BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[NewFlyer 230]

The other day I boarded a Q44 in Flushing and this particular bus was at Main Street/39th Ave for a good 15 mins without any explanation. People continued to board the bus but everyone started to wonder what was going on because the light keeps changing and all the  other bus routes were running fine. Finally the driver of the Q44 we were on announced that she was waiting for her relief and told us that there are two Q44’s that we could take behind us that will continue to Jamaica. So we all get off upset and then we had to wait another 5 minutes because there was a Q20A also at the stop accepting passengers so the two Q44 buses couldn’t pull in to the stop. The Q44 that we were originally on went out of service and the two buses picked us up. 

That whole delay made me miss my LIRR connection in Jamaica therefore making me late to work and it just left me wondering how often do late reliefs or no relief’s delay bus routes like the Q44? I try to not get so upset because I don’t know what could have happened that day to cause the relief to be a no show but then at the same time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

19 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The other day I boarded a Q44 in Flushing and this particular bus was at Main Street/39th Ave for a good 15 mins without any explanation. People continued to board the bus but everyone started to wonder what was going on because the light keeps changing and all the  other bus routes were running fine. Finally the driver of the Q44 we were on announced that she was waiting for her relief and told us that there are two Q44’s that we could take behind us that will continue to Jamaica. So we all get off upset and then we had to wait another 5 minutes because there was a Q20A also at the stop accepting passengers so the two Q44 buses couldn’t pull in to the stop. The Q44 that we were originally on went out of service and the two buses picked us up. 

That whole delay made me miss my LIRR connection in Jamaica therefore making me late to work and it just left me wondering how often do late reliefs or no relief’s delay bus routes like the Q44? I try to not get so upset because I don’t know what could have happened that day to cause the relief to be a no show but then at the same time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

The  could care less. On weekends, there seems to be no dispatching whatsoever. I decided to take the express bus yesterday to run an errand and wish that I hadn't. Could've went elsewhere by car. Waited almost an hour for one bus. Four buses were do. First one left early as I was walking to the stop. I said, no biggie, I'll get the next one. Well that was over 50 minutes later. Two buses pull in late, then a third one and they all go on layover then all start at the same time, and I'm pretty sure at least two of them were late, if not all three.

12 hours ago, IAlam said:

So I got on a local bus today and noticed the bus op playing music. I only ever seen that on express buses before, and those bus ops turn it off as soon as the first passengers gets on. But normally I don't mind I as I understand that driving all day can be boring and having music can help people get through the day easier. At the next red light after I boarded, the bus stop started changing music on his phone and again I wouldn't mind that much since the bus wasn't moving, but once the light turned green the op started to move the bus still with the phone in hand. I was on the bus only for a couple blocks but the entire time they we're on their phone. I ended up taking a quick pick and reporting it, but I feel bad about doing that since the bus op seemed like a nice person. But being on your phone while driving a bus is just reckless and unacceptable. Idk how strict the MTA would be about it, but I don't like the idea of being that person responsible for them possibly loosing their job. 

What does him seeming like a nice guy have to do with his reckless behavior? He's responsible for other people while he is in service, whether he's a nice guy or not. There's a reason using cell phones while in service is prohibited. Over the years, I have never had a driver using a cell phone while in service, but a few passengers have said that they have had drivers using cell phones while on the expressway, nonetheless at high speed (traffic was moving). You loose control for one second and it could be disaster. Being a nice guy won't change the result if someone is injured or killed.

[B35 via Church]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

So let me get this straight - you don’t like the idea of someone losing their job, but file a complaint that will make them lose their job?

Yeah, that too - but what got me is that he was only on the bus for a couple of blocks.

I'm just not one of these people that's quick to be on some "gotcha" shit.... Also, this disposition of *I don't wanna be that guy, but I gotta to be that guy*.... If I think you're off base on something, I'm going to have certain convictions about it without that whole compassion factor.....

5 minutes ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The other day I boarded a Q44 in Flushing and this particular bus was at Main Street/39th Ave for a good 15 mins without any explanation. People continued to board the bus but everyone started to wonder what was going on because the light keeps changing and all the  other bus routes were running fine. Finally the driver of the Q44 we were on announced that she was waiting for her relief and told us that there are two Q44’s that we could take behind us that will continue to Jamaica. So we all get off upset and then we had to wait another 5 minutes because there was a Q20A also at the stop accepting passengers so the two Q44 buses couldn’t pull in to the stop. The Q44 that we were originally on went out of service and the two buses picked us up. 

