BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

So it looks like the Bx12 Select is getting a revised summer schedule again this year. I checked the Transit app to see if their GFTS data for tomorrow's Bx12 indicated any changes and there were some. I have to be honest when I say, I fully approve of this year's summer schedule though.  The service levels this summer vs Summer 2016 is something actually worth promoting if the MTA gave a crap about promoting anything. The only thing is service on our local buses is rarely as good as advertised on paper so hopefully the Bx12 doesn't let folks down.

[S78 via Hylan]

Shuttle "M3" on Bustime seems to only have buses from Flatbush and Gleason.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Shuttle "M3" on Bustime seems to only have buses from Flatbush and Gleason.

What's up with having three different routes anyway? It's confusing as hell.

[MikeC]

What's up with having three different routes anyway? It's confusing as hell.

Route 3 is for people coming directly off the M or J at Flushing Ave for a ride with less stops to metropolitan ave, and I guess 1 and 2 are separate shuttles for quicker travel btw Broadway, Wyckoff and Metro cause all of these areas can be a traffic nightmare. Plus, less crowds.

Edited July 3, 2017 by MikeC

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Route 3 is for people coming directly off the M or J at Flushing Ave for a ride with less stops to metropolitan ave, and I guess 1 and 2 are separate shuttles for quicker travel btw Broadway, Wyckoff and Metro cause all of these areas can be a traffic nightmare. Plus, less crowds.

Well that's nice, but they should be running the QM24 seven days a week while this is going on.  We both know that people in Middle Village and Glendale have crappy transportation options as it is, and they are not going to want to put up with those stupid shuttle buses, so they'll look to the express bus instead, and there's no change in the service.  Just typical.

[MikeC]

Well that's nice, but they should be running the QM24 seven days a week while this is going on.  We both know that people in Middle Village and Glendale have crappy transportation options as it is, and they are not going to want to put up with those stupid shuttle buses, so they'll look to the express bus instead, and there's no change in the service.  Just typical.

Yea I'm going to see how the shuttle works, if not I'm going back to buying express bus plus, and just rocking with the 24.  

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

If I wanted to see a schedule for the M train shuttle buses where would that be?

[checkmatechamp13]

If I wanted to see a schedule for the M train shuttle buses where would that be?

 

See this post of the GTFS data: http://www.subchat.com/buschat/read.asp?Id=324584

[chenvinny54]

See this post of the GTFS data: http://www.subchat.com/buschat/read.asp?Id=324584

I had No time to sign up BusChat, so easier for me just to post on this thread.

 

Shuttle bus is so cool; so essential to travel to downtown Brooklyn after transferring to B57. Also, it is wheelchair accessible to go to that place. I strongly like Shuttle M3; feels like a limited service from Metropolitan Av plus going to Flushing Av; first time I rode this way in my life.

Agree with me if you want to keep Shuttle M1, 2, and 3 for Phase II on Myrtle viaduct reconstruction, because putting train back just to operate between Metropolitan Av Middle Village and Myrtle Av Wyckoff Avs, will be inconvenient for every commuters.

 

 

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Edited July 3, 2017 by chenvinny54

[Far Rock Depot]

What's up with having three different routes anyway? It's confusing as hell.

Route 3 is for people coming directly off the M or J at Flushing Ave for a ride with less stops to metropolitan ave, and I guess 1 and 2 are separate shuttles for quicker travel btw Broadway, Wyckoff and Metro cause all of these areas can be a traffic nightmare. Plus, less crowds.

One bus is for riders between Metropolitan and local stops to Myrtle Bway except for Fresh Pond. The second is for all stops Fresh Pond to Myrtle Bway (no Metropolitan) and the third as mentioned is express Metropolitan to Flushing with one stop at Jefferson on the L.

 

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[Future ENY OP]

 

Grand av... it's like they chose the more/most unreliable routes from other depots & threw em into that one depot.... The B13, the B47, B60, Q59, ughk........

Honestly, I don't even know why Grand Avenue was open in the first place. If it was to alleviate the cluster we have with the Brooklyn Division transportation network, they are doing a shitty job. I could tell you right now the B47 and B60 should of never left their respective depots.

