Manhattan Express Bus

[Gorgor]

BXM7/BXM7A serve specific areas Co-op City and Pelham Bay/City Island respectively. You would have to re-route those two express buses to have them come down York Avenue instead of having them run down Fifth & Madison Avenue, which they currently run on for most of their route in Manhattan, which would displace a lot of Bronx folks. I'm not too wild about that idea. Just bring back the X90 and run it every 20 minutes. That should suffice.

 

Or what about simply adding stops at 86th, 79th, and 72nd streets for the BxM18? It already goes downtown near Battery Park City, and no route change would be needed. Yes, it may be far from the East Side on 5th Avenue, but it still goes to where the X90 went and where the buses and subway don't. Or it can use 2nd and 3rd avenues north of 72nd.

 

And just a quick question, if you use a metrocard on a local bus for $2.25 and you transfer to an express bus, will it acknowledge the transfer stored on the metrocard and only charge you an additional $2.25?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Or what about simply adding stops at 86th, 79th, and 72nd streets for the BxM18? It already goes downtown near Battery Park City, and no route change would be needed. Yes, it may be far from the East Side on 5th Avenue, but it still goes to where the X90 went and where the buses and subway don't. Or it can use 2nd and 3rd avenues north of 72nd.

 

And just a quick question, if you use a metrocard on a local bus for $2.25 and you transfer to an express bus, will it acknowledge the transfer stored on the metrocard and only charge you an additional $2.25?

 

I haven't used a Pay-Per-Ride card for the express bus in some time, but I do recall transfering from the train at 23rd and Broadway for the X1 at the time and it took off the additional fare for the transfer. Why don't you just get an Unlimited Express Bus Plus card?? It's only $50.00 a week and that's what I buy. Of course I also use mine on the weekend to ride the express bus, but you can use it on all MTA subways and buses.

 

Regarding the BXM18, it's the same problem. The folks up in Riverdale would be pissed and I don't think the Yorkville/Upper East Side folks want a war with the folks up in Riverdale. What Riverdale wants Riverdale gets.... You notice that they have three express buses serving their crème de la crème neighbourhood (BXM1, BXM2, BXM18)...

 

Speaking of which they have direct East Midtown service, direct West Midtown service and Downtown service. They are the only neighbourhood with that abundance of express bus service in the Bronx. How well do they use it?? I've only used the BXM10 to visit a co-worker up in Morris Park and that line seems to get decent usage but it isn't packed like the X1 or anything.

[LRG]

And just a quick question, if you use a metrocard on a local bus for $2.25 and you transfer to an express bus, will it acknowledge the transfer stored on the metrocard and only charge you an additional $2.25?

 

Correct except it will charge a step-up fare of $3.25 when transferring to the subway/local bus to an express bus.

[Q101viaSteinway]

BXM7/BXM7A serve specific areas Co-op City and Pelham Bay/City Island respectively. You would have to re-route those two express buses to have them come down York Avenue instead of having them run down Fifth & Madison Avenue, which they currently run on for most of their route in Manhattan, which would displace a lot of Bronx folks. I'm not too wild about that idea. Just bring back the X90 and run it every 20 minutes. That should suffice.

 

This would be new route based on BxM7 and BxM7A as MTA Bus has blank check

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Correct except it will charge a step-up fare of $3.25 when transferring to the subway/local bus to an express bus.

 

 

Thanks for clarifying... As you said, if he was transferring from a local bus or subway, it would subtract an additional $3.25 from the Metrocard in addition to the $2.25 that he paid on the bus or subway. I am curious though if anyone has been jipped doing that on the express bus. I have had problems with a few cards on the express bus that couldn't read my Unlimited card.

 

Once on the X1 some years back I had a problem and the B/O wanted me to use another card, which I refused to do because I had just started using that card a day or so ago. I kept trying with that one until it read it, as I was not breaking out another $41.00 card (at the time) that I had bought for the following week.

