago, East New York said:

By the way, there was no time to prep for the storm as the actual accumulation was more than predicted. That’s why you didn’t see chains out like normal and by the time the forecast changed it was too late to put them on. 

There are quite a few buses that were damaged. Mainly artics, and many of them actually Novas. Lots of articulated sections are ripped or damaged. Yesterday was a complete transit disaster.

I’ve seen the pictures and my god how bad it was. They said they were equipped with all weathered tires but I don’t think they had much effect. On top of that would you say that nova artics don’t do well in the snow? 

[Cait Sith]

32 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

I’ve seen the pictures and my god how bad it was. They said they were equipped with all weathered tires but I don’t think they had much effect. On top of that would you say that nova artics don’t do well in the snow? 

Articulated buses in general are terrible in the snow. All-weather tires aren't effective when parts of the road turns into sheets of ice. Plus, the rain and the snow didn't help matters when it comes to traction.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Cait Sith

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Speaking of the QM4, I had an idea. I've been having a long discussion with folks in my advocacy group about ways to improve ridership during off-peak periods. Saturdays it is dead in Forest Hills because of Shabbat. I proposed either having a few more stops on Queens Blvd to attract subway riders and/or extending it to 188th and 64th via the Horace Harding Expressway and having it terminate there. You could then have the QM5 skip Fresh Meadows or have it stay and provide more service to that area since you have those co-ops there.  Either way it needs more ridership. Thoughts?  I have to think some subway riders would use it if it made one or two more stops along Queens Blvd.

I like the idea of extending it out to Fresh Meadows via HHE, since you have some nice areas there that are not particularly close to a subway 

[Jdog14]

30 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

I’ve seen the pictures and my god how bad it was. They said they were equipped with all weathered tires but I don’t think they had much effect. On top of that would you say that nova artics don’t do well in the snow? 

 

Artics in general don't do well in snow and are prone to jack-knifing. 

[Orion6025]

2882 is pretty decent. Some seats are stained but in general all look at least usable lmao.

it's got this strong smell to it though... i don't know how else to describe it besides that smell that old cruisers get. Maybe it comes from the felt padding.

As a busfan, 2882 is cool. I wish I was back on the Prevost though 😭

[Via Garibaldi 8]

18 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I like the idea of extending it out to Fresh Meadows via HHE, since you have some nice areas there that are not particularly close to a subway 

Supposedly they want service in that area (along the Horace Harding Expressway), and the QM4 ends in the middle of nowhere to be frank. I've taken a few times now and it just seems odd to end it there right by the expressway.  

Edited November 16, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[QM1to6Ave]

5 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Supposedly they want service in that area (along the Horace Harding Expressway), and the QM4 ends in the middle of nowhere to be frank. I've taken a few times now and it just seems odd to end it there right by the expressway.  

I agree, plus the locals that run along HHE are very unreliable if you need to transfer to them, so it would be nice to have a one-seat ride to that area

[paulrivera]

2 hours ago, East New York said:

They actually do have split shifts. One of my friends actually has an express split out of BP, and another out of CP. 

I should've put "generally" in my post.

2 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

5477's front is just completely destroyed...first new LFSA to be involved in a really bad accident.

And it was unrelated to the storm too.... Collided with a rushing fire truck of all things...

[aemoreira81]

3 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

5477's front is just completely destroyed...first new LFSA to be involved in a really bad accident.

I'm actually glad that we're not talking fatalities there. Good Lord!

As for last night, there was a real dispatching failure of dispatchers not knowing the area. If you follow me on Facebook, I was talking about my travel on the S93 last night. The bus departed CSI at 5:40 PM...and ran into trouble along Victory Boulevard, where nothing was moving with S61s, S62s, S66s, S93s, and even returning SIM3cs (delays were that bad) stuck on Victory because of two separate issues...one at Little Clove Road, and then at Todt Hill Road, all between Clove Road and Manor Road. This could be partially chalked up to bad dispatching as well. That S93 did not reach Bay Ridge until after 9 PM (I eventually walked from Manor to Little Clove Road, where I caught the last bus that had passed the mess to that point---where the driver rode the brake the entire way down the hill at 5 mph, and caught an S93 that had detoured). S52 buses were detouring all the way to Clove Road to avoid the icy Cebra Avenue, and I would not be surprised if the S74 and S78 remained on Bay Street to Water Street in Stapleton.

For westbound buses, the dispatcher should have had buses use Clove Road to Little Clove Road, continuing onto Windsor Road, and then use Reon Avenue to Manor Road (SIM3/34 buses would remain on Reon and Gannon and not turn up to Victory at Slosson), instead turning at Bradley Avenue and then following Bradley to Watchogue Road). For eastbound buses, the detour should have been Manor Road to Martling Avenue, Clove Road, and resume regular route at Victory and Clove (no Grymes Hill for the S66).

This also highlights the need for snow routes, especially in Staten Island Division and for northern Bronx routes.

