BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Compared to other depots citywide, Yukon is still fairly young. It was built brand new 36 years ago. ETC is more or less the Yukon parking lot for the express buses since that little small lot across the street can't hold all of them.

 

Castleton I can agree with you hands down needs a rehab

Speaking of parking lots, what's the deal with West Farms? I was passing by there on the BxM6 earlier and thought to myself why do they need that little run down parking lot across the street from what is a relatively new depot?  Seems like poor planning to me.  On top of that why do they have all of that parking space outside?  I would've thought they would've built more of that depot so that buses would be parked inside to avoid the elements.  When it snows all of those buses have to cleaned up.  Does questions about exhaust fumes come into play with more buses parked up inside?

 

 

Compared to other depots citywide, Yukon is still fairly young. It was built brand new 36 years ago. ETC is more or less the Yukon parking lot for the express buses since that little small lot across the street can't hold all of them.

 

Castleton I can agree with you hands down needs a rehab

The thing with Yukon is there doesn't seem to be enough space to park all of the fleet and nearby residents don't want buses parked all over the place on the street.  Can't blame them.

Compared to other depots citywide, Yukon is still fairly young. It was built brand new 36 years ago. ETC is more or less the Yukon parking lot for the express buses since that little small lot across the street can't hold all of them.

 

Castleton I can agree with you hands down needs a rehab

The thing with Yukon is there doesn't seem to be enough space to park all of the fleet and residents don't want buses parked all over the place on the street.  Can't blame them.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

That solution is usually okay. Problem is one certain lines like the BxM2 you can have three stops in a row where the stop is blocked by something so it gets a bit crazy.

That's just some bad luck there then... Totally abnormal.

 

The other options were either to

 

1) Walk from 35 & 73 to 82 Street & Roosevelt (the Q29 is also fairly infrequent at that time), and then walk from Dry Harbor Road towards the LIE

 

2) Take a train from Roosevelt Avenue, take it to 71 Avenue (since there was no Queens-bound local service), and then wait for the to backtrack, and THEN wait for the Q38.

 

I was not trying to do either or, so I was really not going let that slide.

Not saying that you should have had to do any of that.... But at the same time, you say that bit at the end there as if you accomplished something.... That's what I'm not understanding.... That type of a remark by that b/o after you told him that you reported him, is a typical one.... You said it yourself earlier when you said, the dude'll likely get a warning.... Big whoop; talk about a slap in the face.....

 

I flat out refuse to board a bus driven by somebody that deliberately blew past me.... I'm not interested in just getting somebody told.

 

And I never expected this, but once again, I get bypassed, this time by an M1. I was on a bus towards Grand which was told to short-turn at 8 Street instead. So I waited for the bus which was literally 1 minute away, and I was visible at the bus stop. The BO does not look like he was stopping, so I waved him down, and he didn't stop (he even looked at me while he just passed me). Two in two days, you cannot make this stuff up...

 

I'm not catching up to that, so I just decided to go home (I'll probably take the M1 to Grand some other day) via the Train (yes, isn't that funny *insert VG8 face here*).

That b/o last night must have had it out for you, just as you had it out for him....

 

Jokes aside.... Well, it's a perfect example as to why people are resorting to other means of travel in the city.....

 

So there's a bunch of motorcycles crossing 42 Street. Nothing going through or across 42 Street can pass through. Anyone know why?

Either some policeman died in the line of duty, or as VG8 said, something 9/11 related....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Not saying that you should have had to do any of that.... But at the same time, you say that bit at the end there as if you accomplished something.... That's what I'm not understanding.... That type of a remark by that b/o after you told him that you reported him, is a typical one.... You said it yourself earlier when you said, the dude'll likely get a warning.... Big whoop; talk about a slap in the face.....

 

I flat out refuse to board a bus driven by somebody that deliberately blew past me.... I'm not interested in just getting somebody told.

Oh believe me, I wouldn't want to JUST confront him and report him. However, given that I was on the subway for about 90 minutes coming from South Brooklyn, I was not going to elongate my commute by going to Forest Hills. I got off at Roosevelt for that reason. If the was running local, I would have likely transferred to the , but that wasn't an option. When I saw that Q47 line (which was bigger compared to when I actually boarded), I was not going to risk not getting on that bus. 

 

After the incident, I was not going to just walk back, to deal with the QBL G.O in place having to backtrack on the , to then wait for the Q38 (which would add 40 minutes to said commute easily, and I have had enough of the , especially on the weekends). If I started my commute in Jackson Heights, then I would have probably would have gone for the Q29, or the Q53. But since nothing else was very feasible (not even the Q53 was helpful yesterday), that really was my only "good" choice.

[B35 via Church]

Oh believe me, I wouldn't want to JUST confront him and report him. However, given that I was on the subway for about 90 minutes coming from South Brooklyn, I was not going to elongate my commute by going to Forest Hills. I got off at Roosevelt for that reason. If the was running local, I would have likely transferred to the , but that wasn't an option. When I saw that Q47 line (which was bigger compared to when I actually boarded), I was not going to risk not getting on that bus. 

 

After the incident, I was not going to just walk back, to deal with the QBL G.O in place having to backtrack on the , to then wait for the Q38 (which would add 40 minutes to said commute easily, and I have had enough of the , especially on the weekends). If I started my commute in Jackson Heights, then I would have probably would have gone for the Q29, or the Q53. But since nothing else was very feasible (not even the Q53 was helpful yesterday), that really was my only "good" choice.

Alright, good, because that's how it sounded; like giving him an earful was this ultimate end goal....

 

Anyway, I get where you're coming from (from a standpoint of fatigue), but there are some things I have all the patience in the world for, and some things I have absolutely none..... Sign of extremes..... You're talking to someone that tends to go out of his way to prolong a commute when I'm not in any particular rush to get home (being that I'm more of a bus person than a subway person anyway)...

 

Instead of not letting it slide by getting him told & resorting to wastefully report the dude, I would have took it on the chin & waited for another Q47 (the long line would have been another deterrent to not taking that bus for me btw - which is something I'm doing a LOT more often; letting lines dissipate on an initial bus & waiting for a 2nd one - you learn to do that waiting for the B12 at Alabama... Lol....), the walk to the Q29, something (I don't know exactly where you live, but I would have found some other way).... Because I would not get on that MF-er's bus... Someone with no restraint would have gotten on, started cursing the dude out, the b/o's retaliation would have commenced, the cops would have been called, the whole nine..... F*** all that, I'm not risking it... T'hell with you and "your" bus (love when b/o's say that btw), keep it pushin.....

 

Speaking of weekend G.O.'s, it's a reason I don't bother taking the subway on the weekends much anymore... I'll put up with the 50 million buses - I've been putting up w/ 50 million buses for over 20 years routefanning anyway (has it really been that long... jesus...) anyway, so for that reason won't be any different.... Lol....

[Q43LTD]

I don't know where should I put this, here or the art section. But ever since I was kid, I used to draw the individual routes maps since I was a kid. It started with the TA Queens routes and it went from there. However, I did it the old fashioned way using pencil and paper. Too bad I could never showcase them here.

[Interested Rider]

It seems that once the Verrazano Bridge was completed in 1964, the problems with the lack of garage space started in earnest along with a lot of other problems that persist to this very day. When Castleton was completed in 1950 (the same year as Ulmer Park, I might add), there was another garage on Victory Boulevard at Jersey Street which was given over to the Sanitation Department in the 1950's. The problem with Castleton is that it was built over Bodine Creek which led to problems up the wazoo as every time the creek flooded, there went Castleton, To give members an idea of how bad it was, I was in the process of moving to my present location between November 6-9, 1977 and we had 8 inches or rain in that period and the buses filled up and wen around the block and die as the water penetrated the fuel tanks in the garage. They finally fixed it later which means another couple of years with this problem.

After the bridge was completed in November 1964, thet TA was caught in a vise as once the bridge opened so did the home building begin at a record pace. The route system was based on the 1930's and there were no plans for either garages or changes in routes until the MTA in the 1970's  finally got a $500,000 grant to change the number sequence for the routes, make changes to the route structure and finally got permission to build Yukon at that time. This came about after Borough President Connor finally pawned off Pouch Terminal on the MTA after vetoing every express route for more than one year and at the same time unloaded his ex-wife in the process. So now the MTA had Pouch and the MTA started to add more express routes after the 9X was established in December 1968*. By the time Yukon was built, it was already overcrowded as the MTA had to play catch up as the express routes grew quite rapidly as new homes meant new riders that wanted express service to Manhttan. Pouch would eventually close and there was a need for a third depot which was talked about when I started working on Staten Island in April 1987 and was finally completed after I retired in September 2010 which is about 23 years from talk to completion. So from the late 1970's, the MTA was adding express routes (and later local rotues) but did not have the garage space to put the buses. There were parking lots near Castleton on Richmond Terrace and some buses would be parked on the street by the garage after being serviced. Now they have Meredith which helps a bit but if Yukon or Castleton needs any sort of major rehabilitation work that will further strain the system. As long as the MTA is playing catch up which it has been doing for over 50 years,then the problems will persist may years  into the future.

* I know about the 8X which was established at the same time, the S/7 took over the S/105 (Clove Road) route and extended it to Brooklyn. The 8X was a one trip thing in the morning and afternoon similar to what was done to keep a franchise route and would not fall into the definition of what is an express route today. The 9X started off with new looks 8922 -8933 and within a year the higher number  local buses from 8879 -8921 were converted to express service. I rode 8921 in its first weeks on the S/6 (now S/66) in the fall of 1969 and soon afterwards, it was converted to express service. the 8X would eventually disappear many years later.

[MetroTransitTee]

Which bus route gets the most overnight service? #RandomThought lol

Edited September 11, 2017 by MetroTransitTee

[B35 via Church]

Which bus route gets the most overnight service? #RandomThought lol

B15 weekdays, Q10 weekends...

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Service Change

Posted: 09/11/2017 8:05AM

Q33 and Q48 buses are detoured, due to DOT work on 23 Av between 82 St and 85 St.

Detour is as follows:

Southbound Q33 to 74 St Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, left on 82 St and regular route.

 

Westbound Q48 to Marine Air Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, right on 82 St and regular route.

Allow additional travel time.

 

--------------------------------------

 

Anything stand out?

[Q43LTD]

Service Change

Posted: 09/11/2017 8:05AM

Q33 and Q48 buses are detoured, due to DOT work on 23 Av between 82 St and 85 St.

Detour is as follows:

Southbound Q33 to 74 St Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, left on 82 St and regular route.

 

Westbound Q48 to Marine Air Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, right on 82 St and regular route.

Allow additional travel time.

 

--------------------------------------

 

Anything stand out?

If I'm not mistaken, the Q48 doesn't serve Marine Air Terminal.

[MetroTransitTee]

Service Change

Posted: 09/11/2017 8:05AM

Q33 and Q48 buses are detoured, due to DOT work on 23 Av between 82 St and 85 St.

Detour is as follows:

Southbound Q33 to 74 St Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, left on 82 St and regular route.

 

Westbound Q48 to Marine Air Terminal: Via 23 Av, left on 85 St, right on Astoria Blvd, right on 82 St and regular route.

Allow additional travel time.

 

--------------------------------------

 

Anything stand out?

Yeah, they're paying the road. I believe the M60 SBS is detoured as well.

[Calvin]

(From a close friend): Next year, the M86 will be out of Michael J. Quill Depot. 

Edited September 12, 2017 by CH3348

[Future ENY OP]

(From a close friend): Next year, the M86 will be out of Michael J. Quill Depot.

M86 at Quill. This is going to be interesting.

[MHV184]

(From a close friend): Next year, the M86 will be out of Michael J. Quill Depot.

Why? M86 is good where it is.

 

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[LegoBrickBreaker101]

Why? M86 is good where it is.

 

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

 

I'm guessing the higher ups want all more SBS routes to be run out of MJQ. Also, I take it the M31 will be moving to OH like it was mentioned earlier somewhere on the forums?

[Future ENY OP]

I'm guessing the higher ups want all more SBS routes to be run out of MJQ. Also, I take it the M31 will be moving to OH like it was mentioned earlier somewhere on the forums?

 

That M31 is a decent deadhead to 100th Street. I guess more Orion 7's at OH. I just don't foresee the M31 being all artic.

[MHV184]

I'm guessing the higher ups want all more SBS routes to be run out of MJQ. Also, I take it the M31 will be moving to OH like it was mentioned earlier somewhere on the forums?

Interesting but Quill isn't also going to have M14 SBS? In my opinion if the higher ups are trying to make Quill an all SBS depot by the looks of it they should give some of their local routes to other depots.

 

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[Around the Horn]

See if there was a depot near Lower Manhattan, I'd give them the M8, M12, M21 and M22, but there isn't...

 

I'm not sure where you could move Quill routes without creating long deadheads or reactivating Amsterdam...

Edited September 12, 2017 by Around the Horn

[MHV184]

See if there was a depot near Lower Manhattan, I'd give them the M8, M12, M21 and M22, but there isn't...

 

I'm not sure where you could move Quill routes without creating long deadheads or reactivating Amsterdam...

Well the closest depot I can think of right now is Tuskegee Airmen.

 

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[Future ENY OP]

See if there was a depot near Lower Manhattan, I'd give them the M8, M12, M21 and M22, but there isn't...

 

I'm not sure where you could move Quill routes without creating long deadheads or reactivating Amsterdam...

If Hudson Pier wasnt scrapped. Than it would be the right depot for this. It had all of Lower Manhattan bus lines forementioned including the M14 A-D.

[Cait Sith]

That M31 is a decent deadhead to 100th Street. I guess more Orion 7's at OH. I just don't foresee the M31 being all artic.

I hope you mean by decent, you mean short.....the M31 can deadhead to/from Yorkville and just cut across 96th Street.

 

See if there was a depot near Lower Manhattan, I'd give them the M8, M12, M21 and M22, but there isn't...

 

I'm not sure where you could move Quill routes without creating long deadheads or reactivating Amsterdam...

There's no real reason to shift around those routes. Those 4 routes use the least amount of buses, so there's really no need to move them around...... 

 

Once upon a time, they tried giving pieces of the M9 to Hale, but that didn't work well at all......

[P3F]

Just saw a bus signed as M14 8 AV. Not M14A or M14D; just M14. I hope this isn't going to be the future SBS signage.

[Around the Horn]

Just saw a bus signed as M14 8 AV. Not M14A or M14D; just M14. I hope this isn't going to be the future SBS signage.

 

That code has been around for a while now. I think buses use it if they are only operating on 14th Street.

[Cait Sith]

Just saw a bus signed as M14 8 AV. Not M14A or M14D; just M14. I hope this isn't going to be the future SBS signage.

 

Old, old sign, way old. That sign was up before they used A and D designations.

[MHV9218]

Old, old sign, way old. That sign was up before they used A and D designations.

 

True--and the same for the 1 AV reading.

 

My favorites still are the TwinVision RTS signs, which were never reprogrammed when the names changed. Still the "M14 VIA AV A" and D, which is always a treat to see when they come out in the wintertime. I don't think those ever got reprogrammed since the buses were delivered in 1999. Shame those signs are getting replaced so fast.