BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[East New York]

41 minutes ago, BrooklynBus said:

Funny it was never mentioned before that SBS would be weekday only. Love the way the MTA always has surprises and never tells you the complete story. 

Yeah, I missed that memo..... 🧐 However, I did forget that it’s the only one that’s weekday only so it would make sense in MTA’s mind to keep it the same. Since I’ve never been on the B82 on the weekend it’s been out of sight and out of mind. 

Thank you all for the correction too. I totally forgot about that. 

Mine thing that I have noticed is that seeing as the current SBS buses are going to have less mileage on them, especially the ones on the B82, I definitely see them being swapped out In the future for other buses. 

Edited September 20, 2018 by East New York

[JeremiahC99]

11 hours ago, Calvin said:

B82 Select Bus Service is on its way as it's displayed at W.7 St/Kings Hwy. 

I just saw the same bus stop signs at Utica Avenue today. Eastbound signs say Spring Creek, and westbound bus stop signs probably said Bensonhurst.

[Future ENY OP]

Driver side wraps so far. (FB). 4239, 4240, 4594, 4619. 

Spotted 4239 and 40 sporting wraps this morning on the B49.  It seems that they are only putting the wraps on the NG’s only. 

[JeremiahC99]

12 hours ago, East New York said:

Yeah, I missed that memo..... 🧐 However, I did forget that it’s the only one that’s weekday only so it would make sense in MTA’s mind to keep it the same. Since I’ve never been on the B82 on the weekend it’s been out of sight and out of mind. 

Thank you all for the correction too. I totally forgot about that. 

Mine thing that I have noticed is that seeing as the current SBS buses are going to have less mileage on them, especially the ones on the B82, I definitely see them being swapped out In the future for other buses. 

Why would they keep it the same when Bx41 LTD service was also rush hours only, and was expanded to 7-days a week when it became an SBS route? Is every borough getting treated differently for SBS route implementations?

[Brillant93]

12 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

Why would they keep it the same when Bx41 LTD service was also rush hours only, and was expanded to 7-days a week when it became an SBS route? Is every borough getting treated differently for SBS route implementations?

I guess they figured the B82 doesn’t need it on the weekends but even still Brooklyn is seeing more growth as a bourough than any other. Whoever planned the schedule aren’t living in 2018.

[JeremiahC99]

14 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

I guess they figured the B82 doesn’t need it on the weekends but even still Brooklyn is seeing more growth as a bourough than any other. Whoever planned the schedule aren’t living in 2018.

I agree. At least they could’ve had weekend service running every 12 minutes, at the bare minimum, to see if that would build ridership.

[trife86]

2 hours ago, Elmhurst said:

Do bus operators activate those pre-recorded announcements or are they automatically played on a timer?

Should be GPS based.

[Around the Horn]

2 hours ago, Elmhurst said:

Do bus operators activate those pre-recorded announcements or are they automatically played on a timer?

It's GPS/BusTime integrated. When the bus says, "this stop is", its the same time that the BusTime prediction for the stop reaches 0 minutes.

[Lawrence St]

What's the point of having PM only LTD's in Staten Island? Isn't ridership more popular in the AM?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

45 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

What's the point of having PM only LTD's in Staten Island? Isn't ridership more popular in the AM?

Ridership is more concentrated in the PM. Lots of riders come off the boat at the same time, so there needs to be more buses per ferry connection.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

40 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Ridership is more concentrated in the PM. Lots of riders come off the boat at the same time, so there needs to be more buses per ferry connection.

And since most of them are Manhattan commuters it makes sense to just have LTD service instead of having all of them run local.

[BrooklynBus]

5 hours ago, Brillant93 said:

I guess they figured the B82 doesn’t need it on the weekends but even still Brooklyn is seeing more growth as a bourough than any other. Whoever planned the schedule aren’t living in 2018.

Yes, but how are they going to deactivate the machines on weekends? They would have to be able to do it remotely if that is even possible. Or will they just keep your money if you don't see a sign saying no weekend service or tell you to give the receipt to the local operator instead of paying a fare? 

Also, has anyone seen the new traffic congestion on the main road near Mr Sinai Hospital because of the unnecessary bus lanes, just as I predicted, with virtually no place to switch between the main road and service road making left or right turns very difficult for cars and trucks? 

[P3F]

9 minutes ago, BrooklynBus said:

Also, has anyone seen the new traffic congestion on the main road near Mr Sinai Hospital because of the unnecessary bus lanes, just as I predicted, with virtually no place to switch between the main road and service road making left or right turns very difficult for cars and trucks? 

