BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Via Garibaldi 8]

12 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

The BxM4 I went on in the afternoon today actually had like 10 or 11 people on it.

That seems high to me. And if it is high, in my honest opinion it might be proving that the subway scare is real. The few times I've ridden the BxM4 (off-hours; I've never ridden during rush hours), that thing never had more than like 5 or 6 people on it, even before COVID.

The bus emptied out at Fordham.

It is because usually folks get off further north than that up in Bedford Park and Norwood and the rest in Woodlawn, or even at the border, as you get some people from Yonkers that also use it. It is usually rare to get people getting on or off along Fordham Road. The two big stops south of Fordham Road are 158th and 165th, as there are co-ops right along the Grand Concourse. They were the people that all signed the petition to keep the BxM4 along the Grand Concourse when we told them that the  wanted to cut service there. They came out in droves. That was why the  came up with the BxM4 starting from the Tracey Towers area during rush hours in the redesign, but they were vehemently opposed to losing any service.

Those people take the express bus and don't want to deal with the subway. After that you have the areas that are some of the rough areas along the Concourse. I always hear people at the stops saying in Spanish "What is that bus" or "Where does it go" and someone will answer "Eso va pa' Downtown", then mention the fare. lol You do get a few people that may board or get off at Burnside, but that's usually during the week. There is a very clicky crowd that rides during the week (pre-COVID anyway). Weekends can vary. Remember that a lot of people still aren't traveling every day, so when they do, they may opt for the express bus because why deal with the subway and what's going on if you can take the express bus when you are only traveling a few times a week tops?

During the week, I have seen some pretty crowded BxM4 buses going to Woodlawn where I said whoa. I was on a BxM2 or something going home. It can really vary, but some buses do see crowds. It would probably get more ridership if it was more frequent.

Edited May 29, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[paulrivera]

1 minute ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It is usually rare to get people getting on or off along Fordham Road.

That's what I was thinking. When I saw 6 other people getting off with me it threw me for a loop. Even pre-Covid I'm always the only one that gets off at Fordham 😄

I hope more people ride the express buses. The extra money you pay to not have to look over your shoulders every 5 seconds is well worth it. As long as there's no traffic of course lol

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, paulrivera said:

That's what I was thinking. When I saw 6 other people getting off with me it threw me for a loop. Even pre-Covid I'm always the only one that gets off at Fordham 😄

I hope more people ride the express buses. The extra money you pay to not have to look over your shoulders every 5 seconds is well worth it. As long as there's no traffic of course lol

Yeah, I used to use the BxM4 regularly years ago so I know the ridership patterns well. I was a juror for three weeks at one of the courthouses years ago by 161st, and I would get the BxM4 to and from my office from the courthouse and also when I had lunch. We would get two hours for lunch, so I would go and have lunch in the City with the BxM4. Then I would have meetings down by 161st sometimes or I had to be in Westchester, so I would use that line weekdays and weekends, then grab the BxM2 home from the Upper East or something when I needed to. Cost me nothing since I would buy the pass, so I would use the hell out of it.

[SevenEleven]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

@SevenEleven how are the trip paddles in Staten Island? I'm looking to transfer there once I'm done with probation, but im wondering if the dispatchers throw you on random assignments like you could be doing a straight s46 trip and they throw you on an S96 run instead?

The 96 is just the 46 Limited. Yes, you can be adjusted to work another line if need be. (Most notably out of the ferry or express in the city) When you transfer to SI, you will have to learn all the routes local and express.

There are straight runs where you stay on the same route (and its variants) for the whole time. There are also miscellaneous (MISC) runs that throw you on two or more routes during your day. Misc runs can also give you local and express in the same day. (Similar to Ulmer Park's runs that do the same)

Working the list, you will mostly get work out of that depot. However, they can ask you to go to another depot to work one of their runs. (XL/VR at Castleton and Yukon can subject you to work at Meredith; however I worked a week at Meredith and got asked to go to Yukon once)

My run right now for example, it's a straight run on the 40:

I do a 56 from Tottenville HS (school tripper)

PI, swing.

1.5 on the 40. My last trip is a 90. PI, swing.

2.5 on the 40. Last trip again is a 90. Clear

====

The 56 is a Charleston route. I'm out of Castleton. Same thing happens on express. We have trips on the SIM1 (Yukon), while Charleston has trips on the whole Hylan Blvd corridor (all Yukon). So you're gonna need to have some knowledge of the routes if you're going to stay on the list.

