BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I've read that the Eagle Team staff is being cut back and they will no longer patrol local routes because research shows it has been ineffective at curbing fare evasion. They would only enforce SBS routes. What is the truth behind this?

I heard the opposite, though the article that I read was poorly written, so who knows. I'll look for it and post it for you here.

[danielhg121]

My B37 driver just pulled some jank shit by going via 2nd Avenue instead of 3rd. I dont think this was a planned detour, he was prob just late.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

[Via Garibaldi 8]

My B37 driver just pulled some jank shit by going via 2nd Avenue instead of 3rd. I dont think this was a planned detour, he was prob just late.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

lol@Planned detour... Yeah they the Jackie Gleason lines seem to have a lot of those. 

[Cait Sith]

My B37 driver just pulled some jank shit by going via 2nd Avenue instead of 3rd. I dont think this was a planned detour, he was prob just late.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

 

Southbound has a detour via 2nd Avenue between 65th and 86th.

 

 

It's best to check apps or such if anything before assuming.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Cait Sith

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Southbound has a detour via 2nd Avenue between 65th and 86th.

 

 

It's best to check apps or such if anything before assuming.

Their buses are on "detour" so often that I don't blame him for being suspicious. I think the B4 has to be the worst of them where buses start at random points along the route, both in Sheepshead Bay and in Bay Ridge.  Really weird.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I saw someone on Instagram saying that the Bx6 Select Bus Service will be rolling out August 20th. Is this true?

 

Looking at Trip Planner on the MTA website (which typically has the routes ahead of schedule for about a month after the date that one plans their trip), there is no mentions of Bx6 SBS service, and the runtimes look the same as they are currently scheduled.

Of course, it could be that Trip Planner did not have the updated route. IMO, it appears to be a bit too "soon" though, so we'll have to see.

 

Now that Trip Planner has next month's travel time and options, it lists the Bx6 SBS as a travel option starting September 3rd. So that date is when SBS will begin.

[danielhg121]

Actually it happened around 3, and I checked the website during the detour and nothing. So yea I do have a reason to be suspicious.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Now that Trip Planner has next month's travel time and options, it lists the Bx6 SBS as a travel option starting September 3rd. So that date is when SBS will begin.

Schedule is as follows (based on Trip Planner Results): 

 

From Hunts Point:

Weekdays: 5:44 AM - 9:11 PM

Saturdays: 5:51 AM - 9:01 PM

Sundays: 6:01 AM - 9:01 PM

 

From Washington Heights

Weekdays: 6:02 AM - 8:21 PM

Saturdays: 5:59 AM - 8:14 PM

Sundays: 6:01 AM - 8:14 PM

[67thAve]

Is there an easy way to get hard copies of the current bus timetables (excluding Staten Island services, which are easily available at St George and Eltingville)?

 

The only places where I've found bus schedules otherwise are at Stone Street (where the selection is mostly express and SBS routes), as well as on buses.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Is there an easy way to get hard copies of the current bus timetables (excluding Staten Island services, which are easily available at St George and Eltingville)?

 

The only places where I've found bus schedules otherwise are at Stone Street (where the selection is mostly express and SBS routes), as well as on buses.

God I haven't used a hard copy of a schedule since I lived back on Staten Island. Then I would carry a copy of the X1 and X10 schedules. Maybe they can mail the ones you want? I rarely even see any around these days since people just use their smartphones. Otherwise it's a waste of paper.

[Around the Horn]

3rd Avenue from Bay Ridge Av to 86th Street is closed on Fridays during the summer for the "Summer Stroll" starting around 3 and going until 10. The 2nd Av/Ridge Blvd detour is new but the B37 is always off 3rd Avenue anyway during those hours.

 

The B70 used to be detoured too when it ran on Third.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3rd Avenue from Bay Ridge Av to 86th Street is closed on Fridays during the summer for the "Summer Stroll" starting around 3 and going until 10. The 2nd Av/Ridge Blvd detour is new but the B37 is always off 3rd Avenue anyway during those hours.

 

The B70 used to be detoured too when it ran on Third.

All of those old-timers walking down 3rd Avenue... lol

[IAlam]

Is there an easy way to get hard copies of the current bus timetables (excluding Staten Island services, which are easily available at St George and Eltingville)?

 

The only places where I've found bus schedules otherwise are at Stone Street (where the selection is mostly express and SBS routes), as well as on buses.

You can alwasy ask booths and occasionally libraries I know Flushing library used to keep extra copies of maps and time tables. Though I haven't been there since they renovated it so who knows. As for Eltingville I've seen the with more than just SI routes. They occasionally have Brooklyn routes and the HBLR.

[Yankees4life]

Good to see some SBSs in their but no love for Brooklyn. Flatbush NEEDS a SBS

[Future ENY OP]

Good to see some SBSs in their but no love for Brooklyn. Flatbush NEEDS a SBS

 

Flatbush has 2... B44SBS and B46SBS

B41 is next up for SBS..

 

You may want to venture out more in Brooklyn!

Edited August 12, 2017 by Future ENY OP

[Fresh Pond]

Flatbush has 2... B44SBS and B46SBS

B41 is next up for SBS..

 

You may want to venture out more in Brooklyn!

The B82 is the next Brooklyn route to become SBS

[SevenEleven]

Actually it happened around 3, and I checked the website during the detour and nothing. So yea I do have a reason to be suspicious.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

The times don't mean anything. If the streets get closed before 4pm or the buses are instructed to detour, then they're detouring. Same thing on the other end. 11pm doesn't mean that the buses will be instructed to resume regular route.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The times don't mean anything. If the streets get closed before 4pm or the buses are instructed to detour, then they're detouring. Same thing on the other end. 11pm doesn't mean that the buses will be instructed to resume regular route.

And that is a BIG problem. I've been burned by this very thing. If the event finishes at such and such time, you would think that 2-3 hours later, the buses would be on their regular route again, but NOPE. Sometimes they are STILL on detour. Now if I see a bus on detour, I don't bother unless it has been several hours later.

[danielhg121]

But there was no police blocking the road when he detoured, granted, he prob would’ve been informed by depot supervision but he didn’t tell us the reason why he was detouring. Where else is a passenger supposed to get the information if not from the MTA website nor the driver? How do I know he’s not just pulling something on riders so he can make up for lost time? Passengers seemed pretty confused about the whole ordeal so some extra info would’ve been nice to have. If the times don’t mean anything, why bother having the info? Why put it on the website immediately when the event begins and not a few hours before to inform passengers of such changes? Therefore it prevents situations like this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Honestly, the MTA should plan to have the planned detour run from 3 hours prior to the event to 2 hours after the event ends in order to avoid confusion and avoid potential situations where buses end up running the detour for longer than expected. Essentially, run the buses on detour for longer.

 

Another issue is when the opposite happens (buses scheduled to be on detour at a certain hour but never detours or detours at a later hour).

 

I think that they should also post the times of the first and last trips in each direction operating via said detour. That would make it much easier to identify what buses get detour (especially when it comes close to the start of the detour).

[checkmatechamp13]

Honestly, the MTA should plan to have the planned detour run from 3 hours prior to the event to 2 hours after the event ends in order to avoid confusion and avoid potential situations where buses end up running the detour for longer than expected. Essentially, run the buses on detour for longer.

 

Another issue is when the opposite happens (buses scheduled to be on detour at a certain hour but never detours or detours at a later hour).

 

I think that they should also post the times of the first and last trips in each direction operating via said detour. That would make it much easier to identify what buses get detour (especially when it comes close to the start of the detour).

 

The problem is that the detour itself often causes delays and bunching. So by the time the detour resumes, the buses might be late or possibly out of order. I think the "best" solution is, as soon as buses are instructed to take the detour via radio (or the driver calls in that the road is closed and he/she has to take the detour), the website is updated to reflect that, and the same thing when the detour ends. 

[Cait Sith]

But there was no police blocking the road when he detoured, granted, he prob would’ve been informed by depot supervision but he didn’t tell us the reason why he was detouring. Where else is a passenger supposed to get the information if not from the MTA website nor the driver? How do I know he’s not just pulling something on riders so he can make up for lost time? Passengers seemed pretty confused about the whole ordeal so some extra info would’ve been nice to have. If the times don’t mean anything, why bother having the info? Why put it on the website immediately when the event begins and not a few hours before to inform passengers of such changes? Therefore it prevents situations like this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

 

Not every detour has police blocking the road, he might've been informed to take said detour so he doesn't get in the way of the event preparations or whatever the case may be.

 

The times of the street closure doesn't necessarily matter, as things might happen ahead of the officially scheduled time, so in some cases, it's unpredictable. But the time as to when the event goes on, and the duration of said event does matter, which is what they base their detours on.

 

The driver definitely should've said something about it. The lack of communication with some drivers definitely causes problems.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Cait Sith

[SevenEleven]

And that is a BIG problem. I've been burned by this very thing. If the event finishes at such and such time, you would think that 2-3 hours later, the buses would be on their regular route again, but NOPE. Sometimes they are STILL on detour. Now if I see a bus on detour, I don't bother unless it has been several hours later.

Hey, it burns us too. We only go off the information that the city gives us. Whatever the reality is, is a different story. One time there was a street closure on 6th Ave and it supposed to be done at 3 PM. I get up there at 5PM and the street is still closed and the buses are still detouring. Think it was regular route at like 9PM.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Hey, it burns us too. We only go off the information that the city gives us. Whatever the reality is, is a different story. One time there was a street closure on 6th Ave and it supposed to be done at 3 PM. I get up there at 5PM and the street is still closed and the buses are still detouring. Think it was regular route at like 9PM.

It also leads to less ridership. These planned detours have been increasing, and once people hear about them, they wise up and ditch the bus entirely if there's another option, so then you end up with some lines running basically empty all day.  They do that a lot with the BxM2. Some weekends it essentially doesn't stop anywhere on the West side and just runs via Madison. It's only supposed to make three stops on Madison, and on weekends, all three of those stops don't see the usage that heavier used stops see like 63rd and Broadway, 35th and 6th and 40th and 6th. I've been complaining about this to the for the last few years, and nothing has changed. The coordination and communication is simply atrocious. I even once asked a dispatcher from Bus who was assigned to direct passengers for the BxM2, and even he provided the wrong info. Told me to wait at the first stop. The bus was STILL on detour and went back on the regular route at the next stop. I was furious for being given the wrong information well after the detour should've ended and then having to wait another hour for the next bus.

 

The other event that occurs that has stopped me from going to the city entirely the last few years is that Brazilian parade. It never ends at the time they give and some three hours later they're still cleaning up and the passengers are getting into it with dispatch because the signs say one thing at the bus stop, and the bus is doing something entirely different, so if I do go to the city, I avoid certain areas entirely or take Metro-North. Far less aggravation that way.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Ah, the Q54. Of course 3 WBP buses are bunching in Jamaica at this time.