Today is the first anniversary of the devastating bus cuts

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'm sick of this discussion, but a few points.

 

@Joel and Via: C'mon guys, this is basic. Yeah, the MCI has 57 seats on a 45-foot vs. 62 on a 60-foot, but it's 57 people total! On an MCI you can only fit 57 people on, because standees aren't allowed. On a D60HF you can fit 145 people -- now that's a bit more than an MCI. Heck, on the 40-foot bus (that's smaller than the MCI) you can fit 70 people. It's just ignorant to say that MCIs are more practical capacity-wise than a D60HF -- that's ignoring all standee-room. If we used the same buses for express and say, select, then we could fit the seated number for express buses and the standee number for the other service.

 

One of the things that you're overlooking is that the loading guidelines for express buses vs local buses is completely different. In some situations, by law, the is NOT supposed to have standees on express buses. For example, when going between state lines, lines like the X17J, X22, X30 and X31 are by law NOT supposed to have any standees. Aside from that with the long commutes the does not want express bus riders standing ideally because the MCIs are not made for folks to be standing in the aisles. It slows down the bus significantly in terms of boarding and exiting and folks can get seriously hurt on those buses as I have personally witnessed, which means a fat lawsuit for the .

 

Finally as Jazumah noted, you are also overlooking the added expense of using longer buses for the in terms of having to build new depots or expand the current depots to hold all of these longer buses, which would offset any savings made by using the long buses.

 

That's one of the things that irks me about folks when they complain about the express bus is that they come to conclusions without knowing the full situation as to the guidelines for them and so forth.

[MHV9218]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[LRG]

That's what I've been saying for the longest. The MCIs are overkill especially on the MTA Bus express lines. Granted the MCIs were an upgrade over the Fishbowls and MCI Classics they replaced but on lines like those with horrendous off-peak service is what kills me.

 

Unfortunately, it would take years to convert the lower-used express lines to standard suburban buses because the Orion 5s and RTS' aren't due to be replaced for another three-four years max, and they're supposed to get rehabbed to keep them in service even longer. But if the MTA starts ordering standard suburban buses now it can easily push out the older MCIs and from there the MCIs get consolidated until they are all in Staten Island and Ulmer Park where they are truly needed in my opinion.

 

@MHV, is it possible that the MTA can sell their older MCIs like what Bee-Line did when they got the Suburban 800-series Orion 5s in 2008? It's not like they're scrapping them in which they'd get in trouble for scrapping equipment no older than 12 years old, they're just putting them on the market for some other transit agency to have.

[Gorgor]

I forget who mentioned this, but someone suggested making crosstown buses SBS so that it decreases travel time. One HUGE problem with that... if you're only going to be on a bus for 5 minutes then why even bother paying? Unless there's a fare inspector on every bus or at every bus stop (which would make the MTA lose money), I'm not even going to bother paying for it, and I'm certain many others will feel the same way.

 

From my experiences with the M15 SBS, I notice that there's quite a few people who don't pay, and when a bus is right at a bus stop and I have to run for it I don't even bother to pay for it - not because I don't want to spend money, but because I know I'll miss the bus.

[LRG]

That's sheer ignorance there. You're paying the $2.25 to ride the route, any route, for fast service. Some people can't walk very well and they'll use the bus as a way to get over a hill or something.

 

And so what if you miss the bus...the route runs frequently enough so you don't risk getting caught at the next stop by fare inspectors. Oh no, five minutes of time lost because you missed the bus. Please...I'd rather lose five minutes of time than $100 dollars out of my wallet.

 

Btw, I'm only aware of the M16/M34 getting +SBS along 34th Street but I'm not aware of any other crosstown routes.

[MattTrain]

Oh and speaking of fare inspectors, they are out and about more often. Just seen three people escorted off the bus for not being able to display a valid proof-of-payment receipt... Get your receipt first before you board the special bus service.

[Gorgor]

I have an old receipt in my wallet just in case. They never take a close look at them anyways. And the only times I use the SBS is to go one or two stops, so it's fine.

