BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Calvin]

How to convert a standard to an artic: 

MTA cuts one of the two buses in half and then add accordions to each of its bite size pieces. 

 

*The front and back must not be removed, borderline point only

*Keyboards not included

Edited January 18, 2020 by Calvin

[Iron Valiant]

7 minutes ago, Calvin said:

How to convert a standard to an artic: 

MTA cuts the buses in half and then add accordions to each piece. 

 

I’d say take two buses, cut off the rear in the first one and cut off the front in the second, then add the bendy part. 🤣

[Cait Sith]

6 hours ago, Calvin said:

How to convert a standard to an artic: 

MTA cuts one of the two buses in half and then add accordions to each of its bite size pieces. 

 

*The front and back must not be removed, borderline point only

*Keyboards not included

You must be bored.

[Mpn4179]

Due to the impending snow, the following artic routes in the Bronx are running standard 40ft at this time.

Kingsbridge: Bx1, Bx2, Bx9

West Farms: Bx6, Bx19, Bx35, Bx36

Gun Hill: Bx4, Bx4A, Bx5, Bx12, Bx12 SBS, Bx22, Bx40, Bx42

The Bx6 SBS, Bx15, Bx39, Bx41, and Bx41 SBS are the only routes running fully Articulated at this time.

There are a couple of Artics running on the Bx4, Bx4A, Bx19 and Bx22.

Majority of the routes are running from their own depot, while Manhattanville is assisting Gun Hill with some of their routes.

[Lawrence St]

Where did the artics for the B38 come from and what pushed them out of the original depot? Someone told me Gun Hill Road because the ex-SBS LFSA units from Manhattanville pushed out the Xcelsiors.

[JeremiahC99]

25 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Where did the artics for the B38 come from and what pushed them out of the original depot? Someone told me Gun Hill Road because the ex-SBS LFSA units from Manhattanville pushed out the Xcelsiors.

Manhattanville did not have LFSAs (the entire fleet there has been all diesel-electric hybrids). The XD60s at Grand Avenue for the B38 came from Gun Hill and Kingsbridge due to LFSAs from Flatbush and Mother Clara Hale coming in to push them out (both received new buses for SBS duty).

Edited January 18, 2020 by JeremiahC99

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

I just wanted to bring this up to attention because it seems like something that should've been created a while ago but never went into fruition. I mentioned this is another thread but this is the most appropriate thread for this convo. 

The B1 gets most of its usage during rush hour, so having artics any other time and running local is fine: long as stops are accounted for, and the traffic congestion for the stop at 5th and 86st is enforced, and the turn onto 87st from 5th and the layover space is modified (they honestly need to remove parking on that entire block tbh). 

But rush hour...there needs to be some type of rush hour limited with the school rush. From Ave U to Kingsborough and vice versa, buses need to run limited starting at Ave U and stopping at 86 St  , McDonald ,Coney Island Hospital,  Ocean Pkwy and West Ave (easy transfer) (B4, B36), Brighton and Ocean  , Brighton and Coney Island Ave  , and Kingsborough.   

AM To Kingsborough: Buses that start at Ave U run LOCAL, buses that start under the  wait for a train, fill up and run LIMITED. Select buses that start in Bay Ridge run LIMITED after Ave U. 

PM from Kingsborough: Select buses running to Bay Ridge run NON STOP to Coney Island hospital, and LIMITED to Ave U. Buses running to Ave U run LOCAL. Buses running to Ocean Pkwy run LIMITED. 

They need a rush hour service pattern like that. Sorry for going off topic but I hope higher ups here can take notes, spread the word and probably do something down the line. 

 

I'm 90% sure the MTA is aware of the problem, and will hopefully go with this plan for the redesign. 

Edited January 19, 2020 by XcelsiorBoii4888

[Around the Horn]

56 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

I just wanted to bring this up to attention because it seems like something that should've been created a while ago but never went into fruition. I mentioned this is another thread but this is the most appropriate thread for this convo. 

The B1 gets most of its usage during rush hour, so having artics any other time and running local is fine: long as stops are accounted for, and the traffic congestion for the stop at 5th and 86st is enforced, and the turn onto 87st from 5th and the layover space is modified (they honestly need to remove parking on that entire block tbh). 

