BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[TheNewYorkElevated]

Awful bus, a/c was horrible, heat was horrible and worst turning point ever. I remember on school trippers those horrible kids use to throw the seat cushions out the windows.

 

Not to mention the hybrid drive system was a bust.

 

...plus there was only 10 of them

So they were just simply crap then? If so, oh well. :/ 

[Missabassie]

For the next set of fare hikes, they should honestly consider leaving single ride local bus fares alone, while hiking only the SBS single ride and subway fares. Local bus service sucks and the quality of service does not warrant a fare increase and there is too much demand and not enough supply for SBS and subway services. For this purpose, there would be a local bus fare, a rapid transit fare (SBS/Subway/SIR), and an express bus fare.

Example:

$2.75 local bus

$3.00 rapid transit

$6.75 express bus

 

There would probably need to be a few more tweaks to implement this successfully, but this is what I would more or less do.

I feel express bus fares are already overpriced, and should be left alone for now...

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

I feel express bus fares are already overpriced, and should be left alone for now...

I agree, they are overpriced and shouldn't go up. It should be based on revenue, if people are paying why the fare hike? Local buses should continue to rise due to the amount of farebeaters. Just because express riders will pay doesn't mean they should just keep on raising the price. Ridership will go down once they find out its not worth it anymore.

[MHV9218]

So they were just simply crap then? If so, oh well. :/ 

 

Aw, I liked them. Always seemed like the future to me, and having a rear window was a total treat. Plus, the only genuine low-floor the MTA has ever had. Can't be that.

[NewFlyer 230]

I agree, they are overpriced and shouldn't go up. It should be based on revenue, if people are paying why the fare hike? Local buses should continue to rise due to the amount of farebeaters. Just because express riders will pay doesn't mean they should just keep on raising the price. Ridership will go down once they find out its not worth it anymore.

Yeah and that's the mentality many riders have. That's why many already use their more frequent local/limited counterparts. You are getting on a bus much quicker in many cases and you don't have to pay the extra $3.75 to use the regular bus. While many disagree with this I really think similar to the LIRR why not charge a reduced prices during off peak hours. So instead of paying $6.50 all the time you would pay perhaps $4.00. Of course you know who will state that express bus is a premium service and yadda yadda. Personally I believe that the express bus should be competing to take some riders off the local routes and subways. I would love to take the QM4 near my house one day but it's just too expensive and infrequent so the Q64 is the more attractive option in my case.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yeah and that's the mentality many riders have. That's why many already use their more frequent local/limited counterparts. You are getting on a bus much quicker in many cases and you don't have to pay the extra $3.75 to use the regular bus. While many disagree with this I really think similar to the LIRR why not charge a reduced prices during off peak hours. So instead of paying $6.50 all the time you would pay perhaps $4.00. Of course you know who will state that express bus is a premium service and yadda yadda. Personally I believe that the express bus should be competing to take some riders off the local routes and subways. I would love to take the QM4 near my house one day but it's just too expensive and infrequent so the Q64 is the more attractive option in my case.

The LIRR is a railroad, not a subway, and it won't run with the same frequencies as a subway.  The express buses generally serve areas that were two fare zones before the introduction of the Metrocard, so don't expect the fares of either to go down much if at all.  Additionally, both the express bus and LIRR serve different commuters.  The feels that it cannot use the LIRR to compete with the subway, and has stated that officially with the MNRR.  It doesn't have the amount of cars for such a service anyway, and its primary function is the folks out on Long Island.  You lower the fares on the express bus and you could have overcrowding in addition to added costs to run more QM4 service that I'm sure the doesn't want.

 

For years, communities without subway service complained that it was unfair for them to have to pay two fares and have a long commute.  The solution was the express bus since it was price similarly (originally) to the cost of a two fare zone.  The Metrocard eliminated most of the two fare zones but it the express buses still have to be subsidized, so there you have it.  You either use the local bus to the subway, or if you want a faster ride and/or fewer transfers/direct ride, you pay more via the express bus.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Via Garibaldi 8

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

The LIRR is a railroad, not a subway, and it won't run with the same frequencies as a subway.  The express buses generally serve areas that were two fare zones before the introduction of the Metrocard, so don't expect the fares of either to go down much if at all.  Additionally, both the express bus and LIRR serve different commuters.  The feels that it cannot use the LIRR to compete with the subway, and has stated that officially with the MNRR.  It doesn't have the amount of cars for such a service anyway, and its primary function is the folks out on Long Island.  You lower the fares on the express bus and you could have overcrowding in addition to added costs to run more QM4 service that I'm sure the doesn't want.

 

For years, communities without subway service complained that it was unfair for them to have to pay two fares and have a long commute.  The solution was the express bus since it was price similarly (originally) to the cost of a two fare zone.  The Metrocard eliminated most of the two fare zones but it the express buses still have to be subsidized, so there you have it.  You either use the local bus to the subway, or if you want a faster ride and/or fewer transfers/direct ride, you pay more via the express bus.

You don't have to decrease the express bus fare at all. What you could do is just keep the fares the same after a fare hike or two, then increase, and repeat the process (until a certain point, when then the fare can be increased every hike again). It would be similar to what Bee Line is doing to the BxM4C (it hasn't seen a fare increase for years), except the rate that the fare stays flat.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I agree, they are overpriced and shouldn't go up. It should be based on revenue, if people are paying why the fare hike? Local buses should continue to rise due to the amount of farebeaters. Just because express riders will pay doesn't mean they should just keep on raising the price. Ridership will go down once they find out its not worth it anymore.

Ridership is already going down on most lines.  At $13.00 a day, with gas being as cheap as it is now, why sit in traffic, if you can drive into work?  That's what a lot of people are starting to do.  If they leave early enough, they can get in much quicker, get parking and go about their business.  The really hasn't addressed the report put out by Scott Stringer's office about the huge number of express buses that has abysmal on-time performance.  In response to that, all they did was increase the run times on certain lines, and even then those buses still arrive late.  I used to be able to go from 33rd/34th street to Riverdale in 35-45 minutes.  Now that is only possible really earning in the morning on a weekend, or really late at night.  

 

You don't have to decrease the express bus fare at all. What you could do is just keep the fares the same after a fare hike or two, then increase, and repeat the process (until a certain point, when then the fare can be increased every hike again). It would be similar to what Bee Line is doing to the BxM4C (it hasn't seen a fare increase for years), except the rate that the fare stays flat.

I agree.  They already reduced the time that seniors get a discount, and on some lines, they can be a big chunk of the ridership.  The needs to really examine all of their express bus lines to see where their ridership comes from and market accordingly.  In Riverdale, we have a lot of seniors that ride because it is a natural retirement community, and they often times will ride in the afternoon.  That's a base they could certainly increase by expanding the times of the discount.  Additionally, they need to find ways to speed up service.   With commutes continuing to increase, you are not going to draw lots of new riders.

[Future ENY OP]

I've noticed with the last 5-6 months of this year that has decided not to put rear billboards on the LFS artics and shorties. This is for the bus years 2011-2013. Any good reason to that being. Only thing that crosses my mind is Maintenance.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Just passed 3051 around Queens Plaza, which looks like it was doing an earlier QM3 trip. It broke down, and it seems like there's a maintenance vehicle there to see if it can temporary fix the problem. It must suck to whoever was on that particular trip.

[Around the Horn]

I've noticed with the last 5-6 months of this year that has decided not to put rear billboards on the LFS artics and shorties. This is for the bus years 2011-2013. Any good reason to that being. Only thing that crosses my mind is Maintenance.

There's a weird vent they've installed on them that shrinks the space available for ads in half.

[Jdog14]

I've noticed with the last 5-6 months of this year that has decided not to put rear billboards on the LFS artics and shorties. This is for the bus years 2011-2013. Any good reason to that being. Only thing that crosses my mind is Maintenance.

 

Not quite. 

 

8090-8503 have ads in the middle of the rear of the bus. They can't (well they can but it wouldn't be a very smart idea) put ads over the windows on the artics and the older LFSs. Those vents are what prevent the ad placements of where they normally would be. 

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of these were taken about 35-40 minutes ago. SMH. 

[Missabassie]

Urg... why does it seem like every time I take the M15+SBS+ uptown they always start short-turning buses @ 97 st....

[S78 via Hylan]

So after getting off the LIRR at East New York, I walked up Van Sinderen Av to catch the Q56 and noticed that the construction was complete on one side and the other was closed; where the B20/B83/Q24/Q56 were stopping temporary.

 

So now, the B20 and B83 share a stop where that newsstand/kiosk is (which is where the Q56 first and last stop was originally prior to the construction) and the Q24/Q56 share a stop right near the corner of Fulton and Van Sinderen.

Edited June 19, 2016 by S78 via Hylan

[B22viaAtlanticAv]

Lol the traffic through the area still sucks; Right now a 56 is out of service blocking the 24 and a 83 plus regular cars.on top of that the dam cab drivers repeating every God given minute taxi taxi as if you didn't hear the first hundredth time and this is on Sunday imagine the weekdays? Talking about a enhancement they need to make one side bus only and the other for the cabs,police and everybody else;if that's not what they are doing cause right long waits and then this ... got to avoid the 20 & 83

[trainfan22]

@ Judaion's tabs, namely the 2nd and 10th & 11th one. From posting on other forums when you take a screenshot you gotta close all the other tabs or open a new window. Or else people will bust your chops 

[S78 via Hylan]

Lol the traffic through the area still sucks; Right now a 56 is out of service blocking the 24 and a 83 plus regular cars.on top of that the dam cab drivers repeating every God given minute taxi taxi as if you didn't hear the first hundredth time and this is on Sunday imagine the weekdays? Talking about a enhancement they need to make one side bus only and the other for the cabs,police and everybody else;if that's not what they are doing cause right long waits and then this ... got to avoid the 20 & 83

I think once the other side of Van Sinderen is done, they will have that lane open for regular traffic.

[B35 via Church]

@ Judaion's tabs, namely the 2nd and 10th & 11th one. From posting on other forums when you take a screenshot you gotta close all the other tabs or open a new window. Or else people will bust your chops 

I peeped the homegrownfreaks & the shefreaky tabs myself... Your point is a valid one, but at the same time, I say let the man have his fun.....

 

So after getting off the LIRR at East New York, I walked up Van Sinderen Av to catch the Q56 and noticed that the construction was complete on one side and the other was closed; where the B20/B83/Q24/Q56 were stopping temporary.

 

So now, the B20 and B83 share a stop where that newsstand/kiosk is (which is where the Q56 first and last stop was originally prior to the construction) and the Q24/Q56 share a stop right near the corner of Fulton and Van Sinderen.

Came home from work yesterday & got off at LIRR ENY also (managed to get lucky with the B12; had just missed a bus - but by time I got to the first stop, a bus was doing the U-turn for service back west and was approaching the 1st stop (w/ the Lefferts Gdns. signage already up) & there was only 2 other people there)....

 

Anyway, as I was crossing the street, I noticed Q56's were bunching like mad.... There was already one at the Alabama stop (heading towards Jamaica), and two buses back-to-back were sitting on a red at ENY av before the left turn (so that's 3 Jamaica bound buses w/i a 5 min span)..... Heading towards B'way Junction, 2 buses arrived behind each other @ Alabama; one of them went OOS @ Alabama (well, right in front the depot), and one proceeded towards the last stop.... I didn't see any B20's or Q24's.... I think I saw a Gateway bound B83 in the midst of it all....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Interesting to note there are traffic checkers on the Q38 today.

[B35 via Church]

Interesting to note there are traffic checkers on the Q38 today.

Yeah, now you have the spies on here possibly considering your idea... Good job!

[Calvin]

I noticed starting July 3rd, 2016: The QM24 3rd Av is now the QM34

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I noticed starting July 3rd, 2016: The QM24 3rd Av is now the QM34

Yeah all of the QM via Third Avenue branches will change.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Yeah all of the QM via Third Avenue branches will change.

For now it will be the QM4 and QM24 in which the name changes. All the other name changes will occur in September.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

For now it will be the QM4 and QM24 in which the name changes. All the other name changes will occur in September.

It's all stupid IMO... Better to keep them the way they are.  This is nothing more than a ploy to see if they can cut those branches.