BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[MysteriousBtrain]

10 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

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. 

Didn't 1016 go back to new flyer?

[Future ENY OP]

9 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Didn't 1016 go back to new flyer?

You might be right. I believe that’s the blueprint bus for the orders correct? 

[SevenEleven]

4 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

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. 

I've done a bunch of school trips out of Castleton and they've pretty much been good. Not as rowdy as they used to be. 

4 hours 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?

Throughout the system, if your picked assignment has the same RDOs as the holiday, you automatically get it off. So anyone with Monday RDOs will have Memorial Day off by default. 

In Staten Island, we pick for holidays that have a special schedule in place for that day. (MLK, Presidents, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Xmas and New Years) You can pick onto the "Fall Off" list which forces you to have the day off with pay. (But no AVA accural for our future coworkers reading this)  Thanksgiving thru New Year's is covered with one holiday pick and operators are entitled to have one of these days off, if they don't already have one via RDOs. 

For other holidays that simply roll on a different schedule day, the general rule of thumb is that if your run exists on that schedule day (Memorial Day is a Sunday schedule in SI), then you'll be working that. If it doesn't, then more than likely you will be getting forced off. This applies for people with regular runs and work runs. Those on the extra list, vacation relief, etc., getting the day off may go either way depending on specific things about your own assignment at the time. 

Example: Memorial Day last year, I had a work run. On Mondays regularly, I had to do 34 on the 79. This run has Sundays off and a Sunday version of this run didn't exist. Got forced off. On July 4th, I has a straight run with Wednesday and Thursday off. I had to work the Saturday version of my run on July 4th. 

[JX248]

2 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

Throughout the system, if your picked assignment has the same RDOs as the holiday, you automatically get it off. So anyone with Monday RDOs will have Memorial Day off by default. 

In Staten Island, we pick for holidays that have a special schedule in place for that day. (MLK, Presidents, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Xmas and New Years) You can pick onto the "Fall Off" list which forces you to have the day off with pay. (But no AVA accural for our future coworkers reading this)  Thanksgiving thru New Year's is covered with one holiday pick and operators are entitled to have one of these days off, if they don't already have one via RDOs. 

For other holidays that simply roll on a different schedule day, the general rule of thumb is that if your run exists on that schedule day (Memorial Day is a Sunday schedule in SI), then you'll be working that. If it doesn't, then more than likely you will be getting forced off. This applies for people with regular runs and work runs. Those on the extra list, vacation relief, etc., getting the day off may go either way depending on specific things about your own assignment at the time. 

Example: Memorial Day last year, I had a work run. On Mondays regularly, I had to do 34 on the 79. This run has Sundays off and a Sunday version of this run didn't exist. Got forced off. On July 4th, I has a straight run with Wednesday and Thursday off. I had to work the Saturday version of my run on July 4th. 

Cool. Thanks!

[Lil 57]

9 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

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

Yes, it's changed to local fare. 

One time I went on the S57 bus (Nova LFS) and it charged me express fare.

[trainfan22]

The Q35 I took to the beach today, ridership was surprisingly light, I was expecting the bus to be jammed and SRI, but it wasn't. A lady got on further down the line even said to the driver "I thought this bus would be packed".

 

 

Rode the M23 later in the day and it was an XD60, the A/C is excellent on those buses, never been on a Artic with such good A/C!

Edited May 27, 2018 by trainfan22

[Lil 57]

Quick question: Do bus drivers get to choose what bus they're taking for a run, or does the MTA assign them a bus?

[MysteriousBtrain]

5 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

Quick question: Do bus drivers get to choose what bus they're taking for a run, or does the MTA assign them a bus?

It's usually assigned, but senior drivers get better priority on what model they use.

[Lil 57]

Just now, MysteriousBtrain said:

It's usually assigned, but senior drivers get better priority on what model they use.

So if a senior driver wanted to use a Non-SBS bus on a SBS route or vise-verse, would they be allowed to do that?

[R68OnBroadway]

6 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

So if a senior driver wanted to use a Non-SBS bus on a SBS route or vise-verse, would they be allowed to do that?

Probably not. They most likely have limitations on what buses they can choose.

[SevenEleven]

Buses are assigned based on availability and what type of bus needs to go out on a route. Yes, anyone can ask for what they prefer but it's at the discretion of the dispatcher and what is available for use at the time.

[XBht26]

4 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

Buses are assigned based on availability and what type of bus needs to go out on a route. Yes, anyone can ask for what they prefer but it's at the discretion of the dispatcher and what is available for use at the time.

If you’re a night hawk operator, you can pick which bus you want. In ENY Depot, ideally they have the xd40s ready for them. I have seen an Orion vii hybrid on a hawk one night. 

[SevenEleven]

40 minutes ago, XBht26 said:

If you’re a night hawk operator, you can pick which bus you want. In ENY Depot, ideally they have the xd40s ready for them. I have seen an Orion vii hybrid on a hawk one night. 

Not on the Island, unfortunately. You're forced with a LFS or a Prevost for express. 

[EastFlatbushLarry]

5 hours ago, XBht26 said:

If you’re a night hawk operator, you can pick which bus you want. In ENY Depot, ideally they have the xd40s ready for them. I have seen an Orion vii hybrid on a hawk one night. 

correct. at east ny, usually the xd's & og hybrids are what they prefer to go out first. any high mileage buses (RTS's) are locked up in havens lot or williams lot until the 5am reports and pull outs. at 100 street, they have all hawks pull out from the first floor, which would be chock full of D60HF's. nowadays, the LFS-A's are sent out for hawk pull outs. not every depot methodically "forces" hawks to pull out certain equipment. Flatbush parks buses whichever way, so it's a crap shoot as to what you may pull out. of course, senior operators can respectfully decline a bus and select their preference, but for the most part, yard dispatchers in general (especially for the hawks report times) aren't hard asses or a**holes. they'll let you pull out whatever at that hour. Same dispatcher at 5am, however, won't have the same attitude... especially with a GS or AGM floating around or breathing over their shoulder  

[Around the Horn]

And LFSA 5514 gets the honor of being the first Cuomo scheme bus with a side ad... (not my photo) 

I always had a feeling that Quill would be the first depot to do this, cause it seems like all their buses are plastered with both regular size, king size and rooftop ads. Guess its only a matter of time before they start covering the XE40s in ads for Broadway shows...

[Future ENY OP]

13 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

And LFSA 5514 gets the honor of being the first Cuomo scheme bus with a side ad... (not my photo) 

I always had a feeling that Quill would be the first depot to do this, cause it seems like all their buses are plastered with both regular size, king size and rooftop ads. Guess its only a matter of time before they start covering the XE40s in ads for Broadway shows...

Between Quill and MCH  They both usually slap ads on their buses very quickly. Well, more deliveries are coming for both Quill and MCH for new buses. Hopefully other depots do follow on slapping ads on their buses. 

[MHV184]

1 minute ago, Future ENY OP said:

Between Quill and MCH  They both usually slap ads on their buses very quickly. Well, more deliveries are coming for both Quill and MCH for new buses. Hopefully other depots do follow on slapping ads on their buses. 

Actually funny you should say that because the opposite is happening to Manhattanville Depot's buses they are removing all the ads on their buses.

[Lil 57]

20 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

And LFSA 5514 gets the honor of being the first Cuomo scheme bus with a side ad... (not my photo) 

I always had a feeling that Quill would be the first depot to do this, cause it seems like all their buses are plastered with both regular size, king size and rooftop ads. Guess its only a matter of time before they start covering the XE40s in ads for Broadway shows...

How much does it cost to put an ad on a MTA bus?

[Future ENY OP]

Just now, MHV184 said:

Actually funny you should say that because the opposite is happening to Manhattanville Depot's buses they are removing all the ads on their buses.

Unless they are going for repaint, wash, or overhaul. Manhattanville tends to do the same like Quill and MCH. However, I haven’t seen any driver side wraps on MHV buses in a while. 

[MHV184]

1 minute ago, Future ENY OP said:

Unless they are going for repaint, wash, or overhaul. Manhattanville tends to do the same like Quill and MCH. However, I haven’t seen any driver side wraps on MHV buses in a while. 

Yea me either.

[trainfan22]

Was uptown today and apparently the BX12 local is running from Inwood to Orchard Beach, but the timetable online doesn't show this, but I have a feeling it's weekend only until July 4th. If it's hot out next week I'll go up to the BX to see if the 12 local is running to the beach.

 

 

Would prefer every day be like today though, overcast hoodie weather is my favorite type of weather☺️

[Ty24]

6 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

And LFSA 5514 gets the honor of being the first Cuomo scheme bus with a side ad... (not my photo) 

 

They seem to only be putting ads on the left sides of the Nova LFS/A. I wonder why the right side of LFS/A are not seeing any ads..

. . 

[Missabassie]

4 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

Was uptown today and apparently the BX12 local is running from Inwood to Orchard Beach, but the timetable online doesn't show this, but I have a feeling it's weekend only until July 4th. If it's hot out next week I'll go up to the BX to see if the 12 local is running to the beach.

 

 

Would prefer every day be like today though, overcast hoodie weather is my favorite type of weather☺️

Same dood. 😉  I can't stand too much of that muggy stuff like Saturday....

[paulrivera]

5 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

Was uptown today and apparently the BX12 local is running from Inwood to Orchard Beach, but the timetable online doesn't show this, but I have a feeling it's weekend only until July 4th. If it's hot out next week I'll go up to the BX to see if the 12 local is running to the beach.

Thru service from Sedgwick and Inwood are weekend only until the summer pick starts.

I think they run a shuttle from Pelham Bay during the week also, or at least they did in the past before the summer pick starts. But either way you're right; there's no timetable that shows what time these buses run.

[Lawrence St]

Wasn't there a prevost on the M103 not to long ago?