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Tell that to Staten Island ops, where some terminals don't even have stores lol.

Yeah especially since some routes have their second terminals in residential areas. It be funny and weird at the same time if an MTA bus driver man or woman knocked on your door and asked if they could use your bathroom :D

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What is happening to the Q112 in January?

Westbound buses run via Jamaica Ave instead of Archer.

 

 

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SIDENOTE:

 

Does anyone know by any chance what this bus is for or who runs it?

 

I've seen it before in Jackson Heights, and I saw it in Manhattan last Saturday. Someone was picked-up from the QM2 bus stop.

 

15784244899_b98ceb5d4b_o.jpgFishbowl bus on 6 Avenue by BM5 via Woodhaven, on Flickr

 

(I know this isn't MTA related, but I wanted to know if someone here knew).

Edited by BM5 via Woodhaven
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Tell that to Staten Island ops, where some terminals don't even have stores lol.

Actually the majority of the SI local routes end at the Ferry.  The only ones that present a problem are those that aren't close to anything, and there aren't too many routes like that.  We had a guy on the X14 that would ALWAYS stop at the McDonald's Downtown.  What was annoying is he would just rush off of the bus with no announcement and run into McDonald's and just leave us sitting there.  The commute is long enough, so an announcement would be nice. <_<

 

 

Like at the end of the S62 in Travis, or the S76 in Oakwood?

 

 

Yup, the end of the 76 has nothing but houses and open field.

True but you can use the SI Ferry Terminal in both cases.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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Actually the majority of the SI local routes end at the Ferry.  The only ones that present a problem are those that aren't close to anything, and there aren't too many routes like that.  We had a guy on the X14 that would ALWAYS stop at the McDonald's Downtown.  What was annoying is he would just rush off of the bus with no announcement and run into McDonald's and just leave us sitting there.  The commute is long enough, so an announcement would be nice. <_<

 

 

 

 

True but you can use the SI Ferry Terminal in both cases.

But the X17 Off peak/X19 and X22 terminals... SOL

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But the X17 Off peak/X19 and X22 terminals... SOL

Those buses all have terminals by 57th street where they can use restrooms. Midtown is a lot easier... Lots of store chains where they can go get something to eat and use the restroom, and they usually have a decent amount of layover time too.  You also have buildings in the city where you can go, and if you know the folks there they'll let you use the restroom.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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If I was a SI B/O, I'd hope to get a terminal in St George or Staten Island Mall

For what it's worth you get used to it.  When I used to ride the bus with my uncle, using the bathroom became very strategic.  At that time he was doing the long Manhattan routes out of 100th street (M101, M102, etc.) and when we got to 8th street or by the old Mother Clara Hale Depot, he'd ask me if I needed to go and that's when I would go (there's a building by 8th street where we'd go to use the restroom), so there were plenty of opportunities to go.  Even though he was out of 100th street, he seemed to know quite a few guys out Mother Clara Hale, so we would use the bathroom at that depot if need be when he did the M102... I have to say that the old MCH Depot, the restrooms were DISGUSTING, but for doing #1 I just went in did my business and got the hell out of there ASAP.  Those were the times that I'm glad I'm a male. LOL  The bathroom we used at 8th street was clean though, plus during lunch or dinner when you're on break you use the bathroom at the places you eat at.

 

The other thing about being a B/O is a lot of them are pretty outgoing.  You meet a lot of people driving the bus, and so with those connections that's how you can deal with some of those issues.  One of my B/O buddies knows a guy that works at a hotel near one of the express bus routes he drives, so that's one spot he can always go to relax AND use the bathroom. Even if the route you're driving on doesn't have a restroom nearby, some guys simply drive to areas where bathrooms are and will park there. That's why sometimes you will see buses laid over in odd spots like near supermarkets and such.  You'll see a lot of B4's laid up all over the place for that reason because Narrows and 77th doesn't have a spot for a restroom since that is all residential, but along the route there are plenty of spots to use the restroom.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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Those buses all have terminals by 57th street where they can use restrooms. Midtown is a lot easier... Lots of store chains where they can go get something to eat and use the restroom, and they usually have a decent amount of layover time too.  You also have buildings in the city where you can go, and if you know the folks there they'll let you use the restroom.

