BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[IRT Bronx Express]

I saw an Orion V 05.501 CNG on the downtown Bx36 this afternoon signed as "Bx31 Woodlawn/Katonah Av", though the side sign read "Bx36 - Washington Hts".

[Joel Up Front]

I think the dispatcher was on some good stuff today, because I had to wait 40 minutes for an N31/32 this afternoon while the N6s and N15s kept rolling in...

 

After getting stuck in a crowded NG CNG on the N16 in the NCC parking lot for 10 minutes, three packed N16s in a row (one in front of me that got stuck in traffic, the NG I was on, and another one to Baldwin that came after) had to flag the Social Service building stop. I was just glad no one had to get off in between Clinton Road and Oak Street.

 

At the Transit Center, the bus operator was at least kind enough to unlock the rear doors. I ran to the other side of the terminal, where the 31/32 bays are, and waited. An N32 is supposed to roll in every 20 minutes starting at 2:00 (2:12, 2:32, 2:52, etc.), then every 10 minutes starting at 3:32, and I was waiting for the 4:32 bus. Quarter to five, two Orion V CNGs, an N31 and 32, come up from Far Rockaway and finish their runs. A third one rolls in but the bus goes out of service and the operator leaves for the garage. When the bus operators come back in, both of them sign up their buses for their respective routes back down to Far Rock and I get on the N32. This drunk/drug-addict looking guy getting off looks at the back of the bus and waves, saying, "Have a good day, everyone, and remember, GO JETS! J-E-T-S!" And then he gets off, and I see a Simply Orange bottle with orange juice and some liquor mixed in it. When he touched hte last step, I yelled, "THE JETS SUCK!" and the guy gets all pissed. Before he could get back on, the bus operator shut the doors on him and he put the bus in reverse.

 

I'd love to see Veolia try to keep this up for just a year.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I think the dispatcher was on some good stuff today, because I had to wait 40 minutes for an N31/32 this afternoon while the N6s and N15s kept rolling in...

 

After getting stuck in a crowded NG CNG on the N16 in the NCC parking lot for 10 minutes, three packed N16s in a row (one in front of me that got stuck in traffic, the NG I was on, and another one to Baldwin that came after) had to flag the Social Service building stop. I was just glad no one had to get off in between Clinton Road and Oak Street.

 

At the Transit Center, the bus operator was at least kind enough to unlock the rear doors. I ran to the other side of the terminal, where the 31/32 bays are, and waited. An N32 is supposed to roll in every 20 minutes starting at 2:00 (2:12, 2:32, 2:52, etc.), then every 10 minutes starting at 3:32, and I was waiting for the 4:32 bus. Quarter to five, two Orion V CNGs, an N31 and 32, come up from Far Rockaway and finish their runs. A third one rolls in but the bus goes out of service and the operator leaves for the garage. When the bus operators come back in, both of them sign up their buses for their respective routes back down to Far Rock and I get on the N32. This drunk/drug-addict looking guy getting off looks at the back of the bus and waves, saying, "Have a good day, everyone, and remember, GO JETS! J-E-T-S!" And then he gets off, and I see a Simply Orange bottle with orange juice and some liquor mixed in it. When he touched hte last step, I yelled, "THE JETS SUCK!" and the guy gets all pissed. Before he could get back on, the bus operator shut the doors on him and he put the bus in reverse.

 

I'd love to see Veolia try to keep this up for just a year.

 

 

Hey, maybe you should pick up and move to Manhattan. That's what everyone says to Staten Islanders when they complain about bus service.

[Joel Up Front]

I'd actually love it more than what they do out here. Even in Manhattan I don't have to wait 30 minutes for another bus if I miss one. Plus, Manhattan's grid system is still holding up and I love that borough, and if somethign happens wit hthe subway, there are loads of express buses. Wouldn't love it if the mayor turned paranoid again and had police on every corner like he did on Sunday. I really don't see why you felt the need to complain.

 

Another N32 story...

 

This one actually came on time and the bus operator seemed chill. The CleverDevices sign was off, but for some reason still made the announcements. The A/C compressor kept shutting on and off so I left the window open... but I noticed that one of the brakes on the bus was worn out because it squealed loud enough to drown the engine out every time the B/O pressed the pedal. For some reason, the bus operator never even broke 25 MPH and accelerated slowly. This mother and her baby daughter sat next to me. I didn't mind that the kid was softly kicking me, but after her mom's constant failed attempts to get her to stay still, I moved to the seat across. Down the line, the bus operator either got cut off, was about to hit the curb, or something, but 10 seconds after I sat down, he slammed the brakes hard enough to send everyone flying, including the little kid who was kicking me... right into the back of a forward-facing seat. The child started crying her head off (when it was her mom's fault for not holding onto her) and started cursing the bus operator out. A woman was staring at the mother and she glared back, saying "What the **** are you looking at?"

