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Which Routes Can Use the "Super Express"?


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The MTA has a few Super Express buses in their system, but most fall under the MTA Bus umbrella.

 

1. BM1-4: skips Battery Park, AM Rush.

2. QM1/2/2A/5: PM Rush to Queens, stops at Herald Square only.

3. BxM1: One to East Midtown during the AM rush (no stops from Marble Hill to 59th Street). There used to be two each way during the rush, but it was cut back.

4. X12/X27/X28: Super Expresses are in different numbers - X42/X37/X38 respectively that skip Battery Park.

 

So, are there any routes out there that can use a Super Express variation, or which ones need more of it?

 

For contentions of getting Supers, mine are these:

 

1. The QM15. By far, the busiest express out of the FR/JFK Depot and the one with the most occupants. I think there can be two Super Expresses during the weekday PM Rush to Howard Beach.

 

2. The BxM7. This line carries the most occupants out of the Eastchester Depot. I think this one can use a couple during the AM and PM rush. The AM ones would be at around 6:30 and 7 AM to Midtown, the PM ones at the 4:30/5 PM area. The Supers would stop at their regular stops in Midtown and East Midtown, but when it crosses to the UES, it either makes one stop (79th or 86th?) or not at all.

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The X14 should get some Super Express runs. More people ditch the X14 now (including myself) since it makes stops Downtown and they take the X2 in the mornings instead. The X42 should have a few more later runs in the morning and evenings.

 

It's funny because I said some months back that a later X2 was needed in the mornings and then violà, an X2 was added, so I maybe on to something. :cool:

 

Tomorrow I'll be taking the BxM2 to Riverdale to visit a client up in Yonkers and then getting car service back to Riverdale and using the BxM1, so perhaps I'll have some remarks about these two express bus lines as well. :cool: I'm not exactly sure I understand how the BxM18 is a Super Express. :confused:

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Amtrak beat me to it, on both points... good job bro.

 

There's no need for a super express on the BxM1/2; the ridership is pretty much spread out on the bronx & the manhattan end.....

 

The BxM7, while not exactly called super expresses, do have variants in the AM hrs. that runs straight to manhattan serving certain sections of co-op.... IIRC, there's some buses that run straight from section 5, some buses that run straight from section 1..... only thing is, there are no PM buses that act as a sort of super express - they all run the regular route.....

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I believe the BM1-4 midtown express skips battery park during the PM Rush. (does that count as super express, I know during the command days they were b/c I often took the BM1 and BM2 at 4:20 out of 40th and 5th.

 

and I don't know too much about the Bronx express network but with the BXM7 should have a PM super express. I've seen those lines in midtown when I get out of my office on Madison Ave for the BXM7 and the 10.

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The X14 should get some Super Express runs. More people ditch the X14 now (including myself) since it makes stops Downtown and they take the X2 in the mornings instead. The X42 should have a few more later runs in the morning and evenings.

 

It's funny because I said some months back that a later X2 was needed in the mornings and then violà, an X2 was added, so I maybe on to something. :cool:

 

Tomorrow I'll be taking the BxM2 to Riverdale to visit a client up in Yonkers and then getting car service back to Riverdale and using the BxM1, so perhaps I'll have some remarks about these two express bus lines as well. :cool: I'm not exactly sure I understand how the BxM18 is a Super Express. :confused:

 

apparantly they should have kept the X14 as a super express to midtown and kill X13 anyway letting those X13 riders transfer to downtown expresses or use other lines. No offense but this car service thing is type stupid the stigma with local buses is also stupid local buses are FEEDERS to express routes and are there for a reason the US's attitude needs to change otherwise the transit will dwindle. If you don't use a bus it goes away. However X14 should not even bother going to midtown since no one uses it to midtown anymore.

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I say the BXM7A that goes to City Island.

 

Ever heard of the BxM7B? It used to be the Super Express to City Island. Last year, it was axed and consolidated with the BxM7A.

