BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[checkmatechamp13]

Wonders why limited stop buses in Staten Island have to be numbered differently from their local counterparts. In the four other boroughs limited routes are numbered the same as their corresponding local routes and it's not like riders really benefit from a number difference. From a riders standpoint locals and limiteds follow the same route pattern, the only difference is the stops themselves.

 

 

I've actually seen it confuse some riders. I remember 2 girls waiting for the S44 in the PM rush, and they asked the S94 driver if the S44 was coming. He said it was and closed the door (well, technically an S44 would come like an hour and a half later or something). I'm surprised the driver didn't help those girls. I remember another time when a couple of people were waiting at the bus stop, and they asked when the S44 was coming, and I explained to them that the S94 made the same stops. Lo and behold, an S94 came and they didn't get on, because they insisted the S44 was the only one that brought them to their destination (I didn't get on because the S89 was waiting at the light, and the S89 would've brought them a block from their destination, which was Draper Place, and the S89 stops at Rockland Avenue).

 

In any case, it's kind of pointless, but hey, what do I care?

[Threxx]

I've actually seen it confuse some riders. I remember 2 girls waiting for the S44 in the PM rush, and they asked the S94 driver if the S44 was coming. He said it was and closed the door (well, technically an S44 would come like an hour and a half later or something). I'm surprised the driver didn't help those girls. I remember another time when a couple of people were waiting at the bus stop, and they asked when the S44 was coming, and I explained to them that the S94 made the same stops. Lo and behold, an S94 came and they didn't get on, because they insisted the S44 was the only one that brought them to their destination (I didn't get on because the S89 was waiting at the light, and the S89 would've brought them a block from their destination, which was Draper Place, and the S89 stops at Rockland Avenue).

 

In any case, it's kind of pointless, but hey, what do I care?

 

 

It may be because of the times, I really don't know...

 

Why are they breaking already???

 

 

Luminator is falling off of their game, probably defective signs...

[BJC]

Orion V 128 has to be the WORST bus ever. I rode it on the Q53 from woodside to Queens Center Mall. Not only was it slow, the bus felt like it had a flat tire and when idling it felt as someone was bumping the side of the bus. Also, the bars were missing that went over the sheild of the engine (between the 2 pairs of seats in the very back), and the bus was all dirty. To make things worse, the door system keep failing (when the driver closed the front door, the back door would be stuck open and he'd have to reopen and close the doors), and traffic was bad. I really should have taken the subway instead!

The only good thing about that bus was that the engine sounded pretty good, like a strong DDS engine.

 

I saw 5888 the other day on the M101, the rear sign is already broken (half the sign is dark).

 

 

That's LGA for you....thoses Beeline buses were decent when they went to LGA.

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

Should the Bx12 and M15 +SBS be split from the local when the MTA does their annual ridership counts? I think so because it would shine some light on the effectiveness of +SBS on both routes. From what I see +SBS buses are usually more crowded than the locals but it would be nice if the numbers showed how much more usage +SBS gets vs the locals on both routes.

[Future ENY OP]

Spotted some +SBS+ buses from 126th doing the G/O from Flatbush to Franklin earlier today..

Also some buses from TAD/100th on the G/O 2nite. Can't wait to see some Nova's down Flatbush/Nostrand.. Dunno abt Utica.

[favbusbx13]

why they going to flatbush?

[4P3607]

The sign probably wasn't broken; most likely the sign was in "resting" mode so that it lasts longer.

 

no, I saw it directly from the back, the right half of the sign was black. it just said "M1("

[gtNovaBusRTS9369]

This past friday I got myself a ride with #9366. This time however I happened to discover that thing gets stuck in high lockup. I believe the B/O tried to get it in 3rd gear but to no avail. The same goes for #9557 which I took the day before. I gots me two WTF rides this week! I have to wonder though what's happening w/QV mainteance if it's a factor of these transmissions acting up.

[B17EastNewYorkDepot]

b103 down 5th ave ... hmm ? since when?