 

Of late though I haven't had any problems in some time. I think it depends on where you get them from. I always buy my cards Grand Central and they seem to keep the machines up a little better there since so many people need to use them.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This would be new route based on BxM7 and BxM7A as MTA Bus has blank check

 

I other words a variation of the BXM7/BXM7A??? Otherwise, the Bronx folks would throw a fit. I mean the problem with this is that you would sort of screw up the whole "Drop-Off Only" idea which would slow down the service. I would like to know what sort of route this variation of the BXM7/BXM7A would take and how you would deal with the whole "Drop-Off Only" issue?? Some MTA Bus express buses out of Queens have this issue, and I found it so confusing when I was taking the QM1A since this sort of thing isn't an issue on any of the Staten Island express buses nor the BM express buses that I use in Brooklyn.

 

Why do they have some of the QM express buses drop off and pick up in some areas?? It seems to do with the way that they come into the city as they do a loop around 23rd and 57th... :confused:

[FamousNYLover]

T...And does the M15 SBS even connect to the M22...

Sort of, but it's walking distance from Catherine St Station.

From SB M15 SBS, passenger who need M22 have to walk to East Broadway/Chatham Sq for M9/M22.

M22 NB Riders who need M15 SBS can get off at Madison St/Oliver St can easily transfer to M15 SBS at Catherine St.

Also don't forget Downtown Alliance also operates Battery Park City Shuttle bus between South St Seaport and Battery Park City.

 

It's just a few footsteps from the M22, both buses stop at Catherine Street, but the SBS stops further up a little bit.

[checkmatechamp13]

I would agree to that, but if we are talking about Park Avenue North, buses in general are not allowed to go down or up Park Avenue North because of complaints from the people that live there, buses can only travel up and down Park Avenue South because the area is more of a business area. It's only alternative is Madison Avenue

 

It's a mix of both, it was bunching & natural ridership, the two problems that caused the x90 to get the axe. Had the schedule been expanded to actually meet with the demands, it would be alright.

 

Originally, I was planning on having it use Park Avenue North, but since they would oppose a bus route running down there (which I don't see why, considering all of the noise coming from the cars and taxis on the street), it could be routed as follows:

 

SB: York Avenue->2nd Avenue->42nd Street->Park Avenue South->23rd Street (or 34th Street)->FDR Drive

NB: Same thing, except uses 1st Avenue instead of 2nd Avenue.

 

But let's be realistic here. In an ideal world we'd have subway lines all over the place, but the reality is they take forever to build, and cost a ton. I mean you talk as if folks are just supposed to hope and hope for subway lines to be built because they carry more people. In the meantime, are those people not supposed to expect some sort of service because the subway carries more people??? Your point isn't a moot one but it is an obvious one.

 

I'm not denying that it helps out the people in the area, but I am disputing the idea that it helps relieve the subway.

 

For example, I'm not denying that the X90 was a great help to people living along York Avenue, but I beg to differ with the idea that it helped relieve the Lexington Avenue Line.

 

I read what you wrote and while you stated that the (M21) lost ridership, you didn't say that it should be axed or even reduced and justified it by saying it serves the hospital. That was my point, but I won't say you shouldn't defend your services. It's only natural as I would too and yes service to the LES does suck now in some aspects. I go to my beer spot a lot less now by the Bowery because it takes forever for an train on Saturdays and instead opt for my wine spot which is better served by the Downtown and a slew of buses. So do you think that because a line serves a hospital but has low ridership that it should kept to run over a line like the (M30)?

 

I would probably compromise by reducing service on both, but I wouldn't axe either. I can imagine the (M72) being worse than it was before the (M30) was axed.

 

Also, one thing that you didn't mention is how when the is screwed up, it causes havoc for Upper East Side/Yorkville residents who have no other subway on the East Side and to use checkmate's train-bus analysis, we know that subways carry more folks than buses do. lol

 

P.S. Yes Broadway only has one line, but the problem is that it isn't heavily used on Broadway past a certain point going Downtown and I don't see how you can solve that problem because it is just faster to take the subway. The only way I take the bus is if I'm going down to NYU and have time to kill or something and I don't feel like dealing w/the crowd on the subway.

 

Personally, I don't think any hospital should be "required" to be served by a bus. They should be served, but not if it requires an excessive amount of money.

