BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[BreeddekalbL]

55 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I'm going to bring it up in the workshop meetings. We're paying $13.00 a day and can't get decent climate control and I'd like to know why from brass. For what they're paying for these buses, it's really inexcusable.  I actually just received a follow-up letter from one of my representatives regarding the horrific express bus service too.  Really tired of it.  These meetings are going to be very heated because there's a lot of frustration due to a lack of action.

For example, I'm of the belief that the Major Deegan should have an HOV lane for HOV traffic and the express buses.  Governor Cuomo's office sent me a BS letter last year claiming that there was no such need citing a traffic study that was supposedly conducted.  I was infuriated by the letter and even more emboldened to keep pushing for one given how backed up that expressway is and the amount of time we spend sitting in traffic on it.   

good atleast Mr Byford and company gets involved

 

and i bet that traffic study was rigged

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I'm going to bring it up in the workshop meetings. We're paying $13.00 a day and can't get decent climate control and I'd like to know why from brass. For what they're paying for these buses, it's really inexcusable.  I actually just received a follow-up letter from one of my representatives regarding the horrific express bus service too.  Really tired of it.  These meetings are going to be very heated because there's a lot of frustration due to a lack of action.

For example, I'm of the belief that the Major Deegan should have an HOV lane for HOV traffic and the express buses.  Governor Cuomo's office sent me a BS letter last year claiming that there was no such need citing a traffic study that was supposedly conducted.  I was infuriated by the letter and even more emboldened to keep pushing for one given how backed up that expressway is and the amount of time we spend sitting in traffic on it.   

Yes. The Thruway- Bronx Extension definitely needs a HOV lane to get those buses moving. Direct this to Mr. Byford. I’m sure he would have to looked at. I feel if you are paying premium fare, premium service must be offered. 

[Jdog14]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The whole thing is absurd.  They definitely need to work on it.  We get NO heat at all in the dead of the winter.  Just cold air blowing on us and then when it's actually hot there's no AC.  It's like who wants to ride the bus when all they're doing is making us sick?  I'm almost certain I was made sick by the buses this year. No doubt about it.  We had a very cold winter, and it was absurd to have buses with AC on them in the dead of winter.

 Tell TA dont spec the buses with just cold/hot for climate control lol

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Yes. The Thruway- Bronx Extension definitely needs a HOV lane to get those buses moving. Direct this to Mr. Byford. I’m sure he would have to looked at. I feel if you are paying premium fare, premium service must be offered. 

I've been at it for years. I've had discussions about it over the phone with one elected official.  One of his assistants spoke with me at length about it. "Oh we can't do it".    What I do know is that any sort of HOV lane on the Deegan would have to have the support of several elected officials, but having worked on it on Staten Island for years, I know it can be done.  It's just a long drawn out process.  The other thing I want to have a serious discussion about is signal priority and where express buses are with that. We get stuck at so many lights now that drivers used to take in the past. It's like they're afraid to drive.  Who really should be all over this is Senator Klein's office because his serves several areas that use express buses (Riverdale, Morris Park, Woodlawn, Pelham Gardens, City Island, Pelham Bay, Country Club and Throggs Neck), all areas that rely on express bus service.

I'd also like to see what Mr. Byford has to say about missing buses.  We get a lot of them now and then we're stuck waiting 20 - 30 minutes for the next bus, in addition to getting no relief bus when buses break down, which means that on Sundays when a bus breaks down, we're stuck waiting an hour for the next one.

Edited May 25, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

4 minutes ago, Jdog14 said:

 Tell TA dont spec the buses with just cold/hot for climate control lol

I don't know what they do, but as I said, all we get is cold air year round, so we basically freeze our balls off half of the year, and it seems to get worse every year.

[EastFlatbushLarry]

2 hours ago, Cait Sith said:

From what I've been told, the mechanics have to change the temperature settings in all of the buses. Drivers do not have control of the temperature in the buses, only the on/off switch.

100% accurate. 

[Joel Up Front]

Am I still wrong in believing that Carrier HVAC in anything that moves is a waste?

[trainfan22]

Anyone knows if the Q35 will serve Riis Beach tomorrow? I haven't been on the Q35 in the winter in years but IIRC the 35 outright skips riis beach outside of the Memorial Day - Labor Day weekend period.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

A Prevost out of Castleton ran on the S42 this week. I’m telling ya one will pop up on the S79 one day. 

[Future ENY OP]

17 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

A Prevost out of Castleton ran on the S42 this week. I’m telling ya one will pop up on the S79 one day. 

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

[S78 via Hylan]

20 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

They’ve appeared on the S78 and once in while, they do on the S89 before. Caught one last year.

[Orion6025]

19 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

Probably the latter except not NGs nor LFSA.

IIRC someone posted a photo of one on the 79 earlier this year. And regarding the 89, I recall every morning around 8-9 AM, there'd be some sort of Yukon coach (either 2002 MCI or Prevost) on the S89 a year ago I believe. Too bad they stopped doing that.

---

The school trippers still run em often enough. I've noticed 4302 does the S55 semi regularly, though there are probably more that i am missing or those that are untrackable

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

2 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

Apparently the person who does the 1am S42 out of the ferry that day called out. So there was no one to cover the run, a guy returning from the express kept the bus and deadheaded to the ferry to complete that quick trip. 

Heres the video:  

 

2 hours ago, Orion6025 said:

Probably the latter except not NGs nor LFSA.

IIRC someone posted a photo of one on the 79 earlier this year. And regarding the 89, I recall every morning around 8-9 AM, there'd be some sort of Yukon coach (either 2002 MCI or Prevost) on the S89 a year ago I believe. Too bad they stopped doing that.

---

The school trippers still run em often enough. I've noticed 4302 does the S55 semi regularly, though there are probably more that i am missing or those that are untrackable

They run on the S89 because there’s a run where the driver does an S89 one way, and then does express the rest of the afternoon. I think the same thing took place in the mornings. They happen on the school trippers for the same reason above, the driver has a one way trip on the school piece, and then does express the rest of the afternoon, so there’s no point in switching buses (at least for veterans). 

[Lil 57]

2 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

S78, s55, s56 school trippers

S89 rush hour tripper 

S56 midday tripper

These use express buses

[Around the Horn]

There was a Prevost on the S93 not to long ago.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Saw a Riverdale-bound BxM1 on 155th Street in Washington Heights earlier today (in the afternoon). Almost did a double take.

[Future ENY OP]

45 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

S78, s55, s56 school trippers

S89 rush hour tripper 

S56 midday tripper

These use express buses

Very good to know.

 

22 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

There was a Prevost on the S93 not to long ago.

Prevost from CSI to Bay Ridge.. Sweet. 

 

51 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

Apparently the person who does the 1am S42 out of the ferry that day called out. So there was no one to cover the run, a guy returning from the express kept the bus and deadheaded to the ferry to complete that quick trip. 

Heres the video:  

 

They run on the S89 because there’s a run where the driver does an S89 one way, and then does express the rest of the afternoon. I think the same thing took place in the mornings. They happen on the school trippers for the same reason above, the driver has a one way trip on the school piece, and then does express the rest of the afternoon, so there’s no point in switching buses (at least for veterans). 

.. Great video That S42 is about a short ride from the ferry to Clyde Place.

[SevenEleven]

We're allowed to cover trips with express buses if there's not enough time to swap out for a local bus or they need the trip done immediately. The 1am S42 is the last bus of the night so it has to get covered regardless of how late (so it falls under "right now") and at 1am, who realistically is going to be done and close enough to run the trip? 

There is a PM school trip on the 78 that has a Prevost on it, err day tho. 🤷‍♂️

EDIT: I peeped the vid, definitely know that op 😂

Edited May 26, 2018 by SevenEleven

[JX248]

Question for the B/Os: What determines who gets the day off for holidays like Memorial Day? RDO or seniority? And for those that work the holiday, what determines which route/run you drive?

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

5 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

We're allowed to cover trips with express buses if there's not enough time to swap out for a local bus or they need the trip done immediately. The 1am S42 is the last bus of the night so it has to get covered regardless of how late (so it falls under "right now") and at 1am, who realistically is going to be done and close enough to run the trip? 

There is a PM school trip on the 78 that has a Prevost on it, err day tho. 🤷‍♂️

EDIT: I peeped the vid, definitely know that op 😂

So basically after 10pm be on the lookout 🤣. I love that op, he loves the express and he’s the only guy I know that literally announces every stop. Just my thing with the express school trips, how are the kids on them? They destroy the local buses (well at least they did l during my time 2012-2016) but how are they now? When I get on the express I never see any bad interiors, so I assume they’re somewhat behaved or maintenance is just on top of it. 

[EastFlatbushLarry]

50 minutes ago, JX248 said:

Question for the B/Os: What determines who gets the day off for holidays like Memorial Day? RDO or seniority? And for those that work the holiday, what determines which route/run you drive?

seniority. aaaand seniority lol. certain (not many) depots (like flatbush) have picks for each and every major holiday (and eves... xmas eve, etc). 100 street (Tuskegee) for example, doesn't do picks for holidays. whatever your run is, you do a holiday (modified) or weekend equivalent, which may or may not be different than your original run. i can only speak to the depots/Divisions I've worked in. i can't speak on Bus Company, Queens or Staten Island Divisions. every depot and division/union handles the runs uniquely. 

[danielhg121]

7 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

We're allowed to cover trips with express buses if there's not enough time to swap out for a local bus or they need the trip done immediately. The 1am S42 is the last bus of the night so it has to get covered regardless of how late (so it falls under "right now") and at 1am, who realistically is going to be done and close enough to run the trip? 

There is a PM school trip on the 78 that has a Prevost on it, err day tho. 🤷‍♂️

EDIT: I peeped the vid, definitely know that op 😂

Is the farebox set to local mode when the op signs up for a local route? 

[paulrivera]

14 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

That's very rare... Look like that driver had plenty of seniority and was able to take the prevost out for service or not enough NG's or LFSA's at the depot..

Definitely would be nice to see one on the S78, S79 or even S89.

Come to think of it, I did see a hybrid on the Bx31 yesterday...

I didn’t see the depot that bus came from, but it seems to me that a bunch of depots were running short on buses.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

1 hour ago, danielhg121 said:

Is the farebox set to local mode when the op signs up for a local route? 

Absolutely, all buses are interchangeable. You can put an XD60 on the X17 and it will charge $6.50. You pay for the route not the type of bus. The farebox can program any route that the sign has installed. And charge accordingly based on the route that is put up. 

[Future ENY OP]

3 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

Come to think of it, I did see a hybrid on the Bx31 yesterday...

I didn’t see the depot that bus came from, but it seems to me that a bunch of depots were running short on buses.

West Farms has borrowed 2 from Casey Stengel- Queens. 4210 and 4218, and I believe they have 4416 from Gun Hill (on loan). Who knows those may stay for the weekend and head back. Also, any day now West Farms is due for new artics. I know 1016 is already there. Dunno if 1019 or 1020 made the trip into West Farms.