 

 

oowe what a wonderful site to see JG, FB, ENY, GA, buses etc all on layover on eastern parkways for shuttle service

[CDTA]

LFSA #5849's rear sign is completely shot out.

[NYCtrainfan01]

Due to that fire on the Concourse about two days ago, I saw a buch of D60HF's stuck due N/B and S/B to traffic because the concourse was shut down between E Burnside ave and E 181 st. To KB B/O's who worked on the Bx1/2 at around 18:30 on 5/12/12: How exactly did you avoid that mess? I saw some N/B D60HF's turning westbound at Burnside. Can't say the same for the S/B buses They were stuck for a good while. I also saw a S/B BxM4 make a U-turn from the main road to the service rode to head back N/B.

[youngblaze]

We went on detour...s/b we turned right on Fordham, left on Jerome which btw was a pain in the ass lmao...then left on tremont...right on the concourse and regular route from there....making that turn under the Jerome Avenue el required some serious pivot point precision talk about snaking it lol I felt like I was doing the el excercise from training school all over again.

 

--

 

Today I had 5571 (ex-Quill) for my second half and on my last trip just shy of reaching Fordham the Aux Power Loss light comes on...then the interlock engaged on its own bringing the bus to a halt surprisingly I only had to wait about 30 minutes for the tow truck to come.

[NYCtrainfan01]

We went on detour...s/b we turned right on Fordham, left on Jerome which btw was a pain in the ass lmao...then left on tremont...right on the concourse and regular route from there....making that turn under the Jerome Avenue el required some serious pivot point precision talk about snaking it lol I felt like I was doing the el excercise from training school all over again.

The part in bold, I thought artics couldn't make that turn there. Props on making that turn bro. Turns like that is certainly not easy for artics to do. Jerome is pretty narrow due to the EL. Was going N/B exactly vice-versa? Correct me if I'm wrong but the artics that went down Burnside, Did they go down to University then to Fordham? I really doubt that artics can make that right turn at Burside and Jerome... If they were able to do that, then again I give props to the B/Os out of KB. Those turns are really tight for artics.

Edited May 14, 2012 by NYCtrainfan01

[S78 via Hylan]

It's really annoying me that B/O's are purposely driving slow just to stay on schedule. I get the fact that they can't be early, but that should not matter. What's important is people getting to their destinations and making their transfers. I almost missed the S61 because the B/O on the S53 purposely decided to catch 2 red lights.

Edited May 14, 2012 by S78 via Hylan

[youngblaze]

you were never meant to catch that S61 especially if s/he got to that time point on time.....just like there are rules and regulations at your work place...we have rules and regulations too.

Edited May 14, 2012 by youngblaze

[Via Garibaldi 8]

lol... Buses are coming ON TIME on Staten Island and now folks continue to complain...

[S78 via Hylan]

lol... Buses are coming ON TIME on Staten Island and now folks continue to complain...

Listen, I care about making my connections to other buses. I was not complaining about the S61 being on time.

 

@ youngblaze: Yes I know you guys have rules and regulations to follow and I'm not sayind don't follow them. I'm glad I caught that S61 because I did not want to be standing there waiting another 15 minutes because I was inconvienced.

 

I've had B/O's who have actually helped me make connections with other buses.

Edited May 14, 2012 by S78 via Hylan

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Listen, I care about making my connections to other buses. I was not complaining about the S61 being on time.

 

@ youngblaze: Yes I know you guys have rules and regulations to follow and I'm not sayind don't follow them. I'm glad I caught that S61 because I did not want to be standing there waiting another 15 minutes because I was inconvienced.

 

I've had B/O's who have actually helped me make connections with other buses.

