BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Lil 57]

Would SI ever get artics?

[Future ENY OP]

Just now, Lil 57 said:

How about Orion?

No more Orion... New Flyer replaced that about 10 Years ago.

[WestFarms36]

Just now, Lil 57 said:

Would SI ever get artics?

Staten Island isn't as dense as the other 4 boroughs in terms of the riding public, so it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

[JeremiahC99]

1 minute ago, WestFarms36 said:

Staten Island will be Nova territory only. MTA wants to Standardize the fleet for Maintanance reasons and to have a stable location for parts.

Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island: NovaBus *Stengel is NewFlyer

Brooklyn & MTA Bus: New Flyer

*MTA Bus is New Flyer by default.

So Eastchester will get 30 (lets make it 40 for service expansions) LFS as well? Also, since West Farms is a CNG depot, will they be a New Flyer depot instead of a NovaBus depot?

[WestFarms36]

2 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

So Eastchester will get 30 (lets make it 40 for service expansions) LFS as well? Also, since West Farms is a CNG depot, will they be a New Flyer depot instead of a NovaBus depot?

Eastchester is an MTA Bus depot, and MTA Bus is New Flyer by default, and depots with alternative fuel buses like West Farms, and any depot with Hybrid or Electric Buses will be New Flyer, as NovaBus isn't qualified for alternative fuel buses.

With the Electric buses now seeing Proterra now and BYD soon joining the game, it will also be possible to see each borough with diverse fleets.

Edited April 16, 2018 by WestFarms36

[JeremiahC99]

Just now, WestFarms36 said:

Eastchester is an MTA Bus depot, and MTA Bus is New Flyer by default, and depots with alternative fuel buses like West Farms, and any depot with Hybrid or Electric Buses will be New Flyer, as NovaBus isn't qualified for alternative fuel buses.

So I believe this is the plan:

• Manhattan, Bronx (except WF), Queens (except MTA Bus), Staten Island: NovaBus LFS and LFSA, XDE40 (possibly for MV and OF), XD60 (OH).
• Brooklyn, CS, and MTA Bus: New Flyer XD40, XN40, XD60, XN60, C40LF
• WF, JG, CP, SC: New Flyer XN40, XN60, C40LF

I believe these plans can change.

[WestFarms36]

4 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

So I believe this is the plan:

• Manhattan, Bronx (except WF), Queens (except MTA Bus), Staten Island: NovaBus LFS and LFSA, XDE40 (possibly for MV and OF), XD60 (OH).
• Brooklyn, CS, and MTA Bus: New Flyer XD40, XN40, XD60, XN60, C40LF
• WF, JG, CP, SC: New Flyer XN40, XN60, C40LF

I believe these plans can change.

Not like to ever change. It has to do with costs, and maintanance. A depot with 10 different types of buses would spend more money than a depot with 1 or 2 types of buses.

[JeremiahC99]

Just now, WestFarms36 said:

Not like to ever change. It has to do with costs, and maintanance. A depot with 10 different types of buses would spend more money than a depot with 1 or 2 types of buses.

Its more efficient to maintain one or two models that 10. Less money to spend, which can go to improving the bus and subway system. Yes there would be less variety on the routes, but from the maintenance perspective, it is better for everyone, so I believe everyone wins.

 

By the way, what is the future pan for the express bus fleet?

[Future ENY OP]

12 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

So I believe this is the plan:

• Manhattan, Bronx (except WF), Queens (except MTA Bus), Staten Island: NovaBus LFS and LFSA, XDE40 (possibly for MV and OF), XD60 (OH).
• Brooklyn, CS, and MTA Bus: New Flyer XD40, XN40, XD60, XN60, C40LF
• WF, JG, CP, SC: New Flyer XN40, XN60, C40LF

I believe these plans can change.

Brooklyn: XDE40's (Grand Avenue currently*) and East New York is possible.

