BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[LegoBrickBreaker101]

Just wondering, why is the X51 discontinued?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Just wondering, why is the X51 discontinued?

Low ridership. They ran the bus too frequent, and that's even after they cut certain trips. At its height, it ran as late as 9-10 PM to Queens.

[Calvin]

I wonder, was the X51 Express fleet just the vikings and the 4 Orion Vs?.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Calvin

[Fresh Pond]

I wonder, was the X51 Express fleet just the vikings and the 4 Orion Vs?.

They used the MCIs and the Vikings. The Orions were on the X32.

[IAlam]

I find this is a troll are there any legit pic or Bus time screen shots?
And if they are short on buses why don't they use them from other depos I know Bronx and SI always have a few extra 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I find this is a troll are there any legit pic or Bus time screen shots?

And if they are short on buses why don't they use them from other depos I know Bronx and SI always have a few extra

Who's trolling?

 

SI is too far away and the bronx is all MTA Bus for express buses. Furthermore SI isshort on express buses, I don't know where these extra buses are coming from.

Edited August 15, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[IAlam]

SI is too far away and the bronx is all MTA Bus for express buses. Furthermore SI isshort on express buses, I don't know where these extra buses are coming from.

 

I thought with all the extra prevost they were getting they would have enough to fill for queens I mean they just past 2600"s I've seen 2600 2602 and 2605 on the X1 today

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I thought with all the extra prevost they were getting they would have enough to fill for queens I mean they just past 2600"s I've seen 2600 2602 and 2605 on the X1 today

Why would they have to fill for Queens? They need those buses to replace their agining fleet, and even though like that they're still be short somehow. The SI depots have to loan buses to each other because they're all short and they require a massive amount of buses.

 

And, who is trolling?

Edited August 15, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Anyways, I don't understand why all the QM's but the QM15 are going via Madison Avenue from 34 to 57 Street. The QM15 has to go all the way to 6th Avenue, then turn on 38 street, and then go back to Madison. Why can't they just have the bus go straight up Madison from 34th Street. People waiting at 5th Avenue would have to go to the Park Avenue stop, and people who use the bus at 38 street can go to Madison Avenue. 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

So once again, my QM15 driver decides to be lazy and not go down to 34 Street, where I am right now, to pick up. All thebother drivers have gone down to 34 Street to pick up riders, regardless how late they are, so I don't see why this guy isn't . Off to the train, smh...

Edited August 15, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[IAlam]

8005 is on the X68. I was pissed when I saw it at 42 and Madison, thinking it was a Q32 loan, and given how close I was to it, but didn't make it. I was thinking to go to Jamaica and see if I could potentially catch it, but by the time I got to Grand central, the bus was already at 57 street, and LIRR fare is a rip off. Rather decided to not to.

 

 

It's the summer. Buses are prone have problems. Express bus runs I believe are mandated to have any bus run, even if there's a shortage. Still remember the multiple times Hybrids have been on the QM15/QM16/QM17, and the RTS on the X68. 

 

 

I still remember seeing a hybrid on the QM21 one morning

 

I was talking about these Were you all serious?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I was talking about these Were you all serious?

Yes.

 

First one happened yesterday.

 

Second one happened many times before, like this one:

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/44902-a-hybrid-on-the-qm15/

 

and this

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/42842-so-qm8-how-do-you-feel-about-rtss-being-in-service-on-the-x68/

 

The third one, I remember him stating that several times before.]

 

We wouldn't be lying just to say it. This actually does happen. Last week there was an Orion V on the X22 (in which another member saw).

[IAlam]

Oh my god it made me cringe 

[B35 via Church]

About the x51... Agreed that its service span was rather broad..

... 

Aside from that, I felt that the route should have been taken off of Sanford....  Basically anyone along Sanford was/are too content with taking the Q12 to the .... Doesn't help that Sanford is vehicle (& to an extent, pedestrian, as it's very dense over there) congested.... Way I see it, all they really had to do with the route was have it serve LeFrak city, then 108th st (via HHE), to then make its way to Main st.... make the turn on Elder... but instead of turning north, have it turn south to end at HHE/Kissena......

 

* (Basically, AM buses would start from HHE/Kissena (well, technically that current Q88 stop @ 153rd/HHE, EB direction) & do a counter-clockwise loop about the area {meaning HHE/Kissena, Kissena, Elder, Main, HHE, towards Lefrak, etc}..... and PM buses would end at HHE/Kissena after having served that same area in a clockwise fashion - the reverse of what's in blue).....

 

If that would mean the end of the QM10, so be it......

 

 

One thing to note:

The increased ridership (in that general part of Queens) along Northern Blvd on the QM3 b/w Parsons & the 160's (streets) are of folks coming from north of Northern.... I do not get the sense at all that whatever former x51 riders that existed, migrated onto the Qm3..... Instead, that ridership (QM3 in that particular section) represents the increasing amt of working class Asians that are moving out there (guess it's called north flushing these days)....

Also, old money is dying out up there in Whitestone/Beechhurst, and I predict that area of Queens will be significantly/increasingly more Asian (basically meaning the gap b/w the Caucasian & the Asian population up there will become narrower) in the years to come - Which is exactly what happened in Bensonhurst (albeit for a TOTALLY different reason)..... IMO, A ride on the QM2 (or the Q15/a) in the next decade or so will better illustrate this.....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

About the x51... Agreed that its service span was rather broad..

... 

Aside from that, I felt that the route should have been taken off of Sanford....  Basically anyone along Sanford was/are too content with taking the Q12 to the .... Doesn't help that Sanford is vehicle (& to an extent, pedestrian, as it's very dense over there) congested.... Way I see it, all they really had to do with the route was have it serve LeFrak city, then 108th st (via HHE), to then make its way to Main st.... make the turn on Elder... but instead of turning north, have it turn south to end at HHE/Kissena......

 

* (Basically, AM buses would start from HHE/Kissena (well, technically that current Q88 stop @ 153rd/HHE, EB direction) & do a counter-clockwise loop about the area {meaning HHE/Kissena, Kissena, Elder, Main, HHE, towards Lefrak, etc}..... and PM buses would end at HHE/Kissena after having served that same area in a clockwise fashion - the reverse of what's in blue).....

 

If that would mean the end of the QM10, so be it......

 

 

One thing to note:

The increased ridership (in that general part of Queens) along Northern Blvd on the QM3 b/w Parsons & the 160's (streets) are of folks coming from north of Northern.... I do not get the sense at all that whatever former x51 riders that existed, migrated onto the Qm3..... Instead, that ridership (QM3 in that particular section) represents the increasing amt of working class Asians that are moving out there (guess it's called north flushing these days)....

Also, old money is dying out up there in Whitestone/Beechhurst, and I predict that area of Queens will be significantly/increasingly more Asian (basically meaning the gap b/w the Caucasian & the Asian population up there will become narrower) in the years to come - Which is exactly what happened in Bensonhurst (albeit for a TOTALLY different reason)..... IMO, A ride on the QM2 (or the Q15/a) in the next decade or so will better illustrate this.....

With the X51, I wonder if it used 46/48 Avenues to Utopia. I don't know if there was a possiblity that some local bus riders could've used that bus instead of their current commute.

 

As for the QM10, I've been saying for a while that it should be rerouted onto 57th Avenue in Elmhurst, and Borden Avenue, serving Maspeth and Elmhurst, which gives riders a faster options from the 58's, 59's, and 67's to the subway. I see riders using the Q67's, and then taking the QM24/25, which kinda surprises me, but Maspeth has mentioned that they don't have an express bus closeby. 57 Avenue has no convenient mode of transport, and the subway is a long walk, or you would need to take the bus. Therefore, the QM10 has potential to get ridership, and leaves the QM12 as the only express in Rego Park (it would make an added stop at Hoffman).

 

Perhaps, I would have the current 8:00 AM QM10 to Manhattan as the "super express", running the current route, because that is literally the only trip which has consistently had an almost fully seated load. That, and one of the 5 PM buses from 3rd Avenue tend to do alright. The rest are just painful to watch, some even have like one rider by the time it crosses the bridge. I would definitely use the QM10 if it served 57 Avenue. I feel that there would be people who would use it in Maspeth and South Elmhurst. 

Edited August 16, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[S78 via Hylan]

I don't know what was going on with the Q10 tonight, but buses were bunching all over the place.

[QM1to6Ave]

8005 is on the X68. I was pissed when I saw it at 42 and Madison, thinking it was a Q32 loan, and given how close I was to it, but didn't make it. I was thinking to go to Jamaica and see if I could potentially catch it, but by the time I got to Grand central, the bus was already at 57 street, and LIRR fare is a rip off. Rather decided to not to.

 

I saw 8005 on the X68 at Queens Blvd and Union Tpke at around 8:30 am on Friday. I couldn't believe my eyes! I feel ripped off paying the local fare to ride one of those LFS's, I'd be real pissed to pay the express fare for that ride. It was fairly empty, as there was an MCI X68 right in front of it, so that picked up most of the passengers. I was on a nice MCI QM5 at the time and felt bad for those passengers. 

[NewFlyer 230]

With the X51, I wonder if it used 46/48 Avenues to Utopia. I don't know if there was a possiblity that some local bus riders could've used that bus instead of their current commute.

 

As for the QM10, I've been saying for a while that it should be rerouted onto 57th Avenue in Elmhurst, and Borden Avenue, serving Maspeth and Elmhurst, which gives riders a faster options from the 58's, 59's, and 67's to the subway. I see riders using the Q67's, and then taking the QM24/25, which kinda surprises me, but Maspeth has mentioned that they don't have an express bus closeby. 57 Avenue has no convenient mode of transport, and the subway is a long walk, or you would need to take the bus. Therefore, the QM10 has potential to get ridership, and leaves the QM12 as the only express in Rego Park (it would make an added stop at Hoffman).

 

 

Perhaps, I would have the current 8:00 AM QM10 to Manhattan as the "super express", running the current route, because that is literally the only trip which has consistently had an almost fully seated load. That, and one of the 5 PM buses from 3rd Avenue tend to do alright. The rest are just painful to watch, some even have like one rider by the time it crosses the bridge. I would definitely use the QM10 if it served 57 Avenue. I feel that there would be people who would use it in Maspeth and South Elmhurst.

I have always said that changes should be done with the express buses.

so I have noticed that the QM4 is gaining more riders during rush but off peak and weekend service continue to suffer. I was thinking that the QM4 could possibly run to Fresh Meadows 188th via Horace Harding. I feel like it could gain some Q17 and Q88 riders who currently take those buses to the subway.

The QM3 as we know needs more buses running on that route. It's a waste how that is the only express bus running on a busy corridor without the proper service. I would add at least 5 more trips for now and see how riders utilize those trips. In order for that to have an immediate effect the MTA needs to post the addition of buses on the buses and the stops but I doubt they would do that. The QM3 has lots of potential because some don't want to deal with the already crowded and the Q12 and Q13.

As far as the QM10/QM11 the reason they suffer is because the routing is very close to the subway plus they have to compete with the local routes in the area such as the Q38, Q23 and Q88.

The QM18 I would just eliminate all together. That route starts and ends too early for most to care. In South Ozone park the people take the Q10 which runs every 4-5 minutes and the Q37 which is 5 minutes in the morning. Along Queens Blvd people just take the trains because it is fast and it makes sense to do so.

I would have the QM11 replace the QM18 along that way and switch which bus goes downtown.

So the QM10's go downtown and the QM11's serve Midtown.

The QM21 at this point is another lost cause because it also competes with local/limited routes and generally not many demand a express route in its area.

[NewFlyer 230]

I don't know what was going on with the Q10 tonight, but buses were bunching all over the place.

Yeah I noticed yesterday that service was real crappy yesterday. The line for the for the Q10 usually goes from the stop to the other side on Queens blvd via that little passageway. However yesterday the lines were going inside the subway station itself. There is usually a Q10 at the stop after one pulls off but that wasn't the case yesterday. The Q10 was mostly D60HF's with one RTS running on it until around 8. Afterwards the number of D60's started to decrease and the Orion VII's took over again. I still miss the old Q10 that would literally run every 2 minutes. I remember if I missed the Q10 there was one that was a block or two away. Now if I miss it I have to actually wait 10 minutes or more for it.

[IAlam]

The QM21 at this point is another lost cause because it also competes with local/limited routes and generally not many demand an express route in its area.

If any one has noticed the qm21 either on the same X63 route or very close proximity to it. Honestly I don't think it's horrible because it give some riders a shorter wait time and has longer operating hours especially in the PM hours. Furthermore it takes the highway on its PM trip which is more appealing to the average customer. When I see the QM21 and X63 I thing of the QM7/QM8 or the QM1/QM5, sure the QM1, QM7 and, QM21 get less people than their counterparts, but they also cover less surface. The main reason I think we still have the QM21 is the same reason we have QM7 and QM1

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I saw 8005 on the X68 at Queens Blvd and Union Tpke at around 8:30 am on Friday. I couldn't believe my eyes! I feel ripped off paying the local fare to ride one of those LFS's, I'd be real pissed to pay the express fare for that ride. It was fairly empty, as there was an MCI X68 right in front of it, so that picked up most of the passengers. I was on a nice MCI QM5 at the time and felt bad for those passengers. 

I would've passed it up and waited for the next one unless it was the last bus.  I did that often when the Orions ran on the BM3.

 

I have always said that changes should be done with the express buses.

so I have noticed that the QM4 is gaining more riders during rush but off peak and weekend service continue to suffer. I was thinking that the QM4 could possibly run to Fresh Meadows 188th via Horace Harding. I feel like it could gain some Q17 and Q88 riders who currently take those buses to the subway.

The QM3 as we know needs more buses running on that route. It's a waste how that is the only express bus running on a busy corridor without the proper service. I would add at least 5 more trips for now and see how riders utilize those trips. In order for that to have an immediate effect the MTA needs to post the addition of buses on the buses and the stops but I doubt they would do that. The QM3 has lots of potential because some don't want to deal with the already crowded and the Q12 and Q13.

 

How can make statements about ridership on the QM4 when you've never used it? Looking at how full an express bus is at one stop can be quite deceiving.  I know because a lot of them can empty out quickly at various stops.  For what's worth, the QM4's weekend ridership went up, not by much, but it still increased.

 

The QM3 would have to have A LOT more buses to see droves of folks using it.  I imagine many just drive over to Union Turnpike where they have the QM5 and QM6 running frequently, along with the QM1 further up.  For what it's worth I use the QM2 on weekends, and overall ridership isn't that heavy, as was the case yesterday when I used it, but it's improving. 

[IAlam]

How can make statements about ridership on the QM4 when you've never used it? Looking at how full an express bus is at one stop can be quite deceiving.  I know because a lot of them can empty out quickly at various stops.  For what's worth, the QM4's weekend ridership went up, not by much, but it still increased.

 

 

I always ride the QM4 whenever I can especially during midday or mornings cause the bus just ends up becoming a taxi, I get them to drop me off where the X51 used to go. But I can tell the B/O's get pissed off cause they were hoping for an empty run and I get on at the last stop.

 

The QM3 would have to have A LOT more buses to see droves of folks using it.  I imagine many just drive over to Union Turnpike where they have the QM5 and QM6 running frequently, along with the QM1 further up.  For what it's worth I use the QM2 on weekends, and overall ridership isn't that heavy, as was the case yesterday when I used it, but it's improving. 

 Why does the QM3 have such horrible service all the other rush hour buses have like more than 5 departures. The QM3 should be running it from like 6:00 to like 9ish

Edited August 16, 2015 by IAlam

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

If any one has noticed the qm21 either on the same X63 route or very close proximity to it. Honestly I don't think it's horrible because it give some riders a shorter wait time and has longer operating hours especially in the PM hours. Furthermore it takes the highway on its PM trip which is more appealing to the average customer. When I see the QM21 and X63 I thing of the QM7/QM8 or the QM1/QM5, sure the QM1, QM7 and, QM21 get less people than their counterparts, but they also cover less surface. The main reason I think we still have the QM21 is the same reason we have QM7 and QM1

That's not the reason why the QM1 and QM7 are needed. The QM1 and QM7 supplement/complement the QM5/QM6 and QM8. Without those two routes, you would have a lot of overcrowding. There isn't much of a need of extra bus service past 188 street, so the QM1/QM7 are ideal instead of extra QM5's or QM6's. They are basically short-turns of the QM5/6 and the QM8. I'm talking about rush hours specifically in this case, the QM1's and QM7's are definitely useful during the rush hour. Other times when the QM1 runs, it doesn't really have the same usefulness. 

I have always said that changes should be done with the express buses.

so I have noticed that the QM4 is gaining more riders during rush but off peak and weekend service continue to suffer. I was thinking that the QM4 could possibly run to Fresh Meadows 188th via Horace Harding. I feel like it could gain some Q17 and Q88 riders who currently take those buses to the subway.

The QM3 as we know needs more buses running on that route. It's a waste how that is the only express bus running on a busy corridor without the proper service. I would add at least 5 more trips for now and see how riders utilize those trips. In order for that to have an immediate effect the MTA needs to post the addition of buses on the buses and the stops but I doubt they would do that. The QM3 has lots of potential because some don't want to deal with the already crowded and the Q12 and Q13.

As far as the QM10/QM11 the reason they suffer is because the routing is very close to the subway plus they have to compete with the local routes in the area such as the Q38, Q23 and Q88.

The QM18 I would just eliminate all together. That route starts and ends too early for most to care. In South Ozone park the people take the Q10 which runs every 4-5 minutes and the Q37 which is 5 minutes in the morning. Along Queens Blvd people just take the trains because it is fast and it makes sense to do so.

I would have the QM11 replace the QM18 along that way and switch which bus goes downtown.

So the QM10's go downtown and the QM11's serve Midtown.

The QM21 at this point is another lost cause because it also competes with local/limited routes and generally not many demand a express route in its area.

As for the QM4, I believe that the QM1 should just be gone during middays. I mean, it's great to get on at the first stop and get a seat, but it's not like the QM5 is gonna be crowded anyways. I would just have alternating QM5's during middays serve Fresh Meadows (every bus departing at :10 until 12:10 PM. Now, afterward, you could have the QM4 serve the two stops served by the QM1, which means that the current trips from 1 PM to 5 PM to Midtown would instead originate in Fresh Meadows. You could also have all the other buses (QM5) after the 12:10 PM trip serve Fresh Meadows, but that would change the current schedule up from 188/64.

 

With the QM18, I don't know. I've been on a decently packed QM18, but for riders left after Metropolitan. Don't know if that's the norm at all or whatever. If it has to come to that final point, the QM12 has the 71 Avenue and the 63 Drive more or less, so riders can switch. Now, the 67/66 Avenue stops, and the 72/75 Avenue stops would be left unserved. I would possibly have one of the X- buses and the QM21 alternate sopping pattern.  So one would stop at 75 and 67 Avenue, and then the other would serve 72 Avenue only. The other stops are covered more or less, and don't need a replacement (the QM12 under my QM10/QM12 revampment would utilize 63 Road.

 

As for the QM18 in South Ozone Park, you could possibly have a QM15 variant serve that part. There would be two QM15's during this time; the Howard Beach bus and the South Ozone Park bus, via Rockaway Blvd. and 135 Avenue. These two branches operate every 30 minutes, the combined headway of 15 minutes. The two other buses would be buses possibly running to Howard Beach via the Q11 routing south of Pitkin, if it's warranted. If not, they would start at Pitkin Avenue. The QM16 in the AM, and both 16 and 17 in the PM would instead serve Lindenwood, and go express from S Conduit Avenue to Manhattan. It would benefit Lindenwood residents, since they don't have to make all the other stops, and it will speed up their commutes. Travel time would increase by 5 minutes. for residents from 159 Avenue and South. As a result of this, the Howard Beach QM15 would just go up on Cross Bay instead of going via Lindenwood. You could name the South Ozone variant the QM18.

 

There are some decently used QM21's too. Believe it or not, but one of the decently used QM21 trips in the PM is the 8:15 outta 23 street. 

Edited August 16, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[LegoBrickBreaker101]

Just wondering, can you code MTABC programs onto an NYCT bus and vice versa?

[Cait Sith]

Just wondering, can you code MTABC programs onto an NYCT bus and vice versa?

Yep.