BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Cait Sith]

12 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

4424 makes a weird screeching/wirrling sound, it's on the B41 rn

 

11 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Lack of maintenance... I've heard that sound on artics along 3rd Avenue too. Was crossing the street one night at 86th and 3rd and that sound came about. It was so quiet out so it was a surprise to hear it.

Screeching sounds mostly involves the fan belts I believe. It could happen at any time, despite maintenance. It's happened at depots with supposedly the best maintenance. Bumps, potholes and such can cause that to happen.

11 hours ago, Lex said:

If that bus was at Gun Hill until recently, I'd hardly be surprised.

That is extremely irrelevant......

 

1 hour ago, WestFarms36 said:

The issue really falls only at Gun Hill Depot. In the case of West Farms, they've improved. The buses are clean and everything there is basically in check. Kingsbridge is a depot I am beginning to question, and I am afraid they could follow Gun Hill's footsteps.

I wouldn't go that far.....they did get better...but not by much.

[checkmatechamp13]

4 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

YES MY GOODNESS, mann this has been going on since I used to go to high school right near that stop. The reason for that bullshit everyday is because S79 operators let the bus get completely full at 86st...they clearly know 92nd street is another MAJOR transfer point yet they go max capacity at 4th ave...then when people walk to the bus when it's stuck at the light they said "there's another one behind". Well when EVERY driver is doing that...when is another one gonna be empty? 

The solution isn't a scheduling thing...there should be a dispatcher there not allowing buses to get full at 86st, and to allow for another 8-10 people to board at 92nd.

People at 86st will GUARANTEED get on a bus, 92nd is not guaranteed...I used to wait 25-45 mins during rush hr just to get a bus, letting 3-4 S79s bypass. 

Some people (even myself) would just hop on the S93 and NOT PAY, just to get across the bridge because they know the S79 would empty up at Fingerboard and Hylan, in which they'll then use the MetroCard so they can still have their transfer. 

No, the solution is to increase the amount of capacity across the bridge by adding the right amount of service (which is part of what that pilot program is with adding service to the S93). At least people can get across the bridge in that case and make their transfers in an area where they're more likely to get a bus.

[DetSMART45]

7 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

The S79 SBS needs artics. But I know that won't be happening anytime soon.

Another major stop (on school days) is Hylan/Ebbitts (especially towards Brooklyn). People would walk down to Guyon just to get a not-packed S79 going towards Brooklyn. You could wait 30 minutes until a S79 actually stops there and you can get on. (I wouldn't be surprised if some people took the S78 to the S53/93 to get to Brooklyn since there's always a ton of S78 school trippers from the south shore going towards the Ferry at that time).

Still amazes me for how long the MTA has touted "faster service" and "all-door boarding due to prepay" (by using artics) on its SBS routes that the S79 does NOT use artics. Even if you don't have the prepay on SI, all SBS routes should use artics as its part of the basis of the service itself. It is utterly STUPID for a cross-island to mainland route (a subway feeder route at that) not to be using artics. Let alone how other SI peak routes don't use them either to/from the ferry.

Edited June 10, 2019 by DetSMART45

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

4 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

No, the solution is to increase the amount of capacity across the bridge by adding the right amount of service (which is part of what that pilot program is with adding service to the S93). At least people can get across the bridge in that case and make their transfers in an area where they're more likely to get a bus.

The thing is no one wants to use the S93 because it doesn't give a third transfer. People are using coming from either the train or another bus before they catch the S79 in Brooklyn, some people after the S79 take the S52, S78. The rest is mainly people that live along the S79. S93 cannot help regular S79 riders, especially if they wanna use that third transfer. 

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

1 minute ago, DetSMART45 said:

Still amazes me for how long the MTA has touted "faster service" and "all-door boarding due to prepay" (by using artics) on its SBS routes that the S79 does NOT use artics. Even if you don't have the prepay on SI, all SBS routes should use artics asits part of the basis of the service itself. It is utterly STUPID for a cross-island to mainland route (a subway feeder route at that) not to be using artics.

I think its more stupid the fact that their isn't all door boarding on the S79. Whatever reason they said it doesn't need "oh schedule isn't as frequent as other SBS" is bullshit. The S79 dwell times are normally 2-3 at each stop getting on, and 86st is usually 3-4 mins. 