 

If anything they should of took some of Fresh Pond's routes. If there wasn't a cut on the B18 that would of been a perfect candidate for Grand Avenue to modify the route within East New York to Ridgewood-Middle Village.

 

But in all seriousness, there needs to be a hard reset on the Brooklyn Division Transportation Grid.

[paulrivera]

Who in their right f**king mind decided it would be a good idea to do road work on Fordham Road on the day before the 4th of July?!?! It's literally a 2 mile backup on either side up to Fordham Plaza!

 

I don't even have to tell you how the buses are doing...

[4 via Mosholu]

Why does it matter to switch on the hazard lights in buses besides kneeling the bus and pulling up the handbrake to activate the wheelchair ramp?

[paulrivera]

Unofficially, it lets the bus drivers behind it know that the bus with its hazards on will be sitting there for a while, and to not pull in so close behind that bus in case the second bus needs to pass the first one.

 

Im not sure about the official rule book policy is about hazard lights though.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

What would you have gotten into an argument about; is it the whole stay in your country bit, or the Donald Trump & his stance on immigrants bit?

 

Oh man, the jail stories I would CONSTANTLY hear whenever I would fan SCT back in the day (usually amongst a party of people conversing amongst themselves, but on a rare occasion, someone would strike up a convo with me & somehow, this dude's bid upstate came up).... Some of them would be interesting, but a lot of those stories would be absolutely stupid.... You can usually tell those who are trying to get back on the right path & those that talk that "Ima do right by my girl/son/daughter", knowing full well they're still on that nigga shit..... If I'm in a mood, I would converse with the ones who I felt were trying to do right..... The ignorant, stuck on stupid, just talking that talk just to be talking it types, I'm the mmm hmm, yeah, right right right, true true, saying cat..... Those are the types that are quicker to flip on you if you aren't co-signing them 100%.... Some of them will even try to G-check you! I've found that a "I'm neutral" suffices.....

 

Been in jail since the 80's? The dude sounds like he comatosed in the 80's & just woke up...

The non-Jewish part of Williamsburg (which was split up b/w what was called "north side" & south side") wasn't to be desired back then.... Heavily PR (puerto rican) during the crack epidemic, well before PR's left NYC in droves.... This made it a piece of cake for Williamsburg north of Broadway to become gentrified; it's similar to how Asians took over Bensonhurst & that pocket of Brooklyn when all those Italians bolted for SI & parts of NJ....

 

Grand av... it's like they chose the more/most unreliable routes from other depots & threw em into that one depot.... The B13, the B47, B60, Q59, ughk.....

 

Lol @ you being confused; I would have found that chest bumping & peace sign throwing up, comical...

I was not going to have an argument over the "go back to your country" part, because she looked like she would spaz out of control, which is what I was trying to avoid. She can believe whatever she wants in terms of Donald Trump and whatnot. I just thought that particular shooting was irrationally linked to the notion that these immigrants are bad. I felt that she was in a time warp with the rest of comments, believe parts of NYC are still as bad as they were from the 70s and into the early 90s.

 

I remember being on the S66 months ago, and near the Patchogue Civic Court, some dude was mad that some kid apparently looked at him or something. Apparently he was part of some gang or something, and the argument went outside. Dude accidently left some sneakers he bought on the bus. I even think the B/O was looking to see at how the events would transpire. There can be quite a few characters on those buses, lol. 

 

I did find everything somewhat funny after it all happened, but was still something I wasn't expecting. Nevertheless, the correlation is that whenever the Q59 fails me harshly, something like this will happen (lol). 

 

The GA routes have never interested me much. I wish I could avoid them, but it's like I can't. If I'm in Downtown Brooklyn and I need to go home? It's the B57. If I need to go home from Williamsburg? Take the Q59. Going to Brooklyn from LIC to avoid the ? It's the B62. Out of all the routes, I feel like the B57 or the B13 (disregarding the B32) is ran the best. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it does good in terms of reliability. 

 

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One thing that pisses me off more than GA routes, are the JG routes and the never ending DH's to [insert place]. They DH buses from everywhere, and anywhere. Either that, or NIS buses, which could be picking some people up. I feel that JG does this with more frequency than any other depot. Their routes also are unreliable to a certain degree. IDK how runs are set-up there, but more times than not, I have seen the bus pull into a terminal, then go NIS (and not even to another point along the route). Different times of the day too, and that shit would always happen to me (which sucks if you're looking to fan a particular bus/bus model at times). 

 

 

Earlier, I was on the B63, and two buses disappear/ go NIS after I was waiting for the bus (one of them actual goes up 4 Avenue NIS, the other I presume went up 3 Avenue). Meanwhile, the headways are every 20 minutes at that time going to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Then, the bus gets slammed with people at 86 Street up to like the 40s, partially because it was late, but also due to the headways as well. If one of the buses that went NIS ran up to 39 Street, it wouldn't have been so full. 

 

The B37 has to be the worst out of JG. The BO's do not adhere to the schedule at all, especially on the weekends. I'm seeing buses leaving Bay Ridge at times which make you wonder if the bus is leaving early or late, because of the amount of buses on the rest of the line. I remember going to Barclays to catch the 5:00 AM bus on the first day of service (Sunday). What do you know, that bus, and the next one (5:25 AM) never showed up. I caught the 5:50 AM bus instead. They also had another B/O from one of the other runs do a trip to 39 Street (and then do the B/O's scheduled run, which was a B35 run). 

 

Just yesterday, I helped out a family to take the B37, because it was coming (at 3 Avenue & 37 Street). I clearly see the bus (of course not following the schedule), and it sits at 39 Street for a while. I was like "great, the bus is here, almost". What does that shit do? It makes a right onto 39 Street, and was never seen again on bustime or anywhere. So now there were only two buses on the line instead of three. 

Edited July 4, 2017 by BM5 via Woodhaven Bl

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Another reason why bus service will never be good. Most of the time, it's the drivers/dispatchers. Traffic is once and a while, and if there's traffic, everything will be messed up, not just one bus. This is a transit forum so obviously people will disagree, but it's just the reality.

 

 

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[Via Garibaldi 8]

Another reason why bus service will never be good. Most of the time, it's the drivers/dispatchers. Traffic is once and a while, and if there's traffic, everything will be messed up, not just one bus. This is a transit forum so obviously people will disagree, but it's just the reality.

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That and constant fillers. Had one late Sunday night on the BxM2. Ran to get him since I was a little late... Guy kept sitting around because they're was a dispatcher at 99th and Madison (they occasionally check up on drivers there - I'm assuming somebody was early for one of the late runs previously). A guy that lives in Yonkers along Broadway asked me how long it took and I told him probably 30 minutes from where we were, but the guy dragged the line, so it was about 20 minutes longer as a result and likely even longer for him since he lived nowhere near that part of Riverdale. I tried convincing him to just get off at 230th and Broadway to be picked up, but the driver likely told him to stay on to 263rd. Edited July 4, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[danielhg121]

I have to agree with JG as the worst depot. I was waiting for the B35 at Sunset Pk and an Orion VII CNG sits there for a very long time. It was a B35, then a C40LF shows up and takes the next run. Now on the C40LF B35, the Orion Vii CNG passes us not in service and makes a left on 5th Avenue(depot).

 

 

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[MetroTransitTee]

I was not going to have an argument over the "go back to your country" part, because she looked like she would spaz out of control, which is what I was trying to avoid. She can believe whatever she wants in terms of Donald Trump and whatnot. I just thought that particular shooting was irrationally linked to the notion that these immigrants are bad. I felt that she was in a time warp with the rest of comments, believe parts of NYC are still as bad as they were from the 70s and into the early 90s.

 

I remember being on the S66 months ago, and near the Patchogue Civic Court, some dude was mad that some kid apparently looked at him or something. Apparently he was part of some gang or something, and the argument went outside. Dude accidently left some sneakers he bought on the bus. I even think the B/O was looking to see at how the events would transpire. There can be quite a few characters on those buses, lol.

 

I did find everything somewhat funny after it all happened, but was still something I wasn't expecting. Nevertheless, the correlation is that whenever the Q59 fails me harshly, something like this will happen (lol).

 

The GA routes have never interested me much. I wish I could avoid them, but it's like I can't. If I'm in Downtown Brooklyn and I need to go home? It's the B57. If I need to go home from Williamsburg? Take the Q59. Going to Brooklyn from LIC to avoid the ? It's the B62. Out of all the routes, I feel like the B57 or the B13 (disregarding the B32) is ran the best. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it does good in terms of reliability.

 

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One thing that pisses me off more than GA routes, are the JG routes and the never ending DH's to [insert place]. They DH buses from everywhere, and anywhere. Either that, or NIS buses, which could be picking some people up. I feel that JG does this with more frequency than any other depot. Their routes also are unreliable to a certain degree. IDK how runs are set-up there, but more times than not, I have seen the bus pull into a terminal, then go NIS (and not even to another point along the route). Different times of the day too, and that shit would always happen to me (which sucks if you're looking to fan a particular bus/bus model at times).

 

 

Earlier, I was on the B63, and two buses disappear/ go NIS after I was waiting for the bus (one of them actual goes up 4 Avenue NIS, the other I presume went up 3 Avenue). Meanwhile, the headways are every 20 minutes at that time going to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Then, the bus gets slammed with people at 86 Street up to like the 40s, partially because it was late, but also due to the headways as well. If one of the buses that went NIS ran up to 39 Street, it wouldn't have been so full.

 

The B37 has to be the worst out of JG. The BO's do not adhere to the schedule at all, especially on the weekends. I'm seeing buses leaving Bay Ridge at times which make you wonder if the bus is leaving early or late, because of the amount of buses on the rest of the line. I remember going to Barclays to catch the 5:00 AM bus on the first day of service (Sunday). What do you know, that bus, and the next one (5:25 AM) never showed up. I caught the 5:50 AM bus instead. They also had another B/O from one of the other runs do a trip to 39 Street (and then do the B/O's scheduled run, which was a B35 run).

 

Just yesterday, I helped out a family to take the B37, because it was coming (at 3 Avenue & 37 Street). I clearly see the bus (of course not following the schedule), and it sits at 39 Street for a while. I was like "great, the bus is here, almost". What does that shit do? It makes a right onto 39 Street, and was never seen again on bustime or anywhere. So now there were only two buses on the line instead of three.

The B37 sure is pretty unreliable, but It's a fast local route. Not that busy of a route so you'd probably be skipping more stops than stopping at them. B/O's tend to leave the terminals together at times, which tends to happen a lot within MTA's buses.

[B35 via Church]

I remember being on the S66 months ago, and near the Patchogue Civic Court, some dude was mad that some kid apparently looked at him or something. Apparently he was part of some gang or something, and the argument went outside. Dude accidently left some sneakers he bought on the bus. I even think the B/O was looking to see at how the events would transpire. There can be quite a few characters on those buses, lol.

I usually get the jail stories on the S66, S60, 61, 62, and 54.....

 

The GA routes have never interested me much. I wish I could avoid them, but it's like I can't. If I'm in Downtown Brooklyn and I need to go home? It's the B57. If I need to go home from Williamsburg? Take the Q59. Going to Brooklyn from LIC to avoid the ? It's the B62. Out of all the routes, I feel like the B57 or the B13 (disregarding the B32) is ran the best. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it does good in terms of reliability.

Sucks for you having to rely on some of the least reliable routes (I just can't w/ the Q59 if I'm not fanning or w/e).... Luckily, the only one I tend to use w/ any regularity is the most reliable (the B32); which says enough..... I still say the B57 should've never been extended to replace the B75 on smith/court.....

 

One thing that pisses me off more than GA routes, are the JG routes and the never ending DH's to [insert place]. They DH buses from everywhere, and anywhere. Either that, or NIS buses, which could be picking some people up. I feel that JG does this with more frequency than any other depot. Their routes also are unreliable to a certain degree. IDK how runs are set-up there, but more times than not, I have seen the bus pull into a terminal, then go NIS (and not even to another point along the route). Different times of the day too, and that shit would always happen to me (which sucks if you're looking to fan a particular bus/bus model at times). 

 

 

Earlier, I was on the B63, and two buses disappear/ go NIS after I was waiting for the bus (one of them actual goes up 4 Avenue NIS, the other I presume went up 3 Avenue). Meanwhile, the headways are every 20 minutes at that time going to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Then, the bus gets slammed with people at 86 Street up to like the 40s, partially because it was late, but also due to the headways as well. If one of the buses that went NIS ran up to 39 Street, it wouldn't have been so full. 

 

The B37 has to be the worst out of JG. The BO's do not adhere to the schedule at all, especially on the weekends. I'm seeing buses leaving Bay Ridge at times which make you wonder if the bus is leaving early or late, because of the amount of buses on the rest of the line. I remember going to Barclays to catch the 5:00 AM bus on the first day of service (Sunday). What do you know, that bus, and the next one (5:25 AM) never showed up. I caught the 5:50 AM bus instead. They also had another B/O from one of the other runs do a trip to 39 Street (and then do the B/O's scheduled run, which was a B35 run). 

 

Just yesterday, I helped out a family to take the B37, because it was coming (at 3 Avenue & 37 Street). I clearly see the bus (of course not following the schedule), and it sits at 39 Street for a while. I was like "great, the bus is here, almost". What does that shit do? It makes a right onto 39 Street, and was never seen again on bustime or anywhere. So now there were only two buses on the line instead of three. 

To sum this up, JG has too much on its plate....

 

The DH-ing going in Nassau County I find ridiculous.... The DH-ing of certain JG routes over others don't bother me anywhere near as much.... But I tend to agree w/ your point about the B37; b/o's seem as if they do what they want (on the Barclays end of the route anyway).....

 

One instance that pissed me off in-particular was the a bus that dropped off pax on the corner of Atlantic/4th.... I was power walking (from the RR) to catch the bus... It was sitting at a red (on Atlantic), which I felt gave me enough time (as I saw about 15-20 ppl waiting for the thing)... The bus got to Dean about the same time I made it to the back of the line.... Saw the destination sign go from the Atlantic Barclays (or w/e it says exactly) signage to the Bay Ridge Shore Rd signage midway (as I kept looking back).... The dude took one look at us & sped the f*** off.

 

A SB B37 came about 5 mins. afterwards.

Edited July 4, 2017 by B35 via Church

[161 New York]

I don't like wearing them unless I'm actually on the express bus.  There are just too many crazy people and people looking for "victims" to chance it.  I like to be aware of my surroundings at all times, especially since I travel late at night sometimes.  With the ongoing homeless problem and people walking around in the city with mental issues, I don't chance it. Just the other day I was walking from Metro-North in Grand Central and some nut job gets down on his knees and starts praying as if he was looking for someone to feel pity and give him money.  He was clearly not all there.

I have earbud headphones in my ears most of the time to avoid annoying people (especially in the subway) - however, I am not always listening to music. 

 

Sometimes, the end is not even plugged into my phone but is in the coin pocket!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I have earbud headphones in my ears most of the time to avoid annoying people (especially in the subway) - however, I am not always listening to music. 

 

Sometimes, the end is not even plugged into my phone but is in the coin pocket!

I am definitely due for some new ones. May treat myself to some soon (I get really high end ear buds that are great at cancelling out any surrounding noise). Of late the evening buses I get on seem to have the most obnoxious people on it. Big mouth families getting on with their kids...

[DaTransitMan4608]

I am definitely due for some new ones. May treat myself to some soon (I get really high end ear buds that are great at cancelling out any surrounding noise). Of late the evening buses I get on seem to have the most obnoxious people on it. Big mouth families getting on with their kids...

You can get some good ones at Best Buy for like $25. I don't remember the brand I have now, but when I get my hands on them again I'll tell you what they are.

 

As for the crazy folks, I tend to run into them in similar situations too. I normally do as B35 would and just use dismissive tones when talking to them so I don't set them off.

 

 

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[Via Garibaldi 8]

You can get some good ones at Best Buy for like $25. I don't remember the brand I have now, but when I get my hands on them again I'll tell you what they are.

 

As for the crazy folks, I tend to run into them in similar situations too. I normally do as B35 would and just use dismissive tones when talking to them so I don't set them off.

 

 

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Oh I have options... I just don't feel like spending the money now and mine cost much more than $25. lol

[Rafa]

Why does it matter to switch on the hazard lights in buses besides kneeling the bus and pulling up the handbrake to activate the wheelchair ramp?

 

The hazard lights comes on automatically when the wheelchair ramp power switch is turned on except on the rts.