 

That's assuming that there's no traffic going up to Midtown....when there's traffic going up to Midtown, you can bet that the op has to pick up passengers almost immediately. I see it a lot. x17s coming up from Tottenville immediately picking up as an x31 or 17J afterwards because of excess traffic. Sometimes, most ops don't get that chance to use the restroom. It's bad enough that some ops gotta wait till they DH to the depot to use the restroom. Luckily, some are smart and carry a bottle with them in case of that kind of emergency. That's why most ops don't have heavy lunches.

 

Also, restaurants and such allow ops to use the restroom, store chains? Nah....

 

Actually the majority of the SI local routes end at the Ferry.  The only ones that present a problem are those that aren't close to anything, and there aren't too many routes like that.  We had a guy on the X14 that would ALWAYS stop at the McDonald's Downtown.  What was annoying is he would just rush off of the bus with no announcement and run into McDonald's and just leave us sitting there.  The commute is long enough, so an announcement would be nice. <_<

Sure, you can claim that, but what about routes with long layover times (S76, S62, S40, S48 so on and so forth) and routes that don't even go to the terminal? The S54 is a prime example of that, there's no spot in either side of the route where the op can even use a restroom. The lucky ops are the ones that do the St. George/S.I Mall-Yukon Depot routes and the S79 SBS. The other routes aren't that fortunate.

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That's assuming that there's no traffic going up to Midtown....when there's traffic going up to Midtown, you can bet that the op has to pick up passengers almost immediately. I see it a lot. x17s coming up from Tottenville immediately picking up as an x31 or 17J afterwards because of excess traffic. Sometimes, most ops don't get that chance to use the restroom. It's bad enough that some ops gotta wait till they DH to the depot to use the restroom. Luckily, some are smart and carry a bottle with them in case of that kind of emergency. That's why most ops don't have heavy lunches.

 

Also, restaurants and such allow ops to use the restroom, store chains? Nah....

 

Sure, you can claim that, but what about routes with long layover times (S76, S62, S40, S48 so on and so forth) and routes that don't even go to the terminal? The S54 is a prime example of that, there's no spot in either side of the route where the op can even use a restroom. The lucky ops are the ones that do the St. George/S.I Mall-Yukon Depot routes and the S79 SBS. The other routes aren't that fortunate.

Sure they will if you purchase something from them.  I know exactly where to go when I'm out and about.  Now if they just want to use it they may not allow them, but if they frequent the place enough, they may allow them to without buying anything each time.  And some guys if they really have to go they'll pull over and go in a McDonald's like that guy on the X14.  I don't think he cared about holding us up...

 

The S54 I get the feeling that those guys haul @ss specifically for that reason.  You get to a terminal early enough with no one on the bus and you can drive that bus to a spot where you can go. 

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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That's assuming that there's no traffic going up to Midtown....when there's traffic going up to Midtown, you can bet that the op has to pick up passengers almost immediately. I see it a lot. x17s coming up from Tottenville immediately picking up as an x31 or 17J afterwards because of excess traffic. Sometimes, most ops don't get that chance to use the restroom. It's bad enough that some ops gotta wait till they DH to the depot to use the restroom. Luckily, some are smart and carry a bottle with them in case of that kind of emergency. That's why most ops don't have heavy lunches.

 

Also, restaurants and such allow ops to use the restroom, store chains? Nah....

 

Sure, you can claim that, but what about routes with long layover times (S76, S62, S40, S48 so on and so forth) and routes that don't even go to the terminal? The S54 is a prime example of that, there's no spot in either side of the route where the op can even use a restroom. The lucky ops are the ones that do the St. George/S.I Mall-Yukon Depot routes and the S79 SBS. The other routes aren't that fortunate.

 

 

For almost all South Shore routes there are plenty of wooded areas near terminals and along routes for one to discretely answer nature's call even during the day.

The ETC has employee only restrooms which get usage from the B/O's during their scheduled stop.

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