 

Oh hi there, X29. How does it feel being (or formerly being) Brooklyn's only express route without a Super variant? Sucks, doesn't it? :)

 

[Not counting the BM5 of course.]

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apparantly they should have kept the X14 as a super express to midtown and kill X13 anyway letting those X13 riders transfer to downtown expresses or use other lines. No offense but this car service thing is type stupid the stigma with local buses is also stupid local buses are FEEDERS to express routes and are there for a reason the US's attitude needs to change otherwise the transit will dwindle. If you don't use a bus it goes away. However X14 should not even bother going to midtown since no one uses it to midtown anymore.

 

No, it should remain because some people do use it to Midtown. I do use it when traffic isn't too bad and it gets a lot of riders at night coming from Midtown because the ride is quicker, as it moves quicker down 5th Avenue, down 23rd st and down Water/Pearl streets. When things work as it is supposed to, the additional time added to the X14 with the Downtown stops is 10 minutes. When there is traffic (which is usually the case in the morning), the delay can be anywhere from 30 minutes.

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There's no need for a super express on the BxM1/2; the ridership is pretty much spread out on the bronx & the manhattan end...

 

I took the BxM2 from 41st and 6th over by Bryant Park up to 263rd st and Riverdale and got car service from there up to Yonkers. Let me first say that I really enjoyed Riverdale. It reminds me a lot of Brooklyn Heights, with its old but charming brick houses. You can tell from the architecture and the all of the trees that the neighborhood has a certain level of class and wealth to it. :cool:

 

The commute took over an hour and I got the 12:08 bus. Going to Riverdale on the BxM2, I didn't see that many stops, but perhaps the problem is that it gets caught in too many lights. The same thing could be said about the BxM1 coming back from Riverdale. They should try to keep those express buses on the expressways longer if at all possible, but seeing the areas that they serve below Riverdale, I don't know if you could do that anywhere. I can however see why they had a few Super Express runs.

 

I do know one thing though... I will certainly be taking more trips to Riverdale, not only because I dig the area, but because I'll probably have to meet with this client I went to visit at least a few times a year now.

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I took the BxM2 from 41st and 6th over by Bryant Park up to 263rd st and Riverdale and got car service from there up to Yonkers. Let me first say that I really enjoyed Riverdale. It reminds me a lot of Brooklyn Heights, with its old but charming brick houses. You can tell from the architecture and the all of the trees that the neighborhood has a certain level of class and wealth to it. :cool:

 

The commute took over an hour and I got the 12:08 bus. Going to Riverdale on the BxM2, I didn't see that many stops, but perhaps the problem is that it gets caught in too many lights. The same thing could be said about the BxM1 coming back from Riverdale. They should try to keep those express buses on the expressways longer if at all possible, but seeing the areas that they serve below Riverdale, I don't know if you could do that anywhere. I can however see why they had a few Super Express runs.

 

I do know one thing though... I will certainly be taking more trips to Riverdale, not only because I dig the area, but because I'll probably have to meet with this client I went to visit at least a few times a year now.

I figured you would like Riverdale... I haven't been on that side of the bronx in a good minute... can't beat those series of turns down in spuyten duyvil (all these years, and I still don't know how to pronounce that shit).....

 

Riverdale reminds you of brooklyn hgts? strange...

 

As far as wealth, class, & the whole nine, yeh, them jews up there don't play when it comes to that neighborhood... aint like borough park or williamsburg here in brooklyn where they're more tolerant..... that, and really, they have that whole side of the bronx to themselves....

 

anyway, are they still doing construction over there along the henry hudson pkwy service road (on the NB side; the side you were on) ?

 

whenever I fan any of those riverdale expresses (1/2/18), I tend to get off over on 259th so I can stop & get some'n to eat before I have to put up w/ the bx10 to the subway for the return trip home....

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I figured you would like Riverdale... I haven't been on that side of the bronx in a good minute... can't beat those series of turns down in spuyten duyvil (all these years, and I still don't know how to pronounce that shit).....

 

Riverdale reminds you of brooklyn hgts? strange...

 

As far as wealth, class, & the whole nine, yeh, them jews up there don't play when it comes to that neighborhood... aint like borough park or williamsburg here in brooklyn where they're more tolerant..... that, and really, they have that whole side of the bronx to themselves....

 

anyway, are they still doing construction over there along the henry hudson pkwy service road (on the NB side; the side you were on) ?

 

whenever I fan any of those riverdale expresses (1/2/18), I tend to get off over on 259th so I can stop & get some'n to eat before I have to put up w/ the bx10 to the subway for the return trip home....

 

Why do you think it's strange? Riverdale has a lot of greenery, but when you combine that with some of old brick houses and historical buildings and such one can also think about Brooklyn Heights. Many of the residential blocks in Brooklyn Heights have a lot of brick houses and brownstones and some are old and rickety looking but you can tell that there is wealth in those houses based on the architecture and such and the details and a lot of old big trees and greenery in certain parts of Brooklyn Heights as well. The difference perhaps is that Riverdale is a bit more suburban I think.

 

As for the construction, I can't recall specifically because there were a few places where construction was going on and there was so much to see along the way. It's a nice trip... I mean you get to pass two depots (Kingsbridge and 125th street, neither of which I had seen before) have a view of Yankees Stadium across the way and MetroNorth here and there as well. I also saw that demo bus (0059) over on 2nd Avenue coming back from Riverdale on the BxM1, which was running on the M15.

 

The one thing that is depressing though is going through all of the run down parts of Manhattan and the South Bronx. Once you get to about 230th st and Riverdale and make that little turn or whatever its supposed to be onto Riverdale Ave, the whole landscape changes. You go from projects to a nice commercial strip, which is old in some parts, but well kept (like parts Forest Avenue in West Brighton on Staten Island) and has sort of a small town feel in a way, and then further up you get a ton of greenery and it's very quiet too, which I also liked. Nice to go for walks and such. Another reason I thought of Brooklyn Heights is because the folks up there seem classy and easy going. Basically if you have the money to live there you can; at least that was the vibe I got from the folks that passed me as I was waiting there for car service to go up to Yonkers.

 

I lucked out and got a good car service which has a whole fleet of Lincolns, which of course is great for the long legs. :cool: I was also amazed at how quiet that school is across the street there at 263rd street & Riverdale Ave. There were a ton of kids there waiting and they were so well behaved and quiet and mature. Must be a private school.

 

I'm confused though, why not just take the express bus back? I had car service drop me at 261st and Riverdale Avenue across the street from the bus stop coming back since that's the first stop and the BxM1 was right there and pulled up right on time a minute or two later. They have it scheduled so that you have a BxM1 or BxM2 every 15 minutes, which is certainly great express bus service. I could've done without all of the turns though over around Kappock St and such coming back but the scenery up there was great. :tup: Looking forward to going back soon.

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Amtrak beat me to it, on both points... good job bro.

 

There's no need for a super express on the BxM1/2; the ridership is pretty much spread out on the bronx & the manhattan end.....

 

Unfortunately, it exists.

 

Though here is some comedic relief, can you imagine them folks riding in this?!

 

DSC02928.jpg

 

 

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Actually, I think that would be rather awesome. I never got a chance to ride on one of those in express service, but I did catch a soft-seated V CNG on the Q50 a couple of times and they give one hell of a ride.

 

You got that right... I sure wasn't sad to see them go... Thank God for the MCIs...

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those are just wow not for manhattan express I would put them on buses with highway segments within one borough. Like q31,q50 and maybe B2 after some change but I am not sure. Maybe Q64 on some runs.

 

To my knowledge, they don't use those buses anymore anyway on express bus routes (at least on NYC Transit buses), though they may still have a few in storage at some of the (MTA) Bus depots, but I believe with the axing of some routes like the X90 and such, they have enough MCIs left over that they don't need to use those CNGs on any of the express bus routes.

