BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[SoSpectacular]

9 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

We know Gleason partook in some damn good episodes knows how to manage their routes for the better.... But honestly, is there any route that went to Grand that ended up running better than it did from the previous depot it operated out of? Yeah it's a broken record at this point, but what is it about that depot.... Is it the locale, the water, or what, because I don't believe for one second that b/o's went to that depot & just stopped giving a f***....

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

Depends on how well the operators know the route/adjust to the schedule timings.

I don't know how depots handle route swaps but it takes a little more than knowing the left/rights to be entirely familiar with any route in general. 

[paulrivera]

One great thing about the SBS routes is if you get a slowpoke B/O with a packed load and the next bus catches up, you can bounce between buses and not have to pay again (of course within the validity period of the POP ticket you get before boarding.)

On a different note: Why would a slowpoke driver even pick a SBS run to begin with?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

One great thing about the SBS routes is if you get a slowpoke B/O with a packed load and the next bus catches up, you can bounce between buses and not have to pay again (of course within the validity period of the POP ticket you get before boarding.)

On a different note: Why would a slowpoke driver even pick a SBS run to begin with?

I had one on the M14SBS a few weekends ago. Figured I'd try it out again since the City, the DOT and the have been RAVING about it.  Got on at 6th and 14th. Only had to go to 3rd and 14th and was going to just get in an Uber from there since they have so many restrictions now in terms of cars using 14th Street. Well we made every effin stop and sat and sat.  After we got past Union Square, I got off and just walked the rest of the way and got an Uber from there.  

[Lawrence St]

1 minute ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I had one on the M14SBS a few weekends ago. Figured I'd try it out again since the City, the DOT and the have been RAVING about it.  Got on at 6th and 14th. Only had to go to 3rd and 14th and was going to just get in an Uber from there since they have so many restrictions now in terms of cars using 14th Street. Well we made every effin stop and sat and sat.  After we got past Union Square, I got off and just walked the rest of the way and got an Uber from there.  

Because they never adjusted the timing's for the M14SBS because the busway got delayed REPEATEDLY due to that stupid lawsuit, so they have to wait until the next pick to redo the schedule.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Lawrence St said:

Because they never adjusted the timing's for the M14SBS because the busway got delayed REPEATEDLY due to that stupid lawsuit, so they have to wait until the next pick to redo the schedule.

I'm aware, but it seems as if there's conflicting information. Originally I heard that SBS drivers were told to keep moving.  Don't wait around for passengers getting tickets, etc.  Would be nice to see consistency.  The M14SBS has a bus coming quite frequently so people can catch the next one.

[Brillant93]

14 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I had one on the M14SBS a few weekends ago. Figured I'd try it out again since the City, the DOT and the have been RAVING about it.  Got on at 6th and 14th. Only had to go to 3rd and 14th and was going to just get in an Uber from there since they have so many restrictions now in terms of cars using 14th Street. Well we made every effin stop and sat and sat.  After we got past Union Square, I got off and just walked the rest of the way and got an Uber from there.  

So buses are slow due to being stuck in traffic, the city decides to actually make a bus way which restrict cars on 14th street, a bus you were on is slow because it sat at a bus stop due to it being over on time. If the argument is to adjust the schedules so buses can not sit in the bus stop then I understand but if a driver is a ahead of schedule you can’t blame them for not wanting to get in trouble. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

7 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

So buses are slow due to being stuck in traffic, the city decides to actually make a bus way which restrict cars on 14th street, a bus you were on is slow because it sat at a bus stop due to it being over on time. If the argument is to adjust the schedules so buses can not sit in the bus stop then I understand but if a driver is a ahead of schedule you can’t blame them for not wanting to get in trouble. 

Clearly you have a reading problem.  What I said was I heard that SBS drivers were told to keep moving and not sit at stops and that I would like to see some consistency, so my point was if they are supposed to hold at stops because they are early fine, but stick with one policy.  This comment is ONLY for SBS drivers. I know the policy for other lines.   Some drivers keep it moving and don't wait. Others will hold at every stop like the guy I had. The whole point of SBS is to keep the bus moving, or at least that was my understanding. 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Future ENY OP]

18 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

We know Gleason partook in some damn good episodes knows how to manage their routes for the better.... But honestly, is there any route that went to Grand that ended up running better than it did from the previous depot it operated out of? Yeah it's a broken record at this point, but what is it about that depot.... Is it the locale, the water, or what, because I don't believe for one second that b/o's went to that depot & just stopped giving a f***....

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

....which, I guess, segues to a potential topic for discussion.

Using whatever criteria y'all want, rank each [MTA] depot in this city from best to worst....... This should be interesting.

First statement. In full agreement. 

