BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

20 minute X21 headways.....

 

Wow, that service is really successful then. Let's hope they do they do the same in the PM.

A couple standees won't hurt... happens on the local bus and subways on weekends as well.

 

 

SRO express buses regularly would be a nice sight, from what I seen its rare on the MTA express bus routes, only seen it once on one of those via NJ routes and that was only because the run before it didn't show up. Heard of it happening on the BM's during the AM Rush every and now then.

Yeah, but on the express bus, you're essentially suppose to be guranteed a seat.

 

You'll see standees at the height of the rush on some X68's.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

A couple standees won't hurt... happens on the local bus and subways on weekends as well.

 

 

SRO express buses regularly would be a nice sight, from what I seen its rare on the MTA express bus routes, only seen it once on one of those via NJ routes and that was only because the run before it didn't show up. Heard of it happening on the BM's during the AM Rush every and now then.

It is extremely dangerous to be standing on the express bus on the expressway since they are not made for extremely crowded conditions.  I did it once an X10 and almost went flying through the windshield when the bus stopped short (the bus was packed and I was the last one to get on the bus and had to stand towards the very front) and I have NEVER stood on an express bus since. I was of the thinking that I wanted to get home ASAP and so I would get on at the last stop regardless of whether there were seats or not.  At that time I worked on 5th in Chelsea and if I worked in the office late, I would walk to Union Square, take the to Bowling Green and catch the X10 from there in an attempt to shorten my commute as much as possible.  Now I would gladly let a bus pass if it is too crowded.  My life is valuable.

 

Aside from that it is extremely difficult with the narrow aisles and long commutes.  I spoke out against the conditions years ago at an board meeting and requested that the overcrowding on SI express buses be addressed, and I am glad to see that the is adding express bus service where needed. Paying $6.00 and having to stand is an insult.  That is supposed to be one of the perks of the higher fare is that you have a more comfortable commute, which means NO standing and it is certainly against the law for express buses that go through NJ.  They by law cannot have any standees and I would imagine that is because of safety reasons.  I have seen it on some NJ express buses and it is not a pretty sight.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

20 minute X21 headways.....

 

Wow, that service is really successful then. Let's hope they do they do the same in the PM.

Yes, the X21 has been extremely successful since the day it started and the hope is that they'll be enough funding available to further expand service for South Shore residents who suffer LONG commutes via the X1.

[trainfan22]

Perks of the higher fare... express buses are still public transportation, one of the harsh realities of transit is your not gonna always get a seat, when I fanned the N22 from Hicksvlle I had to ride an SRO LIRR train from Jamaica to Hicksville, had to stand the whole way, don't see the big deal, just comes with the territory... mind you this was early afternoon, not even during rush hour. Happened to me two times on the NJT commuter rail as well.

 

I seen those SRO MCIs over in NJT when I got stuck in traffic on the 495 helix as well. If NJT bus riders can handle riding SRO MCI's having even longer commutes, then I don't see why MTA express riders can't, I'm sure it happens daily on some runs during rush hour.

 

 

If runs are getting so overcrowded that people are standing in the stairs on the MCI's and are getting flagged, then I agree they should add service, but its only four or five standees then the TA should just it stay like that IMO.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Perks of the higher fare... express buses are still public transportation, one of the harsh realities of transit is your not gonna always get a seat, when I fanned the N22 from Hicksvlle I had to ride an SRO LIRR train from Jamaica to Hicksville, had to stand the whole way, don't see the big deal, just comes with the territory... mind you this was early afternoon, not even during rush hour. Happened to me two times on the NJT commuter rail as well.

 

I seen those SRO MCIs over in NJT when I got stuck in traffic on the 495 helix as well. If NJT bus riders can handle riding SRO MCI's having even longer commutes, then I don't see why MTA express riders can't, I'm sure it happens daily on some runs during rush hour.

 

 

If runs are getting so overcrowded that people are standing in the stairs on the MCI's and are getting flagged, then I agree they should add service, but its only four or five standees then the TA should just it stay like that IMO.

That's easy for you to say.  You did it ONCE, not every day.  We have long commutes, and standing in a narrow aisle for over an hour each way every day is not at all appealing, not to mention dangerous.  Let someone get injured and file a lawsuit (which is one thing the doesn't want) and then come back to me.  I get the feeling that you live somewhere with reasonable subway access hence why you don't get the need for express bus service.  For what it's worth, I get equally peeved when I have to stand on MNRR trains.  It's tolerable at best standing 25 - 30 minutes and even then I'm cranky with my laptop bag in my hand.  Sometimes I have had to stand on the MNRR shuttle AND stand on the MNRR train.  By then my back is killing me.  Unacceptable for $10.75 one way.  At the MNRR hearing in Riverdale, I certainly voiced my displeasure at how crowded some MNRR trains are and the need for more service.

