BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Fresh Pond]

those engines in general or the one coming on 4899?? cause most school buses haul with those engines

 

 

It all depends how much torque the MTA sets it to...plus school buses are generally lighter compared to a city bus (lack of HVAC, wheerclair lift, etc.)

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

It all depends how much torque the MTA sets it to...plus school buses are generally lighter compared to a city bus (lack of HVAC, wheerclair lift, etc.)

 

 

true lol a school bus is a box on wheels LOL

[4P3607]

Saw two Orion V Bees on the Q22 earlier... one had BP stickers, other LGA. I think they were both LGA though.

[S78 via Hylan]

I'm just gonna take the B44 home more often, but this weekend is an exception with the going to Flatbush Av.

[Fresh Pond]

Just seen 6614 with the new scheme...the first one from that order looking like that

 

...at least from what I noticed

[MHV9218]

They went and did up 6615 a few weeks ago with it too, not sure if it's random or if they're getting to some of the 65-6600 buses for overhauls.

[Fresh Pond]

I meant 6615, sorry lol...6614 still looks the same

[alejr88]

Took the B35 today for the first time ever. I enjoyed the ride from Nostrand to 39/9. Got to fan more routes in Brooklyn.

[Blitz]

I heard a rumor that once the current LFSA order is filled, if the MTA chooses to exercises the second option, they will come with Volvo engines instead of cummins...any truth to this??

[Orion VII 4 Life]

I heard a rumor that once the current LFSA order is filled, if the MTA chooses to exercises the second option, they will come with Volvo engines instead of cummins...any truth to this??

 

Interesting, I don't think Volvo makes anything with less than 13 liters (the D13 which is what the Prevosts have) so it'll be real weird if they put D13s on these.

 

I wonder if the last few buses of this order will get these engines now instead of the Detroit DD11, I've heard that the MTA didn't approve of whatever engine was in XD40 4899 at first (assumed to be the DD11) and that's why it's apparently going to have a MaxxForce instead.

[Turbo19]

As I've said before, mantainance is a bitch on those MaxxForce.

[SevenEleven]

Interesting, I don't think Volvo makes anything with less than 13 liters (the D13 which is what the Prevosts have) so it'll be real weird if they put D13s on these.

 

 

They make 11 liters:

 

http://www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/na/en-us/products/engines/D11/Pages/overview.aspx

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

LOL there is a Orion V on the Bx1

[ciboii22]

Interesting, I don't think Volvo makes anything with less than 13 liters (the D13 which is what the Prevosts have) so it'll be real weird if they put D13s on these.

 

I wonder if the last few buses of this order will get these engines now instead of the Detroit DD11, I've heard that the MTA didn't approve of whatever engine was in XD40 4899 at first (assumed to be the DD11) and that's why it's apparently going to have a MaxxForce instead.

 

They last few LFSAs are getting DD11's #'s (5361-5363) - a Allison B500R6 4th Generation.

[NYCtrainfan01]

LOL there is a Orion V on the Bx1

 

 

That's been happening often along with the Orion VII NG too...

[checkmatechamp13]

I knocked off two more SI routes. Now the only one I have left is the S81.

 

I was surprised that some people actually take the S42 from the ferry terminal to that stop over by the St. George Library. I mean, I know it's a hill, but because you can just go straight up (I think the name is) Hyatt Street, I wouldn't have thought that people actually take a bus up there.

 

There was a guy who was talking on his cell phone the entire ride about "Meet me on the S42, and I'll open up the back door for you". I mean, the whole point of going in through the back is not to be noticed. (Not that I condone doing that anyway, but if you're going to do it, at least don't be so obvious about it). It turned out it was his daughter, who was like 10 years old, so whatever. (Though in the time he was telling her to wait at the bus stop, she could've just walked to their destination).

 

Like 3 little kids (maybe about 7 years old) also got on at that same stop (Cresecent & Westervelt), and when the bus started emptying out, they started screaming and laughing and all that.

 

So then I walked down to Jersey Street and caught the same driver (I walked down there so I could catch either an S42 or S52), and then took it to the ferry for the S86. The bus mostly emptied out by the time it reached the SIE, with about 5 people left (besides me). Then we made a stop by Spring Street, and dropped off 1 person, a stop by Burgher Avenue and dropped off 2 people, and a stop by Buel Avenue and dropped off 1 person. I guess they detoured the buses away from Cedar Grove Avenue, because the 1 girl remaining hit the bell after we turned onto Mill Road, and the B/O stopped. She said "Next stop", and he let her off at Ebbitts.

 

I was actually surprised. I thought the damage would've been worse by Mill Road.

 

So then I walk over to Hylan Blvd for the S79 at Ebbitts Street. A couple of more people show up, and then a woman comes from around the corner and starts ranting about "Is the S78 here? No, it isn't. It's never on time". Then she looks down the street and sees the blue lights (which were sitting there for a few minutes, but she didn't know that), and she's like "Oh, it's the f**kin' blue light special". So we wait a few minutes for it to show up (It was crowded, but I managed to get a seat), and she's sitting there ranting to the B/O about how this new setup is terrible and all that.

 

At the ETC, we just missed an S59, so I figured that with the loop setup by Yukon Avenue, we'd catch up to it. We did, but when I got on, it was pretty much full, front-to-back. Somebody said she was waiting there for 40 minutes (I don't know if she was referring to the S59 specifically, or either the S44 or S59. My guess is the S59 specifically, because otherwise, there would be a huge-ass crowd over there). Somebody else on the bus complained that two buses went MIA (again, assuming the S59 specifically). I mean, me personally, I never wait for an S59 specifically. If I'm on the South Shore, I always take the S79 and then take the S44/59. (I mean, even from Tottenville, he could've taken the S78 to Richmond Avenue if it came first, though on 30 minute headways, I don't know if the S89 would've helped him). Unless he was at a local stop or something, but I would've just walked to the limited to give myself more options. But that's just me.....

 

I knocked off two more SI routes. Now the only one I have left is the S81.

 

I was surprised that some people actually take the S42 from the ferry terminal to that stop over by the St. George Library. I mean, I know it's a hill, but because you can just go straight up (I think the name is) Hyatt Street, I wouldn't have thought that people actually take a bus up there.

 

There was a guy who was talking on his cell phone the entire ride about "Meet me on the S42, and I'll open up the back door for you". I mean, the whole point of going in through the back is not to be noticed. (Not that I condone doing that anyway, but if you're going to do it, at least don't be so obvious about it). It turned out it was his daughter, who was like 10 years old, so whatever. (Though in the time he was telling her to wait at the bus stop, she could've just walked to their destination).

 

Like 3 little kids (maybe about 7 years old) also got on at that same stop (Cresecent & Westervelt), and when the bus started emptying out, they started screaming and laughing and all that.

 

So then I walked down to Jersey Street and caught the same driver (I walked down there so I could catch either an S42 or S52), and then took it to the ferry for the S86. The bus mostly emptied out by the time it reached the SIE, with about 5 people left (besides me). Then we made a stop by Spring Street, and dropped off 1 person, a stop by Burgher Avenue and dropped off 2 people, and a stop by Buel Avenue and dropped off 1 person. I guess they detoured the buses away from Cedar Grove Avenue, because the 1 girl remaining hit the bell after we turned onto Mill Road, and the B/O stopped. She said "Next stop", and he let her off at Ebbitts.

 

I was actually surprised. I thought the damage would've been worse by Mill Road.

 

So then I walk over to Hylan Blvd for the S79 at Ebbitts Street. A couple of more people show up, and then a woman comes from around the corner and starts ranting about "Is the S78 here? No, it isn't. It's never on time". Then she looks down the street and sees the blue lights (which were sitting there for a few minutes, but she didn't know that), and she's like "Oh, it's the f**kin' blue light special". So we wait a few minutes for it to show up (It was crowded, but I managed to get a seat), and she's sitting there ranting to the B/O about how this new setup is terrible and all that.

 

At the ETC, we just missed an S59, so I figured that with the loop setup by Yukon Avenue, we'd catch up to it. We did, but when I got on, it was pretty much full, front-to-back. Somebody said she was waiting there for 40 minutes (I don't know if she was referring to the S59 specifically, or either the S44 or S59. My guess is the S59 specifically, because otherwise, there would be a huge-ass crowd over there). Somebody else on the bus complained that two buses went MIA (again, assuming the S59 specifically). I mean, me personally, I never wait for an S59 specifically. If I'm on the South Shore, I always take the S79 and then take the S44/59. Even from Tottenville, you could take the S78 to Richmond Avenue for the S59/89 (unless the S89 went MIA as well). The only other thing is if he was waiting at a local stop south of the ETC. (Which is why I usually make every effort to walk to a limited stop where possible to give myself more options).

[S78 via Hylan]

The S81 is a pretty fast limited. I've ridden it a few times. But yeah, it's kinda the same as the the S84 and S86 where the bus empties out at some point during the route.

Edited December 4, 2012 by S78 via Hylan

[checkmatechamp13]

The S81 is a pretty fast limited. I've ridden it a few times. But yeah, it's kinda the same as the the S84 and S86 where the bus empties out at some point during the route.

 

 

Yeah, I've rode the S84 and most people got off at the Stapleton Houses, a couple got off at each of the subsequent stops, and then south of the SIE, it was just be and some lady. (Though I've got to try that route again sometime, because I want to get a better idea of the "natural" ridership patterns, since there was a ton of traffic that day).

 

With the S86, I would've thought more people would ride it to the other end of the route, though. I guess with the hurricane damage, that impacted the ridership. Because whenever I see the S76 on New Dorp Lane, it's usually not empty like that. (With basically one passenger since I was just fanning it). It can be anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of a seated load, I'd say (of course, unless it happened to pick up a bunch of kids from New Dorp HS)

 

With the S81, B35's mentioned how buses usually empty out at Hylan, but the ridership is pretty good in South/Midland Beach, which I could believe because it's fairly densely built with all the bungalows and everything. I've rode the S51 north of the SIE a decent amount of times, and of course, it gets pretty good usage there, so I'd imagine that it's just a gradual trickle of passengers getting off at each stop.

 

On a side note, when I was on the S86, I actually saw an S81 sitting at the stop, even though it was only 4:00PM (the first S81 is supposed to leave at 4:30). I don't know if the B/O accidentally typed in the wrong code or what.

 

And I realized that at the northbound stop across from Tappan Park, it actually has an S81 sign listed on the pole for St. George-bound service.

[S78 via Hylan]

As for you seeing an S81 at 4:00PM, I think they just converted one of the S51s to an S81 because two S51's usually leave the ferry at 4 in the afternoon. They probably thought it was cheaper to have one limited and one local.

Edited December 4, 2012 by S78 via Hylan

[paulrivera]

Today I rode on a Bx12 SBS that went on detour between Williamsbridge and Eastchester Road. Instead of going across Pelham Pkwy it went across Astor Avenue (no SBS stops were missed). What surprised me was that everyone on the bus I was on took it surprisingly well and were very calm about the situation.

 

There's normally more commotion when the Eagle team checks everyone's SBS receipts and pulls someone off to give them a summons, and that's actually a standard procedure.

[checkmatechamp13]

As for you seeing an S81 at 4:00PM, I think they just converted one of the S51s to an S81 because two S51's usually leave the ferry at 4 in the afternoon. They probably thought it was cheaper to have one limited and one local.

 

 

The thing was that there wasn't a second S51 behind it, but I see what you're saying. I hope they do that with routes like the S44 that also have 2 departures at 4PM (and the 7:30 departures as well). But if they're going to do it unofficially, they might as well make it official.

[Grand Concourse]

Interesting morning today, rode a C40LF to the Junction. The surprise, it was ......a Q35. #604 filling in from SC. I had to do a double take when I saw 2 buses from the distance. First was the B9 and then came the Q35. Either way no show from the B41 for at least 20 min, and worse comes worse, if it was a B9, I'd have just transfered for the B44 on Nostrand. Bus was packed, but I think it wasn't too bad layout wise. Back was tight with the 2x2 seats, but at least it was filled than the typical U shape back of the O7s. I'd take this any day.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Grand Concourse

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

While waiting for a Bx12 +SBS today at Pelham Bay, I was watching the Bx23/Q50 action. There happened to be a long line waiting for a Bx23/Q50 and no bus for a couple of minutes until a Q50 comes in. Most of the line gravitated towards that Q50 (which obviously wasn't going to fit all of them on) and while that bus loaded 2 Bx23 buses come sliding in the picture.

Good News- Most of the riders on the line noticed the 2 Bx23 buses and gathered to get on those buses

Bad News- These 2 ladies who were waiting for a Bx12 +SBS had asked me whether the Bx23 takes them to Co-op City when both buses and the Q50 in front clearly read CO-OP CITY on their destination signs. Can people read these days?

 

When the Bx12 comes (it came bunched) I get on the lead bus which had a decent load on it. The trail bus decides to empty out completely and force all the riders heading towards Co-op onto the other bus. Why would the op on that bus do that?

 

When walking home from Co-op I notice a bus turning on Bartow/Edson. People start booking towards the +SBS stop seeing that blue lights were flashing on the bus. I'm laughing at those people noticing that said bus had no one on it and had B15 JFK AIRPORT on the destination sign.

 

P.S. I happened to notice 5791 yesterday (on the Bx12 local) pull into Pelham Bay signed entirely as a LGA bound M60.

[B35 via Church]

It was funny to see a bus signed as the B83 walking along clarkson av last night (well, early this morning)....

Maybe those that think the 12 & 83 should be combined might be on to something - heh heh heh.....

 

Seriously though, although I was just goin to popeye's [across the street from kings county hosp.], some lady had a bewildered look on her face (this was around 12/12:30 am) at the bus stop there.... She didn't say anything to me, but I blurted out "that's the 12, the sign is just wrong".... She eventually boarded (I kept looking back while I was waitin for my food), and that was the end of that.....

 

So that's my good deed for the day.

[checkmatechamp13]

When the Bx12 comes (it came bunched) I get on the lead bus which had a decent load on it. The trail bus decides to empty out completely and force all the riders heading towards Co-op onto the other bus. Why would the op on that bus do that?

 

 

You mean there were only 2 buses, right? (There weren't like 5 buses bunched).

 

Maybe the B/O figured he'd save a minute or two, since he wouldn't have to stop at the first stop (If he was going back to make a return trip). Otherwise, maybe he figured he'd go straight to the depot. But I agree that he probably should've just made the extra few stops.