But rush hour...there needs to be some type of rush hour limited with the school rush. From Ave U to Kingsborough and vice versa, buses need to run limited starting at Ave U and stopping at 86 St  , McDonald ,Coney Island Hospital,  Ocean Pkwy and West Ave (easy transfer) (B4, B36), Brighton and Ocean  , Brighton and Coney Island Ave  , and Kingsborough.   

AM To Kingsborough: Buses that start at Ave U run LOCAL, buses that start under the  wait for a train, fill up and run LIMITED. Select buses that start in Bay Ridge run LIMITED after Ave U. 

PM from Kingsborough: Select buses running to Bay Ridge run NON STOP to Coney Island hospital, and LIMITED to Ave U. Buses running to Ave U run LOCAL. Buses running to Ocean Pkwy run LIMITED. 

They need a rush hour service pattern like that. Sorry for going off topic but I hope higher ups here can take notes, spread the word and probably do something down the line. 

 

I'm 90% sure the MTA is aware of the problem, and will hopefully go with this plan for the redesign. 

So if I'm understanding this correctly, you have local buses running to/from Avenue U and limited buses to/from Bay Ridge with short turn limiteds to/from Brighton Beach?

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Just now, Around the Horn said:

So if I'm understanding this correctly, you have local buses running to/from Avenue U and limited buses to/from Bay Ridge with short turn limiteds to/from Brighton Beach?

Yepp, select buses from Bay Ridge run limited after Ave U and some full local. 

[checkmatechamp13]

13 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

I just wanted to bring this up to attention because it seems like something that should've been created a while ago but never went into fruition. I mentioned this is another thread but this is the most appropriate thread for this convo. 

The B1 gets most of its usage during rush hour, so having artics any other time and running local is fine: long as stops are accounted for, and the traffic congestion for the stop at 5th and 86st is enforced, and the turn onto 87st from 5th and the layover space is modified (they honestly need to remove parking on that entire block tbh). 

But rush hour...there needs to be some type of rush hour limited with the school rush. From Ave U to Kingsborough and vice versa, buses need to run limited starting at Ave U and stopping at 86 St  , McDonald ,Coney Island Hospital,  Ocean Pkwy and West Ave (easy transfer) (B4, B36), Brighton and Ocean  , Brighton and Coney Island Ave  , and Kingsborough.   

AM To Kingsborough: Buses that start at Ave U run LOCAL, buses that start under the  wait for a train, fill up and run LIMITED. Select buses that start in Bay Ridge run LIMITED after Ave U. 

PM from Kingsborough: Select buses running to Bay Ridge run NON STOP to Coney Island hospital, and LIMITED to Ave U. Buses running to Ave U run LOCAL. Buses running to Ocean Pkwy run LIMITED. 

They need a rush hour service pattern like that. Sorry for going off topic but I hope higher ups here can take notes, spread the word and probably do something down the line. 

I'm 90% sure the MTA is aware of the problem, and will hopefully go with this plan for the redesign. 

I would have the PM pattern be the same as the AM pattern. I get that you want to separate the 3 different groups of riders (riders heading to/from the subway, riders heading to Gravesend, and riders heading to Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights/Bay Ridge), but you also have to consider the local residents within Brighton Beach who need to travel further west.

[NewFlyer 230]

The Q55 on the weekend is such a hit or miss. It really isn’t uncommon to wait 30-40 minutes for a bus which is exactly what deters ridership. And then the amount of buses that go out of service once the bus hits Jamaica Ave and 117th street is outrageous especially when there is a huge gap in service. 
Then again I think all the Queens routes based out of Brooklyn depots have terrible reliability because the Q24, Q54, Q56 and Q59 are not any better at all. The only thing that saves the Q58 is the amount of buses that run on the route but the Q58 definitely has its moments where you’ll wait forever just to have 5 buses bunched up.

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The Q55 on the weekend is such a hit or miss. It really isn’t uncommon to wait 30-40 minutes for a bus which is exactly what deters ridership. And then the amount of buses that go out of service once the bus hits Jamaica Ave and 117th street is outrageous especially when there is a huge gap in service. 

Then again I think all the Queens routes based out of Brooklyn depots have terrible reliability because the Q24, Q54, Q56 and Q59 are not any better at all. The only thing that saves the Q58 is the amount of buses that run on the route but the Q58 definitely has its moments where you’ll wait forever just to have 5 buses bunched up.

Gotta a question for you. You think reliability will do well at Queens Village or Jamaica if the Q24 or Q56 were based there? East New York and Grand Avenue have their issues with the queens routes already let alone the Brooklyn routes they already do have. 
 

What Fresh Pond does excellent is they beef up the Q58 service while yes (I agree with you) the Q58 tends to bunch a lot in lieu to its travel pattern to Flushing. That’s a whole different story and in addition the 58 is back at the Pond.
 

Q54 is another line that bunches. However, similar to the Q58 with the beefed up service  

Hopefully, with the Queens/Brooklyn bus realignment some of these questions can be answered. (In another 3 years..... smh) 

[Lawrence St]

Every weekend I feel like the M34-SBS schedule is non-existent. The FDR Drive buses come when they want to and you could be waiting 25 minutes for a bus only for 4 to show up at once all going to Waterside Plaza (including the M34A-SBS). Not to mention that the actual schedule has THREE Waterside bound M34 buses before an actual FDR Drive one.

[Jdog14]

21 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Every weekend I feel like the M34-SBS schedule is non-existent. The FDR Drive buses come when they want to and you could be waiting 25 minutes for a bus only for 4 to show up at once all going to Waterside Plaza (including the M34A-SBS). Not to mention that the actual schedule has THREE Waterside bound M34 buses before an actual FDR Drive one.

 

Waterside is alot more in accessible. Unlike the FDR branch, there's no alternatives. Atleast the FDR you have the M15 somewhat nearby. 

[Lawrence St]

58 minutes ago, Jdog14 said:

 

Waterside is alot more in accessible. Unlike the FDR branch, there's no alternatives. Atleast the FDR you have the M15 somewhat nearby. 

Does the M34A not operate frequently enough? I would understand one or two M34 trips there every hour but 90% of the hourly schedule is going to Waterside.

[NewFlyer 230]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Gotta a question for you. You think reliability will do well at Queens Village or Jamaica if the Q24 or Q56 were based there? East New York and Grand Avenue have their issues with the queens routes already let alone the Brooklyn routes they already do have. 
 

What Fresh Pond does excellent is they beef up the Q58 service while yes (I agree with you) the Q58 tends to bunch a lot in lieu to its travel pattern to Flushing. That’s a whole different story and in addition the 58 is back at the Pond.
 

Q54 is another line that bunches. However, similar to the Q58 with the beefed up service  

Hopefully, with the Queens/Brooklyn bus realignment some of these questions can be answered. (In another 3 years..... smh) 

I do think it’s partially the depots fault and the streets these routes travel down. What I explained with the Q55 is something that always happens with no fail. I know it’s impossible to have routes always run perfectly on schedule, but I feel that some of these issue can be avoided if the depots just managed these routes better. There is no reason for a bus route to bunch on 20 minutes. At the same time a lot of Queens streets are narrow which does contribute to the slowdowns, but it never made sense to me how conditions would be so bad that the following bus would magically catch up to the late bus almost all the time. If anything that bus should be just as late as the first one. I think JA and QV do for the most part manage their routes better but they aren’t prefect themselves. 
 

However the MTA would handle it by just removing a ton of stops and hoping that large masses of people would adjust to walking, to the nearest stop. What they fail to realize is that some people already have to walk just to the main block where the bus is at. I’m not totally against stop removal, but it has to be done correctly and not just for the sake of just doing it. Sometimes they just need to take ownership and be more responsible for the problems they create because they do have real consequences for the people who use the service. I’m not a huge fan of this sudden redesign of the entire bus system because you can tell it’s rushed and made with the intent on saving money. Of course they have to disguise it by saving that all this is cost neutral but several of these proposed changes will do nothing more but further deter ridership and affect the people who rely on the bus. I always felt that the redesign should be done in smaller pieces such as minor route tweaks, implement things such as nonstop variants and short turns and so on just to see how the public reacts to the changes. But of course the MTA has no money so I’m being too unrealistic.

[Lex]

19 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Does the M34A not operate frequently enough? I would understand one or two M34 trips there every hour but 90% of the hourly schedule is going to Waterside.

That's hardly surprising. In general, the Waterside branch has far more going for it (in addition to the development itself, there are schools, medical facilities, a theater, and more residences), whereas the only thing of note on the Ferry Landing branch is, well, the ferry landing, and that's not exactly hard to reach from the Waterside buses.

[B35 via Church]

4 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The Q55 on the weekend is such a hit or miss. It really isn’t uncommon to wait 30-40 minutes for a bus which is exactly what deters ridership. And then the amount of buses that go out of service once the bus hits Jamaica Ave and 117th street is outrageous especially when there is a huge gap in service.

And on top of that, every single EB bus still is a sardine can before it ever leaves Ridgewood.... What do you notice just about more of along Myrtle av east of Ridgewood on the weekends?

Hint: It sure as hell isn't waiting passengers !

2 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

Every weekend I feel like the M34-SBS schedule is non-existent. The FDR Drive buses come when they want to and you could be waiting 25 minutes for a bus only for 4 to show up at once all going to Waterside Plaza (including the M34A-SBS). Not to mention that the actual schedule has THREE Waterside bound M34 buses before an actual FDR Drive one.

The M34 SBS period is a PITA.... Feel sorry for those Waterside folks; they have to deal with one of, if not the most unreliable SBS routes in the city....

[Cait Sith]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Gotta a question for you. You think reliability will do well at Queens Village or Jamaica if the Q24 or Q56 were based there? East New York and Grand Avenue have their issues with the queens routes already let alone the Brooklyn routes they already do have. 
 

What Fresh Pond does excellent is they beef up the Q58 service while yes (I agree with you) the Q58 tends to bunch a lot in lieu to its travel pattern to Flushing. That’s a whole different story and in addition the 58 is back at the Pond.
 

Q54 is another line that bunches. However, similar to the Q58 with the beefed up service  

Hopefully, with the Queens/Brooklyn bus realignment some of these questions can be answered. (In another 3 years..... smh) 

Sending the Q24 elsewhere won't really fix it's problems.

3 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The Q55 on the weekend is such a hit or miss. It really isn’t uncommon to wait 30-40 minutes for a bus which is exactly what deters ridership. And then the amount of buses that go out of service once the bus hits Jamaica Ave and 117th street is outrageous especially when there is a huge gap in service. 
Then again I think all the Queens routes based out of Brooklyn depots have terrible reliability because the Q24, Q54, Q56 and Q59 are not any better at all. The only thing that saves the Q58 is the amount of buses that run on the route but the Q58 definitely has its moments where you’ll wait forever just to have 5 buses bunched up.

I actually disagree.

The Q56 for me, comes much more often and is much more better managed than the Q24 or Q54. The Q54 bunches, but it shows up. The Q24.....don't get me started on that.

I've never really had much problems with the Q59.

[B35 via Church]

2 minutes ago, Cait Sith said:

Sending the Q24 elsewhere won't really fix its problems.

Funny - That was my exact response to New Flyer's original premise, regarding those aforementioned Queens routes that run out of Brooklyn depots.....

2 minutes ago, Cait Sith said:

I actually disagree.

The Q56 for me, comes much more often and is much more better managed than the Q24 or Q54. The Q54 bunches, but it shows up. The Q24.....don't get me started on that.

I've never really had much problems with the Q59.

Q24 seldom ever comes when I want it; I prefer the Q56 anyway, so there's no love lost on that note.....

I don't have a real use for the Q54, and my experiences with the Q59 is in direct contrast with yours - it takes a millenia for it to arrive when I need it, and when I finally embark on it, I can take several naps before getting to WBP from QCM or Rego Park... It's to the point where in my last couple times taking it, I've gotten impatient & just got the hell off it at Graham for the B43 & take that to Empire/Brooklyn.... Taking a grand tour (walking) around KCH to get home is a pretty good walk I've gotten accustomed to... LOL!

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

5 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

I would have the PM pattern be the same as the AM pattern. I get that you want to separate the 3 different groups of riders (riders heading to/from the subway, riders heading to Gravesend, and riders heading to Bensonhurst/Dyker Heights/Bay Ridge), but you also have to consider the local residents within Brighton Beach who need to travel further west.

It would be every other bus. One nonstop and one fully local to Bay Ridge. Headway would be about 12-14 mins for each. Most local residents take the bus during the off peak and weekends, which would be fully local. During rush hour most locals aren't dealing with the school rush and if they are, they have a bus every 12mins or so. 