[trainfan22]

I like these buses and all but I'm tired of riding these old ass C40LF five days a week, these things sound annoying as hell in warm weather. I think I will regain my love for these buses once the colder weather comes (Assuming the new ones don't replace them by then) Hopefully on Friday whatever C40LF I ride the HAVC won't sound so annoying. I can honestly say, in the summer, Hybrid >>>> C40LF (I'm only talking about 800-989, I have yet to ride one of the newer ones so...)

 

One thing I will like about the new C40s, that automated voice that tells people NOT to stand next to the rear door, thank you MTA for that!

 

Can't wait until these new C40s hit Gleason, I'm bus thirsty lol.

[MHV9218]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Grand Concourse]

I don't care how bad the sound/maybe the ride of the C40LFs are, but I'd prefer them over the O7 CNGs. I just despise the O7 CNGs. THe only good thing about it is the forward facing rear seats that the newer hybrids don't have.

 

ALso forgot to mention my trip on the Q shuttle on Sunday:

Got to KH and got on a FB RTS 50xx [cameras], ride was fine, it ran via Av Z and then down Coney Island Av. After the bus terminated at Brighton Beach, I was going to wait for the B68 [since I had a transfer from the B82]. However, moments later a nova lfs from Ulmer arrived to finish off the final leg of the trip to CI.

 

I've still yet to get a pic of that single seater behind the b/o as someone sat in it as we boarded. But I was able to get a pic of what I presume was a repositioned rear seated section [the 'conversation seats']. It did seem much wider [the gap] now and that is very good.

[Joel Up Front]

For whatever reason, the late afternoon ride out of Nassau went a lot quicker. When the N16 I was on got to SRO, an N16 to Baldwin (as opposed to the short trip to Hempstead I was on) stopped right behind it, and a student was pointing people at the Orion V behind me. There was no traffic at all from the Union to the entrance, except for at the red light where the bus operator had no room to turn onto Ovington. As usual, he had to flag Social Service, and the people that needed to get off on Westbury Boulevard stood near the doors.

 

The bus operator initially didn't open the rear doors (they only do that ONLY if the bus is absolutely crush-loaded, and the late afternoon buses always are) but he did after a few seconds. A girl was standing near the No Standing zone meant for the front of the bus while an NG signed up as an N31 rolled in, so I had to tell her to move. At the same time, the Orion V in the N32 bay went back into service, so while I paid my fare, the other half of the line moved onto the Orion V. When the bus operator backed out, he only got to straighten the bus out before stopping. He was yelling and complaining about how "they always ask him to wait for the N35, when that's on the other side" or something; I couldn't hear him because my headphones were on, but I know for sure his aggression was directed towards the N35 backing up.

 

Three N31/32s Hempstead bound passed by, and the third, a 2011 NG, had a badly glitched sign - only the right half of the sign even worked properly. Where the route number should have been was just a giant orange rectangle and the next foot of the sign was completely blank, so all you could see was "-st Broadway/Stead Ave." I made a mistake and decided to get off at the LIRR station rather than at the usual transfer point for the 25... and that backfired when an N25 sped on by with a kindly female B/O, and I knew I made a mistake because she drives NGs fast... When I was able to get off, there were no buses in sight and the schedules read that buses arrive every 15 minutes (starting at 3:00 PM). A Hispanic man asked me a question in Spanish, but I didn't understand him, so he asked me in English where he could get an MC. We both waited while I gave him change, and another woman walked up and stood at the stop while a stray shower came through. It looked as if a thunderstorm would hit, but it was nothing more than some strong wind and a drizzle.

[Grand Concourse]

What a difference an hour makes: B41 local n/b ~3:40pm O7NG #4230, b/o made all announcements of the stops and transfers that was crystal clear [no garbled sounds]. So, I just want to say if he lurks here, I give the ride :tup: x2 [As in, he didn't have to, but I think it is nice especially if on a crowded bus where you can't see out the windows with so many ppl blocking the view and you need to rely on the announcements. Other drivers don't make any announcements unless it is the major hubs/transfer points.]

