BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[B35 via Church]

13 hours ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

Here's an interesting tidbit... I took the BM3 last week and I noticed on my EasyPay statement that my card was only charged $2.75. Guess the operator set up the farebox incorrectly.

So I take it that you won't be filing a complaint that you were undercharged ?

[Future ENY OP]

21 hours ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

Here's an interesting tidbit... I took the BM3 last week and I noticed on my EasyPay statement that my card was only charged $2.75. Guess the operator set up the farebox incorrectly.

Accept that as a cost savings in your pocket for that week. 

[YankeesPwnMets]

I consider it an small present from the MTA 

I wonder how much the OMNY users were charged

[Via Garibaldi 8]

38 minutes ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

I consider it an small present from the MTA 

I wonder how much the OMNY users were charged

The driver has nothing to do with it. That's not set by them. I've had the same thing where I was either charged $2.75 or not charged at all. That's an OMNY bug. That doesn't include all of the times that the OMNY reader is broken.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[YankeesPwnMets]

I was using the EasyPayXpress MetroCard, not OMNY. I’m pretty sure drivers are still in charge of setting the OG fare box correctly, as KDGallagher alluded to

17 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The driver has nothing to do with it. That's not set by them. I've had the same thing where I was either charged $2.75 or not charged at all. That's an OMNY bug. That doesn't include all of the times that the OMNY reader is broken.

 

[Missabassie]

1 hour ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

I consider it an small present from the MTA 

I wonder how much the OMNY users were charged

They won't miss it. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

I was using the EasyPayXpress MetroCard, not OMNY. I’m pretty sure drivers are still in charge of setting the OG fare box correctly, as KDGallagher alluded to

 

Ahhh. I misunderstood.  I haven't used a Metrocard in several months, but I can't recall ever being charged $2.75 when I did for the express.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[IAlam]

46 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Ahhh. I misunderstood.  I haven't used a Metrocard in several months, but I can't recall ever being charged $2.75 when I did for the express.

I've seen it happen once on the X17 the driver noticed as the first person got on and only paid $2.75 and then quickly changed it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, IAlam said:

I've seen it happen once on the X17 the driver noticed as the first person got on and only paid $2.75 and then quickly changed it.

I will say that the times that the farebox was set wrong or broken, I usually had an express bus pass, so I rarely got a break. I get far more breaks now that I am using OMNY, since I pay per ride.

[YankeesPwnMets]

18 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I will say that the times that the farebox was set wrong or broken, I usually had an express bus pass, so I rarely got a break. I get far more breaks now that I am using OMNY, since I pay per ride.

Wow.. opposite experiences. Never had an issue with my EasyPay, but OMNY looooves to double charge by accident

Back when I took PATH and used the SmartLink card every day, I would tap my whole damn wallet aganst the reader - if you have a brain fart and do the same with OMNY it will either reject you or charge every single card in your wallet 😪

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 minutes ago, YankeesPwnMets said:

Wow.. opposite experiences. Never had an issue with my EasyPay, but OMNY looooves to double charge by accident

Back when I took PATH and used the SmartLink card every day, I would tap my whole damn wallet aganst the reader - if you have a brain fart and do the same with OMNY it will either reject you or charge every single card in your wallet 😪

Oh I actually have had a number of instances where I was overcharged, even during days that I was not traveling. lol Riddle me that one. That's why I immediately bought an OMNY card as soon as I could find one because I didn't want my other cards linked to OMNY.  Since I got an OMNY card, I've had an issue once where I was charged $2.75 for an express bus ride. The route was "Other", and it screwed up my ride history to where I couldn't see my what I was charged and for what lines. Took about three weeks for them to fix it and numerous follow-ups, but I've had no other issues with the card aside from that and I've been using it since October 2021. Previously I had to cancel my other cards because they could not figure out why I was incurring random charges. 
 

[YankeesPwnMets]

I would get an OMNY card but I'm not going out of my damn way to find one. A competent transit agency would already have vending machines for these f#ckin things in stations.

And I'm with you... I avoid using my CC on those readers like the plague. Haggling with the CC company over $2.75 is a lose-lose proposition. You don't want to spend this time and energy getting 2.75 back but you don't want to just throw it away on an agency that'll light the money on fire. Ugh.

[QM1to6Ave]

Apologies to @lornaevo and any other CP B/Os on here who are good, hardworking folks trying to do their jobs properly, but...