2nd part:  

Excellent and worse depots from experience and observation. 

Manhattan Division:  Quill, MHV, MCH- Excellent  TU- Worse 

Brooklyn Division: JG, FB, EN- Excellent

FP/UP- OK,

GA- Worse. 

Bronx Division: KB- OK, GH- disgustingly worse

Queens Division: QV, JA, CS- All OK. 

STATEN ISLAND, CAS, CHA- OK, YUKON: WORSE. 

————

Sometimes we all gotta remember, myself included that some of these depots pass thru neighborhoods that are deemed unsafe but also a depots ability or inability to effectively provide service or maintain service levels. In addition maintenance can be another contributing factor and lastly traffic conditions can factor to how bus service is operated. 

[Brillant93]

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Clearly you have a reading problem.  What I said was I heard that SBS drivers were told to keep moving and not sit at stops and that I would like to see some consistency, so my point was if they are supposed to hold at stops because they are early fine, but stick with one policy.  This comment is ONLY for SBS drivers. I know the policy for other lines.   Some drivers keep it moving and don't wait. Others will hold at every stop like the guy I had. The whole point of SBS is to keep the bus moving, or at least that was my understanding. 

Some routes wait for people for their tickets, especially new sbs routes where people are still getting used to the system. It happened on the sbs routes in my area. Drivers may be told to not wait for people but if people aren’t too versed in how to use a route that is still fairly new it’s falls on the drivers to tell riders what to do, that even means waiting for them. I take the B82 sbs and even after a year of its launch drivers still wait and tell people that they have to pay at the machine for their tickets. 

Courtesy isn’t always a written rule. 

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

15 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

First statement. In full agreement. 

2nd part:  

Excellent and worse depots from experience and observation. 

Manhattan Division:  Quill, MHV, MCH- Excellent  TU- Worse 

Brooklyn Division: JG, FB, EN- Excellent

FP/UP- OK,

GA- Worse. 

Bronx Division: KB- OK, GH- disgustingly worse

Queens Division: QV, JA, CS- All OK. 

STATEN ISLAND, CAS, CHA- OK, YUKON: WORSE. 

————

Sometimes we all gotta remember, myself included that some of these depots pass thru neighborhoods that are deemed unsafe but also a depots ability or inability to effectively provide service or maintain service levels. In addition maintenance can be another contributing factor and lastly traffic conditions can factor to how bus service is operated. 

Castleton has honestly been on their A+ game for the last few years. Yall have got to stop thinking about the old days and get with the present times. As a person who lives out there and knows various people that works in the depots, Castleton is up there in terms of a depot that's spot on with service and the maintenance of its buses. 

If you wanna still talk shit, Yukon is still horrible, they run their buses to the ground ans only maintain them when needed, they barely even wash them. Charleston only maintains their express fleet, and gives ZERO f**ks about local service. Meredith sends all its buses to Castleton for the most part, so its fine. Castleton you really can't even compare to the other two. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

Some routes wait for people for their tickets, especially new sbs routes where people are still getting used to the system. It happened on the sbs routes in my area. Drivers may be told to not wait for people but if people aren’t too versed in how to use a route that is still fairly new it’s falls on the drivers to tell riders what to do, that even means waiting for them. I take the B82 sbs and even after a year of its launch drivers still wait and tell people that they have to pay at the machine for their tickets. 

Courtesy isn’t always a written rule. 

Use a route? You mean too lazy to READ what is shown at the ticket machines.  That's the real problem. As I said consistency would be great.  The whole point of SBS is to keep the buses moving as quickly as possible, which includes how long buses sit at stops, otherwise there's no point.  If the M14 ran once every 30 minutes like the M34 does at times, I could understand it, but the M14 runs often times two buses back-to-back. No point in having a bus sit around for  a line with buses every few minutes.

[Future ENY OP]

Just now, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

Castleton has honestly been on their A+ game for the last few years. Yall have got to stop thinking about the old days and get with the present times. As a person who lives out there and knows various people that works in the depots, Castleton is up there in terms of a depot that's spot on with service and the maintenance of its buses. 

If you wanna still talk shit, Yukon is still horrible, they run their buses to the ground ans only maintain them when needed, they barely even wash them. Charleston only maintains their express fleet, and gives ZERO f**ks about local service. Meredith sends all its buses to Castleton for the most part, so its fine. Castleton you really can't even compare to the other two. 

Than excuse my ignorance about Castelton. I’m hardly out on the island, but I do observe their buses in and around Manhattan and I will agree with you that Castelton does good on their express fleet. From the local side of things I’m usually in Bay Ridge and can’t really say too much about CAS present day, but I do know more about the days before they got better. Again, excuse my ignorance on this. 