 

Are you seriously comparing NJT to the ? Please.  I have various colleagues who live in NJT and their commutes are HORRIBLE.  In fact one of my colleagues just left because the commute was taking a toll on his healthy commuting almost 4 hours a day from Montclair with the crap NJT does.  Found a job in New Jersey a short drive from his house.  NJ Transit IMO has HORRIBLE service.  Bus service is cancelled in a blink of an eye leaving folks stranded and scrambling to get to the nearest train.  No thank you.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

Besides the Bx5 extension, Jamaica bus rerouting, and the implementation of 2 SBS routes, does anyone think there will be tweaks or reroutes to any bus routes this year?

I would say yes... The question of course is, to what routes & what extent.....

(for instance, I don't think any of us saw that Q112 minor change coming)

[Q43LTD]

Isn't the Bx5 supposed to be split too this year?

[trainfan22]

That's easy for you to say.  You did it ONCE, not every day.  We have long commutes, and standing in a narrow aisle for over an hour each way every day is not at all appealing, not to mention dangerous.  Let someone get injured and file a lawsuit (which is one thing the doesn't want) and then come back to me.  I get the feeling that you live somewhere with reasonable subway access hence why you don't get the need for express bus service.  For what it's worth, I get equally peeved when I have to stand on MNRR trains.  It's tolerable at best standing 25 - 30 minutes and even then I'm cranky with my laptop bag in my hand.  Sometimes I have had to stand on the MNRR shuttle AND stand on the MNRR train.  By then my back is killing me.  Unacceptable for $10.75 one way.  At the MNRR hearing in Riverdale, I certainly voiced my displeasure at how crowded some MNRR trains are and the need for more service.

 

Are you seriously comparing NJT to the ? Please.  I have various colleagues who live in NJT and their commutes are HORRIBLE.  In fact one of my colleagues just left because the commute was taking a toll on his healthy commuting almost 4 hours a day from Montclair with the crap NJT does.  Found a job in New Jersey a short drive from his house.  NJ Transit IMO has HORRIBLE service.  Bus service is cancelled in a blink of an eye leaving folks stranded and scrambling to get to the nearest train.  No thank you.

I commuted on a local bus route daily which was SRO most of the time and even got flagged sometimes.

 

I live in Carnsie a block away from the BM2 near the last stop and have no desire to use it outside of foaming purposes, BM2 takes a roundabout way to get to the City where's the gets to Manhattan in like 40 mins and Midtown is only like 5 minutes away on a transfer.

 

 

So you had to stand on both the shuttle and the actual MN train... so? People do that all the time on the random subway feeder bus routes to the subway, its silly to expect a seat when your riding a train that's intended for people in the suburbs when you are getting on the train in the Bronx.. during rush hour in the peak direction at that.

 

 

As for that NJ guy, anyway that's that guy's opinion, I heard people say the has horrible service and it arguably has the best service out of any route in the subway, low headways, new signal system, new trains, etc. I'm sure most riders of both MTA and NJT think they have horrible service, I seen WAMTA get praised on these forums yet seen a "WAMTA sucks" page on Tumblr

 

 

And AFAIK they only really cancel bus service during bad winter weather, as I doubt random suburban towns in NJ can clear snow/salt roads as quickly as NYC can.

Edited January 4, 2015 by trainfan22

[MysteriousBtrain]

Isn't the Bx5 supposed to be split too this year?

I was searching online, and the website said the Bx5 changes would occur September 2015.

[Q43LTD]

I was searching online, and the website said the Bx5 changes would occur September 2015.

But where would the split be? White Plains Rd?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I commuted on a local bus route daily which was SRO most of the time and even got flagged sometimes.

 

I live in Carnsie a block away from the BM2 near the last stop and have no desire to use it outside of foaming purposes, BM2 takes a roundabout way to get to the City where's the gets to Manhattan in like 40 mins and Midtown is only like 5 minutes away on a transfer.

 

 

So you had to stand on both the shuttle and the actual MN train... so? People do that all the time on the random subway feeder bus routes to the subway, its silly to expect a seat when your riding a train that's intended for people in the suburbs when you are getting on the train in Riverdale (NYC)... during rush hour in the peak direction at that.