 

I am FED UP with these CP express B/Os and their bulls*it games of turning off their destination signs and skipping stops. Once again, it happened today in the rain during morning rush hour to Manhattan. B/O of bus 3399 on the QM35 is about to get a complaint. B/O turns on "next bus please" even though I see lots of open seats as he goes by, and he purposely moves into the passing lane so there is no chance of flagging him down. What an a**hole. 

I don't know where these guys get the balls to do this, but it has been consistent since the start of the pandemic. I'll never forgive them for all the times I got passed by while trying to get to my jobs at the hospitals during March-April of 2020. If not for @Via Garibaldi 8 it would be even worse. And they all still take up the first seat with their personal property as if they are entitled to the seat.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Apologies to @lornaevo and any other CP B/Os on here who are good, hardworking folks trying to do their jobs properly, but...

 

I am FED UP with these CP express B/Os and their bulls*it games of turning off their destination signs and skipping stops. Once again, it happened today in the rain during morning rush hour to Manhattan. B/O of bus 3399 on the QM35 is about to get a complaint. B/O turns on "next bus please" even though I see lots of open seats as he goes by, and he purposely moves into the passing lane so there is no chance of flagging him down. What an a**hole. 

I don't know where these guys get the balls to do this, but it has been consistent since the start of the pandemic. I'll never forgive them for all the times I got passed by while trying to get to my jobs at the hospitals during March-April of 2020. If not for @Via Garibaldi 8 it would be even worse. And they all still take up the first seat with their personal property as if they are entitled to the seat.

Unreal. A damn shame that an essential worker can't get to work.

[IAlam]

16 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Apologies to @lornaevo and any other CP B/Os on here who are good, hardworking folks trying to do their jobs properly, but...

 

I am FED UP with these CP express B/Os and their bulls*it games of turning off their destination signs and skipping stops. Once again, it happened today in the rain during morning rush hour to Manhattan. B/O of bus 3399 on the QM35 is about to get a complaint. B/O turns on "next bus please" even though I see lots of open seats as he goes by, and he purposely moves into the passing lane so there is no chance of flagging him down. What an a**hole. 

I don't know where these guys get the balls to do this, but it has been consistent since the start of the pandemic. I'll never forgive them for all the times I got passed by while trying to get to my jobs at the hospitals during March-April of 2020. If not for @Via Garibaldi 8 it would be even worse. And they all still take up the first seat with their personal property as if they are entitled to the seat.

Yep I'm glad I've just been using the LIRR as of late can't deal with this crap anymore.

[lornaevo]

On 7/18/2022 at 11:09 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

Apologies to @lornaevo and any other CP B/Os on here who are good, hardworking folks trying to do their jobs properly, but...

 

I am FED UP with these CP express B/Os and their bulls*it games of turning off their destination signs and skipping stops. Once again, it happened today in the rain during morning rush hour to Manhattan. B/O of bus 3399 on the QM35 is about to get a complaint. B/O turns on "next bus please" even though I see lots of open seats as he goes by, and he purposely moves into the passing lane so there is no chance of flagging him down. What an a**hole. 

I don't know where these guys get the balls to do this, but it has been consistent since the start of the pandemic. I'll never forgive them for all the times I got passed by while trying to get to my jobs at the hospitals during March-April of 2020. If not for @Via Garibaldi 8 it would be even worse. And they all still take up the first seat with their personal property as if they are entitled to the seat.

As a BO I totally understand your frustration. This happens a lot even on local lines and the operator who’s following gets an earful from the customer. Happened to me yesterday. I got yelled at for being late, even though I passed my leader to keep the line moving. Something needs to be done. 

[QM1to6Ave]

47 minutes ago, lornaevo said:

As a BO I totally understand your frustration. This happens a lot even on local lines and the operator who’s following gets an earful from the customer. Happened to me yesterday. I got yelled at for being late, even though I passed my leader to keep the line moving. Something needs to be done. 

Jeez, that's terrible!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

42 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Jeez, that's terrible!

Another driver out on Staten Island was caught doing this. Not sure if it was the same driver or not, but during rush hours, I've been getting complaints about this one driver not making any pick-ups stops along 23rd St on the SIM10. This is the second time I have heard of such an incident. Occasionally dispatch may have drivers skip stops to get back on schedule, but some drivers are taking it upon themselves now to just do as they please on quite a few lines.

Previously, it was a bus operator that pointed it out to a passenger and said, "Look at this guy". This leads to other buses being packed as in standing room only and tons of complaints from riders, and rightfully so. The issue is sometimes passengers aren't even aware because the drivers change their signage to "NOT IN SERVICE" or skip parts of the route, then go into service further along the route, so you have to really be paying attention. I told you about that QM6 driver a few years ago.

I would get him every Sunday morning, either at 36th & 6th or 42nd & 6th. Well one Sunday I'm waiting at 42nd & 6th and I see a bus with CP stickers on it with a NOT IN SERVICE sign up around the time that this guy should be at my stop, so I make a mental note of bus# (I actually still remember the # - 3214, as he always had that bus) keep BusTime open in desktop mode to see if anything pops up because nothing is coming and now I'm going to be late because the QM6 is only once an hour, so now I'm pissed because I have to re-arrange everything including my pick-up from the express bus, so suddenly I see the bus on BusTime, the same number on 57th St by 3rd Av. He had skipped all of the stops. I took screenshots immediately and reached out with all of the details. Next week I got him again and I didn't say anything because I know he had been read the riot act. He kept looking around trying to figure out who it was that complained. I got off at Chevy Chase and Union Turnpike and again said nothing. That's the way I do it now. Keep my phone out and take photos if necessary and send them in with my complaint, this way they can't deny what happened.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[QM1to6Ave]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Another driver out on Staten Island was caught doing this. Not sure if it was the same driver or not, but during rush hours, I've been getting complaints about this one driver not making any pick-ups stops along 23rd St on the SIM10. This is the second time I have heard of such an incident. Occasionally dispatch may have drivers skip stops to get back on schedule, but some drivers are taking it upon themselves now to just do as they please on quite a few lines.

Previously, it was a bus operator that pointed it out to a passenger and said, "Look at this guy". This leads to other buses being packed as in standing room only and tons of complaints from riders, and rightfully so. The issue is sometimes passengers aren't even aware because the drivers change their signage to "NOT IN SERVICE" or skip parts of the route, then go into service further along the route, so you have to really be paying attention. I told you about that QM6 driver a few years ago.

I would get him every Sunday morning, either at 36th & 6th or 42nd & 6th. Well one Sunday I'm waiting at 42nd & 6th and I see a bus with CP stickers on it with a NOT IN SERVICE sign up around the time that this guy should be at my stop, so I make a mental note of bus# (I actually still remember the # - 3214, as he always had that bus) keep BusTime open in desktop mode to see if anything pops up because nothing is coming and now I'm going to be late because the QM6 is only once an hour, so now I'm pissed because I have to re-arrange everything including my pick-up from the express bus, so suddenly I see the bus on BusTime, the same number on 57th St by 3rd Av. He had skipped all of the stops. I took screenshots immediately and reached out with all of the details. Next week I got him again and I didn't say anything because I know he had been read the riot act. He kept looking around trying to figure out who it was that complained. I got off at Chevy Chase and Union Turnpike and again said nothing. That's the way I do it now. Keep my phone out and take photos if necessary and send them in with my complaint, this way they can't deny what happened.

Yeah, I've had B/Os see me get passed by and tell me to report the other B/Os because it upsets them too

[Lil 57]

I’ve might’ve said this before but since I started driving in wondering why the  governs their buses (especially local buses) so low? Although there aren’t many sections where the speed limit is over 40mph on local routes, they do use the highway to deadhead like between the Charleston depot and the Ferry and create a hazard on the road since everyone has to pass them. The  should govern the local buses to higher speeds or they should just be banned from using highways altogether unless it’s absolutely necessary, like going over the Verrazano Bridge.  

Edited July 21, 2022 by Lil 57

[Lawrence St]

XN60 #1000 is so dinged up and scratched up on the right rear…it’s sad MTA does not take care of equipment.

[NBTA]

Bus 3354 got into an accident. Everyone’s okay, but the cops chased and caught 2/3 of the assailants who ran into the bus (I would know cause I was on it, I’m okay too).

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, NBTA said:

Bus 3354 got into an accident. Everyone’s okay, but the cops chased and caught 2/3 of the assailants who ran into the bus (I would know cause I was on it, I’m okay too).

What happened??

[NBTA]

8 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

What happened??

3 people were being chased by either police, a white car, or both. Seems like the car was stolen too, ran into the wheelchair lift of the bus. It had a dent in it, but it wasn’t too bad.

[trainfan22]

I rode 7890? on the B15 today, wasn't even looking for it. Was planning to take the B47 when I walked past the bus. Looked at the railing on the roof extending the entire length of the bus, first I thought it was an hybrid, then I saw the numbers 7890 and said to myself, whoa, that's one of the new XD40 diesel buses!!!!

 

Of course I rode it, nice bus but weak A/C. I expected my first ride on these units to be on ethier the B17 or B42, not the B15.