[Brillant93]

3 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Use a route? You mean too lazy to READ what is shown at the ticket machines.  That's the real problem. As I said consistency would be great.  The whole point of SBS is to keep the buses moving as quickly as possible, which includes how long buses sit at stops, otherwise there's no point.  If the M14 ran once every 30 minutes like the M34 does at times, I could understand it, but the M14 runs often times two buses back-to-back. No point in having a bus sit around for  a line with buses every few minutes.

Majority of people are used to dipping their metrocards on the bus not a machine. Some people don’t read but others are in a rush. They won’t notice that the M14 is a different bus from the usual besides the color on them. It even happens on other sbs routes. Sbs buses aren’t going to always go lighting fast, it happens time to time.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

Majority of people are used to dipping their metrocards on the bus not a machine. Some people don’t read but others are in a rush. They won’t notice that the M14 is a different bus from the usual besides the color on them. It even happens on other sbs routes. Sbs buses aren’t going to always go lighting fast, it happens time to time.

This really has nothing to do with any of what you're saying.  My original point was about dragging the line and sitting at stops. No one was confused about payment.  The driver just kept sitting and driving slow at every stop.  If he's that early just sit and one stop and go from there.  Dragging the line with no traffic in sight.

[Brillant93]

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

This really has nothing to do with any of what you're saying.  My original point was about dragging the line and sitting at stops. No one was confused about payment.  The driver just kept sitting and driving slow at every stop.  If he's that early just sit and one stop and go from there.  Dragging the line with no traffic in sight.

But that most likely have to do with his management and consequences he may face. He could have sat at one bus stop and then went on, sat at every stop for a minute or two, or put the bus out of service until it was time for him or her to move again. They’re not driving slow to do it just to do it.

[Around the Horn]

23 hours ago, MHV9218 said:

Zero chains out for this quick snow squall. Could be slippery...

Was on 4950, the electric artic, when that snow squall hit and wow I was blown away by the traction on that bus. It was moving along like the the pavement was dry.

No need for chains on those buses lol.

[Lex]

4 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Was on 4950, the electric artic, when that snow squall hit and wow I was blown away by the traction on that bus. It was moving along like the the pavement was dry.

No need for chains on those buses lol.

I'm sure at least part of that is because two axles are powered (center and rear), whereas most buses only have one powered axle.

[trainfan22]

Not sure what section to post this, but the bus terminal at Rockaway Parkway station is almost complete and should be opening pretty soon, they added a new set of turnstiles at the station which aren't in use yet.

[SoSpectacular]

4 hours ago, Lex said:

I'm sure at least part of that is because two axles are powered (center and rear), whereas most buses only have one powered axle.

That's the issue with the diesel/CNG artics in snow- the powered rear axle is on the "trailer" section which is pushing the entire vehicle. Another fun fact, there are hydraulics in the joints to help the bus stay straight when moving!

If the center axles were powered like the electrics, the bus would do just fine in harsh weather conditions. 

[SevenEleven]

16 hours ago, paulrivera said:

One great thing about the SBS routes is if you get a slowpoke B/O with a packed load and the next bus catches up, you can bounce between buses and not have to pay again (of course within the validity period of the POP ticket you get before boarding.)

On a different note: Why would a slowpoke driver even pick a SBS run to begin with?

Because we're in the business of safety, not yee-hawing up and down the street. 

[bwwnyc123]

SBS was meant to provide faster service. Not to act like a regular local bus running slowly, unless there is traffic jam then I could understand 

[SevenEleven]

3 hours ago, bwwnyc123 said:

SBS was meant to provide faster service. Not to act like a regular local bus running slowly, unless there is traffic jam then I could understand 

Well, faster service does not mean that operators get a pass to speed up and down the street either. 

And for the record, supervision has been holding all buses on the M14 to their times, since the busway opened. 

[paulrivera]

9 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

Because we're in the business of safety, not yee-hawing up and down the street. 

Driving 10mph with no traffic around the bus isn’t exactly safe either.

[MTAbus677]

One of the operators on the B11 unit #236 today was like “Watch the closing doors!” “Hold on to the handrails!” and “Thank you!” when you pay the fare. Plus, he was making announcements when the bus has screens! He is a great operator!

[Iron Valiant]

3 hours ago, MTAbus677 said:

One of the operators on the B11 unit #236 today was like “Watch the closing doors!” “Hold on to the handrails!” and “Thank you!” when you pay the fare. Plus, he was making announcements when the bus has screens! He is a great operator!

Hate it when they do that. I can hardly understand what they say plus it’s pointless if the bus is equipped with on-board announcements. 

However, that’s cool how you got an operator who was nice.