 

Well here's something to note, which I would've thought that you would've know by now... The S53s will rarely run early in the morning, especially now with Bus Time. If they do dispatch may very well call them and tell them to stop and wait at a bus stop. I have witnessed this before. Aside from that they also know that a dispatcher is waiting for them at Hylan & Clove so I don't know why you're so shocked about him killing two lights. You should know the deal by now with Bus Time, so if you want to ensure that you make your connections, leave EARLIER. Simple as that. There really is no excuse for it. You could've tracked both buses. Now if one came early which has happened to me then I can understand.

[youngblaze]

The part in bold, I thought artics couldn't make that turn there. Props on making that turn bro. Turns like that is certainly not easy for artics to do. Jerome is pretty narrow due to the EL. Was going N/B exactly vice-versa? Correct me if I'm wrong but the artics that went down Burnside, Did they go down to University then to Fordham? I really doubt that artics can make that right turn at Burside and Jerome... If they were able to do that, then again I give props to the B/Os out of KB. Those turns are really tight for artics.

 

Thanks! I thought they couldn't either lol...we had to bump out wide and come under the el nearly straight (for fordham) and for Burnside/Tremont we had to bump out wide and then use the outer lane to then pivot into the center lane...but being its a 60ft bus you would have to go well into oncoming traffic to clear the trailer portion.

[S78 via Hylan]

Well here's something to note, which I would've thought that you would've know by now... The S53s will rarely run early in the morning, especially now with Bus Time. If they do dispatch may very well call them and tell them to stop and wait at a bus stop. I have witnessed this before. Aside from that they also know that a dispatcher is waiting for them at Hylan & Clove so I don't know why you're so shocked about him killing two lights. You should know the deal by now with Bus Time, so if you want to ensure that you make your connections, leave EARLIER. Simple as that. There really is no excuse for it. You could've tracked both buses. Now if one came early which has happened to me then I can understand.

Good points there, but just let me say something here.

I had no way of tracking both buses becauses because I don't have a smartphone.

 

Yes, I know buses have to stay on schedule because of Bustime and all that.... The point I was making is that once in a while it doesn't hurt to help someone make connections even if it means being 1 or 2 minutes early. And I try to leave home as early as possible. I was orginally going to just take the ferry, but I decided to go through Bay Ridge instead because I live near the lines, but when I looked at the countdown clock, there was a long ass wait for both trains and I didn't want to risk missing the ferry by a few minutes.

 

By the way, When the S53 passed by Hylan & Clove Rd, there was no dispatcher there and that S61 actually came about 4-5 minutes early, so it's not entirely my fault.

Edited May 14, 2012 by S78 via Hylan

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Good points there, but just let me say something here.

I had no way of tracking both buses becauses because I don't have a smartphone.

 

Yes, I know buses have to stay on schedule because of Bustime and all that.... The point I was making is that once in a while it doesn't hurt to help someone make connections even if it means being 1 or 2 minutes early. And I try to leave home as early as possible. I was orginally going to just take the ferry, but I decided to go through Bay Ridge instead because I live near the lines, but when I looked at the countdown clock, there was a long ass wait for both trains and I didn't want to risk missing the ferry by a few minutes.

 

By the way, When the S53 passed by Hylan & Clove Rd, there was no dispatcher there and that S61 actually came about 4-5 minutes early, so it's not entirely my fault.

 

Well I'm telling you as a word of advice from experience, not to bash you or anything. The Victory Blvd buses have a habit of coming a few minutes early and dispatch won't necessarily hold them. I've missed a few of them myself walking up Slosson from the X10. It's annoying because they should hold all lines to the same standards, which is if you're holding one bus to ensure they're on time then do the same with the others, but I suppose in some instances they are given a little lead way to ensure that they make the ferry. And no there usually are no dispatchers at Victory & Clove... There is usually one at Hylan & Clove I suppose because you get your biggest bang for the buck there with several express buses, the S78, S79 and S53 all passing by there. Quite frankly the dispatchers make things worse over there IMO, at least before Bus Time anyway.

 

Finally, B/Os can be tracked now, so there is no "helping folks out". If he speeds along too fast, dispatch can stop him (they radio into them) and they have on buses that I've been on, so they have to be careful now, and this is particularly true with the S53. In Riverdale, I will admit that we are very anal about our express buses running early and we do write in, so those B/Os know not to come early. So far I've only seen one express bus arrive early and that was a BxM1 that came maybe 4 minutes early but I generally am at the stop several minutes before anyway so it was no big deal, but I'll tell you right now if a BxM18 comes early (which hasn't happened yet) I will write in. They only run every half hour and I am at the stop about 5-10 minutes before they are due, so to have one come early would be really annoying. I thought the 19:14 came early the other night because I was walking down 45th street and came to Madison and saw one taking off from the stop and I'm thinking SOB came almost 10 minutes early!! A guy that waits with me usually for the 19:44 bus told me the 19:14 had been coming early so I was thinking it was the same bus. Come to find out it was the 18:44 that was very late because another came at about 19:24 or so.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[S78 via Hylan]

I know you weren't bashing me. It probably also occured to me that durring middays, the S53 in general is quicker.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I know you weren't bashing me. It probably also occured to me that durring middays, the S53 in general is quicker.

 

Definitely... Buses could be faster in the morning if they added more service or gave the line limited stop service.

[checkmatechamp13]

It's really annoying me that B/O's are purposely driving slow just to stay on schedule. I get the fact that they can't be early, but that should not matter. What's important is people getting to their destinations and making their transfers. I almost missed the S61 because the B/O on the S53 purposely decided to catch 2 red lights.

 

 

It's annoying, but the thing that you should be complaining about isn't the fact that they're driving slow, but the fact that the damn schedules haven't been adjusted to factor in that some buses don't need all that time to make it from point A to point B. Like I said, I was on an S44 a couple of days ago that flew down Richmond Avenue, but when he got to Post Avenue, he crawled down the route and then just sat at Post & Decker for a good 7 minutes or so (more than 5, but I don't think it was 10), and then he continued to crawl down until we reached Broadway. I mean, people have places to go. Luckily, I wasn't trying to catch a ferry, but everybody else missed the ferry by a couple of minutes (as we were waiting to make the turn into the terminal, we saw a bunch of buses leaving the terminal, which meant that a ferry was probably leaving as well).

 

I mean, you know ridership isn't that heavy at 5 in the afternoon going northbound (whether we're talking about Richmond Avenue or Post/Cary Avenue. Henderson Avenue never really gets any ridership anyway), so what's the point in giving them all that time? I'd rather they cut down the time so that maybe B/Os show up a couple of minutes late, but at least they keep it moving.

 

I've had B/O's who have actually helped me make connections with other buses.

 

 

It would be nice if there was some kind of communication system so drivers can at least tell each other to hold for a transfer. I mean, it sucks waiting an extra 15 minutes just because the bus came a minute early.

 

Well here's something to note, which I would've thought that you would've know by now... The S53s will rarely run early in the morning, especially now with Bus Time. If they do dispatch may very well call them and tell them to stop and wait at a bus stop. I have witnessed this before. Aside from that they also know that a dispatcher is waiting for them at Hylan & Clove so I don't know why you're so shocked about him killing two lights. You should know the deal by now with Bus Time, so if you want to ensure that you make your connections, leave EARLIER. Simple as that. There really is no excuse for it. You could've tracked both buses. Now if one came early which has happened to me then I can understand.

 

 

Don't give him that "leave earlier" crap. There's no reason buses should have to waste time when people have places to be. Is it the B/O's fault? No, but there's no reason for this problem to continue.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Don't give him that "leave earlier" crap. There's no reason buses should have to waste time when people have places to be. Is it the B/O's fault? No, but there's no reason for this problem to continue.

 

 

Yes, I'm giving it to him and you especially, Speedy González... If anyone should be complaining about speed it is me. I pay a premium for fast service and sometimes I have to wait over 15 minutes for a bus. Meanwhile you folks pay $2.25 and want word class service. The buses are on time and you're still complaining.