Here are the local routes that get paired together:

S40/90, 42/52, 44/94, 46/96, 48/98, 51/81, 53/93, 61/91, 62/92, 74/84

54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 78, 79, 89 are all standalone. The 80 and 90 routes are the  limiteds. The 42/52 and 53/93 are variants of each other.

[Lawrence St]

36 minutes ago, SevenEleven said:

The 96 is just the 46 Limited. Yes, you can be adjusted to work another line if need be. (Most notably out of the ferry or express in the city) When you transfer to SI, you will have to learn all the routes local and express.

There are straight runs where you stay on the same route (and its variants) for the whole time. There are also miscellaneous (MISC) runs that throw you on two or more routes during your day. Misc runs can also give you local and express in the same day. (Similar to Ulmer Park's runs that do the same)

Working the list, you will mostly get work out of that depot. However, they can ask you to go to another depot to work one of their runs. (XL/VR at Castleton and Yukon can subject you to work at Meredith; however I worked a week at Meredith and got asked to go to Yukon once)

My run right now for example, it's a straight run on the 40:

I do a 56 from Tottenville HS (school tripper)

PI, swing.

1.5 on the 40. My last trip is a 90. PI, swing.

2.5 on the 40. Last trip again is a 90. Clear

====

The 56 is a Charleston route. I'm out of Castleton. Same thing happens on express. We have trips on the SIM1 (Yukon), while Charleston has trips on the whole Hylan Blvd corridor (all Yukon). So you're gonna need to have some knowledge of the routes if you're going to stay on the list.

Here are the local routes that get paired together:

S40/90, 42/52, 44/94, 46/96, 48/98, 51/81, 53/93, 61/91, 62/92, 74/84

54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 78, 79, 89 are all standalone. The 80 and 90 routes are the  limiteds. The 42/52 and 53/93 are variants of each other.

Wow, thats a lot. Is it true if your doing an express run they will sometimes ask you to cover a school tripper, or if you have a local bus they ask you to do an express run?

[Lawrence St]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yes, you could board from 125th and 5th. It is still a thing at Madison and 123rd as well (dropping off, not just pick-up), just not officially. There was also a pick-up stop in the 70s for the Upper East Side residents back in the day to get to Midtown faster.

Some drivers will still pick-up from there, especially if someone is waiting there. 125th and 5th that is. Just don't see it too often.

Any chance we can get something like that for the BxM3? I can't count how many times I've waited for the Bx9 at 242nd St only for a BxM3 to pass by with no local bus in site.

[SevenEleven]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

Wow, thats a lot. Is it true if your doing an express run they will sometimes ask you to cover a school tripper, or if you have a local bus they ask you to do an express run?

They can ask before/after your scheduled express work to cover a school piece. It's mostly on the S55/56 and the pieces out of Tottenville HS. But if you're in the right place, right time, they'll let you rock.

Local on the express, they will make you get a coach.

[Lawrence St]

34 minutes ago, SevenEleven said:

They can ask before/after your scheduled express work to cover a school piece. It's mostly on the S55/56 and the pieces out of Tottenville HS. But if you're in the right place, right time, they'll let you rock.

Local on the express, they will make you get a coach.

Good, I was told I would have had to use an LFS on a route like the SIM1C on special occasions lmao, was not looking forward to that 

[trainfan22]

RTS 5227 was preserved? It's in the new Scott Stringer for Mayor commercial which only came out a couple days ago...

 

 

Or this is 5249 and they changed the number plate for the commerical? Also interesting to note that this RTS has Fresh carpet seating when most units in the 4900 - 5249 batch had had hard seats towards the end of their service lifes.

[Cait Sith]

6 minutes ago, trainfan22 said:

RTS 5227 was preserved? It's in the new Scott Stringer for Mayor commercial which only came out a couple days ago...

 

 

Or this is 5249 and they changed the number plate for the commerical? Also interesting to note that this RTS has Fresh carpet seating when most units in the 4900 - 5249 batch had had hard seats towards the end of their service lifes.

That's 5227.

[Lawrence St]

5 minutes ago, trainfan22 said:

RTS 5227 was preserved? It's in the new Scott Stringer for Mayor commercial which only came out a couple days ago...

 

 

Or this is 5249 and they changed the number plate for the commerical? Also interesting to note that this RTS has Fresh carpet seating when most units in the 4900 - 5249 batch had had hard seats towards the end of their service lifes.

Yes, 5227 is owned by the NJTHC. 4901 is owned by the TMNY. They're the only two recently retired RTS's to get preserved.

[checkmatechamp13]

On 5/29/2021 at 11:09 AM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Walking to the  train from anywhere off of the Grand Concourse requires walking up hill or down hill depending on your location to the train, getting the stairs to the platform and then doing that again. 

Or he could take the Bx1/2

On 5/29/2021 at 11:09 AM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Plenty of people on Staten Island opt for the express bus within Staten Island, as they don't feel safe taking the local buses.

That is not accurate.

On 5/29/2021 at 12:34 PM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

If there is no local bus coming and an express is coming then you get on and it is what it is.

This is accurate. Either there is no corresponding local route in that area (e.g. Some portions of the South Shore) or making the trip by local bus would take significantly longer. 

On 5/29/2021 at 12:01 PM, Future ENY OP said:

I wish this option was available when I lived in Sheepshead Bay back in the day when the x29 was the primary source on Coney Island Ave. I could see how this could work in Staten Island, but The Bronx is entirely different.

You never know unless you ask  I've taken BM routes between Midtown and Downtown on a regular basis with no issues. (I was at the eastern end of East 23rd Street and didn't feel like backtracking to 23rd & Park)

On 5/29/2021 at 12:01 PM, Future ENY OP said:

Also ain't the the primary concourse line.

This is true, but specifically for 161st Street, the stop is a couple of blocks off the Concourse, downhill. (Well, uphill if you're heading towards the Concourse)

On 5/29/2021 at 12:07 PM, Future ENY OP said:

See, this I agree. Intrabronx travel doesn't require express bus unless the driver is okay with it.

I believe you're mixing up two things. To say whether the express bus is required to make a particular trip significantly easier is different from whether or not the driver allows it.

On 5/29/2021 at 5:36 PM, SevenEleven said:

S40/90, 42/52, 44/94, 46/96, 48/98, 51/81, 53/93, 61/91, 62/92, 74/84

54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 78, 79, 89 are all standalone. The 80 and 90 routes are the  limiteds. The 42/52 and 53/93 are variants of each other.

Also the S76/86

[Via Garibaldi 8]

21 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

That is not accurate.

It is accurate. You just haven't seen it on lines you use. Say that. I know what I've seen, and we don't use the same lines. The lines you use I haven't seen it, but I have definitely seen it over the years, both on Staten Island and in Manhattan for Staten Island express bus lines.

[checkmatechamp13]

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It is accurate. You just haven't seen it on lines you use. Say that. I know what I've seen, and we don't use the same lines. The lines you use I haven't seen it, but I have definitely seen it over the years, both on Staten Island and in Manhattan for Staten Island express bus lines.

It is not accurate that the reason that people are using SIM routes for intraborough travel is due to safety concerns on the local bus (you brought up Manhattan after the fact, so I'm not going to discuss anything relating to the subway).

The reason those people are using the SIM routes for intraborough travel is because those trips are a PITA to make via local bus. Arrochar to Mariners Harbor was much quicker on the X10 to the S48 than by taking the S78 to the S48...and now it's even quicker now that the SIM33C runs directly to Mariners Harbor). Even Arrochar to my neighborhood is much quicker if the express bus is available (since the S93 has to swing up to Victory Blvd and then you have a long walk or a transfer to the S62). On the South Shore, there's people who take the SIM4C within the island. 

Don't twist my words. I'm not denying that the phenomenon takes place...I'm saying that that it has nothing to do with safety and is related to convenience/travel time. You want to act like someone who is so scared of taking the local bus and make it seem like the vast majority of intraborough express bus riders are in that category when that is simply not the case.

[Lawrence St]

So why exactly was the B23 discontinued and why hasn't it been brought back? I see a lot of NYC folk requesting that it been brought back someway with a slightly different routing.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

32 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

It is not accurate that the reason that people are using SIM routes for intraborough travel is due to safety concerns on the local bus (you brought up Manhattan after the fact, so I'm not going to discuss anything relating to the subway).

The reason those people are using the SIM routes for intraborough travel is because those trips are a PITA to make via local bus. Arrochar to Mariners Harbor was much quicker on the X10 to the S48 than by taking the S78 to the S48...and now it's even quicker now that the SIM33C runs directly to Mariners Harbor). Even Arrochar to my neighborhood is much quicker if the express bus is available (since the S93 has to swing up to Victory Blvd and then you have a long walk or a transfer to the S62). On the South Shore, there's people who take the SIM4C within the island. 

Don't twist my words. I'm not denying that the phenomenon takes place...I'm saying that that it has nothing to do with safety and is related to convenience/travel time. You want to act like someone who is so scared of taking the local bus and make it seem like the vast majority of intraborough express bus riders are in that category when that is simply not the case.

You don't even know which lines they are, and that's your opinion about them not using the express bus because of safety concerns. I've seen it for myself. Some parents especially don't feel safe putting their kids on the local buses. The facts speak for themselves, as kids have been jumped on the local buses on Staten Island over the years, so you don't have to agree. In one case where a kid was jumped, the parent gave the kid cab money to get to and from. Now I wouldn't say that I've seen the situation arise every day or something, but compared to the other boroughs, I have seen it the most on Staten Island, and yes safety is sometimes the reason, whether you want to admit it or not. 

Hell, even bus drivers on Staten Island have been jumped over the years by passengers on the local lines. Lets not pretend like everything is so rosy on Staten Island. It's a known fact that the local lines out there are pretty bad, and quite frankly as bad as some of the Bronx local lines. That's just a fact.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[trainfan22]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

Yes, 5227 is owned by the NJTHC. 4901 is owned by the TMNY. They're the only two recently retired RTS's to get preserved.

I did not know that these two units was saved, thanks. I thought 5249 and the RTS from Flatbush (forgot the number) donated to the FDNY was the only ones from the 98-99 batch left. 

 

[checkmatechamp13]

28 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

You don't even know which lines they are, and that's your opinion about them not using the express bus because of safety concerns. I've seen it for myself. Some parents especially don't feel safe putting their kids on the local buses. The facts speak for themselves, as kids have been jumped on the local buses on Staten Island over the years, so you don't have to agree. In one case where a kid was jumped, the parent gave the kid cab money to get to and from. Now I wouldn't say that I've seen the situation arise every day or something, but compared to the other boroughs, I have seen it the most on Staten Island, and yes safety is sometimes the reason, whether you want to admit it or not. 

Hell, even bus drivers on Staten Island have been jumped over the years by passengers on the local lines. Lets not pretend like everything is so rosy on Staten Island. It's a known fact that the local lines out there are pretty bad, and quite frankly as bad as some of the Bronx local lines. That's just a fact.

Right, so instead of saying "Well some use it because of safety concerns and some use it for convenience/travel time", you jump right to safety as being the reason people use express buses for intraborough travel. 

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, trainfan22 said:

I did not know that these two units was saved, thanks. I thought 5249 and the RTS from Flatbush (forgot the number) donated to the FDNY was the only ones from the 98-99 batch left. 

 

4964 I believe is the RTS bus that was preserved to FDNY.

[QM1to6Ave]

5 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

Yes, 5227 is owned by the NJTHC. 4901 is owned by the TMNY. They're the only two recently retired RTS's to get preserved.

So Stringer rented a prop bus to film his commercial? I wonder if the MTA didn’t allow him to film on an active bus. Or he didn’t want to risk real people yelling at him lol. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Right, so instead of saying "Well some use it because of safety concerns and some use it for convenience/travel time", you jump right to safety as being the reason people use express buses for intraborough travel. 

No, I'm sticking with what I said because the reality is there are a good amount of people on Staten Island that use it precisely because of safety concerns, so I don't need you to be the voice of reason like I don't know what I'm talking about. I've worked with many Staten Islanders in various offices I've worked at to know, in addition to having overheard plenty of conversations confirming what I'm saying too (I'll leave out the details, but they made it crystal clear why they took the express bus), so you may not like to hear it, but it's the truth. Whatever your standards are doesn't mean that represents thousands of Staten Islanders, so I'm talking based off of what I have seen and what other Staten Islanders have said, just like there are some of them that avoid the subway in Manhattan and only take the express bus. 

I've worked with and met all types of Staten Islanders when it comes to commuting.

[Calvin]

https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2021/05/mta-bus-driver-shortage-causing-staten-island-trip-cancellations-frustrating-commuters.html?outputType=amp&fbclid=IwAR3yvFmW5pILKAsjm7BKtSlUh7B_Cu2WNsG1gTtldEsUY0fxtO7FZlm26ms

There seems to be a shortage of Staten Island Express trips at that time

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

On 5/31/2021 at 12:19 AM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No, I'm sticking with what I said because the reality is there are a good amount of people on Staten Island that use it precisely because of safety concerns, so I don't need you to be the voice of reason like I don't know what I'm talking about. I've worked with many Staten Islanders in various offices I've worked at to know, in addition to having overheard plenty of conversations confirming what I'm saying too (I'll leave out the details, but they made it crystal clear why they took the express bus), so you may not like to hear it, but it's the truth. Whatever your standards are doesn't mean that represents thousands of Staten Islanders, so I'm talking based off of what I have seen and what other Staten Islanders have said, just like there are some of them that avoid the subway in Manhattan and only take the express bus. 