[Future ENY OP]

48 minutes ago, Cait Sith said:

Sending the Q24 elsewhere won't really fix it's problems.

The Q56 for me, comes much more often and is much more better managed than the Q24 or Q54. The Q54 bunches, but it shows up. The Q24.....don't get me started on that.

 

This. I agree. Sending outside ENY doesn’t fix problems for both the 24 and 56. However, the paddles have got to get better with the 24. With that said. Q56 over the Q24. Late night especially the 56 out performs the 24. 

38 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

Funny - That was my exact response to New Flyer's original premise, regarding those aforementioned Queens routes that run out of Brooklyn depots.....

Q24 seldom ever comes when I want it; I prefer the Q56 anyway, so there's no love lost on that note.....

I don't have a real use for the Q54, and my experiences with the Q59 is in direct contrast with yours - it takes a millenia for it to arrive when I need it, and when I finally embark on it, I can take several naps before getting to WBP from QCM or Rego Park... It's to the point where in my last couple times taking it, I've gotten impatient & just got the hell off it at Graham for the B43 & take that to Empire/Brooklyn.... Taking a grand tour (walking) around KCH to get home is a pretty good walk I've gotten accustomed to... LOL!

Past experiences Q54 isn’t bad. I think I mentioned a few months ago when the Q58 was at GA that Fresh Pond boosted more buses on the Q54 and B52. Ironically both received service increases (someone correct me on this please). Low key FP also boosted service on the B26. 
 

Q59 to me has been a dub since Fresh Pond days. I feel that FP does a better job with its share of the Queens routes although yes there’s tons of bunching on the Q54 and Q58. However, as of today the 58 is back home at the Pond. Just wanna see in the near future how the route performs.  

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

1 hour ago, B35 via Church said:

I don't have a real use for the Q54, and my experiences with the Q59 is in direct contrast with yours - it takes a millenia for it to arrive when I need it, and when I finally embark on it, I can take several naps before getting to WBP from QCM or Rego Park... It's to the point where in my last couple times taking it, I've gotten impatient & just got the hell off it at Graham for the B43 & take that to Empire/Brooklyn.... Taking a grand tour (walking) around KCH to get home is a pretty good walk I've gotten accustomed to... LOL!

 

2 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Q59 to me has been a dub since Fresh Pond days. I feel that FP does a better job with its share of the Queens routes although yes there’s tons of bunching on the Q54 and Q58. However, as of today the 58 is back home at the Pond. Just wanna see in the near future how the route performs.  

The Q59 takes me directly to Williamsburg (whenever I need to either go to/from Williamsburg or to/from the B46), but I generally avoid it. Catching it out of WBP was the worst because the B/Os would be instructed to deadhead to Union Avenue and start from there, while multiple people were at the stop at WBP waiting for the Q59. It came to the point where I actually had to start walking to Union Ave in order to catch the bus. Don't know if it's still done, and with what frequency. Then missing a bus along Grand Ave is painful because on multiple occasions, the next bus was still on layover at 63rd Drive. I usually go to the Q38, and then transfer to either the Q54 (If I can make it) or the  train. I don't even bother with the Rego Park bound Q59. 

[Future ENY OP]

11 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

 

The Q59 takes me directly to Williamsburg (whenever I need to either go to/from Williamsburg or to/from the B46), but I generally avoid it. Catching it out of WBP was the worst because the B/Os would be instructed to deadhead to Union Avenue and start from there, while multiple people were at the stop at WBP waiting for the Q59. It came to the point where I actually had to start walking to Union Ave in order to catch the bus. Don't know if it's still done, and with what frequency.
 

Then missing a bus along Grand Ave is painful because on multiple occasions, the next bus was still on layover at 63rd Drive. I usually go to the Q38, and then transfer to either the Q54 (If I can make it) or the  train. I don't even bother with the Rego Park bound Q59. 

I tell you this. I don’t remember this too much when the Q59 was at the Pond. However, you are correct with this b/c a lot of GA ops do this and it’s unfair for the long waits at WBP.  

The bold portion: Accurate. 

[WestFarms36]

XN60's on the Bx39 look really nice. I also noticed a few more PM Trips have been added as put-ins from Parkchester. It's nice to see a slight increase in service.