 

BTW, doesn't the M9 serve the hospital now, so riders still have the (less convenient) option of taking the M21 to the M9.

 

Or what about simply adding stops at 86th, 79th, and 72nd streets for the BxM18? It already goes downtown near Battery Park City, and no route change would be needed. Yes, it may be far from the East Side on 5th Avenue, but it still goes to where the X90 went and where the buses and subway don't. Or it can use 2nd and 3rd avenues north of 72nd.

 

And just a quick question, if you use a metrocard on a local bus for $2.25 and you transfer to an express bus, will it acknowledge the transfer stored on the metrocard and only charge you an additional $2.25?

 

It will charge you $3.25 and take your transfer, since the express bus fare is $5.50.

 

Thanks for clarifying... As you said, if he was transferring from a local bus or subway, it would subtract an additional $3.25 from the Metrocard in addition to the $2.25 that he paid on the bus or subway. I am curious though if anyone has been jipped doing that on the express bus. I have had problems with a few cards on the express bus that couldn't read my Unlimited card.

 

Once on the X1 some years back I had a problem and the B/O wanted me to use another card, which I refused to do because I had just started using that card a day or so ago. I kept trying with that one until it read it, as I was not breaking out another $41.00 card (at the time) that I had bought for the following week.

 

Of late though I haven't had any problems in some time. I think it depends on where you get them from. I always buy my cards Grand Central and they seem to keep the machines up a little better there since so many people need to use them.

 

I remember one time, I took the subway and then, as I got out, I combined the values of 2 MetroCards that I had. When I transferred to the express bus, the farebox took off the full fare.

 

Now, whenever I have to combine MetroCards, I make sure to do it before or after I've completed my trip.

[FamousNYLover]

During summer time, Park Av SB between 42nd & 41st Streets are sidewalk cafe.

Park Av NB between 41st & 42nd Streets has New York Airport Service, so it might be hard for bus to go through there.

Park Av South begins/originate at 33rd St and becomes Park Av.

[Q101viaSteinway]

I other words a variation of the BXM7/BXM7A??? Otherwise, the Bronx folks would throw a fit. I mean the problem with this is that you would sort of screw up the whole "Drop-Off Only" idea which would slow down the service. I would like to know what sort of route this variation of the BXM7/BXM7A would take and how you would deal with the whole "Drop-Off Only" issue?? Some MTA Bus express buses out of Queens have this issue, and I found it so confusing when I was taking the QM1A since this sort of thing isn't an issue on any of the Staten Island express buses nor the BM express buses that I use in Brooklyn.

 

Why do they have some of the QM express buses drop off and pick up in some areas?? It seems to do with the way that they come into the city as they do a loop around 23rd and 57th... :confused:

 

To World Financial Center it would make pick up at all BxM7 stops then all BxM7A non City Island stops then all X90 pick up stops above 34th Street and drop off at all X90 Lower Manhattan stops

[FamousNYLover]

During my survey at 5th Av/34th St, people who transfer from BxM7 and BxM7A to BxM18 will not going to be happy if they found bus drop off on Park Av.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It will charge you $3.25 and take your transfer, since the express bus fare is $5.50.

 

I remember one time, I took the subway and then, as I got out, I combined the values of 2 MetroCards that I had. When I transferred to the express bus, the farebox took off the full fare.

 

Now, whenever I have to combine MetroCards, I make sure to do it before or after I've completed my trip.

 

I've never combined Metrocards since even if I get a Pay-Per-Ride, I always make sure to use the full amount. So how did you combine them? I assume you dipped the first card and it took off whatever you had on it and then dipped the second one to make up the difference, but you still had money on the second one?

 

Yeah, I wouldn't combine them either. Wayyy to risky and quite frankly with the stupid amounts that are left on those Pay-Per-Ride cards now, the should be forced to change that. I mean those amounts will never be used, so the gets to keep that money. Yet another reason why I buy an Unlimited Card. I don't want them having a cent more than what they're supposed to have of my money. :mad:

 

 

I'm not denying that it helps out the people in the area, but I am disputing the idea that it helps relieve the subway.