The thing with artics with the MTA is the fact that they like to cut service with them. I'd rather my frequency for the S79 than artics. HOWEVER, I believe their should be a fleet of 20% artics for rush hours, because its ridiculous. 

[DetSMART45]

Just now, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

I think its more stupid the fact that their isn't all door boarding on the S79. Whatever reason they said it doesn't need "oh schedule isn't as frequent as other SBS" is bullshit. The S79 dwell times are normally 2-3 at each stop getting on, and 86st is usually 3-4 mins. 

The thing with artics with the MTA is the fact that they like to cut service with them. I'd rather my frequency for the S79 than artics. HOWEVER, I believe their should be a fleet of 20% artics for rush hours, because its ridiculous. 

The only reason to cut frequency when putting artics in should be based on not enough asses in seats per trip, not the standard "reasoning" of 1 artic = 1.5 40-fters. DDOT inserts artics on the busiest routes (only 10 to go around right now) weekdays -- throughout the day, not just at Peak -- while keeping the same headways. It does make sense: You might not have a complete load with standees on every trip, but you're helping even-out the loads so that all of the 40-fters don't become sardine cans.

Now I know that MTA doesn't follow that idea, but has to (idiotically) do an "all or nothing" approach in using artics. But any SBS route that doesn't use artics must not really completely qualify for SBS service (*ahem* B82).

On SI, even if you had artics inserted on the S79, you wouldn't need to wrap them, so that they could be rotated onto other Peak routes to relieve overcrowding.

Contrary to the MTA's belief, customers do NOT pay attention to the wonderful livery difference between an SBS and a local bus. (I see it every day when a SMART limited-stop "FAST"-branded/wrapped bus bypasses a local stop and people there do the "WTF" look and hands in the air gesture.)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 hours ago, WestFarms36 said:

The issue really falls only at Gun Hill Depot. In the case of West Farms, they've improved. The buses are clean and everything there is basically in check. Kingsbridge is a depot I am beginning to question, and I am afraid they could follow Gun Hill's footsteps.

Beginning to question... lol I only ride the Bx10 and Bx1 with any regularity and that’s once in a blue moon. With me moving to another place in Riverdale, the Bx1 will be less used, but the times that I have used it just to get to 231st to refill, the buses were so run down and filthy. 

[Lawrence St]

7 hours ago, Missabassie said:

That moment I'm on the M101 @ 125th & Lex, driver wisely doesn't open the center/rear doors (since no one was exiting) a whole line of people waiting to jump in thru those doors, one SOB even had the nerve to knock like I was s'posed to open it for them.

Happens way to often.

[Future ENY OP]

On 6/8/2019 at 12:16 AM, Missabassie said:

Speaking of that ''Please pay the fare'' advert, I've been noticing a helluva lot more people not paying. These folks just brazenly walk past the B/O, not a word.

City's gone to da dogs I tell yaz....

 

Wait until undercover cops patrol the buses. (Once actual resources are allocated)

[DetSMART45]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Wait until undercover cops patrol the buses. (Once actual resources are allocated)

Should be happening right now given all of the sudden attention thrown onto farebeating by Byford. But then again, deploying cops -- with their hands still tied by the Mayor -- to the subway stations to stand around and not really do any collaring isn't a "full court press" the situation requires, either.

Part of the turn-around plan post-bankruptcy for DDOT was creating a transit division of the police, and that included undercovers, but those transit cops (as well as precinct patrols) actually followed the bus along the route, and coordinated a "surprise" traffic stop/make a sweep of the bus. Very obvious presence created by that program showed the bus customers that things were going to change, in addition to the much welcomed schedule increases. The farebeating issue was never as bad as what is allowed to pass as "Meh, just another day in a big city" like it is in NYC, it was more of the operators afraid to cause confrontations. Once the whole cycle of change started happening -- including police interventions -- things got back to normal. Bus operators don't even hesitate to stop the "walk on by" characters (not that it happens that often anyway), and if no fare, no ride, period. (Suburbia is a different animal, where the sob-story is basically the farebeating that occurs.)

I'll tell ya, simplest plan to combat farebeating and change the whole "acceptable" idea into the unacceptable is through a similar, significant police enforcement plan, but also to do like DDOT with the bus operators' union contract: Percentage of the farebox if collections increase by a certain amount. DDOT operators get a bonus check of essentially a week's pay (and it's been growing since the first payout). Motivated them to enforce the no fare, no ride rule -- and pretty painlessly.

[Future ENY OP]

BREAKING:  Helicopter crash on 51st and 7th Avenue. Expect extensive delays on SIM service, M5, M7 on 7th Avenue. 

Crash occurred within the last 90-95 mins. Traffic conditions are havoc right now. 

[Iron Valiant]

Very nostalgic to run into 4104 on the B57 still having its Grand Avenue decals.

I also saw 4572 at Cadman Plaza with Fresh Pond decals.

[7-express]

How common is it for a bus to change routes after operating for a portion of their run?  I saw a northbound Q65 kick off all of the passengers at Main Street and change into a Q34.  Is this just dynamic bus re-routing or just managing driver OT?

[Lex]

13 minutes ago, 7-express said:

How common is it for a bus to change routes after operating for a portion of their run?  I saw a northbound Q65 kick off all of the passengers at Main Street and change into a Q34.  Is this just dynamic bus re-routing or just managing driver OT?

That depends on the paddles.

[4 via Mosholu]

Has there ever been a route before that served Soundview/Pugsley Avenues prior to the Bx27 and 39? I tried to look through the History information behind each Bronx route near or east of East 177th - Parkchester, but I seem to be quite stumped.

[Bay Ridge Express]

13 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

I think its more stupid the fact that their isn't all door boarding on the S79. Whatever reason they said it doesn't need "oh schedule isn't as frequent as other SBS" is bullshit. The S79 dwell times are normally 2-3 at each stop getting on, and 86st is usually 3-4 mins. 

The thing with artics with the MTA is the fact that they like to cut service with them. I'd rather my frequency for the S79 than artics. HOWEVER, I believe their should be a fleet of 20% artics for rush hours, because its ridiculous. 

The S79 isn't really frequent off-peak and yet the bus is STILL crowded... there should be some artics

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

They deadass need to eliminate the S52...that route is unnecessarily busy, besides the ferry crowds, it's literally a free shuttle. I hope enough F5s are hit to get that shit eliminated because its ridiculous. 

[Jova42R]

I just saw on BusTime an Orion NG on the SIM1C. It popped off before I could get a screenshot though.

[checkmatechamp13]

1 hour ago, Bay Ridge Express said:

The S79 isn't really frequent off-peak and yet the bus is STILL crowded... there should be some artics

Looks like an argument for more frequency before adding artics

[Lil 57]

38 minutes ago, New Flyer Xcelsior said:

I just saw on BusTime an Orion NG on the SIM1C. It popped off before I could get a screenshot though.

What was the bus number? I want to see if I can track the location of that bus.

On the last day of X10 service, I remember seeing a LFS bus sitting at the Castleton depot on BusTime (And it was almost time for an X10 to depart), but they swapped it out or a Prevost a few minutes later.

Edited June 11, 2019 by Lil 57

[Lex]

50 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Looks like an argument for more frequency before adding artics

That's exactly it.

[Lil 57]

So these new LFS signs have been very defective. A lot of buses with the new front sign don't have working side or rear signs.

Edited June 11, 2019 by Lil 57

[NBTA]

3 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

So these new LFS signs have been very defective. Alot of buses with the new front sign don't have working side or rear signs.

There's A LOT, and I mean A LOT of LFSes (or is it LFS, since the S is already plural) that have signs that don't work on the sides up here in Kingsbridge, they should've worked the kinks out before putting in the new signs, which actually looks nice by the way.

[Jova42R]

9 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

What was the bus number? I want to see if I can track the location of that bus.

On the last day of X10 service, I remember seeing a LFS bus sitting at the Castleton depot on BusTime (And it was almost time for an X10 to depart), but they swapped it out or a Prevost a few minutes later. 

bus 4431

[Lil 57]

4 minutes ago, New Flyer Xcelsior said:

bus 4431

That's not a SI bus so it might of been a mistake from the Manhattan end of the route.