 

 

As for that NJ guy, anyway that's that guy's opinion, I heard people say the has horrible service and it arguably has the best service out of any route in the subway, low headways, new signal system, new trains, etc. I'm sure most riders of both MTA and NJT think they have horrible service, I seen WAMTA get praised on these forums yet seen a "WAMTA sucks" page on Tumblr

 

 

And AFAIK they only really cancel bus service during bad winter weather, as I doubt random suburban towns in NJ can clear snow/salt roads as quickly as NYC can.

"Carnsie" (aka Canarsie) in Brooklyn has a subway.  Riverdale (NYC) does not, as the train ENDS where Riverdale begins, and given the hilly terrain and suburban feel and layout here, we need our Metro-North service and our express buses, as they are far faster than the train which only serves the West Side, runs local all the way from 242nd to 96th, and requires a bus ride to get to 231st street down in the Bronx (Kingsbridge).  I am roughly 10 minutes from Westchester by public transit or car, but about 20 minutes from the nearest subway, so it isn't "silly" to use Metro-North at all for commuting.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Via Garibaldi 8

[MysteriousBtrain]

But where would the split be? White Plains Rd?

Sadly, we can't tell at this time.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I commuted on a local bus route daily which was SRO most of the time and even got flagged sometimes.

 

I live in Carnsie a block away from the BM2 near the last stop and have no desire to use it outside of foaming purposes, BM2 takes a roundabout way to get to the City where's the gets to Manhattan in like 40 mins and Midtown is only like 5 minutes away on a transfer.

However, the BM5 doesn't, and takes 50 minutes to get to the heart of midtown from where you are (compared top 40 + wait time +transfer).

[MysteriousBtrain]

I know this won't come up for a while, but something really got me curious.

There are 260 2002-04 D60s. The next artic order for NYCT is 256 unnamed artics in 2016 or so. Is this supposed to be a mistake or will they really be killing 4 artics in the future?

[trainfan22]

However, the BM5 doesn't, and takes 50 minutes to get to the heart of midtown from where you are (compared top 40 + wait time +transfer).

The BM5 doesn't go to Canarsie, it serves SC Towers, goes to ENY before going into Queens..  gotta walk inland to Flatlands Ave then walk down into SC towers to actually catch the BM5. Either that or walk on the Belt Parkway Bike Trail get to SC towers lol, as there's a body of water separating SC towers and the part of Canarsie I live in.

 

 

I'll never forget the one time I rode the BM5 a couple of years ago, there was power outage in Midtown which delayed service and my BM5 was a Orion V CNG, one of my favorite bus rides ever, got up to like 70 MPH on the LIE, bus was redlining and everything. driver was late so he had to push it. No appeal to me to ride it these days though, wish they kept the non stop though Queens part of the route.

I know this won't come up for a while, but something really got me curious.

There are 260 2002-04 D60s. The next artic order for NYCT is 256 unnamed artics in 2016 or so. Is this supposed to be a mistake or will they really be killing 4 artics in the future?

D60s have a low MDBF so they probably have a higher spare factor than the Novas & XD60s.

[Cait Sith]

A day into the pick, and we have 5851 on the M15 SBS.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Cait Sith

[MHV9218]

A day into the pick, and we have 5851 on the M15 SBS.

Sounds like one of the morning Quill put-ins continued from last pick. We'll see if the QV buses keep heading to Mannyille too.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Is CS not running some Q88 runs anymore. Today it was all QV buses (I was tracking it from outside). Or is CS borrowing buses or something?

Edited January 5, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Is CS not running some Q88 runs anymore. Today it was all QV buses (I was tracking it from outside). Or is CS borrowing buses or something?

CS should have all the 58 and 88 trippers out of John Bowne

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

CS should have all the 58 and 88 trippers out of John Bowne

Oh okay. I know QV has one of the Q88 trippers, but I found that all the runs from Fresh Meadows were QV (no CS buses).

[GojiMet86]

I believe the CS Bowne runs ended, actually. Someone went out to catch the last run like 2 weeks ago.

[Cait Sith]

This evening, they were still short on artics for that M15. Hale had SBS buses running on the local. Saw 1249 and 1267.

[NewFlyer 230]

Them Orion V's are really on their last legs. Bus 6136 was making some type of hissing noise. I don't know what it was but it was on the Q17 earlier and every few seconds it would make a hissing noise.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

I believe the CS Bowne runs ended, actually. Someone went out to catch the last run like 2 weeks ago.

But they still got the Franny runs?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

But they still got the Franny runs?

Those were all QV today, or at least I think so (I'm by 188, so they're easy to track, those CS runs). 

Edited January 6, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven