BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[MysteriousBtrain]

Most of the regulars who post on here are quite young so I can certainly see lots of activity in the future when ludicrous changes are made. In other news Community Board presentations were given for the Bx6 SBS. The plans for a separate local and SBS service with the SBS making 17 stops in each direction as opposed to the current 30 stops. Offset bus lanes are going to be added along 161st and 163rd as well with plans for the service to start in the Fall or next Spring.

Speaking of the Bx6, the M23 has gotten revealed SBS stops as well (the M23 has the stops revealed for about a month, but was not really talked about, which is why I bring it up).

 

Bx6 PDF from May 11:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/downloads/pdf/brt-bx6-south-bronx-cb2-may2016.pdf

 

M23 PDF from April 20:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/downloads/pdf/brt-m23-cb4-apr2016.pdf

[Around the Horn]

Although I spend most of my time in the Subway forums I do try to keep up with things in the Surface threads. I'm more inclined to view threads concerning bus service rather than bus models. It's my opinion that service is more important than USB ports on a bus that runs on a route that doesn't provide good service. I draw my opinions from you posters but recently I've noticed some childish, personal responses that serve no purpose in advancing anyone's knowledge, especially mine. BrooklynBus, B35, Cait Sith, BM5, and my friend from Motown, detSmart paint a picture for me and I work from there. One problem though. I also value VG8s opinion even if I don't agree with aspects of it. I'd hate to lose the input of any one of you guys so let's stop the kid stuff and address the and it's somewhat shoddy service. BTW I'm from Brooklyn. The City of New York refers to Manhattan where I come from. If a mod wants to move this post it's OK by me. Carry on.

I'm not quite sure where your going with this...

 

Are you trying to say that the last page where we were discussing the features of MTA Bus's new articulated buses was wasteful, or are you trying to say that the wool's being pulled over our eyes and we're discussing fancy features that have nothing to do with real problems the bus network is facing?

 

Cause if its the latter, I agree with you a hundred percent. We've just moved on from the shock and awe stage(that page about Cuomo's presser introducing the buses) to the "this is really happening"(discussing the implementation of these features) stage.

[DaTransitMan4608]

Speaking of the Bx6, the M23 has gotten revealed SBS stops as well (the M23 has the stops revealed for about a month, but was not really talked about, which is why I bring it up).

 

Bx6 PDF from May 11:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/downloads/pdf/brt-bx6-south-bronx-cb2-may2016.pdf

 

M23 PDF from April 20:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/downloads/pdf/brt-m23-cb4-apr2016.pdf

They should get rid of a few stops. It's basically making every stop the regular M23 is making minus three.

 

I just realized the Bx6 is gonna be West Farms' 1st SBS route. I feel like the next one to get SBS after the 6 is gonna be either the Bx15 or Bx19. Right now I just hope they get some artics for the Bx6.  

[checkmatechamp13]

They should get rid of a few stops. It's basically making every stop the regular M23 is making minus three.

 

I mean, which ones is it supposed to skip? You need one at all the subway stations, and the rest offer bus connections and/or allow for a reasonable spacing between stops for people to walk to.

[Fresh Pond]

They should get rid of a few stops. It's basically making every stop the regular M23 is making minus three.

 

I just realized the Bx6 is gonna be West Farms' 1st SBS route. I feel like the next one to get SBS after the 6 is gonna be either the Bx15 or Bx19. Right now I just hope they get some artics for the Bx6.

There is an order of 110 XN60s on the horizon. West Farms is getting the bulk of them.

[Cait Sith]

They should get rid of a few stops. It's basically making every stop the regular M23 is making minus three.

 

I just realized the Bx6 is gonna be West Farms' 1st SBS route. I feel like the next one to get SBS after the 6 is gonna be either the Bx15 or Bx19. Right now I just hope they get some artics for the Bx6.  

 

It won't be the 15. The Bx15 parallels with the Bx41 SBS two or three blocks away.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Cait Sith

[B35 via Church]

Most of the regulars who post on here are quite young so I can certainly see lots of activity in the future when ludicrous changes are made.....

On blind faith perhaps? Hopefully it ends up being so, because there's no evidence of it here in the present... The younger posters (generally speaking) are not showing their knowledge of the (bus) routes themselves & musing/discussing adequate/inadequate service levels on them.... When I came into this online NYC about a decade ago, there were teens ripe w/ ideas (no matter how asinine the older folks felt they were) as to what bus routes should go where & how much service should be had on them...... I'm not seeing that on this forum or on subchat, at least.... That's even waned a bit in the subway section as well....

 

The lots of activity on whatever transit forums that will exist [when my generation (and older) perishes], will likely be had on the inner workings of & the little additions/nuances on the buses & trains, rather than the actual service levels on them.... That's the direction the online transit community is heading in right now....

 

FTR, I'm not remotely saying that's a bad thing; but at the same time, I just don't want that sight to be lost upon the younger folks... The services being provided is just as important as whatever technological (or even mechanical) implementations of anything on/for the individual modes to ease the peace of minds before, during, and after a commute....

 

 

I'm not quite sure where your going with this...

 

Are you trying to say that the last page where we were discussing the features of MTA Bus's new articulated buses was wasteful, or are you trying to say that the wool's being pulled over our eyes and we're discussing fancy features that have nothing to do with real problems the bus network is facing?

 

Cause if its the latter, I agree with you a hundred percent. We've just moved on from the shock and awe stage(that page about Cuomo's presser introducing the buses) to the "this is really happening"(discussing the implementation of these features) stage.

I think the point about childish remarks was a second point he was making, separate from the point regarding service being more important than USB ports or w/e..... After he made that statement about USB ports, that should've started another paragraph (basically talking about quality of posts & maturity of the current posters).....

 

I didn't address that point of his in my post, because quite frankly, you're going to have immaturity on any online forum - IDC how young or old posters are......

[B35 via Church]

They should get rid of a few stops. It's basically making every stop the regular M23 is making minus three.

I mean, which ones is it supposed to skip? You need one at all the subway stations, and the rest offer bus connections and/or allow for a reasonable spacing between stops for people to walk to.

Hence, the problem with SBS not being near as beneficial with the Manhattan crosstowns, compared to routes that travel further distances w/i a grid system.....

 

While doing some fanning last month, I was on the subway & two guys had an interesting idea I overheard... they were talking about the M34 SBS & the problems that/those routes face..... I'm assuming that they're regular riders & wasn't throwing shit on the wall for the hell of it.... They were also talking about contacting someone w/i the MTA to make this happen.... In any event,I don't know how practical this is, but the gist of what they were saying was (I don't remember which route they had doing which [they did specify], but I'll paraphrase it here) have one route stop at odd #'d avenues, and the other route stop at even #'d avenues....

 

I don't know much about how the M34/a runs (as to how it's affecting riders) during the course of the day to even comment, as I don't generally take crosstowns.....

 

Skip stops for crosstowns I have to admit, is an idea I've never heard of on any forum, or read on any newspaper....

----

 

My point in bringing this up here, is basically in concurrence to what Checkmate said.... What stops are you really going to skip on a M23 SBS (which is the first time I'm even hearing about it)....

[GojiMet86]

Those ideas basically stopped because older transit fans crapped on their ideas. Too full of cynicism. I see it in the Facebook groups. Like someone just posted a plan someone had come up and people are already crapping on it.

 

Then there's Wallyhorse...

Edited May 15, 2016 by GojiMet86

[B35 via Church]

Those ideas basically stopped because older transit fans crapped on their ideas. Too full of cynicism. I see it in the Facebook groups. Like someone just posted a plan someone had come up and people are already crapping on it.

 

Then there's Wallyhorse...

...which are some of those enthusiasts that don't quite understand the system themselves.... But there is truth to what you're saying here.

 

As for Wallyhorse, how old is that dude anyway?

[Fresh Pond]

...which are some of those enthusiasts that don't quite understand the system themselves.... But there is truth to what you're saying here.

 

As for Wallyhorse, how old is that dude anyway?

Somewhere in his 30s I would assume. Gave a clue about his age in one of his posts that I can't remember.

[Around the Horn]

Those ideas basically stopped because older transit fans crapped on their ideas. Too full of cynicism.

Here's your answer.

 

There is a common (among all human beings) psychological tendency to judge people based on the previous live experience you've had (say a 50 year old considering a 20 year old with grand plans an idealist and saying they won't happen).

 

Well of course a 20 year old would be an idealist. They're 20 for Christ sake! They have not experienced what the 50 year old has. But maybe that's a good thing... The 20 year old would offer a new fresh perspective devoid of cynicism but very few people think that way...

[checkmatechamp13]

Hence, the problem with SBS not being near as beneficial with the Manhattan crosstowns, compared to routes that travel further distances w/i a grid system.....

 

While doing some fanning last month, I was on the subway & two guys had an interesting idea I overheard... they were talking about the M34 SBS & the problems that/those routes face..... I'm assuming that they're regular riders & wasn't throwing shit on the wall for the hell of it.... They were also talking about contacting someone w/i the MTA to make this happen.... In any event,I don't know how practical this is, but the gist of what they were saying was (I don't remember which route they had doing which [they did specify], but I'll paraphrase it here) have one route stop at odd #'d avenues, and the other route stop at even #'d avenues....

 

I don't know much about how the M34/a runs (as to how it's affecting riders) during the course of the day to even comment, as I don't generally take crosstowns.....

 

Skip stops for crosstowns I have to admit, is an idea I've never heard of on any forum, or read on any newspaper....

----

 

My point in bringing this up here, is basically in concurrence to what Checkmate said.... What stops are you really going to skip on a M23 SBS (which is the first time I'm even hearing about it)....

 

I'll definitely give them credit for coming up with a new idea and trying to implement it as regular citizens. 

 

As for the idea itself, the problem is that too much of the route is the "core" of the route through Central Midtown (say, Park-8th Avenue). It would be similar to having the do skip-stop service within Manhattan itself, with one route stopping at Fulton and Canal, and the other stopping at Chambers. The point of skip-stop is to aggregate the people from the smaller stops more efficiently so that they all get to the major stops.

 

I mean, what stops have low enough ridership where you can reasonably skip them? Maybe have the M34 skip 3rd Avenue both ways (and 2nd Avenue westbound), and have the M34A skip 1st Avenue going westbound and 9th Avenue eastbound. I don't think it would be worth the trouble for the confusion that would result. 

 

Here's your answer.

 

There is a common (among all human beings) psychological tendency to judge people based on the previous live experience you've had (say a 50 year old considering a 20 year old with grand plans an idealist and saying they won't happen).

 

Well of course a 20 year old would be an idealist. They're 20 for Christ sake! They have not experienced what the 50 year old has. But maybe that's a good thing... The 20 year old would offer a new fresh perspective devoid of cynicism but very few people think that way...

 

I'll say with the subway proposals, there's a lot of ideas I think should come to fruition, but I highly doubt they will come to fruition, at least in my lifetime (even with the mayor pushing like crazy, we saw that the extension was still delayed and took a few years to actually get built. And of course, it's taken almost 10 years for the SAS to get Phase I open, and that's after decades and decades of pushing beforehand).

 

But that doesn't mean that I won't post my proposals, or I'll go about bashing other members for posting their subway proposals.

 

On the bus proposals, my question is: Who exactly is that cynical? The older members like BrooklynBus and Trainmaster5 seem to have the attitude of encouraging discussion and encouraging younger members to share their ideas. Younger members....I mean off the top of my head we have you, myself, Threxx, Jubai, Union Turnpike, BM5 via Woodhaven who are in our high school/college years and regularly discuss the nuanaces of the different scheduling/routing changes and post our own ideas.

 

I will say this, though: I myself don't care about the actual fleet beyond the way it affects service (for example, on some models the rear doors take longer to close, which means drivers can't pull out as quickly and miss more traffic lights compared to other models, which increases the runtime required for the route and the travel time of the passengers. Some models have more capacity than others which makes it more likely that a given passenger can fit on an overcrowded bus). So I'm not sure of the proportion between service-oriented members, and (I guess) fleet/technology-oriented members.

 

B35 & Trainmaster do have a point in that there is a certain segment of the transit fan community cares purely about the fleet & technology and cares less about the actual service. A few members have invited me to some Facebook groups that contain both transit fans and transit personnel, and the comments on some of these threads are rather disturbing to me in the lack of concern about the actual service. For example, on that day when the entire B Division had incidents all over the place, they posted some articles, and you had transit personnel commenting "Oh look at these idiots who don't understand how the system works" and transit enthusiasts agreeing with them. I understand how the signal systems work (and as a matter of fact, I'm about a year and a half away from becoming a transportation engineer) and I would still be pissed if I were on one of those delayed trains.

 

Then there was another one where a transit fan posted "I was on [**one of the Fulton Mall routes, I forget which. Might've been the B38**] and a woman came up to the driver and complained that she and other passengers were waiting 35 minutes for a B25. These people don't understand that it's not the driver's fault and they should just leave earlier. Besides, the and are right there anyway."

 

I responded that this is exactly the attitude why ridership is lower. Whether it was the driver playing games, or dispatchers not being able to handle a situation properly, there's no reason why a route running every 8 minutes should have a 35 minute gap: That's 4 missing buses. Yeah, the subway is right there, but the whole reason the route was saved was because there's a lot of seniors using it, as well as short-haul riders where it's not worth going down to the subway just for 1 or 2 stops. Yeah, I myself would've just taken the subway or B26 depending on my exact destination, but that doesn't make it better for those who needed the B25 for whatever reason.

 

So yeah, there's definitely some younger transit enthusiasts "drinking the Kool Aid". Whether it's the majority....I can't really say.

[DetSMART45]

Here's your answer.

 

There is a common (among all human beings) psychological tendency to judge people based on the previous live experience you've had (say a 50 year old considering a 20 year old with grand plans an idealist and saying they won't happen).

 

Well of course a 20 year old would be an idealist. They're 20 for Christ sake! They have not experienced what the 50 year old has. But maybe that's a good thing... The 20 year old would offer a new fresh perspective devoid of cynicism but very few people think that way...

Woah, woah, woah ...........

 

The problem lies in that the 20-something thinks that their ideas are the dog's bollocks and doesn't want to even consider anyone else's.  THAT is a major problem around here.  NOT the other way around.

 

The "oldsters" of the forum have plain given up on even putting forth anything because of the flack they'll get, plus the superficiality of the discussions.  Guess I'd be in that category, but IDGAF, I'll still shoot my mouth off and could care less if anyone takes notice.

 

Ruminate on that for a bit, and bounce it up against your thoughts of being "inclusive" that this younger generation prides itself on having and embodying.

[DetSMART45]

 

....

So yeah, there's definitely some younger transit enthusiasts "drinking the Kool Aid". Whether it's the majority....I can't really say.

Didn't mean to kill all you said, but just wanted to focus on the last bit.

 

Around these forums (not just Bus but others as well), it IS obvious the majority drink the MTA-Brand[R] Kooolll-Ade.  Whatever the MTA says ... that's the way it is.

 

Not too surprising, because critical thinking/reasoning is not something that's even taught, let alone encouraged, anymore.  Someone provides talking points (even if they are totally inane and without substance), and you'll get those things parroted almost verbatim.  Question them ... and a bunch of, "Uh ... well ... uh ... uh ..." come about.

 

Just going to stop here.  AND GET OFF MY LAWN! (lol)

Edited May 16, 2016 by DetSMART45

[Around the Horn]

Woah, woah, woah ...........

 

The problem lies in that the 20-something thinks that their ideas are the dog's bollocks and doesn't want to even consider anyone else's.  THAT is a major problem around here.  NOT the other way around.

 

The "oldsters" of the forum have plain given up on even putting forth anything because of the flack they'll get, plus the superficiality of the discussions.  Guess I'd be in that category, but IDGAF, I'll still shoot my mouth off and could care less if anyone takes notice.

 

Ruminate on that for a bit, and bounce it up against your thoughts of being "inclusive" that this younger generation prides itself on having and embodying.

I meant life in general. I didn't aim this towards any members of the site...

[Q113 LTD]

I want to know something, I spent also an hour and a half looking at each bus routes in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan & The Bronx(not including Staten Island) and how come the only allows one free transfer instead of two like NICE? I looked at every single bus routes and all of them intersects with other bus routes and more importantly connects to the subway. I know Nassau County does not have a subway but they only have LIRR and that's probably the only reason why NICE allows two free transfers if they choose to use NICE Bus and continue the trip on subway or bus. I know NICE bus routes are different than . Like for example, the has like 20 buses or more(if I miss a few) that goes to Jamaica and compare to NICE, which has like 5 buses(+1 if you count the n1 to Jamaica rush hour only). People that are coming from Nassau County(depending where they live) have to take 2 buses to get to the subway or only take 1 bus if they live along the n4, n6, n22, n24 or n26 route. If someone lives in North Valley Stream and wants to go anywhere in Queens or Manhattan, he or she will have to take the n1 to Elmont(if rush hour is over), you pay the $2.75 fare and used your first free transfer on your metro card on the n6 and again use your second & last free transfer at the subway station or another bus. If someone lives in Hewlett, he or she will take the n31 or n32 to Hempstead Transit Center and take the n6 to the subway. If someone is coming from Oceanside, he or she will have to take the n15 to Merrick Rd and catch the n4 to Jamaica to the subway. Same thing goes with Flushing, has 11 buses(or more) that goes to Flushing & NICE only has one, which is the n20G and people that are coming from Nassau County has to take another bus to get to the n20G if they want to catch the or other buses. Now I sometimes go and visit my grandmother in Cambria Heights, Queens on weekends and I have to take 3 buses; Q113 LTD or the Q114 LTD(if I don't see the Q113 LTD at the layover) > Q3 > Q4. When I do get to Farmers Blvd & Guy R. Brewer, I always ask the bus operator for a transfer so I can use it on the Q3. Finally, when I reach to Linden Blvd & Farmers Blvd, I will use my transfer that is on my metro card on the Q4 so I don't have to pay twice, especially going home. So I have few questions, how come the does not offer two free transfers instead of having one? Is it because we have a subway and there's no need to have two free transfers since we can just pay the bus fare and use your only free transfer to the subway or another bus?

[IAlam]

Now I sometimes go and visit my grandmother in Cambria Heights, Queens on weekends and I have to take 3 buses; Q113 LTD or the Q114 LTD(if I don't see the Q113 LTD at the layover) > Q3 > Q4. When I do get to Farmers Blvd & Guy R. Brewer, I always ask the bus operator for a transfer so I can use it on the Q3. Finally, when I reach to Linden Blvd & Farmers Blvd, I will use my transfer that is on my metro card on the Q4 so I don't have to pay twice, especially going home. So I have few questions, how come the does not offer two free transfers instead of having one? Is it because we have a subway and there's no need to have two free transfers since we can just pay the bus fare and use your only free transfer to the subway or another bus?

I'm surprised they even give you the transfer

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

I want to know something, I spent also an hour and a half looking at each bus routes in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan & The Bronx(not including Staten Island) and how come the only allows one free transfer instead of two like NICE? I looked at every single bus routes and all of them intersects with other bus routes and more importantly connects to the subway. I know Nassau County does not have a subway but they only have LIRR and that's probably the only reason why NICE allows two free transfers if they choose to use NICE Bus and continue the trip on subway or bus. I know NICE bus routes are different than . Like for example, the has like 20 buses or more(if I miss a few) that goes to Jamaica and compare to NICE, which has like 5 buses(+1 if you count the n1 to Jamaica rush hour only). People that are coming from Nassau County(depending where they live) have to take 2 buses to get to the subway or only take 1 bus if they live along the n4, n6, n22, n24 or n26 route. If someone lives in North Valley Stream and wants to go anywhere in Queens or Manhattan, he or she will have to take the n1 to Elmont(if rush hour is over), you pay the $2.75 fare and used your first free transfer on your metro card on the n6 and again use your second & last free transfer at the subway station or another bus. If someone lives in Hewlett, he or she will take the n31 or n32 to Hempstead Transit Center and take the n6 to the subway. If someone is coming from Oceanside, he or she will have to take the n15 to Merrick Rd and catch the n4 to Jamaica to the subway. Same thing goes with Flushing, has 11 buses(or more) that goes to Flushing & NICE only has one, which is the n20G and people that are coming from Nassau County has to take another bus to get to the n20G if they want to catch the or other buses. Now I sometimes go and visit my grandmother in Cambria Heights, Queens on weekends and I have to take 3 buses; Q113 LTD or the Q114 LTD(if I don't see the Q113 LTD at the layover) > Q3 > Q4. When I do get to Farmers Blvd & Guy R. Brewer, I always ask the bus operator for a transfer so I can use it on the Q3. Finally, when I reach to Linden Blvd & Farmers Blvd, I will use my transfer that is on my metro card on the Q4 so I don't have to pay twice, especially going home. So I have few questions, how come the does not offer two free transfers instead of having one? Is it because we have a subway and there's no need to have two free transfers since we can just pay the bus fare and use your only free transfer to the subway or another bus?

Only SBS buses give you two transfers. You can take for example, the S59 to the S79 SBS to the B1 all for $2.75 or one ride. You could take the B36 to the B44 SBS to the B57, all for $2.75 or one ride.

[Cait Sith]

Only SBS buses give you two transfers. You can take for example, the S59 to the S79 SBS to the B1 all for $2.75 or one ride. You could take the B36 to the B44 SBS to the B57, all for $2.75 or one ride.

 

Staten Island has a 3-legged transfer in general to/from Manhattan and Brooklyn, except for Express Buses.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Cait Sith

[Fresh Pond]

Staten Island has a 3-legged transfer in general to/from Manhattan and Brooklyn, except for Express Buses.

To further break down the transfer policy out there:

 

-Any bus to the SIRT > SIRT to St. George > ferry > any station in Manhattan below (and including) Chambers St.

 

-Any bus to the S53/79/93 > S53/79/93 over the bridge > any bus or train at 86 St & the B8/70 at 92 St

 

Those combinations can be done with $2.75

[Around the Horn]

To further break down the transfer policy out there:

-Any bus to the S53/79/93 > S53/79/93 over the bridge > any bus or train at 86 St & the B8/70 at 92 St

So if I take the B64 to the to the S53 I don't get the extra transfer?

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

To further break down the transfer policy out there:

 

-Any bus to the SIRT > SIRT to St. George > ferry > any station in Manhattan below (and including) Chambers St.

 

-Any bus to the S53/79/93 > S53/79/93 over the bridge > any bus or train at 86 St & the B8/70 at 92 St

 

Those combinations can be done with $2.75

The 53/93 don't do it anymore. When the XD40s were at Castleton, I would take the S78 to the S53 to the B1 all for $2.50. Then that stopped all of a sudden because i realized I started paying $2.50 for the B1. I've never got a second transfer coming off an S93, and to this day, that's why I avoid the S93 unless the S79 is pretty far. When the S79 turned SBS, that's when I noticed the 3 legged transfer. The SIR still does it as well, but the 53/93 stopped that a while ago.

[Trainmaster5]

On blind faith perhaps? Hopefully it ends up being so, because there's no evidence of it here in the present... The younger posters (generally speaking) are not showing their knowledge of the (bus) routes themselves & musing/discussing adequate/inadequate service levels on them.... When I came into this online NYC about a decade ago, there were teens ripe w/ ideas (no matter how asinine the older folks felt they were) as to what bus routes should go where & how much service should be had on them...... I'm not seeing that on this forum or on subchat, at least.... That's even waned a bit in the subway section as well....

 

The lots of activity on whatever transit forums that will exist [when my generation (and older) perishes], will likely be had on the inner workings of & the little additions/nuances on the buses & trains, rather than the actual service levels on them.... That's the direction the online transit community is heading in right now....

 

FTR, I'm not remotely saying that's a bad thing; but at the same time, I just don't want that sight to be lost upon the younger folks... The services being provided is just as important as whatever technological (or even mechanical) implementations of anything on/for the individual modes to ease the peace of minds before, during, and after a commute....

 

 

I think the point about childish remarks was a second point he was making, separate from the point regarding service being more important than USB ports or w/e..... After he made that statement about USB ports, that should've started another paragraph (basically talking about quality of posts & maturity of the current posters).....

 

I didn't address that point of his in my post, because quite frankly, you're going to have immaturity on any online forum - IDC how young or old posters are......

You were right about the new paragraph. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was commenting on the new tech vs. the quality of service and I stopped there and came back to my intended post later on. I was in NC at the time and when I got to the bus forums I tried to catch up on what I missed. That's when I noticed that BrooklynBus  and VG8 seemed to be MIA. I went back and re-read some earlier posts and saw what happened. My (missing) new paragraph would have related to the fact that we posters come from different backgrounds, age groups, and experience and to me it's that combination that makes this a rewarding part of my day. I don't ride the express bus, don't live in NYC proper any more, haven't stopped in the Bronx or Riverdale in 5 years. Having said that it appeared, at least to me, that some people were trying to gang up on, or provoke a response from a long time poster, VG8 and detSMART45. Again, I value everyone's opinion and experiences from the  bus fanners, subway folks, and commuters. The local media can't compare to the knowledge I gain from NYCTF so let's ease up on the petty squabbling and blacklisting of each other.  Many years ago my grandmother told me that the day you stop learning is the day they bury you. I'm not ready to go that way yet.  I still see that bunching going on the 12, B35 and I want to see how the B46SBS works out. It seems that the gives out these puff PR releases to the media about SBS and express bus ridership but I'd rather hear from you guys. Carry on.

[B35 via Church]

I'll definitely give them credit for coming up with a new idea and trying to implement it as regular citizens. 

 

As for the idea itself, the problem is that too much of the route is the "core" of the route through Central Midtown (say, Park-8th Avenue). It would be similar to having the do skip-stop service within Manhattan itself, with one route stopping at Fulton and Canal, and the other stopping at Chambers. The point of skip-stop is to aggregate the people from the smaller stops more efficiently so that they all get to the major stops.

 

I mean, what stops have low enough ridership where you can reasonably skip them? Maybe have the M34 skip 3rd Avenue both ways (and 2nd Avenue westbound), and have the M34A skip 1st Avenue going westbound and 9th Avenue eastbound. I don't think it would be worth the trouble for the confusion that would result.

While they were talking amongst themselves, I was saying to myself "you're going to have to double the service for that to work out"... Which simply isn't going to happen - especially with a route that artics are already being ran on....

 

It's one of the very few instances in life where I felt like jumping into some strangers' convo....