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To my knowledge, they don't use those buses anymore anyway on express bus routes (at least on NYC Transit buses), though they may still have a few in storage at some of the (MTA) Bus depots, but I believe with the axing of some routes like the X90 and such, they have enough MCIs left over that they don't need to use those CNGs on any of the express bus routes.

 

You're probably jumping for joy, aren't you? :(

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@ Cait... forgot about those one or two buses.... thanks for the reminder....

I wonder if they actually get an above avg. load (compared to other AM bxm1 runs)

 

 

 

@ Via.... Because nothing about riverdale reminds me of brooklyn heights....

Absolutely nothing.

 

- not the bevy of apartment bldg's

- not "them there hills"

- not the residents (riverdale = older jewish folk, brooklyn heights = young... urban professionals; aka yuppies)

- not the peacefulness (the eastern end of brooklyn heights is slowly becoming an extension of downtown brooklyn; take a look at how many ppl. you see shopping b/w clinton & cadman plz.)

- not the lack of nightlife (you aint gettin tourists &/or out of town folk [that aren't acquaintances/family/friends of any riverdale resident] heading out for a night on the town in riverdale.... the contrary is true for brooklyn heights)

- not... much of anything....

 

The two areas are drastically different; I don't know what it is you're seeing that's even remotely comparable b/w the two areas..... if its anything I can compare brooklyn heights to, it's probably the west village....

 

as far as not taking the express bus back, I don't like doubling back on routes when I fan... I can't do that w/ the 18 obviously, but if I take the bxm2 up there, and if I were to opt for the bxm1 coming back, that would leave me w/ no way to catch a BM bus (since it's an east side bus)...

 

^^ that, and I'd rather take my chances w/ the deegan over the harlem river drive.... traffic on the harlem river drive as of late has really gotten nightmarish....

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You're probably jumping for joy, aren't you? :(

 

lol... In the words of Forest Glen "I always wanted something premium". :cool: LOL

 

@ Via.... Because nothing about riverdale reminds me of brooklyn heights.... not the bevy of apartment bldg's, not the residents (riverdale = older jewish folk, brooklyn heights = young... urban professionals; aka yuppies), not the peacefulness (brooklyn heights is slowly becoming an extension of downtown brooklyn; take a look at how many ppl. you see shopping west of cadman plz ), not the lack of nightlife, not... much of anything.... The two areas are drastically different; I don't know what it is you're seeing that's even remotely comparable b/w the two areas.....

 

There are certainly plenty of older folks in Brooklyn Heights as well. Of course Riverdale is more suburban, but there are certainly parts of Brooklyn Heights that are like Riverdale. My old boss and his wife used to live in Brooklyn Heights, before moving to Bay Ridge and while he isn't old, he's in his 40s now with a kid. Not exactly the yuppie type either.

 

as far as not taking the express bus back, I don't like doubling back on routes when I fan... I can't do that w/ the 18 obviously, but if I take the bxm2 up there, and if I were to opt for the bxm1 coming back, that would leave me w/ no way to catch a BM bus (since it's an east side bus)... unless I get off at 57th.... which makes it too easy for me to take my (Q) since it's right there....

 

^^ that, and I'd rather take my chances w/ the deegan over the harlem river drive.... traffic on the harlem river drive as of late has really gotten nightmarish....

 

Hmm I see... I also wanted to use the BxM1 because I've been wanting to go back to the Cloisters but I don't want to have to deal with the subway and all of that going through the grimy areas and the BxM1 would put me within walking distance from the Cloisters by about 14 blocks or so. I'll have to investigate a bit further though. Inwood is not the greatest, but it's tolerable.

 

I'll tell ya though... I may actually consider Riverdale when l'm ready to buy a place. The prices are in line with the affluent parts of Staten Island in terms of 1 bedroom condos.

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