BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[checkmatechamp13]

1 hour ago, S78 via Hylan said:

For those who said the Bx46 is “useless”, I’m on it right now and it’s nearly standing-room only.

Shift change times it gets busy.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

On 11/14/2017 at 9:15 PM, checkmatechamp13 said:

The eastbound Q38 teleports from Junction & 57th to 99th & 60th.

59th Avenue is shown as running westbound instead of eastbound.

That is one part, but there are more issues with the new inset:

Route Issues (besides above)

Q11/21: Although the note is correct, the routing falls short of reaching Queens Boulevard

Q38: Northbound routing in Rego Park shows it going onto Wetherole Street instead of Queens Boulevard.

Q88: Northbound and portion of southbound routing incorrect  (west of Junction Boulevard); routing physically impossible.

QM10 & QM40 (Outbound): Routes take Woodhaven Boulevard to Queens Boulevard, not LIE to Queens Boulevard.

QM12 & QM42 (Inbound): Routes does not get onto the LIE at Queens Boulevard. It serves Hoffman Drive before going on the LIE.

UNKNOWN: There is no express route which turns from Queens Boulevard to LIE besides the QM12

 

Other Stuff

To/from Manhattan routes on the LIE: Lists QM5 twice. The last '5' though is for the BM5

QM10 & QM40: Routes start at 98 Place, not 98 Street

LIRR: Service has apparently been discontinued?

Phantom Railroad: Crosses along 57 Avenue in Elmhurst (it's probably my eyes). 

Non-stop portion on Queens Boulevard: Fails to mention QM4 and QM44

4 hours ago, S78 via Hylan said:

For those who said the Bx46 is “useless”, I’m on it right now and it’s nearly standing-room only.

3 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Shift change times it gets busy.

The 2:30 PM (?) bus from Hunts Point is crushloaded once it leaves the industrial area. If it isn't that bus, one of the buses around those times does.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

10 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Yeah, but what problem does your proposal solve? Who wants to get from 66th Street to 42nd Street via the West Side Highway or FDR Drive instead of a direct north-south route?

It was previously mentioned that the M50 and M66 serve a smaller population, and I made my suggestion with respect to that knowledge.

The latter is an underperformer, having made statistical headlines as the pokiest route in all the system, and the other caters to a specific population set better suited to utilizing AAR. ♿🍎

Just to clarify, the pairs I suggested were the M42 combining with the M50, and a separate combination of the M66 and M72, the bold being the dominant remnant of the merger.

The discarded routes would be limited stops and the superimposing routes would remain unchanged. Some crosstowns already coexist on the same and differing streets (M96/M106), so I don't see my suggestion as unusual.

 

The MTA is bleeding money by the billions. It's either drop underperforming buses or force riders to pay more for lackluster service. 🤗

[B35 via Church]

delete... more strike through crap.

Edited November 17, 2017 by B35 via Church

[B35 via Church]

 

On 11/14/2017 at 8:34 PM, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

Is this designation also fair for the M66?

Is it possible to make XTowns wraparound a wider section of block so they can serve another east-west road? 

Like having the M72 loop around both 72nd and 68th Streets, and the M42 cover both 42nd and 49th Streets, rendering the M50 and M66 pointless.

This suggestion would work best with alternate side parking removed on one side of each mentioned block, wraparound bus lanes and TSP.

Otherwise, my suggestion would overlook the issues on those roads that plague existing bus service on those blocks.

The very busy nature of Manhattan makes bus service non viable, especially for XTowns.

Nice tour bus routes you got planned there....

17 hours ago, FamousNYLover said:

Remember 49th St is major bus congested used by sightseeing tour buses and NY Waterway shuttle buses. Sometimes even Horse Carriage drivers use 49th and 50th Sts illegaly which they're not permitted by NYCDHM.

Yeah, making the utilization of the M50 even more of a time-waste....

14 hours ago, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

....By itself, my suggestion is regressive and god-awful.

....But so are the roads beneath some of the city's worst routes, and omitting solutions leaves only the problems, which will get worse on their own.

Two wrongs won't make a right in this case.....

8 hours ago, S78 via Hylan said:

For those who said the Bx46 is “useless”, I’m on it right now and it’s nearly standing-room only.

I've been on packed Bx46's myself & I'm still saying the route is useless; they should've never went through with the creation of that route.... Anomalous trips during the day (even if it's the same trip every day of the week) aren't indicative of typical usage....

2 hours ago, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

It was previously mentioned that the M50 and M66 serve a smaller population, and I made my suggestion with respect to that knowledge.

The latter is an underperformer, having made statistical headlines as the pokiest route in all the system, and the other caters to a specific population set better suited to utilizing AAR. ♿🍎

Just to clarify, the pairs I suggested were the M42 combining with the M50, and a separate combination of the M66 and M72, the bold being the dominant remnant of the merger.

The discarded routes would be limited stops and the superimposing routes would remain unchanged. Some crosstowns already coexist on the same and differing streets (M96/M106), so I don't see my suggestion as unusual.

* Combine the M42 with the M50 - with the dominant remnant being that of 42nd st. service? You're more or less proposing the opposite of what the M27 was.... No way is that going to be any more viable....

* Sure, the M66 & the M72 run relatively close to each other, but those two routes serve very different clienteles.... Not interchangeable at all... Good luck with merging those two routes...

* What you're suggesting is nothing like the M96/M106 though... The M106 is an unofficial branch of the M96, whereas you're talking about route consolidation...

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

So I must admit, from the YouTube vids, the Q52/Q53 might be a true BRT styled SBS. Island platforms, full HOV lanes, fancy buses. Everything just looks efficient and perfect, plus they are high speed routes so those B/Os be moving! Never heard those buses strain so much taking off because of the LBSS. Literally sounds like one long continuous gear between 1st and 2nd at some times. 

Anyone who checked out the route, how did the first “work week” go (Mon-Fri)? Friday seemed to be efficient based on a YouTube video onboard the Q52. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

So I must admit, from the YouTube vids, the Q52/Q53 might be a true BRT styled SBS. Island platforms, full HOV lanes, fancy buses. Everything just looks efficient and perfect, plus they are high speed routes so those B/Os be moving! Never heard those buses strain so much taking off because of the LBSS. Literally sounds like one long continuous gear between 1st and 2nd at some times. 

Anyone who checked out the route, how did the first “work week” go (Mon-Fri)? Friday seemed to be efficient based on a YouTube video onboard the Q52. 

BM5 talked about it in either the SBS thread or one of the numerous threads about Woodhaven Blvd and how it's going to hell. 

[Around the Horn]

Yeah the Q52/53 is actually real rapid transit. I went from the Woodhaven Blvd  station to Rockaway Park on the 53 in less than a half an hour...

The lines are also getting very good ridership... Later in the day at the Queens Center Mall, it took a good five minutes for the massive crowd on a 52 to get off at the last stop. The 53 that came a few minutes later was also SRO.

[IAlam]

Does anyone remember that rule about Unlimited cards on express buses? Wasn't it something like if you swipe to a bus or subway first then get on the express bus they only charge you $3.75

[Via Garibaldi 8]

13 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Does anyone remember that rule about Unlimited cards on express buses? Wasn't it something like if you swipe to a bus or subway first then get on the express bus they only charge you $3.75

That's correct per Cait Sith.  Just make sure that you have more than $3.75 on the card because if you don't, the transfer may not go through.  I've had instances where I've taken the subway using a Pay-Per-Ride up to Metro-North and then went to dip my card after getting off of the train only to find out that my transfer was not on my card when using it on the Hudson Rail Link Shuttle Bus, even though it should be, so as long as there is say $0.05 cents on the card you should be fine.  Supposedly a "glitch" on the  's end. I call it BS.  Sometimes I'm not sure of my schedule until the following week so on occasion I'll use pay-per-rides.  You shouldn't have to leave odd amounts on the card to get a transfer that you're entitled to, but this is how the  has it set up.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

31 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Does anyone remember that rule about Unlimited cards on express buses? Wasn't it something like if you swipe to a bus or subway first then get on the express bus they only charge you $3.75

Still in effect and only applies to Pay Per Ride.

 

When you swipe into the subway or local bus ($2.75) and then Xfer to an Express bus, the difference between local base fare and express bus fare ($6.50) is calculated into the Xfer.

 

Seniors can't use discounts during rush hour and their cards will indiscriminately be charged $6.50 as well. If you board the Express bus first, Xfers to the subway or local bus are free.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

21 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That's correct per Cait Sith.  Just make sure that you have more than $3.75 on the card because if you don't, the transfer may not go through.  I've had instances where I've taken the subway using a Pay-Per-Ride up to Metro-North and then went to dip my card after getting off of the train only to find out that my transfer was not on my card when using it on the Hudson Rail Link Shuttle Bus, even though it should be, so as long as there is say $0.05 cents on the card you should be fine.  Supposedly a "glitch" on the  's end. I call it BS.  Sometimes I'm not sure of my schedule until the following week so on occasion I'll use pay-per-rides.  You shouldn't have to leave odd amounts on the card to get a transfer that you're entitled to, but this is how the  has it set up.