[JeremiahC99]

Just now, Future ENY OP said:

Brooklyn: XDE40's (Grand Avenue currently*) and East New York is possible.

You may be right. There are 285 new XDE40 buses coming, with 10 assigned to GA for testing.  MV and OF may get a portion of that order since Harlem wants ZERO standard diesel buses in their neighborhoods, so with taken care of, we still a lot of buses left to assign.

 

What will replace the M15 SB articulated fleet at OF? Do you think that Harlem will accept new LFSA buses?

[WestFarms36]

4 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

You may be right. There are 285 new XDE40 buses coming, with 10 assigned to GA for testing.  MV and OF may get a portion of that order since Harlem wants ZERO standard diesel buses in their neighborhoods, so with taken care of, we still a lot of buses left to assign.

 

What will replace the M15 SB articulated fleet at OF? Do you think that Harlem will accept new LFSA buses?

Unfortunately Articulated Hybrid Buses aren't qualified for a Mass Order YET, the Older LFSA's would be forced to go elsewhere, and the 2016-2018 NovaBus LFSA SmartBus has a much more efficient and cleaner diesel engine than its older counterparts. But I would see in 5-10 years MCH having XDE60's assigned.

Edited April 16, 2018 by WestFarms36

[JeremiahC99]

Just now, WestFarms36 said:

Unfortunately Articulated Hybrid Buses aren't qualified for a Mass Order, the Older LFSA's would be forced to go elsewhere, and the 2016-2018 NovaBus LFSA SmartBus has a much more efficient and cleaner diesel engine than its older counterparts. But I would see in 5-10 years MCH having XDE60's assigned.

So a portion of the 2018 LFSA 5531-5602 order would go to OF, and the community would accept that?

[WestFarms36]

2 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

So a portion of the 2018 LFSA 5531-5602 order would go to OF, and the community would accept that?

The community has capped OF to 140 Buses, as long as MTA is not adding more buses and just swapping the old LFSA's out, I wouldn't see a problem with that.

[S78 via Hylan]

Bus routes I’ve ridden from end to end:

Bronx: Bx23, Bx55 (before being absorbed into the Bx15)

Brooklyn: B2, B39, B46 SBS, B54, B57, B64 (pre-June 2010)

Manhattan: M5 (before it was cut from South Ferry), M7, M12, M15 SBS, M96

Queens: Q10, Q28, Q55, Q58, Q85

Staten Island: S42, S44, S46, S48, S51, S52, S53, S55, S59, S61, S62, S76, S78, S79, S86, S91, S92, S93, S94, S96, S98

Edited April 16, 2018 by S78 via Hylan

[Cait Sith]

6 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

But the MTA always puts Staten Island as the bottom priority. The S79 SBS still lacks off-board payment.

That is not true.

2008, they got brand new MCI express buses, and was the first borough to get the Orion VII NG Hybrids. This continued through 2009, as they kept getting the newest ones.

2011, they got brand new Prevost express buses and local buses from Orion, Nova Bus & New Flyer(in which it became all Orion 7000s).
2012, they got brand new MCIs.
2015, they got brand new Prevost express buses.
2016, the whole borough got brand new Nova Bus LFSs to wipe out the Orion V fleet. They were also still getting Prevosts.

Present day, they are currently in the process of restructuring the entire Staten Island express bus network.

Bottom priority? I think not.....

Also, the S79-SBS lacks off-board payment because the ridership does not warrant off-board payment.

5 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

It gets kind of boring riding the only 3 types of buses on SI though.

