BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[TrainFanInfinity]

Service Change  Posted: 11/01/2015  4:13PM 
 

M15-SBS bus service is detoured due to the NYC Marathon.

Detour is as follows:

Southbound: Via Lenox Av, right on 116 St, left on 8 Av and continue into Central Park W, left on 86 St, left on Madison Av, right on 86 St, right on 2 Av and regular route.

Allow additional travel time.

Planned Detour 
M60 SBS buses rerouted from the RFK Bridge between Queens and Manhattan

 

8:30 AM to 5 PM, Sunday, Nov 1

Due to the TCS New York City Marathon, buses use the RFK Bridge between Queens and the Bronx in both directions.

Show Reroute Details

Eastbound
East on 125 St
Left on Lenox Av
Right on 145 St
Cross the 145 St Bridge
Right on the Grand Concourse
Left onto the Major Deegan Expy
Cross the RFK Bridge into Queens then regular route

Westbound
Via the RFK Bridge to the Bronx
Take the Major Deegan Expy to the Grand Concourse
Left on 149 St
Cross the 145 St Bridge
Left on Lenox Av
Right on 125 St then regular route

 

These detours are too far

I think 86th Street Transverse is clogged because of all the detoured buses and traffic going through it

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Detours paths don't show up on bus time. This is a new route with a new stop as well 

That's just a wrong path; other routes have the same issue. The X1 detour was Canal > Hudson > 8 Ave > 23 Street, which is not shown by any of the lines.

[IAlam]

Now I see the original post and why everybody got so angry. This is a markedly ignorant post for a variety of reasons. Let's delve into a few:

 

1) Suburban school districts, almost without exception, are significantly better-funded than urban school districts because in most municipalities public schools are funded by the property taxes of the region. Suburban areas are generally wealthier than inner cities, and consequently their services are better-funded. The 'state and federal money' point is basically irrelevant to this discussion.

 

2) Mass transit is not exclusively provided for anybody. The very point of it is to provide a public service for anybody going from point A to point B, and to keep cars off the road. That's everybody from random people on their way to see their family across town to public servants on the way to their jobs. You can make up things that mass transit can be for, but there is no should. 

 

3) Why in the world would cutting taxes solve any problem whatsoever? Suburban areas do not shoulder any burden: for one, they only function with the economic nucleus of a city nearby; for another, they are wealthier areas and their residents can afford to pay more in taxes. That's not a 'burden.'

 

4) Privatization is almost always the worst solution. Note the travesty that is NICE Bus. Note the collapse of Atlantic Express. Note the disaster of London Transport's privatization and the complete mess that Thatcher's privatizations brought. Is that a good solution for the city?

 

While it would be nice to have more extensive school bus networks, New York's non-zoned high school system means that there are no routine patterns of travel for buses to run. In elementary school, being bussed from point A to point B makes sense in terms of safety (keep the kids on their own bus) and in practicality (everybody goes from one area to another). But by the time you've got kids in the Rockaways heading to Bedford Park for schools like Bronx Science, the point becomes moot.

 

Now I see the original post and why everybody got so angry. This is a markedly ignorant post for a variety of reasons. Let's delve into a few:

 

1) Suburban school districts, almost without exception, are significantly better-funded than urban school districts because in most municipalities public schools are funded by the property taxes of the region. Suburban areas are generally wealthier than inner cities, and consequently their services are better-funded. The 'state and federal money' point is basically irrelevant to this discussion.

 

2) Mass transit is not exclusively provided for anybody. The very point of it is to provide a public service for anybody going from point A to point B, and to keep cars off the road. That's everybody from random people on their way to see their family across town to public servants on the way to their jobs. You can make up things that mass transit can be for, but there is no should. 

 

3) Why in the world would cutting taxes solve any problem whatsoever? Suburban areas do not shoulder any burden: for one, they only function with the economic nucleus of a city nearby; for another, they are wealthier areas and their residents can afford to pay more in taxes. That's not a 'burden.'

 

4) Privatization is almost always the worst solution. Note the travesty that is NICE Bus. Note the collapse of Atlantic Express. Note the disaster of London Transport's privatization and the complete mess that Thatcher's privatizations brought. Is that a good solution for the city?

 

While it would be nice to have more extensive school bus networks, New York's non-zoned high school system means that there are no routine patterns of travel for buses to run. In elementary school, being bussed from point A to point B makes sense in terms of safety (keep the kids on their own bus) and in practicality (everybody goes from one area to another). But by the time you've got kids in the Rockaways heading to Bedford Park for schools like Bronx Science, the point becomes moot.

100%

[MTA Orion Bus]

Does anyone know if there are plans for the MTA to add automated stop announcements (ex. Clever Devices comparable to NICE) to the buses in the future? Is that a project that has been started?

[MysteriousBtrain]

4804......I smell you....on the Bx32....

Sorry, just thinking outloud. I can't believe this could be the last time to catch a 1999 D60 Bx32, Especially when one's renumbered.

Edited November 2, 2015 by MysteriousBtrain

[Missabassie]

1286 needs maintenance badly, I was on that bus Saturday, and yesterday & it sounds awful.

[Blitz]

Random question: yesterday morning, a little past 1am, i was test driving a bus near fordham university on Goulden ave. I saw a Fishbowl driving around in a non MTA livery with a couple guys inside. The bus number was 5128 of i remember correctly, and it had "Los Angeles" in the destination sign. The colors were hard to make out because itnwas very dark, but it looked to be painted green, with grey/silver and white stripes. I passed by the same area in a different bus a couple hours later and the bus was parked on goulden ave, on the opposite side of the resevior. Anyone know anthing about this bus? (Couldn't get a picture because i was driving)

[Fresh Pond]

Random question: yesterday morning, a little past 1am, i was test driving a bus near fordham university on Goulden ave. I saw a Fishbowl driving around in a non MTA livery with a couple guys inside. The bus number was 5128 of i remember correctly, and it had "Los Angeles" in the destination sign. The colors were hard to make out because itnwas very dark, but it looked to be painted green, with grey/silver and white stripes. I passed by the same area in a different bus a couple hours later and the bus was parked on goulden ave, on the opposite side of the resevior. Anyone know anthing about this bus? (Couldn't get a picture because i was driving)

Privately owned bus from Santa Monica. Its one of the last fishbowls built, and I know the owner. He owns a few other fishbowls, a few Flxible Metros from NJ Transit, an ex-TA Grumman 870 (465), and an Eagle Coach bus from NJ Transit.

 

Usually when they're parked in the Bronx, its either gonna be used in a movie/commercial shoot or a private charter as they are usually parked up in Dutchess County

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I wonder how long it will take for the M4 and Q32 routing to get modified on bustime. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I wonder how long it will take for the M4 and Q32 routing to get modified on bustime. 

Probably about a month or so maybe two months.  I used to communicate directly with the guys that oversaw BusTime, but now that the system is up and running, I don't think they oversee it daily like that.  

[IAlam]

One thing I'm mad about is that they didn't put the QM20 re-route in queens

[DetSMART45]

Privately owned bus from Santa Monica. Its one of the last fishbowls built, and I know the owner. He owns a few other fishbowls, a few Flxible Metros from NJ Transit, an ex-TA Grumman 870 (465), and an Eagle Coach bus from NJ Transit.

 

Usually when they're parked in the Bronx, its either gonna be used in a movie/commercial shoot or a private charter as they are usually parked up in Dutchess County

You guys always amaze me with your knowledge.  One of the great things about this place.

[DetSMART45]

Got a question:  How do B/Os handle wheelchair/scooter customers -- not while they're on the bus, but afterwards?

 

Recurring problem with ours is that B/Os don't re-lower the ADA seats afterwards, and only the most "brazen", if you will, will put them back down, where most customers just move past them and -- in worst case scenarios -- actually stand in the aisles when there could be seated loads.

 

Especially irritating is on our 29-footers, where out of 11 seats on the main floor, 6 might be tipped-up from ADA-use, AND since we only have front doors on them, how the B/O could be so boneheaded to leave the seats as-is.  They have to un-secure the Q-Straints in order for the user to get off anyways.

 

How do MTA B/Os perform in regards to this, in what you guys have witnessed or as directives?

[IAlam]

Got a question:  How do B/Os handle wheelchair/scooter customers -- not while they're on the bus, but afterwards?

 

Recurring problem with ours is that B/Os don't re-lower the ADA seats afterwards, and only the most "brazen", if you will, will put them back down, where most customers just move past them and -- in worst case scenarios -- actually stand in the aisles when there could be seated loads.

 

Especially irritating is on our 29-footers, where out of 11 seats on the main floor, 6 might be tipped-up from ADA-use, AND since we only have front doors on them, how the B/O could be so boneheaded to leave the seats as-is.  They have to un-secure the Q-Straints in order for the user to get off anyways.

 

How do MTA B/Os perform in regards to this, in what you guys have witnessed or as directives?

I have never had this problem on a local bus, either the bus driver puts it down or some impatient passenger as the bus driver helps the disabled passenger off

 

but it got me thinking has anyone every seen the wheel chair lift being used on an express bus?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Got a question:  How do B/Os handle wheelchair/scooter customers -- not while they're on the bus, but afterwards?

 

Recurring problem with ours is that B/Os don't re-lower the ADA seats afterwards, and only the most "brazen", if you will, will put them back down, where most customers just move past them and -- in worst case scenarios -- actually stand in the aisles when there could be seated loads.

 

Especially irritating is on our 29-footers, where out of 11 seats on the main floor, 6 might be tipped-up from ADA-use, AND since we only have front doors on them, how the B/O could be so boneheaded to leave the seats as-is.  They have to un-secure the Q-Straints in order for the user to get off anyways.

 

How do MTA B/Os perform in regards to this, in what you guys have witnessed or as directives?

Some MTA drivers do the same thing. Usually a rider puts it down if the driver hasn't. On the express buses, sometimes they do not move the seat back up too.

Edited November 4, 2015 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[R188 7857]

I think Orion 5 #6222 got fixed up recently. When I last saw it on Saturday, it was being parked and looked to be having work done to it. When I saw it today, the rear door had new stickers (the ones explaining how to open it) put on it, and was still running strong. Maybe that's not the best evidence of it being fixed up, but I'm pretty sure some other work was being done to it, considering there were lights and wires inside of that bus on Saturday. They also removed the Castleton sticker that's been on that bus for weeks (maybe even months). 

Edited November 4, 2015 by R188 7857

[NewFlyer 230]

I think Orion 5 #6222 got fixed up recently. When I last saw it on Saturday, it was being parked and looked to be having work done to it. When I saw it today, the rear door had new stickers (the ones explaining how to open it) put on it, and was still running strong. Maybe that's not the best evidence of it being fixed up, but I'm pretty sure some other work was being done to it, considering there were lights and wires inside of that bus on Saturday. They also removed the Castleton sticker that's been on that bus for weeks (maybe even months).

And then it will be scrapped because the MTA is known for repainting and even fixing up buses right before retirement. I remember the 1990-1991 RTS's and how some of them were painted and cleaned up and then a week later retired.

[R188 7857]

An update to the Q44 +SBS, they were installing new bus stop poles (SBS ones) at Elder Av today. 

[IAlam]

An update to the Q44 +SBS, they were installing new bus stop poles (SBS ones) at Elder Av today. 

always elder first huh its k tho cause it my nearest 44 stop 

[MysteriousBtrain]

How much money does a bus driver usually make?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

How much money does a bus driver usually make?

That varies upon a number of things, but if one has seniority and works overtime, you can easily make 70 - 100k a year.  I say easily if you're willing to take on more hours.  My uncle earns well, but he also likes working and has been a B/O since I was a kid, so he's due to retire at some point, but he isn't that old... Only in this 50s... Starting out though the ones that make the least are those who work for Bus. They make less than those that work at NYCT, which is why some jump ship when they can and leave Bus. lol

 

However, all of that overtime (OT) gets eaten up in taxes so what they see in net can vary also.  I know of a female B/O out of Yonkers who does a lot of OT and complains about how much taxes they take out, but that's with any job that you do OT for.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Via Garibaldi 8

[NewFlyer 230]

An update to the Q44 +SBS, they were installing new bus stop poles (SBS ones) at Elder Av today.

Wow you beat me to this one. They have a new bus stop for the Q44 and maybe Q20. The stop is in front of New York Presbyterian Hospital similar to where it was before 2007. The only differentce is that it is a little down than before so it's not blocking the hospital entrance. The SBS machines are there but no stop sign.

[IAlam]

Main st @ flushing by the library huge car accident right now main St buses re routed on kissena. 

 

although it hasn't been confirmed yet, 

I have a theory of why it happened. When the created the new lanes, between Kissena and 41st rd (where the Q58 picks up) there are only two southbound lanes a bus lane and a travel lane. Since the bus lanes aren't in effect yet people still park on the curb blocking the bus lane. So that means there is only one open lane available. In that area there is usually a truck or a van double parked, if that was the case, that would mean that all southbound lanes are blocked and traffic would have to go the wrong way to go around. I bet a car went on the wrong side of the road as another car came in the other direction and struck it.

 

Long story short they need to update the street signs now you can have the old street set up with the new markings and not expect problems. Especially with all the twist and turns the lanes do in that area.

Edited November 6, 2015 by IAlam

[IAlam]

 

MTA put out a survey for future Express buses, some of the question especially the outlet question and legroom question made me really happy 

 

Speaking about express buses, I have a story to tell but my phones dead right now so I never got a chance to upload pics 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Where on the site is that survey?