No glitch. Mismatched math will cause any card to not pass. Tranferring from local to express with only $3.60 left over will elicit the same issue if it were a $2.75 ride but only $2.50 could be pulled.

 

If such a situation occurs, the user should add coins when prompted by the box to do so. The card will be emptied whether or not the fare is paid in full, so it's best you carry coins to complete it.

 

You can ask for a paper transfer in this instance.

On Express buses, gold dollars are a rider's best friend. Who would want to carry 28 quarters in their pocket anyway? :-/

[Via Garibaldi 8]

10 minutes ago, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

No glitch. Mismatched math will cause any card to not pass. Tranferring from local to express with only $3.60 left over will elicit the same issue if it were a $2.75 ride but only $2.50 could be pulled.

 

If such a situation occurs, the user should add coins when prompted by the box to do so. The card will be emptied whether or not the fare is paid in full, so it's best you carry coins to complete it.

 

You can ask for a paper transfer in this instance.

On Express buses, gold dollars are a rider's best friend. Who would want to carry 28 quarters in their pocket anyway? :-/

No it is a glitch. I have the app on my phone that gives me the exact amount that I need when I use pay-per-rides, so that I don't have odd amounts left over, so that means that when I swipe my card through the turnstile and it takes off the last $2.75, my card should have a transfer on it, but it doesn't.  I suspect that if he had exactly $3.75 left for the express bus, it may not give him that transfer.  That's what I'm getting at.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

1 minute ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No it is a glitch. I have the app on my phone that gives me the exact amount that I need when I use pay-per-rides, so that I don't have odd amounts left over, so that means that when I swipe my card through the turnstile and it takes off the last $2.75, my card should have a transfer on it, but it doesn't.  I suspect that if he had exactly $3.75 left for the express bus, it may not give him that transfer.  That's what I'm getting at.

If it takes the last $2.75, the callback balance can't exceed $2.75 or the transfer will fail. If you want the Xfer to work without a hitch, $6.50 must be on the card at the start of your trip.

Upon swiping $2.75 at a subway or local bus, you have the same two hours to board an express bus with that same MetroCard to get a transfer.

 

What app? Payment app or just an estimator? If you're not using EasyPay, the card is charged $2.75 at the turnstile, as opposed to the $2.62 (because EZP MC's pre-calculate bonuses before swipes).

Bonus calculation is fare X 1.05 (after minimum two ride refill). Use 1/x formula to calculate per ride cost with bonus prefactored in.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 minutes ago, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

If it takes the last $2.75, the callback balance can't exceed $2.75 or the transfer will fail. If you want the Xfer to work without a hitch, $6.50 must be on the card at the start of your trip.

Upon swiping $2.75 at a subway or local bus, you have the same two hours to board an express bus with that same MetroCard to get a transfer.

 

What app? Payment app or just an estimator? If you're not using EasyPay, the card is charged $2.75 at the turnstile, as opposed to the $2.62 (because EZP MC's pre-calculate bonuses before swipes).

Bonus calculation is fare X 1.05 (after minimum two ride refill). Use 1/x formula to calculate per ride cost with bonus prefactored in.

That's BS.  You shouldn't have to have extra on your card for your transfer if you have the exact amount. So in other words, I can only get my transfer if I have more than say $2.75 (e.g. $2.76 or $2.80) if that's what the fare is for that particular transaction.  The whole point of the Metrocard is to get your free transfer.  If they aren't giving it to you, then they're ripping you off, one by not giving you the transfer, and two by forcing you to keep odd amounts on your card that you likely will forget about or not be able to add to in order to get the exact amount off of it, so that goes back to the  and with so many people having odd amounts, it adds up to millions back in the  coffers.   I use the "Refill My Metrocard" app when I use Pay-Per-Rides since I normally get a weekly Express Bus Plus Metrocard and am not always sure of how much I should put on the card to make everything work for the week.  This is yet another reason why so many people opt for passes even when they don't need. Too much aggravation remembering all of these stupid rules.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Around the Horn]

3 hours ago, MassTransitHonchkrow said:

If it takes the last $2.75, the callback balance can't exceed $2.75 or the transfer will fail. If you want the Xfer to work without a hitch, $6.50 must be on the card at the start of your trip.