 

For example, I'm not denying that the X90 was a great help to people living along York Avenue, but I beg to differ with the idea that it helped relieve the Lexington Avenue Line.

 

 

Quite frankly anything that helps overcrowding on that line is a help, so I totally disagree with that. Ridership is increasing overall, not decreasing and eliminating options on the East Side like the X90 is a terrible idea. Decrease it so that the line is fully utilized but don't cut it because the SAS is many years away from being completed.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

To World Financial Center it would make pick up at all BxM7 stops then all BxM7A non City Island stops then all X90 pick up stops above 34th Street and drop off at all X90 Lower Manhattan stops

 

If this isn't a variation of the BXM7/BXM7A (in other words a route on its own), then folks in Pelham Bay and Co-op City will be pissed because it would leave them too far away from their normal route.

The only people this helps really are the X90 riders and folks in the Bronx who need Downtown service since they wouldn't have to transfer to the BXM18.

[BZGuy]

If this isn't a variation of the BXM7/BXM7A (in other words a route on its own), then folks in Pelham Bay and Co-op City will be pissed because it would leave them too far away from their normal route.

The only people this helps really are the X90 riders and folks in the Bronx who need Downtown service since they wouldn't have to transfer to the BXM18.

 

I would pay good money to see the catfights between the BxM18 and x90 riders. Commuters can be so delightfully bitchy at times!

[Cait Sith]

I would pay good money to see the catfights between the BxM18 and x90 riders. Commuters can be so delightfully bitchy at times!

 

I was in the middle of one, these two broads on the x19 I was on (CT 2219) got into a fight over the front seat...it spilled out onto the street at Broadway & Park Place!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I would pay good money to see the catfights between the BxM18 and x90 riders. Commuters can be so delightfully bitchy at times!

 

 

The two things that get my blood boiling is when people take their chairs and recline right on my legs and when people are admamant about wanting to sit next to me when other seats are open and I have my laptop out.

 

What I do with the reclining thing is if the person comes all the way to back where I'm sitting at and thinks they're going to push back on legs, I'll just put my leg right there and they can try all they want to push back because it won't happen. Then they look back and I give them the look of death which either stops them dead in their tracks or they go and sit somewhere else. I rarely have that problem though because most folks are competent enough to know that I'm 6'4" and won't take kindly to them reclining on my leg, so they won't even bother.

 

I once got into a heated exchange with this chick that thought she would be cute and force me to move my sh*t when she already had a seat she was sitting in alone. So she gets up from where she's sitting and has someone else sit in that two seater and then demands me to move my stuff so that she can sit next to me, so I'm like you're going to have to wait. So now I'm putting my laptop away already heated because she was just being a smart @ss and then she goes, "This is taking too long" and starts moving my stuff. I f*cking lost it.

 

My blood pressure must've been off of the charts. Anyway I got so heated that the entire bus heard me using every profanity in the book and I refused to let her sit there and got her away from touching my personal stuff. There are certain codes that you just don't cross on the express bus and I was not letting her get away w/that sh*t. I had to wind up getting the B/O to just let me off of the bus there at Houston and Broadway and waiting for the next one until I could calm down because I was just livid. The next one came (an X10) about 45 minutes later and I think it took me that long to settle down. LOL The Italian in me I suppose... We Sicilians are hot blooded.

 

There's also a black guy on the X10 who I see from time to time who gives everyone diry looks when they get on. He puts his bag on the seat next to him and then he takes his right arm like a little kid and stretches it so he grabs the arm rest by the aisle in an attempt to prevent anyone from sitting next to him. I get a chuckle everytime I see him. LOL

[FamousNYLover]

Slighly little off-topic, but relative.

 

After I came back from vacation in Akron, OH, during weekday, I went to try out (NJT)'s GoBus#28, express version of #28 local.

When I was on PM Rush Hour bus ride, I took front seat facing toward B/O.

When bus got crowded, fat lady squeezed into middle seat, I felt like sardine.

[Cait Sith]

The two things that get my blood boiling is when people take their chairs and recline right on my legs and when people are admamant about wanting to sit next to me when other seats are open and I have my laptop out.

 

What I do with the reclining thing is if the person comes all the way to back where I'm sitting at and thinks they're going to push back on legs, I'll just put my leg right there and they can try all they want to push back because it won't happen. Then they look back and I give them the look of death which either stops them dead in their tracks or they go and sit somewhere else. I rarely have that problem though because most folks are competent enough to know that I'm 6'4" and won't take kindly to them reclining on my leg, so they won't even bother.

 

I once got into a heated exchange with this chick that thought she would be cute and force me to move my sh*t when she already had a seat she was sitting in alone. So she gets up from where she's sitting and has someone else sit in that two seater and then demands me to move my stuff so that she can sit next to me, so I'm like you're going to have to wait. So now I'm putting my laptop away already heated because she was just being a smart @ss and then she goes, "This is taking too long" and starts moving my stuff. I f*cking lost it.

 

My blood pressure must've been off of the charts. Anyway I got so heated that the entire bus heard me using every profanity in the book and I refused to let her sit there and got her away from touching my personal stuff. There are certain codes that you just don't cross on the express bus and I was not letting her get away w/that sh*t. I had to wind up getting the B/O to just let me off of the bus there at Houston and Broadway and waiting for the next one until I could calm down because I was just livid. The next one came (an X10) about 45 minutes later and I think it took me that long to settle down. LOL The Italian in me I suppose... We Sicilians are hot blooded.

 

There's also a black guy on the X10 who I see from time to time who gives everyone diry looks when they get on. He puts his bag on the seat next to him and then he takes his right arm like a little kid and stretches it so he grabs the arm rest by the aisle in an attempt to prevent anyone from sitting next to him. I get a chuckle everytime I see him. LOL

 

Codes on an express bus?! Sounds like some sort of weird cult. LOL.

[checkmatechamp13]

I've never combined Metrocards since even if I get a Pay-Per-Ride, I always make sure to use the full amount. So how did you combine them? I assume you dipped the first card and it took off whatever you had on it and then dipped the second one to make up the difference, but you still had money on the second one?

 

Yeah, I wouldn't combine them either. Wayyy to risky and quite frankly with the stupid amounts that are left on those Pay-Per-Ride cards now, the should be forced to change that. I mean those amounts will never be used, so the gets to keep that money. Yet another reason why I buy an Unlimited Card. I don't want them having a cent more than what they're supposed to have of my money. :mad:

 

 

 

 

 

Quite frankly anything that helps overcrowding on that line is a help, so I totally disagree with that. Ridership is increasing overall, not decreasing and eliminating options on the East Side like the X90 is a terrible idea. Decrease it so that the line is fully utilized but don't cut it because the SAS is many years away from being completed.

 

No, that's not what I meant by combining them.

 

Let's say you have $5 left on a MetroCard. That isn't enough to pay an express bus fare (you would have to add coins, but then you couldn't get a transfer). So you would have to add the $5 onto another MetroCard so that you have enough money to pay the fare.

 

I don't like having small amounts on MetroCards, so whenever the balance falls below, say $10-15, I always make sure to add the value onto another MetroCard.

 

That's how my family gets around having those small amounts left on MetroCards. For example, when my brother and myself go on trips with the YMCA, they give us MetroCards to pay our transit fare, but we always end up with little amounts such as $0.20, so we add them onto MetroCards we already have (though, lately, they've been giving out $4.50 MetroCards, which are just enough for 2 fares). Between all of the little amounts we combine together, that has saved us from paying for a couple of rides.

 

What I was referring to was the fact that I was combining them and lost the transfer. Now, I make sure to know how much money is left, and combine the MetroCards either before or after I've completed the trip, so I don't have to worry about losing the transfers (or I lose them the old-fashioned way-when the farebox takes off a fare rather than a transfer )

 

To combine the values of MetroCards (I know you use Unlimited MetroCards, so this doesn't affect you), you can go up to a station agent and hand him the 2 MetroCards you want to combine, and he combines them for you. You can combine up to 4 MetroCards (or is it 5?) at one time.

[B35 via Church]

Codes on an express bus?! Sounds like some sort of weird cult. LOL.

