Why Bus Ridership is Declining

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If I were planning it, I would make the North Shore Line heavy rail, connect it to Manhattan, and have it continue along the Second Avenue Line (a boy can dream, can't he? ). That way, the only connection you have to wait for is the bus->subway.

 

As long as the only direct way between SI and Manhattan is to take the ferry, SI would probably still be dependant on the express bus. Even though the South Shore has the SIR, the majority of them still take the express bus.

 

I'll tell you why the folks of the South Shore use it. #1 the transfers and #2 the SIR can be rather seedy and South Shore folks have the money for the express bus, which is safer and generally used by folks who are more affluent, so they use them well. Aside from that, the areas by the SIR can be rather deserted and unsafe, so I don't blame them. You also have the X1 which I think runs damn good late at night at every 10 - 12 minutes. You really can't beat that. I myself have used the X1 on a number of occasions late at night when I didn't feel like waiting 20 minutes for the X10 for that reason.

 

The SIR and the ferry don't come anywhere near as close to providing that same level of service late at night. I think quite frankly people are getting fed up with the whole ferry thing, especially on the weekends. I know the shuttle to the ferry is necessary due to the World Trade Center work, but it is really ridiculous already. They don't even schedule the buses with the ferry, so you get off of the subway and then you're sitting there waiting for the shuttle to start up to get to the ferry and then you miss the ferry and you're forced to wait another hour. So frustrating. Meanwhile you still have to transfer to the bus or the SIR once you get off of the ferry, so depending on where you came from say in Manhattan, you could be looking at 5 transfers easily if not more and a 2/1/2 to almost 3 hour commute. A Manhattan crosstown bus to the subway then the subway to the shuttle, then the shuttle to the ferry and then the ferry to another bus or the SIR. Way too time consuming and tiring.

 

Compare that to the express bus... A one seat ride that can be as quick as a 20 - 40 minute ride depending on where you are in the city.

[checkmatechamp13]

I'll tell you why the folks of the South Shore use it. #1 the transfers and #2 the SIR can be rather seedy and South Shore folks have the money for the express bus, which is safer and generally used by folks who are more affluent, so they use them well. Aside from that, the areas by the SIR can be rather deserted and unsafe, so I don't blame them. You also have the X1 which I think runs damn good late at night at every 10 - 12 minutes. You really can't beat that. I myself have used the X1 on a number of occasions late at night when I didn't feel like waiting 20 minutes for the X10 for that reason.

 

The SIR and the ferry don't come anywhere near as close to providing that same level of service late at night. I think quite frankly people are getting fed up with the whole ferry thing, especially on the weekends. I know the shuttle to the ferry is necessary due to the World Trade Center work, but it is really ridiculous already. They don't even schedule the buses with the ferry, so you get off of the subway and then you're sitting there waiting for the shuttle to start up to get to the ferry and then you miss the ferry and you're forced to wait another hour. So frustrating. Meanwhile you still have to transfer to the bus once you get off of the ferry, so depending on where you came from say in Manhattan, you could be looking at 5 transfers easily if not more. A Manhattan crosstown bus to the subway then the subway to the shuttle, then the shuttle to the ferry and then the ferry to another bus. Way too time consuming and tiring.

 

I know about the affluent part, but I wouldn't consider the areas around the SIR stations to be deserted, except for some of the ones deep in the South Shore (like Richmond Valley).

 

Plus, on the weekend nights, if you just miss the ferry, there is a chance that you could miss your transfer as well. That way, it is $4.50 to take the subway->shuttle bus->ferry->local bus vs. $5.50 for the express bus. Even a frugal person like myself would take the express bus.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I know about the affluent part, but I wouldn't consider the areas around the SIR stations to be deserted, except for some of the ones deep in the South Shore (like Richmond Valley).

 

Plus, on the weekend nights, if you just miss the ferry, there is a chance that you could miss your transfer as well. That way, it is $4.50 to take the subway->shuttle bus->ferry->local bus vs. $5.50 for the express bus. Even a frugal person like myself would take the express bus.

 

LMAO... Only you would think about losing $2.25 as a reason to the the express bus...

 

Regarding the SIR, yeah some stations have houses nearby, but it's still rather creepy feeling for me and I wouldn't want to get off of the SIR late at night. No way. You know how you have weirdos and sh*t around especially on Staten Island.