BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[RailRunRob]

2 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Not to bring any sort of politics into the mix. However, the  needs to come back and revamp the Long Island bus network it should be at the expense of a new county executive. 

Ed Mangano's NICE bus network has really caused so much havoc that there is no reliability   In service. I believe the  still owns Rockville Centre depot. They need to reactivate it and have bus ops there (easier said than done). However, it would create some normalcy within the regional bus network. NYC to Nassau. 

So is Nice using that depot? Leasing it from the MTA? What happened anyways why did the MTA stop service out there?

 

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, RailRunRob said:

So is Nice using that depot? Leasing it from the MTA? What happened anyways why did the MTA stop service out there?

 

That I'm not very positive if they are using that depot. However, one would think the county executive was trying to cut costs. You see the results.

I know a few NICE bus drivers and when it comes to the pay. It's not great. But when you have family and you gotta sacrifice with what you have. 

[B35 via Church]

14 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

After having to rely on SCT for four years, I'm not sure about that. But I also don't have a lot of experience with NICE post-privatization.

You aren't missing anything.....

In the grand scheme of things, SCT is nothing to wax poetic about by no means (especially as of late), but I have to concur with Q43... NICE is worse than SCT.... Mangano & company, I sincerely believe, is trying to run NICE into the ground.... I don't remotely get that feeling about public buses in Suffolk County.... SCT, generally speaking, tends to at least try to satisfy the people that do utilize their buses (with the resources they do have anyway)...

NICE though? Lmfao, yeah right.... I'd argue it's the exact opposite! - It's as if they want people to cease even considering taking buses.... Even the MTA isn't that bad with their frugality when it comes to the bus....

3 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Not to bring any sort of politics into the mix. However, the  needs to come back and revamp the Long Island bus network it should be at the expense of a new county executive.

At what cost? (I mean that literally, as well as figuratively)....

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

So all the Queens express buses are delayed because the barrier machine for the Long Island Expressway HOV lane broke down halfway through its route. Not fun

Edited October 10, 2017 by RestrictOnTheHanger

[Via Garibaldi 8]

43 minutes ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

So all the Queens express buses are delayed because the barrier machine for the Long Island Expressway HOV lane broke down halfway through its route. Not fun

The express buses are a mess this morning. I should be off of the bus already in one of my café's having an espresso... 

Edited October 10, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, RestrictOnTheHanger said:

So all the Queens express buses are delayed because the barrier machine for the Long Island Expressway HOV lane broke down halfway through its route. Not fun

Damm. On a Tuesday Morning.  I can only guess that the 59th street bridge is going to be a standstill for the AM rush. 

[Future ENY OP]

On 10/8/2017 at 2:19 PM, B35 via Church said:

NICE though? Lmfao, yeah right.... I'd argue it's the exact opposite! - It's as if they want people to cease even considering taking buses.... Even the MTA isn't that bad with their frugality when it comes to the bus....

At what cost? (I mean that literally, as well as figuratively)....

The  really needs to come back to bring some order to NICE service. Why is it every year there's massive cuts in service. Out of all the routes that serviced under  Long Island bus were either streamlined or eliminated due to carelessness in the Magano administration to save money. 

i know me saying this will not do anything for Long Island to have the  back. However, it has to be noted that NICE is not doing a good job with the bus service they have in hand. 

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Damm. On a Tuesday Morning.  I can only guess that the 59th street bridge is going to be a standstill for the AM rush. 

They kept all the buses on the LIE main road. We were able to use the usual contraflow lane in the Queens bound QMT tube. Added about 20 to 25 minutes to the commute. 

 

Bad thing too is that since the lane was shut all morning, the deadheads back to Queens were late, which made buses after 7am all out of whack

Edited October 10, 2017 by RestrictOnTheHanger

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Damm. On a Tuesday Morning.  I can only guess that the 59th street bridge is going to be a standstill for the AM rush. 

Tuesdays tend to be the worst if you take the express bus. Seems like a lot of people take off on Monday then return on Tuesday, that includes all of the drivers clogging up the roads.

[Future ENY OP]

54 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Tuesdays tend to be the worst if you take the express bus. Seems like a lot of people take off on Monday then return on Tuesday, that includes all of the drivers clogging up the roads.

Ahh copy copy. Just the thought of taking express bus from Queens to Manhattan just gives me the creeps simply b/c most buses take the LIE to the Tunnel and not Queens Boulevard for the 59th Street Bridge Lower Roadway when there are traffic woes.  Sometimes, you just gotta wonder are there any short cuts to get to the tunnel  

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Future ENY OP said:

Ahh copy copy. Just the thought of taking express bus from Queens to Manhattan just gives me the creeps simply b/c most buses take the LIE to the Tunnel and not Queens Boulevard for the 59th Street Bridge Lower Roadway when there are traffic woes.  Sometimes, you just gotta wonder are there any short cuts to get to the tunnel  

 

Well the QM2 drivers usually take shortcuts.  They still go via the tunnel ultimately, but they try to bypass all of the traffic and get into it at the very last minute. I took the QM6 in on Sunday and it was painless and the QM2 going back to Manhattan was fine too. I had forgotten about the tunnel warning that was up until Spring of 2018 which is the main reason I stopped going shopping out in Whitestone for quite some time, but I needed to get some things so I said screw it.  

Edited October 10, 2017 by Via Garibaldi 8

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Well the QM2 drivers usually take shortcuts.  They still go via the tunnel ultimately, but they try to bypass all of the traffic and get into it at the very last minute. I took the QM6 in on Sunday and it was painless and the QM2 going back to Manhattan was fine too. I had forgotten about the tunnel warning that was up until Spring of 2018 which is the main reason I stopped going shopping out in Whitestone for quite some time, but I needed to get some things so I said screw it.  

Exit 16 and 15 always have traffic during the AM rush, today was no different. I guess thats why they didnt take the shortcut today. 

 

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Ahh copy copy. Just the thought of taking express bus from Queens to Manhattan just gives me the creeps simply b/c most buses take the LIE to the Tunnel and not Queens Boulevard for the 59th Street Bridge Lower Roadway when there are traffic woes.  Sometimes, you just gotta wonder are there any short cuts to get to the tunnel  

 

When the lane is open, the buses bypass all the traffic. 

I was on the QM11, so going via the bridge would hurt more than help. And the Woodhaven Blvd stop is well used, so it isnt like they can just skip with no notice to use Queens Blvd. 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

So I'm looking at the mta service alerts, and the subways have "Good Service" across the board. On the other hand, buses have "Delays" across the board (except for the SI bus section where it service "Service Change", but those are detours which lead to delays). Coincidence?

[VIA 7 AV]

For the CNG fans, catch 612 (at College Point). The backfire is just as loud as the V CNG's were. Hard to describe but I promise you won't be disappointed.

[bobtehpanda]

On 10/10/2017 at 6:54 AM, Future ENY OP said:

The  really needs to come back to bring some order to NICE service. Why is it every year there's massive cuts in service. Out of all the routes that serviced under  Long Island bus were either streamlined or eliminated due to carelessness in the Magano administration to save money. 

i know me saying this will not do anything for Long Island to have the  back. However, it has to be noted that NICE is not doing a good job with the bus service they have in hand. 

Nassau is literally getting what they pay for. I remember reading somewhere that Suffolk and Westchester puts $25M a year towards the buses, and Nassau gives like $4M.

To get any more money in NICE you have to convince the white ethnics in Nassau that buses for poor people are good.

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, bobtehpanda said:

Nassau is literally getting what they pay for. I remember reading somewhere that Suffolk and Westchester puts $25M a year towards the buses, and Nassau gives like $4M.

To get any more money in NICE you have to convince the white ethnics in Nassau that buses for poor people are good.

You are absolutely right. Didn't know that Nassau was giving $4M to the state. That's pretty shocking news. Yet again that's Nassau being cheap. 

[Dannny]

So I have been riding the Q88 bus to and from the Mall now for about a year.  Let me just say this pick has been horrible, long waits, always over crowded buses etc. Sometimes one bus can go by, being to packed, it cant stop and the next bus can sometimes take up to 15 minutes. cut to the chase here are a few of the things me and my friends think QV should consider in the near future.

1.) Make it a SBS route.- Sometimes in the past the operators have just let the people on at the mall without paying the fair. They would also let them use the rear doors to enter. When this would happen, people would board much quicker. Pay before you board is the way I feel it should be. 

2.) Have Artics- This this is a line that desperately needs 60 footers. I know the reason they don't is because of the sharp, narrow curve right by the mall. What they could do is 2 of 2 things. Reroute the line so it goes around Junction BLVD to 94th street and terminates at the Mall. In the afternoon Casey Stengel runs a school tripper, they could easily test an XD60 to see if this works or not.

3.) Work out more frequent service- The main problem I see is like what I said before, once the bus comes its always to crowded to get on. If QV wont put artics on the Q88, they should have more buses during rush hour. In then past I have seen at least 4 buses leaving the mall, and when the crowd is split up onto the buses evenly, its not such a bad ride.

Like I said before, I really feel if these actions were taken the route would operate so much better and it would make everyone's ride easier.  

Tell me if you guys agree or if there are any other reason you feel they cant make it a 60 ft SBS route. 

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, Grimreaper said:

So I have been riding the Q88 bus to and from the Mall now for about a year.  Let me just say this pick has been horrible, long waits, always over crowded buses etc. Sometimes one bus can go by, being to packed, it cant stop and the next bus can sometimes take up to 15 minutes. cut to the chase here are a few of the things me and my friends think QV should consider in the near future.

1.) Make it a SBS route.- Sometimes in the past the operators have just let the people on at the mall without paying the fair. They would also let them use the rear doors to enter. When this would happen, people would board much quicker. Pay before you board is the way I feel it should be. 

2.) Have Artics- This this is a line that desperately needs 60 footers. I know the reason they don't is because of the sharp, narrow curve right by the mall. What they could do is 2 of 2 things. Reroute the line so it goes around Junction BLVD to 94th street and terminates at the Mall. In the afternoon Casey Stengel runs a school tripper, they could easily test an XD60 to see if this works or not.

3.) Work out more frequent service- The main problem I see is like what I said before, once the bus comes its always to crowded to get on. If QV wont put artics on the Q88, they should have more buses during rush hour. In then past I have seen at least 4 buses leaving the mall, and when the crowd is split up onto the buses evenly, its not such a bad ride.

Like I said before, I really feel if these actions were taken the route would operate so much better and it would make everyone's ride easier.  

Tell me if you guys agree or if there are any other reason you feel they cant make it a 60 ft SBS route. 

I don't know if Queens Village has adequate space to place artics or if the depot is even constructed to handle 60ft buses. 

I also don't know if SBS is the right idea for the Q88. Right now SBS is like the saving tool for the city to just slap SBS on every line. So for the Q88. It just needs more buses on the rush hour and mid-day side of things to cover the overcrowding. 

Queens Boulevard will have a dose of SBS beginning on 11/12 with the Q52/53. Just want to see how this going to turn out 

[NY1635]

3 hours ago, Grimreaper said:

So I have been riding the Q88 bus to and from the Mall now for about a year.  Let me just say this pick has been horrible, long waits, always over crowded buses etc. Sometimes one bus can go by, being to packed, it cant stop and the next bus can sometimes take up to 15 minutes. cut to the chase here are a few of the things me and my friends think QV should consider in the near future.

1.) Make it a SBS route.- Sometimes in the past the operators have just let the people on at the mall without paying the fair. They would also let them use the rear doors to enter. When this would happen, people would board much quicker. Pay before you board is the way I feel it should be. 

2.) Have Artics- This this is a line that desperately needs 60 footers. I know the reason they don't is because of the sharp, narrow curve right by the mall. What they could do is 2 of 2 things. Reroute the line so it goes around Junction BLVD to 94th street and terminates at the Mall. In the afternoon Casey Stengel runs a school tripper, they could easily test an XD60 to see if this works or not.

3.) Work out more frequent service- The main problem I see is like what I said before, once the bus comes its always to crowded to get on. If QV wont put artics on the Q88, they should have more buses during rush hour. In then past I have seen at least 4 buses leaving the mall, and when the crowd is split up onto the buses evenly, its not such a bad ride.

Like I said before, I really feel if these actions were taken the route would operate so much better and it would make everyone's ride easier.  

Tell me if you guys agree or if there are any other reason you feel they cant make it a 60 ft SBS route. 

I'm pretty sure that the Q88 is crowded mostly because of the folks who use it to travel between the Mall and Fresh Meadows. I'm sure that if the 88 was short turned somewhere around 188th and Horace Harding Expressway, it might help the crowding a bit.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

On 10/7/2017 at 11:29 PM, bobtehpanda said:

After having to rely on SCT for four years, I'm not sure about that. But I also don't have a lot of experience with NICE post-privatization.

I've rode a handful their buses a fair amount last summer. While the disinvestment is deplorable, the management is upbeat and nonetheless far more dedicated than the MTA ever will be.

Given the MTA's track record with the subways and their own buses, I would be against any takeover as the former are a proving ground as to why they should not be entrusted with the affairs of any agency let alone their own.

 

I spent that summer taking pictures of bus stops in Hempstead, Hillside, and some of the new interiors, which are very nice and still had their new bus smell the following fall when I lodged in Manhasset (North Hempstead). The n20G served that area.

Edited October 16, 2017 by MassTransitHonchkrow
clarifying grammar as to which agency bus I was riding

[Dannny]

That’s what I was thinking. Have a specific run short turn somewhere in the middle of the line and even deadhead back to the mall if needed. That way it would be able to serve both directions without being to delayed, and the crowds wouldn’t be to overboard. 

[R188 7857]

The Q44 never fails to make me late. It's honestly so stupid that I had to wait 25 minutes in the middle of rush hour for two buses to come at the same time, especially on a route as frequently used as this one. 

[Dannny]

1 hour ago, R188 7857 said:

The Q44 never fails to make me late. It's honestly so stupid that I had to wait 25 minutes in the middle of rush hour for two buses to come at the same time, especially on a route as frequently used as this one. 

Couldn’t agree more. I hate the Q44. I used to take it into the city, but now I either take the Q88 or the Q64. I’m trying to catch a XD60 on the Q64. I know a few people on here have, and taken good pics of it. I hope I get a chance to ride it sometime soon. 

[NY1635]

5 hours ago, R188 7857 said:

The Q44 never fails to make me late. It's honestly so stupid that I had to wait 25 minutes in the middle of rush hour for two buses to come at the same time, especially on a route as frequently used as this one. 

This is why I rely on the Q17 as my main route for traveling between Jamaica and Flushing. There's less traffic on the 188th and HHE portions of the route than the Q44 has along Sutphin and Main Street.  Sure Kissena has traffic, but at least it doesn't get bad until the 17 reaches Holly.

[danielhg121]

Isn't the Q44 always gonna be faster than the Q17? The Q17 has to head east on Hillside Ave, then a left on 188th street, then a left on HHE and right on Kissena. The Q44 is a straight-shot down to Jamaica making very few stops and traffic is never terribly bad on Main St. I've seen drivers flooring it down Main St.