[MattTrain]

I have an old receipt in my wallet just in case. They never take a close look at them anyways. And the only times I use the SBS is to go one or two stops, so it's fine.

 

Hope it's not too worn out...

 

But you're better off paying your fare share just like everyone else.

[Grand Concourse]

That's sheer ignorance there. You're paying the $2.25 to ride the route, any route, for fast service. Some people can't walk very well and they'll use the bus as a way to get over a hill or something.

 

And so what if you miss the bus...the route runs frequently enough so you don't risk getting caught at the next stop by fare inspectors. Oh no, five minutes of time lost because you missed the bus. Please...I'd rather lose five minutes of time than $100 dollars out of my wallet.

 

Btw, I'm only aware of the M16/M34 getting +SBS along 34th Street but I'm not aware of any other crosstown routes.

 

Indeed, with a metality like that [i don't want to bother using the machine for 5min], that's what the MTA will likely jump on. Easy pickings. That plus you have lots of cops in the area anyway.

[LRG]

I have an old receipt in my wallet just in case. They never take a close look at them anyways. And the only times I use the SBS is to go one or two stops, so it's fine.

 

And so we have Gorgor, resident of the Yorkville neighborhood in the high and mighty Upper East Side of Manhattan who condones farebeating by not paying for the M15 +Select Bus Service even when riding for a "few stops", yet he and his constituents aren't vocal enough to get their precious X90 back. Why is it so hard for you to comprehend the fact that by using the MTA's service you're supposed to pay no matter the travel distance being one block or one mile?

 

What logic do you have by saying "I'm only going for one or two stops, so it's fine if I don't pay"? Are you serious? That's just sheer ignorance like a person who jumps the turnstile because he thinks he can get away with it. Hey I pulled tha stunt once when I was 15 but the cops gave me a warning and since then I have NEVER farebeat.

 

If you really want to risk $2.25 for $125 go ahead but don't expect any remorse from me or anyone else here because you'll just prove to us that you are no more than what you are: an idiot.

[Cait Sith]

That's sheer ignorance there. You're paying the $2.25 to ride the route, any route, for fast service. Some people can't walk very well and they'll use the bus as a way to get over a hill or something.

 

And so what if you miss the bus...the route runs frequently enough so you don't risk getting caught at the next stop by fare inspectors. Oh no, five minutes of time lost because you missed the bus. Please...I'd rather lose five minutes of time than $100 dollars out of my wallet.

 

Btw, I'm only aware of the M16/M34 getting +SBS along 34th Street but I'm not aware of any other crosstown routes.

 

You realize this is the same dude who destroyed a pair of doors on an R142 right....

[LRG]

You realize this is the same dude who destroyed a pair of doors on an R142 right....

 

LOL!!! Thanks for reminding me about that! :tup::tup::tup:

 

This guy hasn't a single clue as to how to conduct himself properly in public let alone on a transit forum (e.g. X90 rant in the thread about the return of the X37/X38). What a tool.

[Gorgor]

You realize this is the same dude who destroyed a pair of doors on an R142 right....

 

No, that was someone else. I've kicked the doors once or twice before but I've never destroyed anything.

[via White Plains Road]

No, that was someone else. I've kicked the doors once or twice before but I've never destroyed anything.

 

That's still vandalizing a train.....don't sugar coat the situation!

[Cait Sith]

No, that was someone else. I've kicked the doors once or twice before but I've never destroyed anything.

 

Ahem.....

 

 

It involved car #7742. An R142A.

 

We got to 42nd - Grand Central at 6 something I believe and the train was over crowded. Now as the doors were closing, I guess some man was upset that he wasn't able to fit in due to the crowd and he began to kick the middle doors of 7742 and of course, it broke.

 

The doors were making the open sound, and moving about an inch or two but that was it, they weren't opening at all. The light on the left side of the door would flicker on and off for a second or two but it wouldn't move. The light on the right door wouldn't even turn on.

 

Like kick kick it or just like tap it? Cause I smashed the door once with the bottom of my foot right as it closed in front of me but the train was fine. Did the train get stuck?

 

 

But thats another story for another day....

[qjtransitmaster]

No, that was someone else. I've kicked the doors once or twice before but I've never destroyed anything.

 

how does anyone do that??? I guess thats what happens when you take more than 10 to 15 seconds to open the doors NYC is not known for its patience MTA.

[Gorgor]

how does anyone do that??? I guess thats what happens when you take more than 10 to 15 seconds to open the doors NYC is not known for its patience MTA.

 

No, that's what happens when the conductor closes the doors right before I get there and then says that I shouldn't be a "f**king idiot" and run for the train.

[MattTrain]

Holy cow, where did this thread go now?

 

Anyways back to topic.

 

The B4 routing along Avenue Z to Sheepshead Bay is somewhat of a compromise in Brooklyn, but during other times, the B36 has to pick up the slack. I think by not having the B4 going to Sheepshead Bay is kinda ridiculous if you ask me because there doesn't seem to be other alternatives, (unless you call the B36 one alternative)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

One of the things that irks me about folks when they reply prematurely is that they come to conclusions without reading the full post.

 

Honestly, look at my last sentence. I'm very aware of the fact it's sometimes required by law to have standees. If you read the sentence you'll see what I think would be the best idea.

 

In terms of depots, the 60-foot is just an illustration. How about 40-footers (maybe even suburban 40-footers) on express routes? Works for me. Holds only about 15 fewer seated, and it could easily be put back into normal service and hold 70. The MCIs are a waste of money and there's no reason we need them instead of 40-foot buses.

 

I didn't say it is required by law to have standees on express buses. I said it is required by law in some cases NOT to have standees. I read what you posted quite well. The question is did you read what I posted??

[qjtransitmaster]

Holy cow, where did this thread go now?

 

Anyways back to topic.

 

The B4 routing along Avenue Z to Sheepshead Bay is somewhat of a compromise in Brooklyn, but during other times, the B36 has to pick up the slack. I think by not having the B4 going to Sheepshead Bay is kinda ridiculous if you ask me because there doesn't seem to be other alternatives, (unless you call the B36 one alternative)

 

That routing can be replaced if they extend B74 thats one option which in turn creates a completly crosstown route on neptune ave for the southern brooklyn area. Then have B4 go to kingsborough community to help B1 a wee bit. I am out of ideas man.

[MattTrain]

That routing can be replaced if they extend B74 thats one option which in turn creates a completly crosstown route on neptune ave for the southern brooklyn area. Then have B4 go to kingsborough community to help B1 a wee bit. I am out of ideas man.

 

Then which bus route goes to Sheepshead Bay, Knapp Street then? While the B4 going to Manhattan Beach with the B1 seems like an interesting idea, I don't think too many Sheepshead Bay residents wouldn't be too happy, but then again the B4 only goes to that area Rush hours only now...

[LRG]

No, that's what happens when the conductor closes the doors right before I get there and then says that I shouldn't be a "f**king idiot" and run for the train.

 

Too bad your foot didn't get caught in the door and the train started moving.

[Grand Concourse]

You realize this is the same dude who destroyed a pair of doors on an R142 right....

 

Oh snap, thanks for reminding me about that. Anyone that does that has 'issues'. I mean really, kicking at the doors? If that train had to go OOS because of that, the other riders should kick his ass for delaying them.

[qjtransitmaster]

Then which bus route goes to Sheepshead Bay, Knapp Street then? While the B4 going to Manhattan Beach with the B1 seems like an interesting idea, I don't think too many Sheepshead Bay residents wouldn't be too happy, but then again the B4 only goes to that area Rush hours only now...

 

The B74 I already said that it completely replaces B4's sheepshead bay segment that is one option.

[qjtransitmaster]

Oh snap, thanks for reminding me about that. Anyone that does that has 'issues'. I mean really, kicking at the doors? If that train had to go OOS because of that, the other riders should kick his ass for delaying them.

 

ur right I would too