That whole delay made me miss my LIRR connection in Jamaica therefore making me late to work and it just left me wondering how often do late reliefs or no relief’s delay bus routes like the Q44? I try to not get so upset because I don’t know what could have happened that day to cause the relief to be a no show but then at the same time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

Don't know about the Q44 in particular, but late reliefs in general I'd say are pretty rare.

I don't quite understand your sentiment at the very end there though.... I get being pissed at the situation, but I'm not thinking about the MTA leaving a good impression for the public when anxiety sets in that I'm going to be late for work...

[danielhg121]

4 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The other day I boarded a Q44 in Flushing and this particular bus was at Main Street/39th Ave for a good 15 mins without any explanation. People continued to board the bus but everyone started to wonder what was going on because the light keeps changing and all the  other bus routes were running fine. Finally the driver of the Q44 we were on announced that she was waiting for her relief and told us that there are two Q44’s that we could take behind us that will continue to Jamaica. So we all get off upset and then we had to wait another 5 minutes because there was a Q20A also at the stop accepting passengers so the two Q44 buses couldn’t pull in to the stop. The Q44 that we were originally on went out of service and the two buses picked us up. 

That whole delay made me miss my LIRR connection in Jamaica therefore making me late to work and it just left me wondering how often do late reliefs or no relief’s delay bus routes like the Q44? I try to not get so upset because I don’t know what could have happened that day to cause the relief to be a no show but then at the same time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

This happened to me a couple weeks back as well when I was taking the Q20B s/b towards Flushing. The bus operator, an Asian man starts yelling at passengers getting on at Bayside that Flushing was his last stop and that he was going outta service at Flushing. The passengers were going beyond Flushing so he directed them to the Q44 directly behind us. Mind you this was 6:30 AM in the morning. I was curious as to why the bus was going outta service and he wouldn't mention it til later. It wasn't till he pulled into 39th Avenue that he informed everyone that there was no relief driver. He gets to Main St, lets everyone off and offers a transfer and then flips the sign to Not In Service and makes a right on 39th Ave, presumably to head back to the depot. Glad he made the trip to where everyone could find a somewhat reasonable alternative though. 

I guess in your case it wouldn't be so bad if they had informed everyone earlier of what was going on but it seems to me that most of the time, the stop is overloaded with buses trying to enter the terminal. If there was a dispatcher present, he/she should've told the Q20a to pick up and go or the 44's to unload a stop behind.

[checkmatechamp13]

17 hours ago, IAlam said:

So I got on a local bus today and noticed the bus op playing music. I only ever seen that on express buses before, and those bus ops turn it off as soon as the first passengers gets on. But normally I don't mind I as I understand that driving all day can be boring and having music can help people get through the day easier. At the next red light after I boarded, the bus stop started changing music on his phone and again I wouldn't mind that much since the bus wasn't moving, but once the light turned green the op started to move the bus still with the phone in hand. I was on the bus only for a couple blocks but the entire time they we're on their phone. I ended up taking a quick pick and reporting it, but I feel bad about doing that since the bus op seemed like a nice person. But being on your phone while driving a bus is just reckless and unacceptable. Idk how strict the MTA would be about it, but I don't like the idea of being that person responsible for them possibly loosing their job. 

So you couldn't have told him directly?

5 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

The other day I boarded a Q44 in Flushing and this particular bus was at Main Street/39th Ave for a good 15 mins without any explanation. People continued to board the bus but everyone started to wonder what was going on because the light keeps changing and all the  other bus routes were running fine. Finally the driver of the Q44 we were on announced that she was waiting for her relief and told us that there are two Q44’s that we could take behind us that will continue to Jamaica. So we all get off upset and then we had to wait another 5 minutes because there was a Q20A also at the stop accepting passengers so the two Q44 buses couldn’t pull in to the stop. The Q44 that we were originally on went out of service and the two buses picked us up. 

That whole delay made me miss my LIRR connection in Jamaica therefore making me late to work and it just left me wondering how often do late reliefs or no relief’s delay bus routes like the Q44? I try to not get so upset because I don’t know what could have happened that day to cause the relief to be a no show but then at the same time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

The key is good communication. If the B/O had let everybody know that they were waiting for a relief, the riders could've transferred to another bus.

[B35 via Church]

1 hour ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

So you couldn't have told him directly?

Good chance that would have resulted in an (verbal) altercation, regardless of how couth he'd come off.