I've worked with and met all types of Staten Islanders when it comes to commuting.

I've done it before too. I had to get from Narrows/Targee to Richmond/Lander area on a Saturday afternoon. 

 

I would've taken the S53/S44, but then I ended up running late. So I was about to call an Uber and the price was $27 with a 13 min wait I'm like wtf and canceled it. I said let me see if I can flagg a SIM33 down coming from the city. As he approached Targee I literally waived like I was trying to tell a train operator to stop as if someone was on the tracks (luckily someone was getting off). As the person got off he said "this is not the pickup gotta go to the other side of the highway". I said "no i know I need to get to Richmond quickly and this is cheaper than an Uber i don't mind the $6.75". He said oh ok and things went normal (some people were confused seeing me get on but whatever). As I got off he said "you're the first person I had do that in my 8 years". I was like no way...he was like "yes, but it makes sense than to spend $20 for an Uber if it's convenient for you. People struggle to pay $6.75 and you're taking advantage of $6.75". I laughed and said u never know what to expect driving these buses. He said "yeah you can say that again, if it wasn't for someone getting off where u got on, my instinct wouldn't have been to stop but now with this scenario you have me thinking if I should be on the lookout". I said yeah its definitely not common, especially these days, but if someone is seriously flaggin you then you should stop and see what's up. He agreed and we each said take care and have a good day. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

15 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

I've done it before too. I had to get from Narrows/Targee to Richmond/Lander area on a Saturday afternoon. 

 

I would've taken the S53/S44, but then I ended up running late. So I was about to call an Uber and the price was $27 with a 13 min wait I'm like wtf and canceled it. I said let me see if I can flagg a SIM33 down coming from the city. As he approached Targee I literally waived like I was trying to tell a train operator to stop as if someone was on the tracks (luckily someone was getting off). As the person got off he said "this is not the pickup gotta go to the other side of the highway". I said "no i know I need to get to Richmond quickly and this is cheaper than an Uber i don't mind the $6.75". He said oh ok and things went normal (some people were confused seeing me get on but whatever). As I got off he said "you're the first person I had do that in my 8 years". I was like no way...he was like "yes, but it makes sense than to spend $20 for an Uber if it's convenient for you. People struggle to pay $6.75 and you're taking advantage of $6.75". I laughed and said u never know what to expect driving these buses. He said "yeah you can say that again, if it wasn't for someone getting off where u got on, my instinct wouldn't have been to stop but now with this scenario you have me thinking if I should be on the lookout". I said yeah its definitely not common, especially these days, but if someone is seriously flaggin you then you should stop and see what's up. He agreed and we each said take care and have a good day. 

Before I moved to Staten Island, I had relatives that lived out there, so in over 20 years of visiting family or living there, I have seen a little bit of everything regarding how people use the express buses there, and at this point, nothing surprises me. When they axed the X16, there was a lady that used to get that bus by Hart Blvd and Forest Av because she used to ride the X16 with me. With that bus gone, what she would do is in the morning, take the X30 to Manor Rd and Forest, and then transfer to the X13. The morning was fine, as the drivers wouldn't bark much about her doing it, given the situation. The afternoons however were interesting, as she would do the same thing in reverse, then try to get an X30 to stop to pick her up to go home from the X13. Sometimes they would stop and pick her up, but most of the time they would fly by, as it is drop-off only there. Now obviously, she could've just transferred to the S48, but I guess her attitude was they eliminated my bus, and I want to take the express bus, not the local. I also commuted with a lot of people that made it clear that they didn't take the subway. Express bus only. These were people I stood on line with every afternoon for years to get the express bus, so obviously you talk and get to know each other. It was very interesting to see how people operated. We had another lady that absolutely refused to take any local bus (she would comment to that point in fact). A real prima donna... She would board west of Richmond and Forest, always chasing the bus down by car making a big scene about it, and then she would have the driver wait for her while she parked.

A number of times when our regular bus didn't show up, you obviously took another line. Well that part people didn't mind, but they were not taking the local bus when they got off. They would call and be picked up, so as I said, I've seen a bit of everything out there.

[Lil 57]

Is it just me or are a lot of buses are departing early. This is the 2nd time I went to a bus stop 3-5 minutes before departure to see that the bus left 5 minutes ago (both were on 30 minute headway’s at the time).