 

On the other side of the coin: B6 was a Nova LFS, which was good, but the bus was totally packed. Also didn't help was it was the first of what turned out to be 5-6 buses bunched together [i waited about 10-15min for this first bus to show up at the stop]. What made it worse was being delayed by a w/c rider. But while the buses behind skipped us, it meant they picked up the slack at Nostrand av. But I will say this again: I like the Novas, but they are terrible for crowded routes like the B6.

 

Another note in a 15min time span, there was at least 6 Novas [3 per direction, includes the one I was on] on Glenwood Av. THat's 1/5 of the UP Nova fleet! I dunno what the typical run is like, but that did seem unusually high in that short a time.

[Joel Up Front]

Went to RFM to buy a mouse for my laptop, and then hitched an N16 to Hempstead from there. I got on the N32 (when don't I anymore?) on Orion V #1674, which someone apparently painted wrong:

 

 

Anyway, when it came time for me to get off, the bus operator blew about five feet past the sign for the stop, and I got out through the rear doors, or tried. When I hit the tape, the left door opened fine, but the right door hit a power pole before it could swing open all the way. I squeezed through while the bus operator kept pumping the brakes and hitting the door switch. When I looked back, the doors were still open while I heard the engine rev up. I just walked faster until I heard the bus restart...

[checkmatechamp13]

I had to do a lot of running today. I just missed the S44, but I decided to chase after it. I missed it, but an S59 was supposed to be coming in a few minutes, so I waited there for a few minutes. Then I checked the watch on my calculator (technology these days, huh? It was like $100 for the calculator, so I had to borrow one) and saw that an S89 was due at my original stop in a few minutes, so I ran back to my original stop and saw it come together with another S44. I would've been pissed if I was still at the local stop and saw the S89 go by.

 

At Walker Street, I didn't see the S46, but after walking a few blocks, it caught up to me, so I decided to use up the transfer and take it for 1 stop.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

While waiting for the X12 last night over on 5th, I had to wait at the damn corner because of the friggin' barricades. :mad: Anyway, I'm waiting there at the light and these two Asian guys (presumably Chinese) are riding bikes. They look like delivery guys. They pull up by the light and one of them is ready to start up again before the light changes despite folks trying to cross the street, so this Latino guy is crossing the street as the Asian guy is trying to start pedaling again and the Latino guy puts his hands up as if to tell him to stop and goes "No, no, no,... See that sign over there (pointing to the do not walk sign flashing)? " The Asian guy looks as if he's puzzled and continues to try to pedal anyway and the Latino guy blocks his way yet again, this time getting a bit more persistent in demanding that he doesn't go until the light has changed. He goes "When that changes, THEN you can go", but the Asian guy still refused to pay him any mind, as if he was in a trance or something. The whole thing was HILARIOUS. I mean only in New York would someone do something like that and there were cops just steps from the two of them. LOL

 

I have to say though that those Chinese delivery dudes tend to ride like they don't see anybody. They look like they're in a trance. I mean a bus could be honking at them and they don't even look. They just keep riding. I thought about those instances when that guy was doing that and just laughed out loud.

[R188 7857]

I remember when I first rode an LFS on the Q27...8084. The bus driver ran the light too early, before it changed she already started to haul ass out of the intersection...

And this NIS O7 at Union-39 Terminal ran a red light...IDK why he was behind the stoping point....LOL

[gtNovaBusRTS9369]

Over the past couple of days I saw a couple of QV OG's from QV displaying ads. I haven't seen a QV bus w/advertisments since 2-3 years ago. Also yesterday I saw #4184 on the (Q44) & it sounded bad w/an serious screech.

[Joel Up Front]

Friday morning, I was trying to catch an N16 before the rain came. When one did, the bus operator just flew down Charles Lindbergh Boulevard after being stuck behind two cars, the second blocking the divider for the right turn, and flew down CLB and picked up people waiting at the Social Service building.

 

When he got onto Westbury Boulevard, there was a guy waiting by the stop, but he appeared to not want to get on. He paused his iPod and then signaled for the bus to stop, but by then the bus operator was gone. The same thing happened down the line.

 

When he actually pulled into the terminal, he pulled into the north side (across from the LIRR station) and just dove for the N31 bay.

