BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Future ENY OP]

B44SBS Service change now shows bus leaving Emmons Avenue // Knapp Street at 5:58AM. Effecfive 4/4

 

B41LTD Weekend changes now include

Saturday LTD first bus leaving downtown at 10:14AM Eff 4/3

Sunday LTD first bus leaving Kings Plaza at 11:21AM Eff 4/9

Both respectively.

[Blitz]

Random question for Daunte, Trevor, or anyone else in the know...will the APTA expo ever come to NYC?

[Around the Horn]

Random question for Daunte, Trevor, or anyone else in the know...will the APTA expo ever come to NYC?

Is that open to public like the Auto Show? I'd love to go if it ever came to NY.

[Fresh Pond]

Is that open to public like the Auto Show? I'd love to go if it ever came to NY.

 

I don't think it is, don't quote me on it.

[Blitz]

Is that open to public like the Auto Show? I'd love to go if it ever came to NY.

Don't think it is, but being an employee and knowing people on "the buy" i think i could get in.

[NewFlyer 230]

I notice that several MTA buses are getting front ads like NYCT buses. I wonder why so many are getting them now.

[B35 via Church]

Saw quite a bit of those temporary (license) plates on the front windows of buses yesterday whilst out in SI.....

(the backs of the buses however all had standard plates)

 

Kept thinking to myself, why are there paper signs being put up, when the destination signs are working just fine.....

Edited April 3, 2016 by B35 via Church

[Future ENY OP]

I notice that several MTA buses are getting front ads like NYCT buses. I wonder why so many are getting them now.

I've seen bus use front ads in the past. I'm guessing with possible merger everything is starting to interline as far as the ads are concerned.

[MysteriousBtrain]

So I got on 4086, one of the best rides of my life. Had this bus driver that was totally awesome, cracking jokes and shit. He made random bus announcements, mentioned nearly all transfers at all stops, and made everyone on the bus laugh. He even let me stay on the bus loop and desided to have the bus turn into an M42 to grand central. Definitely riding that bus again.

PS, 4086 leaves Norwood around 6:16PM and has automated announcements. Not that anyone would be interested, but just something the driver told me.

Edited April 3, 2016 by MysteriousBtrain

[Fresh Pond]

So I got on 4086, one of the best rides of my life. Had this bus driver that was totally awesome, cracking jokes and shit. He made random bus announcements, mentioned nearly all transfers at all stops, and made everyone on the bus laugh. He even let me stay on the bus loop and desided to have the bus turn into an M42 to grand central. Definitely riding that bus again.

PS, 4086 leaves Norwood around 6:16PM and has automated announcements. Not that anyone would be interested, but just something the driver told me.

Not automated, pre-recorded via the SpeakEasy & text-to-speech. Every bus has the ability to have a pre-recorded message Rio play every time the doors open.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Not automated, pre-recorded via the SpeakEasy & text-to-speech. Every bus has the ability to have a pre-recorded message Rio play every time the doors open.

Gotcha.

[B22viaAtlanticAv]

#rainy days

While waiting for the B84 today I saw a B6 Operator of 7168 went into the store on her break.

Before starting her return trip she took to back of the bus and sprayed it out with a aiairwick air fresher. I was like she was thoughtful i wished I was on her bus instead.#busgoals

[paulrivera]

I love rainy days like today, it takes away the discretionary fair weather riders and makes many buses tolerable to downright pleasant. The Bx12 Select I was on earlier had less than 30 people from Fordham all the way to Pelham Bay! Normally ridership would be triple that amount.

[Around the Horn]

Not automated, pre-recorded via the SpeakEasy & text-to-speech. Every bus has the ability to have a pre-recorded message Rio play every time the doors open.

You can do that? Why don't most bus drivers do that then?

[Fresh Pond]

You can do that? Why don't most bus drivers do that then?

Because you have to sit there and record your announcement every time turn the bus on. The text-to-speech is from your phone.

[Joel Up Front]

I saw an OG (6xx8) on Sunrise Highway by VS station being hooked to a tow truck.

[Missabassie]

I saw an OG (6xx8) on Sunrise Highway by VS station being hooked to a tow truck.

 

Wow thats out there....  Is Darius McCollum behind this? 

Edited April 5, 2016 by Missabassi

[Q113 LTD]

I was walking down Church Av and two women was waiting for the M5. Two blocks away, I saw a D4500 BM2 approaching and one of the women said "I think that's our bus coming". Seconds later, the same one said "no that's not it".

[DetSMART45]

#rainy days

While waiting for the B84 today I saw a B6 Operator of 7168 went into the store on her break.

Before starting her return trip she took to back of the bus and sprayed it out with a aiairwick air fresher. I was like she was thoughtful i wished I was on her bus instead.#busgoals

Some of our SMART operators carry Febreze or Lysol spray (most could care less).  It's amazing, but on our suburban buses you get the homeless/allergic-to-soap people funkifying the buses with dirty ass smell -- but on the DDOT city buses, haven't had that happen in I can't say how long (it's that rare).  However, I've been on more than one bus where a customer has told off or sprayed someone with odor with perfume.

[Q113 LTD]

XD60's with the new color scheme arrived at JFK Depot. I seen the videos & they look so beautiful. All credits goes to BDNQ2345 for the original post. I am just letting you guys know for just in case no one had not seen it yet. Here it is below:

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/48936-new-edition-of-mta-xd60/

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

I love the Nova LFS buses, but to be honest, they suck for heavy usage in NYC simple because of the stupid design. Got flagged by two buses today because they were "full" but no one was standing in the rear section, and no one was near the front door (simply because they were "behind the white line"). So much wasted space, could've had maybe 10+ more people on the bus. Why would you get a bus that wastes so much standing room? Also, literally only two people can stand in the rear section because of the stupid box thing that takes up leg room for one of the isle facing seats, forcing people to put their legs in the isle. Also, the huge overhang bottoms out on a lot of stops due to the dip near intersections. The bus lane on Staten Island is literally against the sidewalk, and as soon as the bus crosses an intersection the front scrapes the street (sometimes it sounds scary).

[B22viaAtlanticAv]

If i could i would direct your complaint to Nova themselves.The LFS IMO is a horrible design and its bad for NYC. Thank god Brooklyn will be free of them soon.

[Metro CSW]

XD60's with the new color scheme arrived at JFK Depot. I seen the videos & they look so beautiful. All credits goes to BDNQ2345 for the original post. I am just letting you guys know for just in case no one had not seen it yet. Here it is below:

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/48936-new-edition-of-mta-xd60/

They are not at the depot yet.

 

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[DetSMART45]

I love the Nova LFS buses, but to be honest, they suck for heavy usage in NYC simple because of the stupid design. Got flagged by two buses today because they were "full" but no one was standing in the rear section, and no one was near the front door (simply because they were "behind the white line"). So much wasted space, could've had maybe 10+ more people on the bus. Why would you get a bus that wastes so much standing room? Also, literally only two people can stand in the rear section because of the stupid box thing that takes up leg room for one of the isle facing seats, forcing people to put their legs in the isle. Also, the huge overhang bottoms out on a lot of stops due to the dip near intersections. The bus lane on Staten Island is literally against the sidewalk, and as soon as the bus crosses an intersection the front scrapes the street (sometimes it sounds scary).

 

 

If i could i would direct your complaint to Nova themselves.The LFS IMO is a horrible design and its bad for NYC. Thank god Brooklyn will be free of them soon.

Some of it comes from the history of the LFS itself, in a way.  Nova had to get a replacement for their very popular GM Classic for their Canadian audience.  Since its production in 2005, it looks to be popular in Quebec (where Nova was tasked to design something new and it's built), but other operators slid to Orions and New Flyers.  In fact, Toronto is just starting to bring them into the fleet, 10 years after the birth of the LFS, and the TTC is the 3rd largest in North America/largest in Canada -- so that can tell you something.

 

Pointed to this before, but Transit Windsor runs a pretty good ship and keeps buses it seems forever (inventory list).  Notice that the only LFS models they purchased were from 2005, and newer additions were New Flyers.  I haven't seen any LFSes used for the Tunnel Bus in an extremely long time, almost everything coming to Detroit is a New Flyer hybrid or Xcelsior.  One thing to note: Transit Windsor does still operate the Classics, since weekdays some routes are still designated as accessible/non-accessible, while weekends are all accessible.

 

I suspect also that some of the problem lies with the seating configuration spec'd by the MTA.  In looking at some of you guys' interior shots, of both the LFS and the Xcelsior, there seems to be some waste of space.  That helps contribute to the customers who enter the front, see a "full" bus and just stop past the front wheels and crowd the entry area.  I see that happen more on the SMART buses, but on DDOT most people move to the back and take any available seats first before standing in the aisle.  People just going a couple stops usually make their way toward the rear door (or the 2nd door on artics) and step out of the aisle to be courteous.  Usually there's good flow-through where upper-deck standing isn't necessary, but it can happen.  Maybe we've got a little more bold clientele, but customers actually get after the seathogs and when the bus is full, all of the seats have asses in them versus shopping, backpacks or those who think it's their personal couch.  (Actually had a couple operators call out/halt the bus, telling people to move over, one's specific words: "Seats are made for asses, not your bags.  Move over or move out and stand."  Talk about a bus where you could hear a pin drop.)

[B22viaAtlanticAv]

Some of it comes from the history of the LFS itself, in a way.  Nova had to get a replacement for their very popular GM Classic for their Canadian audience.  Since its production in 2005, it looks to be popular in Quebec (where Nova was tasked to design something new and it's built), but other operators slid to Orions and New Flyers.  In fact, Toronto is just starting to bring them into the fleet, 10 years after the birth of the LFS, and the TTC is the 3rd largest in North America/largest in Canada -- so that can tell you something.

 

Pointed to this before, but Transit Windsor runs a pretty good ship and keeps buses it seems forever (inventory list).  Notice that the only LFS models they purchased were from 2005, and newer additions were New Flyers.  I haven't seen any LFSes used for the Tunnel Bus in an extremely long time, almost everything coming to Detroit is a New Flyer hybrid or Xcelsior.  One thing to note: Transit Windsor does still operate the Classics, since weekdays some routes are still designated as accessible/non-accessible, while weekends are all accessible.

 

I suspect also that some of the problem lies with the seating configuration spec'd by the MTA.  In looking at some of you guys' interior shots, of both the LFS and the Xcelsior, there seems to be some waste of space.  That helps contribute to the customers who enter the front, see a "full" bus and just stop past the front wheels and crowd the entry area.  I see that happen more on the SMART buses, but on DDOT most people move to the back and take any available seats first before standing in the aisle.  People just going a couple stops usually make their way toward the rear door (or the 2nd door on artics) and step out of the aisle to be courteous.  Usually there's good flow-through where upper-deck standing isn't necessary, but it can happen.  Maybe we've got a little more bold clientele, but customers actually get after the seathogs and when the bus is full, all of the seats have asses in them versus shopping, backpacks or those who think it's their personal couch.  (Actually had a couple operators call out/halt the bus, telling people to move over, one's specific words: "Seats are made for asses, not your bags.  Move over or move out and stand."  Talk about a bus where you could hear a pin drop.)

1. The LFS  has been in Production Since 1995 not 2005...

2. The Classic and LFS have different Wheelbases to which the LFS  creates a greater overhang  when performing turns and such...

3. As result the wheelbase of the LFS also creates the seating issue in the rest of the bus.

4 .Because the MTA operates in a Urban setting they can't spec double row 2x2 seat they got to give space for people to stand and move around resulting in the 2x1 seating we have. 

5. I wish Volvo had full control of Nova because there LFS Model sucks compare to the Volvo 7900 series model;

    the two models are similar but the differences speaks for themselves...

Edited April 7, 2016 by B22viaAtlanticAv