This is largely irrelevant to operations. The island is like that for maintenance and logistics reasons.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Cait Sith

[checkmatechamp13]

31 minutes ago, S78 via Hylan said:

Bus routes I’ve ridden from end to end:

Bronx: Bx23

Brooklyn: B2, B39, B46 SBS, B54, B57, B64 (pre-June 2010)

Manhattan: M5 (before it was cut from South Ferry), M7, M12, M15 SBS, M96

Queens: Q10, Q28, Q55, Q58, Q85

Staten Island: S42, S44, S46, S48, S51, S52, S53, S55, S59, S61, S62, S76, S78, S79, S86, S91, S92, S93, S94, S96, S98

 

Trying to remember off-hand,

Queens: Q10

Staten Island: S42

Brooklyn: B82

On Staten Island, I've rode most routes in both directions (For example, I've rode the S44/94 to/from Yukon Avenue and to/from St. George plenty of times, but I don't recall ever riding it from end-to-end on one trip). If you want to count those cases, you can add the S46/96, S48, S52, S55, S56, S57, S59, S61, S62, S74, S78, S79, S93, and B1). The S79 & S93 I always use until the penultimate stop (I take the S79 to Macy's to transfer to the S44/59, and I take the S93 to Willow Road East and either walk or transfer to the S62)

17 minutes ago, Cait Sith said:

Also, the S79-SBS lacks off-board payment because the ridership does not warrant off-board payment.

 

More specifically, the ridership distribution doesn't warrant off-board payment. It's busier than the M34, but each individual stop (except for the terminal at 86th Street) doesn't have huge crowds.

[S78 via Hylan]

41 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Trying to remember off-hand,

Queens: Q10

Staten Island: S42

Brooklyn: B82

On Staten Island, I've rode most routes in both directions (For example, I've rode the S44/94 to/from Yukon Avenue and to/from St. George plenty of times, but I don't recall ever riding it from end-to-end on one trip). If you want to count those cases, you can add the S46/96, S48, S52, S55, S56, S57, S59, S61, S62, S74, S78, S79, S93, and B1). The S79 & S93 I always use until the penultimate stop (I take the S79 to Macy's to transfer to the S44/59, and I take the S93 to Willow Road East and either walk or transfer to the S62)

I give you props for sitting through that B82 ride. 

As for the S44/S94, the most recent ride I remember was sometime last year. My friend and I caught the 4:00 S94 from St. George and arrived at the mall at 4:50 on the dot.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Routes that I have taken from end to end include:

Bronx: Bx5, Bx6, Bx8, Bx11, Bx15, Bx17, Bx19, Bx21, Bx22, Bx27, Bx31, Bx32, Bx33, Bx34, Bx35, Bx36, Bx46

Brooklyn: B8, B11, B15, B16, B35 LTD, B37, B39, B46 Local and LTD, B54, B60, B61, B62, B63, B67, B68, B69, B70, B100

Queens: Q10 LTD, Q19, Q33 (post-LGA), Q35, Q49, Q50, Q52, Q64, Q67, Q70, Q88, 

Manhattan: M4 (from Fort Tryon Park), M5 (both pre-1/2018 and post-1/2018 routes), M7, M12, M20, M50, M86, M104 

 

I haven't included the Q48 and M60, because the term full route might differ from person to person. For those routes, was does the "full route" consist of in either direction? Or would the full route be the full loop?

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Future ENY OP]

Local routes I've ridden (end to end):

Brooklyn: B1, B2, B3, B6 (LTD), B8, B15, B17, B23 (2010), B35 (LTD/LCL), B41(LTD/LCL), B44(LCL/LTD/SBS), B46(LCL/LTD/SBS), B47, B48, B49, B54, B60, B61, B62, B63, B67, B68, B69, B78 (before the merger), B82, B103

Manhattan: M1-M7, M10, M14, 23, 34, 50, M101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 116

Queens: Q4, Q5, Q83, Q88, Q60,

Bronx: Bx1, Bx2, Bx6

Staten Island: S78, S79.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 hours ago, Cait Sith said:

That is not true.

2008, they got brand new MCI express buses, and was the first borough to get the Orion VII NG Hybrids. This continued through 2009, as they kept getting the newest ones.

2011, they got brand new Prevost express buses and local buses from Orion, Nova Bus & New Flyer(in which it became all Orion 7000s).
2012, they got brand new MCIs.
2015, they got brand new Prevost express buses.
2016, the whole borough got brand new Nova Bus LFSs to wipe out the Orion V fleet. They were also still getting Prevosts.

Present day, they are currently in the process of restructuring the entire Staten Island express bus network.

Bottom priority? I think not.....

Also, the S79-SBS lacks off-board payment because the ridership does not warrant off-board payment.

This is largely irrelevant to operations. The island is like that for maintenance and logistics reasons.

I will say that the Staten Island has the 's ear, so they've been pampered like no tomorrow of late. The big thing IMO would be another depot. 

[bwwnyc123]

Plus Staten Island has the hardest commute to and from Manhattan.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, bwwnyc123 said:

Plus Staten Island has the hardest commute to and from Manhattan.

I don't agree with that.  Riverdale, parts of Queens and parts of the Bronx would like to have a word with you.

[B35 via Church]

2 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

I haven't included the Q48 and M60, because the term full route might differ from person to person. For those routes, was does the "full route" consist of in either direction? Or would the full route be the full loop?

The full loop.....

There have been times where I've been kicked off the Q48 inside the airport (at MAT)... I didn't count that as riding the full route, so over time, I kept trying to ride from Flushing, through the airport, and back to Flushing..... The first time I done it, way back when, it was a sense of relief..... Anyway, the easiest of those types of routes to ride IMO are the M60, the B74 (both, due to sheer passenger activity; the b/o isn't likely to remember you anyway), and the M35......

The Q72 is tricky; but I eventually got around to doing it a couple yrs. back (meaning, from QB, through LGA, and back to QB on the same fare)... I have yet to figure it out, but it seems like buses for the most part either [go OOS at terminal B & DH back to the depot], or [go OOS at terminal B, DH to & go back in service at terminal C, then leave the airport to proceed towards 94th st]..... For the former, this would mean that buses DH from the depot, start picking up at terminal B, and proceeding to picking up at the other terminals before going on to serve 94th......

The Bx18's terminal in Morris Hgts. has changed; buses end at River Park Towers instead of down there where Sedgwick meets Undercliff.... When it ended at Sedgwick/Undercliff, riding from the Concourse, up through Morris Hgts. & back to the concourse was hit or miss; as some b/o's would take a layover at Sedgwick/Undercliff....

Some routes that aren't loops that I've done the round trip on one fare on, was the Bx29, Bx33, & the Bx6..... There was even one time I rode the Bx11 to W. farms rd & the b/o immediately picked up pax. for a trip back to GWB before everyone got off the bus at W. Farms.... So as a 'fanner, I took advantage of this.... She came in as an 11 and left as a 35.... That day, I was gonna xfer over for the Bx27, but I said f*** it & said to myself, let's see how this plays out (as in, I didn't know she was going to leave as a 35).... Lol....

Albeit not an MTA route, albeit under different circumstances, I also did this on the BL-7 (an artic route, for those that may not know) - got on in Yonkers, rode to New Roc', and rode back to Yonkers on the same fare... Apparently, the b/o never checked for pax & I had dozed off.... I woke up as the driver was leaving the transit center & proceeded picking up pax. at North/Huguenot... When the first passenger boarded, again, a sense of relief

--------------------------

Anyway, yesterday, I rode the full B32 (during this ride, I saw that Electric bus #0018 heading in the other direction; towards WBP), Q64, Q16. Q28, Q12, and the Q30.... None of this was planned btw.... More walking than I would have like to have done (from Ft. Totten to Bay Terrace library) & from (Glenwood/Pembroke to LNP/Nassau blvd), but whatever....

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by B35 via Church

[bwwnyc123]

Yes because Staten Island is much a lot further that why they have Express buses and Ferry.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, bwwnyc123 said:

Yes because Staten Island is much a lot further that why they have Express buses and Ferry.

So is Riverdale Northeast Queens and parts of the Northeast Bronx. That's why we have express buses and Metro-North.