Examples:

Bx9: snow route northbound only: via Kingsbridge Road, left Sedgwick, right at Bailey, left at 225 and regular.

Bx10: the snow route should be Riverdale Avenue. The Bx20 would operate in a reverse manner (which I wonder if it should be a permanent change)...operating to 239 Street, then reversing direction, operating along the HHP service road to Kappock Street, and terminating at Kappock and Netherland where it could turn around.

Bx16/Bx31---snow route (wesbtbound only): via 233 Street, right on Bronxwood, left at 236, right on White Plains, left on Nereid, left on Webster, right on 233, and back to regular route.

[JeremiahC99]

3 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

5477's front is just completely destroyed...first new LFSA to be involved in a really bad accident.

Also first Cuomo-schemed bus to get in a REALLY BAD ACCIDENT and first bus in general to suffer MAJOR DAMAGE since 7430 was involved in last years collision in Flushing Chinatown. According to the daily news, here is the damage to the front:

And you would think that these LFSA "Smart" buses would be able to withstand frontal collisions after claiming to exceed APTA's White Book crash worthiness requirements, but I guess not. Looks like the Smart bus name was a little bit exaggerated. Time to redo the crash-worthiness test APTA.

Edited November 17, 2018 by JeremiahC99

[Ultimategamer12c]

Any news on the 2019 XD60s ? I heard FB and Hale was getting them but some 4700s was gonna go to Hale to push out some Novas 

[Orion6025]

31 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

Also first Cuomo-schemed bus to get in a REALLY BAD ACCIDENT and first bus in general to suffer MAJOR DAMAGE since 7430 was involved in last years collision in Flushing Chinatown. According to the daily news, here is the damage to the front:

And you would think that these LFSA "Smart" buses would be able to withstand frontal collisions after claiming to exceed APTA's White Book crash worthiness requirements, but I guess not. Looks like the Smart bus name was a little bit exaggerated. Time to redo the crash-worthiness test APTA.

When you're hit by a firetruck moving at speed, it doesn't matter the bus model or the credentials, the bus is going to be heavily damaged

[Jdog14]

52 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

Also first Cuomo-schemed bus to get in a REALLY BAD ACCIDENT and first bus in general to suffer MAJOR DAMAGE since 7430 was involved in last years collision in Flushing Chinatown. According to the daily news, here is the damage to the front:

 

And you would think that these LFSA "Smart" buses would be able to withstand frontal collisions after claiming to exceed APTA's White Book crash worthiness requirements, but I guess not. Looks like the Smart bus name was a little bit exaggerated. Time to redo the crash-worthiness test APTA.

 

It's not like the bus is a tank. Fiberglass will tear away no matter what hits it. 

[Brillant93]

1 hour ago, Ultimategamer12c said:

Any news on the 2019 XD60s ? I heard FB and Hale was getting them but some 4700s was gonna go to Hale to push out some Novas 

Check the fleet and depots thread. Also do a search as well.

[checkmatechamp13]

14 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

There's no Limited service on Staten Island execpt for the S89 and S93, do these routes make local stops when Limited service is suspended?

 

11 hours ago, Orion6025 said:

On the website it says that no LTD service is running. earlier this morning did it mention specifically that the S89 and S93 would continue to run?

What they mean is that the limited-stop buses will make all of the corresponding local stops. They mentioned it multiple times on the announcements this morning "If you're a 98, you're doing a 48, if you're a 96 you're doing a 46, if you're an 84 you're doing a 74. The 93 is considered it's own separate route so you can skip stops". (Not sure why they mentioned the PM-only S84 during the AM rush unless they knew ahead of time they were planning on doing it the whole day. Honestly by the PM rush, service seemed to be back to normal). The S89 & S93 are always considered their own separate routes (so on "reduced weekday service" days when limited-stop service doesn't operate, the S89 & S93 still run, but from what I recall the S93 runs a reduced schedule).

This morning I saw some posts about the SIM4X being cancelled (which makes sense because if there's missing buses, it's better to have them missing from the SIM4X than the regular SIM4, because everyone along the route can use the regular SIM4, but only people at Marsh Avenue & Westport Street can use the SIM4X)

[MysteriousBtrain]

1 hour ago, JeremiahC99 said:

Also first Cuomo-schemed bus to get in a REALLY BAD ACCIDENT and first bus in general to suffer MAJOR DAMAGE since 7430 was involved in last years collision in Flushing Chinatown. According to the daily news, here is the damage to the front:

And you would think that these LFSA "Smart" buses would be able to withstand frontal collisions after claiming to exceed APTA's White Book crash worthiness requirements, but I guess not. Looks like the Smart bus name was a little bit exaggerated. Time to redo the crash-worthiness test APTA.

Im guessing you don't know how firetrucks work.

[trainfan22]

I thought 9505 was in a major accident? So wouldn't that bus be the first "Cuomo" bus to have a major accident? For some weird reason pics never leaked 9505 after its accident.