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What would it be like if the PBLs were still around?


R42 M Train

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NYBS and Liberly Lines would've been fine on their own, if you ask me. As for the others, they needed the takeover, especially Green Lines, Jamaica, and DEFINITELY Triboro!!!

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The B103 would still be a super limited, unlike the joke it has become.

 

FG you one of the most 'negative' persons I have ever met. Not meant to be rude but being honest. Try to be more upbeat in up life for a change.

 

Yes there some aspects of the (MTA) I don't like such as the end of an 'super express' on the (Q53) and (B103) lines. The (Q53) should have still ran 'non-stop' IMO between Liberty/Cross Bay and Metro Ave/Woodhaven at least when the Q21 is running. That another topic.

 

 

With that said, 5-plus years after the merger, the service overall is 'night and day' better. The Green Bus and Triboros in their final couple of years was so bad, I am sure at the height of the just concluded 'winter 2010-11' season,

all of the buses would have broken down.

 

Just my takes.

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The B103 would still be a super limited, unlike the joke it has become.

 

I think the B103 has become way better since the MTA takeover. When Command was around, service was unreliable, and not so popular because of that reason. Now since the MTA took that route over, service is extremely reliable, more frequent, and runs during all times of the day, even Sunday. The MTA did a great job on improvement for that route.

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Zipties work wonders on RTS body panels.:eek: Don't ask how I know that! lol

 

The two companies that repaired their buses with wacky glue and duct tape? Probably not.

 

I was going to say the same thing.Dieboro coach held their buses together with silly puddy and Wrigleys gum and if they had some xtra money....Rubberbands.

 

*dies*

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

 

 

 

 

...and Shortline, meh, let FG has his opinion about the 103....

personally, I have to agree 100% w/ how Rick feels about the route.... When command had the 103, it was like (from a rider's point of view) if you didn't live in Canarsie, you didn't know the route existed.... Hell, now the B103 is up there w/ the B41 in terms of popularity... I know of a few people personally that abandoned the (2) for the B103....

 

 

Spring Creek though... they did a kick-ass job with the express routes, even going as far as changing the routings of the BM1, 2, and 3 to better suit the riders... I feel as if more people are taking expresses now that they're SC operated... Not to be like, Command did a terrible job w/ their buses... but SC one-upped them.. ten-fold... lol...

 

I hated GBL w/ a passion.... the way they neglected their buses, and the service levels w/ which they had on most of their routes (compare the Q21 when it was under GBL, to what it is now... HUGE difference).... I give loads of props to the b/o's though, b/c a lot of them were actually very courteous - despite the fact they had to drive buses that were one screw away from heading to the scrap heap.... The stories I have will have some of y'all on here LMAO-ing....

 

Triboro was just as bad as Green Bus Lines.... they aint off the hook either... Although I didn't fan much in triboro territory as much back then, I remember the deplorable conditions of those buses (inside & outside) as well....

 

JBL's... I only been on those things less than like 20 times... I found those buses to be overly filthy on the inside... wouldn't say they were on the level of GBL & Triboro; then again, JBL didn't have that many buses...

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The CNG RTSs probably would've been around maybe a year longer than when they were retired. For sure NYBS would've kept those Fishbowls around a little while longer since they still ran well [just didn't have the w/c lifts which was against the ADA code]. MCI classics would also have ran a bit longer - the NYBS and Liberty Lines ones would've been ok, the others at GBL and TB wouldn't have lasted as long.

JBL should've kept their RTSs. QSC, probably would've been ok, but down the road, they would need new buses to at least replace the RTSs.

 

On GBL, some of you remember the pics I took of 'MTA Bus 4242', where the front doors 'popped off'. It happened because the bus hit a pothole just passing by the Belt pkwy exit and near the Toys'r'us store. Just shows how shitty the buses were. Thank god for the takeover with newer buses and it seems [somewhat] that the buses are much better.

 

I think that eventually the pbls would've had to get new buses because there was only so much they can do to keep pos buses running when they have no parts or ability to keep an old bus functional.

 

Wasn't around long enough to compare the B103 service before and after. But from what I see at the Junction: it is fairly frequent and seems pretty reliable.

 

I do love what the MTA did for the Q35. Making it a limited has made it more reliable and consistant.

The flipside is the Q53 where they added too many stops to it when the only stops [subway transfers] would've been enough. That route has been made much slower - if anything, that's one change anyone should be pissed about.

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The PBLs needed to be fixed. If NYC had given the same $$$$ to the former PBLs as it gave MTA and held them to a recognizable standard, along with a real route bidding process then the system would be excellent. However the MTA beast is now the only monopoly game in town, so we just really will never know. But we do know that the MTA is robbing us everyday and is also not held to any standards, only its union employees are held to a standard that is so high that it nearly touches heaven.

:P

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The PBLs needed to be fixed. If NYC had given the same $$$$ to the former PBLs as it gave MTA and held them to a recognizable standard, along with a real route bidding process then the system would be excellent. However the MTA beast is now the only monopoly game in town, so we just really will never know. But we do know that the MTA is robbing us everyday and is also not held to any standards, only its union employees are held to a standard that is so high that it nearly touches heaven.

:)

 

You are absolutely correct. We will never know how the privates would be today IF they were given the same subsidy that the city gave the MTA after the takeover AND the city went ahead with the purchase of new buses as they were obligated to do under the contracts.

 

Of course the MTA does better - ANYONE would do better given DOUBLE the fare and double the subsidy - lets not forget the city refused to allow the privates to charge more than $1/$1.50

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How is it a joke? It makes the same stops as the BM2 up until it gets to 4th Avenue.

 

When the MTA took over the B103, it was just a rush-hour and midday operation to and from Downtown Brooklyn, probably without 15 or so runs. Now, it's 44 runs on weekdays alone.

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