[trainfan22]

I wish the MTA would put Light Rail on the Bay Ridge Branch.... As I could take that to either the B63 or the B70 to get to work rather than deal with the lousy B8 bus, every morning. I really wish ENY got the route back just for those RTSs, and that's not even on some busfan ish ethier, I really hate my commute with a passion, I'm so jealous of y'all NYCTF'ers who commute on the subway lol. :mad:

 

I mean this BS with the B8 bus seriously has me wanting to delete every bus photo I have on my computer and throw away all my bus timetables that I collect for hobby purposes... And only like trains.

 

But then I ride a good sounding RTS and I don't even be mad anymore! The 90s was the best years for NYC buses, 100% HF and A/C buses, these LF are nice but the lack of space compared to the RTSs, D60HF or O-V is a Pain in the ass.

[R188 7857]

I wish the MTA would put Light Rail on the Bay Ridge Branch.... As I could take that to either the B63 or the B70 to get to work rather than deal with the lousy B8 bus, every morning. I really wish ENY got the route back just for those RTSs, and that's not even on some busfan ish ethier, I really hate my commute with a passion, I'm so jealous of y'all NYCTF'ers who commute on the subway lol. :mad:

 

I mean this BS with the B8 bus seriously has me wanting to delete every bus photo I have on my computer and throw away all my bus timetables that I collect for hobby purposes... And only like trains.

 

But then I ride a good sounding RTS and I don't even be mad anymore! The 90s was the best years for NYC buses, 100% HF and A/C buses, these LF are nice but the lack of space compared to the RTSs, D60HF or O-V is a Pain in the ass.

 

Yeah, but if your lucky you can get an O5-CNG! :cool:

[IRT Bronx Express]

Does anyone know about the M7 limited? I didn't know that it was discontinued in 1993.

[via White Plains Road]

Does anyone know about the M7 limited? I didn't know that it was discontinued in 1993.

 

I briefly knew about it!

[checkmatechamp13]

Does anyone know about the M7 limited? I didn't know that it was discontinued in 1993.

 

Yeah, I know that it was discontinued in 1993.

 

But I remember going to a board meeting and suggesting an M7 limited, and they mentioned that there actually used to be one, but it was eliminated.

[IRT Bronx Express]

Do one of you know the reason for its discontinuation? I know that "low ridership" is too common to say, but maybe that wasn't the case...

[checkmatechamp13]

Do one of you know the reason for its discontinuation? I know that "low ridership" is too common to say, but maybe that wasn't the case...

 

Well, it wouldn't be low ridership, but maybe the ridership was more spread out instead of being concentrated at some major stops, meaning that a limited passed more people than it helped.

 

I guess they figured that anybody in a hurry would take the subway.

 

As far as I go, I've noticed the trippers from my school are slower than last year. They've cut down the number from 5 to 3, but they're filling up faster, which means they can leave earlier, but still, the overall trip is longer.

 

I went to a College Now class and just missed the CSI loop bus. :mad: That bus was supposed to connect with a 18:11 S92 bus, so I decided to just walk to the entrance. However, I saw a bus pass by without going into the college, and I'm pretty sure it was the S92. :mad:

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well, it wouldn't be low ridership, but maybe the ridership was more spread out instead of being concentrated at some major stops, meaning that a limited passed more people than it helped.

 

I guess they figured that anybody in a hurry would take the subway.

 

As far as I go, I've noticed the trippers from my school are slower than last year. They've cut down the number from 5 to 3, but they're filling up faster, which means they can leave earlier, but still, the overall trip is longer.

 

I went to a College Now class and just missed the CSI loop bus. :mad: That bus was supposed to connect with a 18:11 S92 bus, so I decided to just walk to the entrance. However, I saw a bus pass by without going into the college, and I'm pretty sure it was the S92. :mad:

 

Screw the friggin loop... Not my words of course... Maybe the B/O's words... :mad:

[Joel Up Front]

NCC's Public Safety is always all over campus... but they cannot into dates (that's an intentional error... don't ask me where it came from). According to them, the Endo Boulevard stop behind the library would be only closed Friday, and from the 29th to October 2nd. Yet today I went over there and only the intersection where the road ends at Miller Avenue was removed; the start at Endo Boulevard was sectioned off, but there was no construction there. I'm glad I only have half a week..

[checkmatechamp13]

Screw the friggin loop... Not my words of course... Maybe the B/O's words... :mad:

 

And the worst part is that he's not the only one. I remember during the summer, it was raining, so instead of walking home from the S93, I went to that shelter in the CSI loop and waited for the S92 (he was coming in a few minutes, or else I would've just walked). He heard me yelling from across the street (the light was against me), and he kept on going. :mad: