BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[MysteriousBtrain]

I picked up Q6 schedule today, and much to my surprise, the transfers are on the map. Took them nearly a damn decade, but it finally happened

Finally. Many tourists got confused on MTA bus routes because of the lack of transfers shown on the map.

It also doesn't help with the few B/Os that make ABSOLUTELY NO ANNOUNCEMENTS about transfer points.

[NewFlyer 230]

I picked up Q6 schedule today, and much to my surprise, the transfers are on the map. Took them nearly a damn decade, but it finally happened

Lol I know 10 years. If you were new to NYC and didn't know what buses connect to one another MTA Bus schedules wont help in the situation. Now all we need is to have MTA Bus Guide a ride maps with destinations like the NYCT ones do. They only have the route transfer.

[Q43LTD]

Finally. Many tourists got confused on MTA bus routes because of the lack of transfers shown on the map.

It also doesn't help with the few B/Os that make ABSOLUTELY NO ANNOUNCEMENTS about transfer points.

 

 

Lol I know 10 years. If you were new to NYC and didn't know what buses connect to one another MTA Bus schedules wont help in the situation. Now all we need is to have MTA Bus Guide a ride maps with destinations like the NYCT ones do. They only have the route transfer.

 

Not for nothing, but only the subways and the commuter rail connections were shown. And LTD stops if the route was a LTD

[NewFlyer 230]

Not for nothing, but only the subways and the commuter rail connections were shown. And LTD stops if the route was a LTD

Quite strangly the Q6 and the Q8 are the only MTA Bus routes that have the listed buses on their schedule. I checked a lot more of them and even though they are updated to Spring 2015 they don't have that feature. There is this little 511 tips thing on the bottom. Hopefully soon the old MTA bus signs will be replaced with the more modern lolipop shaped signs.

[161 New York]

...

Another thing I've been seeing on the express buses is people pulling this BS that they don't have a Metrocard.  I've seen this on the BxM4 with a elderly lady who claimed she needed $3.00 in change.  No one had it so the driver let her on.  Before that this chick gets on a BxM2 I was on heading to Riverdale.  I was coming from work so I was dressed professionally (dress shirt, tie, pants, oxfords, etc.).  She clearly assumed that I would let her use my Metrocard, so she gets on at 63rd and Broadway with a story (I couldn't hear since I usually sit all the way in the back), and the driver gives her a lecture (I imagine something along the lines of don't try this again or I will kick you off - that's the impression I got, as Yonkers drivers usually don't tolerate that), and then she proceeds to come and sit near me, and then randomly whirls around as we approach 72nd and Amsterdam and asks blatantly if I had a Metrocard. I looked at her like she was crazy and another guy turned around and did the same thing and everyone refused to give her anything... Really frowned upon on the Riverdale express buses to go asking people for a free dip.  It's one thing if you don't have access to a subway station which happens a lot in Riverdale and so people will dip in exchange for the money (I have do it as well), but she's right next to the Lincoln Center station on the line so there was no excuse. I was tempted to tell her to GTFO and take the damn subway.  She got off in Kingsbridge. Looked very strange too... In any event, there's been A LOT of farebeating going on, both discretely in some cases and blatantly in others since the fare went up, and the needs to address the problem sooner rather than later.

 

Really? I have only seen it once where someone got on the express bus and did not pay. It was back in 2011 and I was on the 21:00 x1 bus to Manhattan and I can't remember if he/she said anything, but the B/O put on the interior lights and looked in his center mirror and I knew that he was looking for the person who did not pay.

 

Otherwise, the x17, x19, x22 and x23/x24, I have never seen any outright fare evasion. Due to my bad luck with MetroCards, I dipped a card, much to the dismay of an x17 driver ten times until it finally read because I did not want to outright not pay.

 

Atlantic Express and now-Academy strictly enforced fare collection.  In fact I had an incident on the x23 the first day of transportation service after Hurricane Sandy. Atlantic Express was enforcing the fares despite the   suspending them. Thinking the fare was suspended,  I didn't want to activate my 7Day Xbus Metrocard on a non-Monday (this was a Wednesday) so I scrambled through some coins which I usually carry and  I got yelled at ( in a rather unprofessional manner) because i was short a dime. I told the B/O i'll pay the dime the next day, but I found a grime-encrusted one deep in my work-bag and paid on my way out.

Edited May 1, 2015 by 161passenger

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Really? I have only seen it once where someone got on the express bus and did not pay. It was back in 2011 and I was on the 21:00 x1 bus to Manhattan and I can't remember if he/she said anything, but the B/O put on the interior lights and looked in his center mirror and I knew that he was looking for the person who did not pay.

 

Otherwise, the x17, x19, x22 and x23/x24, I have never seen any outright fare evasion. Due to my bad luck with MetroCards, I dipped a card, much to the dismay of an x17 driver ten times until it finally read because I did not want to outright not pay.

 

Atlantic Express and now-Academy strictly enforced fare collection.  In fact I had an incident on the x23 the first day of transportation service after Hurricane Sandy. Atlantic Express was enforcing the fares despite the   suspending them. Thinking the fare was suspended,  I didn't want to activate my 7Day Xbus Metrocard on a non-Monday (this was a Wednesday) so I scrambled through some coins which I usually carry and  I got yelled at ( in a rather unprofessional manner) because i was short a dime. I told the B/O i'll pay the dime the next day, but I found a grime-encrusted one deep in my work-bag and paid on my way out.

lol... It seemed to be more common on the X10 bus.  I didn't see this on other express buses like the X1 or the X17.  Staten Island drivers don't really tolerate it.  None of the lines tolerate it, but on some lines you have a lot of non regulars that will use the route and aren't aware of the fare system and will just take it because they want to get to the city fast, leading to them not having the right amount, etc.  Some of it is legit and some of it is BS in that they just don't want to pay.  One of my B/O friends has a rule.  He'll give you a pass once, but don't come on twice with some BS story.  I myself have been let on by B/O's.  I had a terrible habit of leaving my Metrocard at home and forgetting it and since I have multiple Metrocards, sometimes I mix them up. The B/O knew I had a pass and had left it at home so he let me on since I dipped a card that was just a pay-per-ride with not much on it. I put some cash on that card once I got into the city and was sure to have my pass the next day.

 

Here in Riverdale, there is only one store that sells Metrocards and they are often out completely, which means a long way to the nearest subway, which can be a pain when you're under time constraints, so I once said screw it and just told the guy the store was out and he let me on since he knew I was a regular. When I got to the city I got a pass.  I try to refill when I'm in the city, but sometimes the circumstances can play out to where you don't go to the city and I don't feel like getting a pay-per-ride when I need a pass.  It's a waste of money and it throws off my cycle in terms of when I start a new pass.

[BreeddekalbL]

Whats with the TA changing the destination the destination signs for buses going to lga   the q70 q72 and q47  it used to be labeled as just central terminal and marine air terminal , now it changes to letters? whats going on

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Whats with the TA changing the destination the destination signs for buses going to lga the q70 q72 and q47 it used to be labeled as just central terminal and marine air terminal , now it changes to letters? whats going on

Its been like that for several months already. You can find several buses with the old signage.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Whats with the TA changing the destination the destination signs for buses going to lga the q70 q72 and q47 it used to be labeled as just central terminal and marine air terminal , now it changes to letters? whats going on

It's not just buses to LGA. Many LFSA in the Bronx have changed their signs for some routes. Ex. the Bx19 originally said Via Southern at first, then later it said Via Southern Blvd.

What I think is happening, designation signs are getting updated so tourists would be able to actually know where they are going without questions.

And yes, this has been going on for a while, but I'm just pointing out what is likely happening.

Edited May 2, 2015 by MysteriousBtrain

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Q103 - Service temporarily suspended due to the Five Boro Bike Tour

 

8 AM to 1 PM, Sunday, May 3

Q103 service temporarily suspended between Astoria and Hunters Point.

 

[NewFlyer 230]

Q103 - Service temporarily suspended due to the Five Boro Bike Tour

 

8 AM to 1 PM, Sunday, May 3

Q103 service temporarily suspended between Astoria and Hunters Point.

 

Never heard of a bus route getting suspended especially the whole thing.

[MHV9218]

What's up with the little vent circles popping up on the engine covers of the 1st gen OGs? First saw them on QV's buses, now some from Manhattanville.

[Blitz]

What's up with the little vent circles popping up on the engine covers of the 1st gen OGs? First saw them on QV's buses, now some from Manhattanville.

upgrade, extra air intake for the Traction Generator.

[paulrivera]

So there's been a tractor trailer stuck under the el at 10th Avenue/207th Street and the MTA hasn't bothered to mention that the M100 and the Bx12 (Bronx-bound) have been on detour for the better part of an hour. Well, the truck itself isn't directly affecting the Bx12 but there's FDNY activity that ended up closing 207th eastbound.

 

Shame on the Bx12 riders on 10th Avenue too for not backtracking somehow (bus or walking) to Broadway since the buses were all going across the Broadway bridge.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Shame on the Bx12 riders on 10th Avenue too for not backtracking somehow (bus or walking) to Broadway since the buses were all going across the Broadway bridge.

How is it their fault if they don't know about the detour?

[Cait Sith]

How is it their fault if they don't know about the detour?

 

While you have a point, common sense should entail that one should go to the next stop, which is like 3 or so blocks from the stop in question. If folks see Westbound buses and no Eastbound buses, it should say something, no?

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

The Q50 has some very rude riders. Yesterday morning the bus pulls into Pelham Bay and I'm standing near the front. I move around a bit to let some of the older folks sitting get off folks and while that's happening there's folks pushing into me from behind as I was ready to get off. I don't see where on a route like the Q50 people need to be bullying their way off of the bus. It's not like these pepole can change the schedule by getting off a couple of seconds faster.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

While you have a point, common sense should entail that one should go to the next stop, which is like 3 or so blocks from the stop in question. If folks see Westbound buses and no Eastbound buses, it should say something, no?

Not necessarily.  Detours can always be a mess.  I've checked the detour information for buses on the website only to find completely different information at the bus stop, so how do I deal with detours? I try to avoid them completely because some drivers do their own thing.  One guy follows the detour, and another guy does something else, so I can see why they would be confused as to what to do.

[paulrivera]

While you have a point, common sense should entail that one should go to the next stop, which is like 3 or so blocks from the stop in question. If folks see Westbound buses and no Eastbound buses, it should say something, no?

Maybe "shame" was a bit strong, but there was no traffic at all being allowed east on 207th, not just the buses. Traffic was still getting by westbound towards Broadway and the buses were still coming in from the Bronx on the normal route. IDK, maybe people were afraid of getting summonses at Broadway going the wrong way with an eastbound ticket or something...

 

I had to get back to the Bronx and the only reason I hoofed it to Broadway was because I missed two buses heading that way. I pretty much knew after seeing no traffic at all heading to the Bronx that they were going to send the buses up Broadway.

 

Not necessarily.  Detours can always be a mess.  I've checked the detour information for buses on the website only to find completely different information at the bus stop, so how do I deal with detours? I try to avoid them completely because some drivers do their own thing.  One guy follows the detour, and another guy does something else, so I can see why they would be confused as to what to do.

In this particular case no alerts were even sent out. The folks by Cedar for instance were really in the dark, and the folks at Sedgwick had to get their ticket at the regular stop and run across the street to the local stop to get the SBS bus.

 

My bus and two others that left at about the same time took the same detour route (Broadway, right 225th, right Bailey, straight on Sedgwick, left Fordham, regular). The bus I was on made no extra stops but the one ahead of mine made a quick drop off by 225th.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Maybe "shame" was a bit strong, but there was no traffic at all being allowed east on 207th, not just the buses. Traffic was still getting by westbound towards Broadway and the buses were still coming in from the Bronx on the normal route. IDK, maybe people were afraid of getting summonses at Broadway going the wrong way with an eastbound ticket or something...

 

I had to get back to the Bronx and the only reason I hoofed it to Broadway was because I missed two buses heading that way. I pretty much knew after seeing no traffic at all heading to the Bronx that they were going to send the buses up Broadway.

Okay, so they weren't given any specific instructions... That's the problem.  I wonder how many of those Bx12SBS riders have used the line before? I actually have only used it twice, and the first time I thought I would get it at the Fordham Metro-North station to get over to the BxM4 express bus, but I couldn't locate the SBS stop, so I just walked over to the Grand Concourse.  I had checked in advance on Google, but it had been moved, hence my confusion.  I figured it out the second time around after doing some digging.

[BxM4Woodlawn]

so what's going on with Broadway traffic here?

[paulrivera]

Okay, so they weren't given any specific instructions... That's the problem.  I wonder how many of those Bx12SBS riders have used the line before? I actually have only used it twice, and the first time I thought I would get it at the Fordham Metro-North station to get over to the BxM4 express bus, but I couldn't locate the SBS stop, so I just walked over to the Grand Concourse.  I had checked in advance on Google, but it had been moved, hence my confusion.  I figured it out the second time around after doing some digging.

That's probably not your fault, those stops have been moved temporarily during the Fordham Plaza/Fordham station construction projects.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

That's probably not your fault, those stops have been moved temporarily during the Fordham Plaza/Fordham station construction projects.

Just giving reasons as to why those people may have not known what to do.  Given how many people ride that line, I'm sure they aren't all regulars.

[B35 via Church]

The Q50 has some very rude riders. Yesterday morning the bus pulls into Pelham Bay and I'm standing near the front. I move around a bit to let some of the older folks sitting get off folks and while that's happening there's folks pushing into me from behind as I was ready to get off. I don't see where on a route like the Q50 people need to be bullying their way off of the bus. It's not like these pepole can change the schedule by getting off a couple of seconds faster.

Welcome to the terror dome....

 

This is the norm on a lot of Brooklyn routes..... Gotta love the way folks (young or old, does not matter) Deebo they way onto the bus.

Not trying to be funny, but I'm not talking about just the routes that run through black & hispanic neighborhoods either.... People are fed up across the board, and the more the fare increases, the liberty more riders are going to take in not being all that courteous.... The fact that people are broke (or feigning broke so hard that they actually believe they are broke) doesn't help matters....

 

I remember the Qbx1/early stages of the Q50 as a route where folks would line up (Pelham Bay) & people would board single file.... Disembarking the bus wasn't all too problematic..... Now nzzzz's is deebo-ing MF-ers off Q50's? Lol....

[MTA Bus]

Looks like 1252 & 1263 have multicolored signs now.