[Lawrence St]

Just now, B35 via Church said:

Good chance that would have resulted in an (verbal) altercation, regardless of how couth he'd come off.

That still doesn’t excuse what he did. Was he driving the bus in an unsafe manner with it swaying from side to side? No, so why the hell would you do something that selfish and cost someone their job?

[B35 via Church]

2 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

That still doesn’t excuse what he did. Was he driving the bus in an unsafe manner with it swaying from side to side? No, so why the hell would you do something that selfish and cost someone their job?

Dude, I'm not defending @IAlam in the slightest... Calm all that down.

[Lawrence St]

Just now, B35 via Church said:

Dude, I'm not defending @IAlam in the slightest... Calm all that down.

I didn’t say you were, but it’s stuff like that that annoys the hell out of me. People filing ridiculous complaints like that cost people their jobs. It’s sickening.

[B35 via Church]

2 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

I didn’t say you were, but it’s stuff like that that annoys the hell out of me. People filing ridiculous complaints like that cost people their jobs. It’s sickening.

You're coming at me like I was...

I hear you, but at the same time, don't direct that displaced anger at me.

[Lawrence St]

10 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

You're coming at me like I was...

I hear you, but at the same time, don't direct that displaced anger at me.

No man, wasn’t directed towards you at all.

[MysteriousBtrain]

28 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

Was he driving the bus in an unsafe manner with it swaying from side to side? No

Sounds like you definitely saw what the driver was doing given you are defending a complete stranger.

[IAlam]

7 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

What does him seeming like a nice guy have to do with his reckless behavior? He's responsible for other people while he is in service, whether he's a nice guy or not. There's a reason using cell phones while in service is prohibited. Over the years, I have never had a driver using a cell phone while in service, but a few passengers have said that they have had drivers using cell phones while on the expressway, nonetheless at high speed (traffic was moving). You loose control for one second and it could be disaster. Being a nice guy won't change the result if someone is injured or killed.

That's true, part of the reason I was so uncomfortable was because the B/O was squeezing between double parked cars and opposing traffic while just looking down. I've heard about it happening once but I've never seen it myself before, so I was a bit surprised when it happened yesterday. 

7 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Yeah, that too - but what got me is that he was only on the bus for a couple of blocks.

I'm just not one of these people that's quick to be on some "gotcha" shit.... Also, this disposition of *I don't wanna be that guy, but I gotta to be that guy*.... If I think you're off base on something, I'm going to have certain convictions about it without that whole compassion factor.....

Most people in the Flushing area (where I was riding) ride pretty short distances it's very common to see short trips less than mile, and if I see a bus as I'm going to the station there really is no reason no to let it pass. 

1 hour ago, B35 via Church said:

Good chance that would have resulted in an (verbal) altercation, regardless of how couth he'd come off.

Yeah I'm not the type of person willing to get into arguments on the street, especially when I'm already rushing to get to a train. 

10 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

So let me get this straight - you don’t like the idea of someone losing their job, but file a complaint that will make them lose their job? How does that make the least bit of sense?

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

That still doesn’t excuse what he did. Was he driving the bus in an unsafe manner with it swaying from side to side? No, so why the hell would you do something that selfish and cost someone their job?

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

I didn’t say you were, but it’s stuff like that that annoys the hell out of me. People filing ridiculous complaints like that cost people their jobs. It’s sickening.

I might not feel good about it but, that doesn't mean what that op did was ok. Stop acting like I'm here just out to get drivers for frivolous mistakes and one offs. I constantly deal with many bad ops especially those on the express side but you don't see me filing a complaint to the MTA about every single thing they do. 
 

4 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

This happened to me a couple weeks back as well when I was taking the Q20B s/b towards Flushing. The bus operator, an Asian man starts yelling at passengers getting on at Bayside that Flushing was his last stop and that he was going outta service at Flushing. The passengers were going beyond Flushing so he directed them to the Q44 directly behind us. Mind you this was 6:30 AM in the morning. I was curious as to why the bus was going outta service and he wouldn't mention it til later. It wasn't till he pulled into 39th Avenue that he informed everyone that there was no relief driver. He gets to Main St, lets everyone off and offers a transfer and then flips the sign to Not In Service and makes a right on 39th Ave, presumably to head back to the depot. Glad he made the trip to where everyone could find a somewhat reasonable alternative though. 

I guess in your case it wouldn't be so bad if they had informed everyone earlier of what was going on but it seems to me that most of the time, the stop is overloaded with buses trying to enter the terminal. If there was a dispatcher present, he/she should've told the Q20a to pick up and go or the 44's to unload a stop behind.

This has been an issue ever since I could remember, back when I used to come home in the evening from HS there would constantly be delays as bus ops wouldn't show up to take over a bus at their scheduled time. I usually see a bus go out of service at least 1-2 times a month. Even when they do show up sometimes they're late, other times some ops just take a long time to swap, but overall it messes with the reliability on Main St in general. Most of that bunching occurs at 39th Ave as it turns into a chokehold during busy periods. 
 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

32 minutes ago, IAlam said:

I might not feel good about it but, that doesn't mean what that op did was ok. Stop acting like I'm here just out to get drivers for frivolous mistakes and one offs. I constantly deal with many bad ops especially those on the express side but you don't see me filing a complaint to the MTA about every single thing they do. 
 

Yeah, the reality is people do things they shouldn't be doing in all sorts of jobs. He acts as if because it's a bus operator that means they get some special pass or something. Now there are some things that people file complaints about that are indeed petty, but this isn't one of them. 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

59 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Most people in the Flushing area (where I was riding) ride pretty short distances it's very common to see short trips less than mile, and if I see a bus as I'm going to the station there really is no reason no to let it pass.

If I know I'm gonna be on the bus for a couple blocks, I'm not gonna go out of my taking snaps of drivers & resorting to reporting them (especially when I'm rushing to catch a train), was my point... Not that I take issue with the basic concept of someone riding buses for short distances.

Edited September 12, 2022 by B35 via Church

[trainfan22]

10 hours ago, NewFlyer 230 said:

time I’m thinking to myself “come on MTA how do you let this happen at a time when you need to leave a good impression for the public because ridership is still down but service is still unreliable on many routes”.

Yesterday all three buses on that run on the B42 was bunched up minutes apart, its a short route with no traffic issues on the weekends AND there's a dispatcher stationed at Rockaway Parkway. Its common for two out of the three B42 buses on Saturday evenings to run in pairs for whatever reason when its supposed to be 10 minute headways on Saturdays. I hear of other B42 riders complaining so its not only me. One theory from this woman whom I'm pretty sure is not in the online transit community said this "Local bus riders don't complain, they just accept it. They should complain about the service" I agree with her. I'm sure there are B42 riders who complain but it falls on death ears.

 

 

Dealing with shitty bus service has made me more pro car than I already was. The sheer thought of those annoying overly pro bus fanners who think who think traveling by bus is the best thing since sliced bread irritate me so much. Don't get me wrong the subway has its problems too (  and  on weekends for example) but it seems like service is much worse overall with the buses. I live on the  which has four minute headways 7 days a week, so I don't really have nothing to complain about on the rail side of things. But I do feel for QBL and 4th Ave local riders who have it rough on weekends.

 

I don't even think the the bus system has an  train equivalent when it comes to quality service. Maybe the B6 or weekend M104?

Edited September 12, 2022 by trainfan22

[KDGallagher]

9 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Good chance that would have resulted in an (verbal) altercation, regardless of how couth he'd come off.

Highly doubt that. Cell phone violations are quite severe. If the operator is a probie they will be fired. If not on probation I believe it's 30 days suspension, not too sure since I'm currently on probation and know just 1 time and I'm out a job. 

Kinda f'd up but at the same time this operator is BOLD asf to be on their phone knowing someone can easily record and report them. 

I probably wouldn't report someone but I wouldn't blame someone for doing so especially if they're on the highway texting. That's wild. 

All the driver had to do was pullover, call a personal and text/call whoever once out the seat. 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by KDGallagher

[B35 via Church]

16 hours ago, KDGallagher said:

Highly doubt that. Cell phone violations are quite severe. If the operator is a probie they will be fired. If not on probation I believe it's 30 days suspension, not too sure since I'm currently on probation and know just 1 time and I'm out a job. 

Kinda f'd up but at the same time this operator is BOLD asf to be on their phone knowing someone can easily record and report them. 

I probably wouldn't report someone but I wouldn't blame someone for doing so especially if they're on the highway texting. That's wild. 

All the driver had to do was pullover, call a personal and text/call whoever once out the seat.