Has there been any word on the bus lanes' hours of operation? So far they haven't put up signs indicating 7AM-7PM or 7AM-10AM + 4PM-7PM, or anything of the sort.

[JeremiahC99]

9 minutes ago, BrooklynBus said:

Yes, but how are they going to deactivate the machines on weekends? They would have to be able to do it remotely if that is even possible. Or will they just keep your money if you don't see a sign saying no weekend service or tell you to give the receipt to the local operator instead of paying a fare? 

This is why it’s more efficient to have the SBS run 7 days a week, like just about every SBS route that was implemented in the last few years. If you’re not going to run SBS on weekends, might as well not bother with SBS at all and expand the current Limited Stop service.

 

10 minutes ago, BrooklynBus said:

Also, has anyone seen the new traffic congestion on the main road near Mr Sinai Hospital because of the unnecessary bus lanes, just as I predicted, with virtually no place to switch between the main road and service road making left or right turns very difficult for cars and trucks? 

Do you think it’s complicated to build a slip lane anywhere along Kings Hwy? Also, when does the congestion by Mt. Sinai Hospital occur? Has it happened all day, even at 6:50 A.M.?

[Lawrence St]

3 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Ridership is more concentrated in the PM. Lots of riders come off the boat at the same time, so there needs to be more buses per ferry connection.

Ah, also, is it true that one Staten Island route is operated by a private company?

[Lawrence St]

Also, @East New York can you make a thread for the new SIM network because its getting difficult following all of these topics.

[MysteriousBtrain]

14 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Ah, also, is it true that one Staten Island route is operated by a private company?

Probably the College of Staten Island bus to St George.

[Around the Horn]

Holy shit the B82 is a disaster... I don't think I've been on a bus more packed.

Like there were standees wherever people could fit all the way from the front to the back and in both doorways... Hello artics!

[Brillant93]

8 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

Holy shit the B82 is a disaster... I don't think I've been on a bus more packed.

Like there were standees wherever people could fit all the way from the front to the back and in both doorways... Hello artics!

I take it everyday and its been very packed since school started back. Unfortunately it won't be artic until two years from now so we have to deal with standards until then. But also double parked cars and trucks disrupt service so often buses are slowed down so at major stops lots of people are waiting for it. Today I was waiting for the bus at kings hwy station on 16th street and two trucks were blocking traffic like it was nothing but as soon as they left like three 82 buses came bunched. A lot of fare beating happens as well though. 

[MysteriousBtrain]

12 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

I take it everyday and its been very packed since school started back. Unfortunately it won't be artic until two years from now so we have to deal with standards until then. But also double parked cars and trucks disrupt service so often buses are slowed down so at major stops lots of people are waiting for it. Today I was waiting for the bus at kings hwy station on 16th street and two trucks were blocking traffic like it was nothing but as soon as they left like three 82 buses came bunched. A lot of fare beating happens as well though. 

How is weekend service? Decent or sardines?

[P3F]

13 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

How is weekend service? Decent or sardines?

Fine unless the buses bunch.

[GreatOne2k]

2 hours ago, BrooklynBus said:

Yes, but how are they going to deactivate the machines on weekends? They would have to be able to do it remotely if that is even possible. Or will they just keep your money if you don't see a sign saying no weekend service or tell you to give the receipt to the local operator instead of paying a fare? 

Also, has anyone seen the new traffic congestion on the main road near Mr Sinai Hospital because of the unnecessary bus lanes, just as I predicted, with virtually no place to switch between the main road and service road making left or right turns very difficult for cars and trucks? 

Just like how other SBS routes have deactivated machines late nights (like the Bx12 and Bx41) "SBS not running use the local"

[Lawrence St]

2 minutes ago, GreatOne2k said:

Just like how other SBS routes have deactivated machines late nights (like the Bx12 and Bx41) "SBS not running use the local"

Since when? When I used the Bx12 Local I still see the SBS machines on.

[Brillant93]

40 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

How is weekend service? Decent or sardines?

Depends. Like more so between flatbush avenue and ralph it can dwindle but for either ends of the route it can be packed more so on the western end going to bensenhourt and coney island. Thats why I don't get why they're only doing sbs on weekdays. Midwood brooklyn is booming and a lot of people who don't feel like transferring to the B83 will want to shop at midwood once that Target opens next year. 

[WestFarms36]

17 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Since when? When I used the Bx12 Local I still see the SBS machines on.

The Machines are still on, they Just display "Bx12 +SBS+ not running, use the Bx12 Local." The machines also do not accept payments during those hours... and for the Quarters machine, its just like the Parking meter during off hours.