Upon swiping $2.75 at a subway or local bus, you have the same two hours to board an express bus with that same MetroCard to get a transfer.

Just for the record, if you have a Regular 30 Day Unlimited Ride card and have at least 3.75 in Pay per Ride on the card, you can get the transfer on express buses too. That's what VG8 is referring to.

I do this often, purchase the 30 day and put $20 in pay-per-ride funds on the card, so when the subway messes up I can take the X37 home. Usually, I'll take the subway to Bryant Park and wait for it there (setting up the transfer in the process).

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, Around the Horn said:

Just for the record, if you have a Regular 30 Day Unlimited Ride card and have at least 3.75 in Pay per Ride on the card, you can get the transfer on express buses too. That's what VG8 is referring to.

I do this often, purchase the 30 day and put $20 in pay-per-ride funds on the card, so when the subway messes up I can take the X37 home. Usually, I'll take the subway to Bryant Park and wait for it there (setting up the transfer in the process).

The question is though do you always have more than $3.75 and if you have exactly $3.75, does it still give you the transfer? It may give it to you since you have the 30 day on it, so it's technically not empty like it is with a Pay-Per-Ride.

[IAlam]

2 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Just for the record, if you have a Regular 30 Day Unlimited Ride card and have at least 3.75 in Pay per Ride on the card, you can get the transfer on express buses too. That's what VG8 is referring to.

I do this often, purchase the 30 day and put $20 in pay-per-ride funds on the card, so when the subway messes up I can take the X37 home. Usually, I'll take the subway to Bryant Park and wait for it there (setting up the transfer in the process).

Ah I'm glad this works thanks.

 

[checkmatechamp13]

2 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Just for the record, if you have a Regular 30 Day Unlimited Ride card and have at least 3.75 in Pay per Ride on the card, you can get the transfer on express buses too. That's what VG8 is referring to.

I do this often, purchase the 30 day and put $20 in pay-per-ride funds on the card, so when the subway messes up I can take the X37 home. Usually, I'll take the subway to Bryant Park and wait for it there (setting up the transfer in the process).

The thing that sucks is you have to take the local bus or subway first. It doesn't automatically credit you the first $2.75. If I'm not in a hurry and have a local unlimited I'll jump on any local bus up Richmond Avenue before taking the X17 but it usually ends up with me taking a bus a few minutes later than I would'be otherwise. Coming back I come from West Harlem, so the transfer gets added in without hassle. Oh well at least it's better than the setup before where local passes weren't accepted at all.

Edited November 21, 2017 by checkmatechamp13

[P3F]

3 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Just for the record, if you have a Regular 30 Day Unlimited Ride card and have at least 3.75 in Pay per Ride on the card, you can get the transfer on express buses too. That's what VG8 is referring to.

I do this often, purchase the 30 day and put $20 in pay-per-ride funds on the card, so when the subway messes up I can take the X37 home. Usually, I'll take the subway to Bryant Park and wait for it there (setting up the transfer in the process).

Does it need to be a transfer? Or can you just use an unlimited with $4 on it to get on an express bus, without transferring from something else?

[SevenEleven]

43 minutes ago, P3F said:

Does it need to be a transfer? Or can you just use an unlimited with $4 on it to get on an express bus, without transferring from something else?

Yes, it must be a xfer or the farebox is going to ask you for $6.50. 

[QM1to6Ave]

Special express bus schedules for Black Friday and MLK Day. First time I've seen them post the special schedules in such a professional manner ahead of time. Very unlike the MTA lol. 

 

http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/SpecialBusSchedules_11_2016.htm

 

 

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

10 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Special express bus schedules for Black Friday and MLK Day. First time I've seen them post the special schedules in such a professional manner ahead of time. Very unlike the MTA lol. 

 

http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/SpecialBusSchedules_11_2016.htm

 

 

 

These are old though, so they should've posted them early.

[QM1to6Ave]

1 minute ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

These are old though, so they should've posted them early.

 

Now you are asking for too much LOL

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, QM1to6Ave said:

 

Now you are asking for too much LOL

I always work on Martin Luther King Jr because it's an optional day for us and I always have clients e-mailing and I hate doing work at home.  The only plus about the schedule is that I can get that the BxM18 runs later in the morning, but everything else about it sucks, since there are not super express BxM1 buses and the 18 is only hourly. I use the BxM18 on Black Friday sometimes for quick trips to the city and it's nice that they're keeping it.  People who like to shop Downtown have that to take back to Riverdale instead schlepping on the subway to the BxM1 or BxM2.