I get that you're laying out what's at stake for the b/o, but as a passenger, I still wouldn't engage... I would say, ever since the PBL takeover, there's been this rather (palpable) adversarial relationship between b/o's & passengers... I don't believe for a solitary second that I can walk up to a b/o (especially nowadays) & mention in the nicest way possible that they shouldn't be on their phone while in passenger service - and expect not to get some sort of backtalk/backlash from that b/o....

[IAlam]

23 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

If I know I'm gonna be on the bus for a couple blocks, I'm not gonna go out of my taking snaps of drivers & resorting to reporting them (especially when I'm rushing to catch a train), was my point... Not that I take issue with the basic concept of someone riding buses for short distances.

The bus op was basically on their phone right after we left the stop and until I got off, and still had the phone in hand when I got off. On top of that I got on and just sat in the front seat and had a clear view from where I was sitting. I didn't get the picture by going up to him and snapping it. 

16 hours ago, KDGallagher said:

Highly doubt that. Cell phone violations are quite severe. If the operator is a probie they will be fired. If not on probation I believe it's 30 days suspension, not too sure since I'm currently on probation and know just 1 time and I'm out a job. 

Kinda f'd up but at the same time this operator is BOLD asf to be on their phone knowing someone can easily record and report them. 

I probably wouldn't report someone but I wouldn't blame someone for doing so especially if they're on the highway texting. That's wild. 

All the driver had to do was pullover, call a personal and text/call whoever once out the seat. 

If that was the case I definitely would have shrugged it off, even if it was just them stopped at a red light.

2 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

I get that you're laying out what's at stake for the b/o, but as a passenger, I still wouldn't engage... I would say, ever since the PBL takeover, there's been this rather (palpable) adversarial relationship between b/o's & passengers... I don't believe for a solitary second that I can walk up to a b/o (especially nowadays) & mention in the nicest way possible that they shouldn't be on their phone while in passenger service - and expect not to get some sort of backtalk/backlash from that b/o....

Yeah it's been very bad especially on the CP side but I still can't imagine getting a much better outcome on from any NYCT op. 

[B35 via Church]

24 minutes ago, IAlam said:

The bus op was basically on their phone right after we left the stop and until I got off, and still had the phone in hand when I got off. On top of that I got on and just sat in the front seat and had a clear view from where I was sitting. I didn't get the picture by going up to him and snapping it. 

I figured that much.... There definitely would've been a verbal altercation if you'd have done that (and in such a scenario, I wouldn't blame the b/o either).....

24 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Yeah it's been very bad especially on the CP side but I still can't imagine getting a much better outcome on from any NYCT op. 

Not that you have to take my word for it, but it's citywide (regardless of depot)... Pretty sure other people on here from various parts of the city can attest to it.

[BreeddekalbL]

Random thought how the hell was the q66 taking a pothole in the gut a preventable accident?

[B35 via Church]

3 minutes ago, BreeddekalbL said:

Random thought how the hell was the q66 taking a pothole in the gut a preventable accident?

Let me guess, someone in one of those facebook groups you be on said that?

[BreeddekalbL]

55 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

Let me guess, someone in one of those facebook groups you be on said that?

Some instagram post mocked zerega 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cia3IjEv4ER/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by BreeddekalbL

[KDGallagher]

1 hour ago, B35 via Church said:

I get that you're laying out what's at stake for the b/o, but as a passenger, I still wouldn't engage... I would say, ever since the PBL takeover, there's been this rather (palpable) adversarial relationship between b/o's & passengers... I don't believe for a solitary second that I can walk up to a b/o (especially nowadays) & mention in the nicest way possible that they shouldn't be on their phone while in passenger service - and expect not to get some sort of backtalk/backlash from that b/o....

Kind of sad that you feel that way tbh

I highly doubt anything will happen to you if you say something. 
If you ask me, the roles would be reversed. Not you per se, but from my experience, those in a uniform usually face the verbal abuse from the customer not the other way around. 
 

we all have our own views and experiences though. I personally feel you should speak up when you feel it’s necessary

[Via Garibaldi 8]

37 minutes ago, KDGallagher said:

Kind of sad that you feel that way tbh

I highly doubt anything will happen to you if you say something. 
If you ask me, the roles would be reversed. Not you per se, but from my experience, those in a uniform usually face the verbal abuse from the customer not the other way around. 
 

we all have our own views and experiences though. I personally feel you should speak up when you feel it’s necessary

It's not sad at all. It's the truth. This entire pandemic has made me realize how much some bus operators despise the riding public. Some of the things I have seen are just unreal. I have personally witnessed a few confrontations with passengers and drivers.