 

^^and it feels like one, too... lol...

------

 

 

The reclining seat battles, that's number one on most express bus riders' list....

 

when someone reclines too far back (generally, I sit on about a 20 degree angle anyway), I put my hand on the back of the seat (lightly), as if to give off the impression that the seat can't recline no more.... Then if someone is still (forcefully) reclining the chair back, THAT's when I shove the seat forward forcefully, and go off w/ a bunch of expletives directed at that person.....

 

The sitting next to me thing, that doesn't bother me to the point where I cop an attitude, and/or actually get pissed off about it....

however, when people act like they don't want you to sit next to them (whether it be by facial expressions, or the way they move their things out the way; remember, most communication is non-verbal), those are the ones I give the dirtiest looks to...

 

^^ this isn't exclusive to the express bus.... but the attitudes pertaining to this on express bus, is the worst - compared to the local bus & the subway...

 

 

few other things, off-top, that irritate me about the express bus at times...

1) when people take up time, dropping a shitload of change in the farebox.... especially if I'm the person waiting on line behind that person...

 

2) the time it takes to prepare for, and onload, wheelchair passengers.... Not the wheelchair passengers themselves.....

This is worsened when there's no other seats available on the bus, and people start figuring & fussing over where they're gonna sit, b/c they have to get up to accomodate the wheelchair passenger....

 

That's why I NEVER sit in those seats.

 

3) the people that sit on the outer edges of seats, and have their f***ing knee and/or shoe stuck out in the (already narrow enough) walking aisle.... this is #2 on my list, behind the seat reclining thing....

 

4) this is a little nitpicky, but when you're amongst the last few ppl. left on the bus, the b/o asks you to sit more towards the front of the bus.... Most days, I don't feel like choppin it up with (talking to) the b/o's...

I know where I'm gettin off, and I'm not dozing off....

 

 

as for via's situation, I never had a situation where I had someone touch my belongings... He may be hot blooded, but I'm quick tempered... Result would have been equal; I would've reacted the same way.... b/c of it, I have to go extra lengths to prevent things from happening when I'm around the general public, whether it be on public transportation, walking the streets, or otherwise.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No, that's not what I meant by combining them.

 

Let's say you have $5 left on a MetroCard. That isn't enough to pay an express bus fare (you would have to add coins, but then you couldn't get a transfer). So you would have to add the $5 onto another MetroCard so that you have enough money to pay the fare.

 

I don't like having small amounts on MetroCards, so whenever the balance falls below, say $10-15, I always make sure to add the value onto another MetroCard.

 

That's how my family gets around having those small amounts left on MetroCards. For example, when my brother and myself go on trips with the YMCA, they give us MetroCards to pay our transit fare, but we always end up with little amounts such as $0.20, so we add them onto MetroCards we already have (though, lately, they've been giving out $4.50 MetroCards, which are just enough for 2 fares). Between all of the little amounts we combine together, that has saved us from paying for a couple of rides.

 

What I was referring to was the fact that I was combining them and lost the transfer. Now, I make sure to know how much money is left, and combine the MetroCards either before or after I've completed the trip, so I don't have to worry about losing the transfers (or I lose them the old-fashioned way-when the farebox takes off a fare rather than a transfer )

 

To combine the values of MetroCards (I know you use Unlimited MetroCards, so this doesn't affect you), you can go up to a station agent and hand him the 2 MetroCards you want to combine, and he combines them for you. You can combine up to 4 MetroCards (or is it 5?) at one time.

 

I knew how to combine them. It's just that I stopped using Pay-Per-Ride sometime ago overall. The only time I use them now is if I'm going on vacation and I'm sure that I won't be going to the city or I'll be travelling somewhere or something. Then I'll buy one to give me just enough for however many express bus rides I need or whatever. What I've done also is to buy one (a Pay-Per-Ride Metrocard) so that I can push back the date of when I'll need a new Unlimited Express Bus Plus card to say Monday. I used to have it so that I'd need a new one on Friday since it would expire the next day and that didn't work out because I would be rushing out of the office trying to catch the last express bus to avoid having to schlepp on the X10, X1 or X12 or whatever and I'd forget to get one, leaving me to hope that one of the stores on Forest Ave. had one I could buy of any kind just to get me into the city.

 

What annoys me is that the stores won't allow you to use your credit card and so you can only pay with cash since I don't use transit checks. That would mean me having to schlepp to my bank, get the $45.00 out (actually $60.00 since most banks only give increments of $20.00 except for Citibank and Chase to my knowledge, which give out increments of $20 & 10 bills and $20 & $50 bills accordingly). Often times the stores would run out, so then not only did I have to spend time going to the bank, but I'd have to go to several places on Staten Island to get one, via a taxi since the stores are so spread out on the island, meaning wasted money and time.

 

I've set it up now to need a new Metrocard every Tuesday because sometimes Mondays are holidays, this way, if I don't go to work, I can still go into the office on Tuesday with the card, use it, and then start a fresh one on Wednesday after stopping at Grand Central at lunch or whatever to pick up a new one from one of the vending machines. It's also great because I can put it on my Amex and get points, which I can then use to pay for other charges or whatever, so it's like the Metrocard pays for itself and if I loose it or it gets damaged, I can just report it lost if I want to and the will refund you a pro-rated amount on your credit card in a few days rather than going months and waiting for a refund. They do however charge you a processing fee if your report a Metocard lost or stolen twice and used a credit card, but that's assuming that you use the same credit card of course, otherwise I don't see how they would know how many times you've reported a Metrocard lost or stolen in the course of the year.

[B35 via Church]

No, that's not what I meant by combining them.

 

Let's say you have $5 left on a MetroCard. That isn't enough to pay an express bus fare (you would have to add coins, but then you couldn't get a transfer). So you would have to add the $5 onto another MetroCard so that you have enough money to pay the fare.

 

I don't like having small amounts on MetroCards, so whenever the balance falls below, say $10-15, I always make sure to add the value onto another MetroCard.

 

That's how my family gets around having those small amounts left on MetroCards. For example, when my brother and myself go on trips with the YMCA, they give us MetroCards to pay our transit fare, but we always end up with little amounts such as $0.20, so we add them onto MetroCards we already have (though, lately, they've been giving out $4.50 MetroCards, which are just enough for 2 fares). Between all of the little amounts we combine together, that has saved us from paying for a couple of rides.

 

What I was referring to was the fact that I was combining them and lost the transfer. Now, I make sure to know how much money is left, and combine the MetroCards either before or after I've completed the trip, so I don't have to worry about losing the transfers (or I lose them the old-fashioned way-when the farebox takes off a fare rather than a transfer )

 

To combine the values of MetroCards (I know you use Unlimited MetroCards, so this doesn't affect you), you can go up to a station agent and hand him the 2 MetroCards you want to combine, and he combines them for you. You can combine up to 4 MetroCards (or is it 5?) at one time.

 

I don't waste my time w/ combining metrocards... I find that Station Agents tend to give you a hard time when you ask them to do that...

 

I generally know around how much is left on my card anyway, so to have to combine metrocards in desperation, or 'because I don't like having too little an amount' on them, never comes to play....

 

If I feel as if I have insufficient funds on the metrocard, I simply refill it...

That's all, and that's it....

 

That isn't to say that there hasn't been times when I thought I had too little, and actually had an adequate amount on it... Like this past thursday, I put a 20 spot on the card, and now I got 40 somethin on it.... lol....

[B35 via Church]

Why do they have some of the QM express buses drop off and pick up in some areas?? It seems to do with the way that they come into the city as they do a loop around 23rd and 57th... :confused:

 

You just answered your own question....

 

 

This is very common on weekend runs on the QM buses....

- Some buses come inbound, go on their layover (with passengers still inside the bus), and head back outbound.....

- Some buses come inbound & head back outbound w/ no layover whatsoever, picking up pax in manhattan....

 

One saturday on the Qm1 some months ago, I rode from Union Tpke/164th to Union Tpke/188th - via Manhattan... b/o didn't say squat when I got off either....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

^^and it feels like one, too... lol...

------

 

 

The reclining seat battles, that's number one on most express bus riders' list....

 

when someone reclines too far back (generally, I sit on about a 20 degree angle anyway), I put my hand on the back of the seat (lightly), as if to give off the impression that the seat can't recline no more.... Then if someone is still (forcefully) reclining the chair back, THAT's when I shove the seat forward forcefully, and go off w/ a bunch of expletives directed at that person.....

 

The sitting next to me thing, that doesn't bother me to the point where I cop an attitude, and/or actually get pissed off about it....

however, when people act like they don't want you to sit next to them (whether it be by facial expressions, or the way they move their things out the way; remember, most communication is non-verbal), those are the ones I give the dirtiest looks to...

 

^^ this isn't exclusive to the express bus.... but the attitudes pertaining to this on express bus, is the worst - compared to the local bus & the subway...

 

 

few other things, off-top, that irritate me about the express bus at times...

1) when people take up time, dropping a shitload of change in the farebox.... especially if I'm the person waiting on line behind that person...

 

2) the time it takes to prepare for, and onload, wheelchair passengers.... Not the wheelchair passengers themselves.....

This is worsened when there's no other seats available on the bus, and people start figuring & fussing over where they're gonna sit, b/c they have to get up to accomodate the wheelchair passenger....

 

That's why I NEVER sit in those seats.

 

3) the people that sit on the outer edges of seats, and have their f***ing knee and/or shoe stuck out in the (already narrow enough) walking aisle.... this is #2 on my list, behind the seat reclining thing....

 

4) this is a little nitpicky, but when you're amongst the last few ppl. left on the bus, the b/o asks you to sit more towards the front of the bus.... Most days, I don't feel like choppin it up with (talking to) the b/o's...

I know where I'm gettin off, and I'm not dozing off....

 

 

as for via's situation, I never had a situation where I had someone touch my belongings... He may be hot blooded, but I'm quick tempered... Result would have been equal; I would've reacted the same way.... b/c of it, I have to go extra lengths to prevent things from happening when I'm around the general public, whether it be on public transportation, walking the streets, or otherwise.....

 

The farebox thing drives me nuts also, especially if I'm in line and it's the morning rush. I have literally gotten so irritated that I've started cursing at the person with the change for holding up the whole line with their nonsense because they don't have it prepared when they've been sitting there waiting for the bus knowing that they're paying the $5.50 fare in coins. :mad:

 

Another thing that I've gotten into arguments about is the express bus line. This chick just walks up to the front of the long @ss line like no one is there so I go "Excuse me, but there's a line here" (in a irritated tone) and she acts like she didn't know and goes "Well then go on ahead if you're in such a rush". Others have tried that sh*t too because it's raining outside and they don't have an umbrella and I basically tell them that that's their problem not mine. lol

 

The others that B35 has touched on also annoy me. What gets me cranky is when I sit in the back of the BM3, I'm usually the last one off in Brooklyn, so the B/O will ask where I'm getting off at and I have to shout with my deep voice so that he can hear me. Sometimes they get an attitude if they can't hear me like I need to run up to the front to tell them. I mean who cares, just drive and I'll request the stop when I'm getting off.

 

Most of them are cool though and what they'll do is they'll just bypass that whole stupid loop around Knapp St to Emmons and take me directly to Sheepshead Bay Road via Shore Parkway & then Emmons.

 

As for people sitting next to me it doesn't happen often because I schedule myself so as to get buses that I know generally won't be crowded so I have next to someone maybe a few times a year if that. If the person comes to sit next to me I make it clear that they'd better f*cking move when the bus clears out because that means I have no leg room and my legs are all cramped & sh*t. Not very comfortable at 6'4" to say the least.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You just answered your own question....

 

 

This is very common on weekend runs on the QM buses....

- Some buses come inbound, go on their layover (with passengers still inside the bus), and head back outbound.....

- Some buses come inbound & head back outbound w/ no layover whatsoever, picking up pax in manhattan....

 

One saturday on the Qm1 some months ago, I rode from Union Tpke/164th to Union Tpke/188th - via Manhattan... b/o didn't say squat when I got off either....

 

 

But I had never used any express bus that did that so it was rather confusing.