MTA Bus Time has officially arrived to Staten Island

[Abba]

Why not? is there something wrong with doing it? I would love to see how many buses are at the ferry terminal at once.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Why not? is there something wrong with doing it? I would love to see how many buses are at the ferry terminal at once.

 

Simple... It's for finding out where your bus, not tracking all of the buses at one time. If you want that, just head to the ferry terminal and you can see how many buses are there.

[Acela Express]

[checkmatechamp13]

1) Probably need to clear your cache and such. I couldn't get the site to come up regularly on my laptop earlier and once I cleared the cache it was okay.

 

2) Man, talk about bunching! The S48, S79 and X14 esp. had serious bunching. There were like 4 X14s within a 20 block radius. On the S48 you had several S48s going towards Mariners' Harbor and like one going to the ferry all the way back past Richmond Avenue. It was also interesting to see buses appear and disappear. They would appear at the first stop then disappear probably because the bus would be shut off to avoid idling or whatever and then turned on to start the run. An X30 disappeared along Forest Avenue as he was running behind another X30. The one that disappeared must've been empty and took a short cut to Meredith. :cool: Back when the X30 was out of Castleton, the B/O would drop me off and then make a left down Clove or Broadway or even Bement depending on where I got off at and then he would go back to the depot.

 

3) September isn't that long ago. I actually didn't know about that bus, so it's "new" for me either way. The last bus previously was the 23:30, so this is a nice addition. It takes some strain off of the X10 because at 24:00 the X10 is quite crowded, hence why they still run every 20 minutes during 23:00.

 

 

1) I have no idea what a "cache" is. I was never good with computers. Unless you mean to just delete the cookies (which I've tried).

 

2) Yeah, I don't know what's up with that. Maybe it's interference or something in certain areas (for instance, I saw an S46 disappear around the Teleport, so maybe all the power lines from the industrial area to the west messed up the signal or something).

 

3) I would've thought you would be the first to notice, since you seem to check the schedules every time they come out.

 

LMAO... And why in the world would you want to do that?? The point of it is to be used for ONE line at a time. This is Bus Time, not let's track every bus on Staten Island.

 

If your trip involves a transfer, it would be helpful. For instance, if I'm at Western Beef and want to go home, I can check to see where the S48 is, and then check to see where the Richmond Avenue routes are, so I know whether to wait for the S48 or just walk to Richmond Avenue (and in the worse case scenario, if I have to walk from Forest Avenue/Richmond Avenue)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1) I have no idea what a "cache" is. I was never good with computers. Unless you mean to just delete the cookies (which I've tried).

 

Delete cookies, clear history and temporary files and all of that good stuff. After I did that Google Chrome worked fine w/MTA Bus Time. :cool:

 

If your trip involves a transfer.

 

Like I said, it was intended for ONE bus at a time. He's not looking to transfer. He just wants to track all of the buses. Not a good idea IMO. It should be limited as to what information passengers have access to. Makes it easier to target buses if someone was trying something devious.

[checkmatechamp13]

1) Delete cookies, clear history and temporary files and all of that good stuff. After I did that Google Chrome worked fine w/MTA Bus Time. :cool:

 

2) Like I said, it was intended for ONE bus at a time. He's not looking to transfer. He just wants to track all of the buses. Not a good idea IMO. It should be limited as to what information passengers have access to. Makes it easier to target buses if someone was trying something devious.

 

1) Alright. I'll try that.

 

2) If somebody was really planning something devious (which I don't see what you could realistically do, unless you plan to blow up one bus and then escape on another one), they'd still be able to do it, but it would just be harder (they'd just type in the codes seperately)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2) If somebody was really planning something devious (which I don't see what you could realistically do, unless you plan to blow up one bus and then escape on another one), they'd still be able to do it, but it would just be harder (they'd just type in the codes seperately)

 

That's the whole point... There is no need to lay out the whole bus tracking system and make it easy for them to plan an attack if they wanted to. There is no need for it in any event. You're not transferring to several buses at one time, just one, so there is no need to track all of the buses at one time. If anything folks would get confused and the map would be cluttered. How is someone supposed to be able to tell which bus is which if there are 7 different buses running on one Avenue being tracked at once?

[Abba]

I figured it out finally.

[Amtrak7]

Does anyone know how to make it that you can see every bus in the whole staten sland at the same time? I haven't figured it out.

 

You can search for major hubs and it'll give you everything that serves that hub. But no, there's no way to show everything.

 

[Abba]

Right this is what I figured out.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You can search for major hubs and it'll give you everything that serves that hub. But no, there's no way to show everything.

 

 

This I knew, but I don't see the point. It's utter chaos. That's why I just put in the route number I need and that's it.

[161 New York]

So far, I do like it!

 

There is one minor quirk that the MTA should address or publicize, specifically when the bus route has a letter at the end as is the case with the x17-series (x17a,c,j), if you enter x17, no results, if you enter x17c for example you'll be good to go.

 

Also, the routing of the s89 is incorrect in Bayonne, NJ. At the last stop in Staten Island, there is no update at the time when the bus should cross over the Bayonne Bridge.

 

I feel that the map should include information when a bus deviates from its route. The recent long-term construction along the s55 on Annadale Road is an example as well as short term projects.

 

I am e-mailing the MTA now.

[N6 Limited]

This I knew, but I don't see the point. It's utter chaos. That's why I just put in the route number I need and that's it.

 

I think it's useful if there are there are multiple routes you can take from or to your destination.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I think it's useful if there are there are multiple routes you can take from or to your destination.

 

Well when you need multiple routes, you put in the location where you can see multiple routes. For example last night, I tracked the Victory Blvd buses and the S54 simultaneously on my Thunderbolt as a test by putting in "Victory Blvd and Manor Rd". The Victory Blvd buses showed up as scheduled. In theory if the S54 didn't come (though I knew it was), I could use the Victory Blvd buses as back up. There is still no need to track every single bus though simultaneously.

[N6 Limited]

Well when you need multiple routes, you put in the location where you can see multiple routes. For example last night, I tracked the Victory Blvd buses and the S54 simultaneously on my Thunderbolt as a test by putting in "Victory Blvd and Manor Rd". The Victory Blvd buses showed up as scheduled. In theory if the S54 didn't come (though I knew it was), I could use the Victory Blvd buses as back up. There is still no need to track every single bus though simultaneously.

 

I agree. I was thinking of an example where you live between two routes that don't really cross but they run parallel. Like the S40 & S46 (even though they do overlap for a few blocks) .

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I agree. I was thinking of an example where you live between two routes that don't really cross but they run parallel. Like the S40 & S46 (even though they do overlap for a few blocks) .

 

You could still see those two routes simultaneously by doing what I said... Find a point where they cross each other (Forest & South Avenue) and then you could see those two routes simultaneously. Doing what I said will actually show the S40/S90, S46/S96, S48/S98 and X12/X42 and X30 routes depending on the time of day.

[mark1447]

They won't do it. The M34/34A use Clever Devices, a completely different system.

 

So its not GPS?

[Amtrak7]

So its not GPS?

 

It's GPS, but it's proprietary technology. The BusTime as used on SI is completely using off the shelf open source technology, no sole source procurements in the future.

 

I have a weird feeling that if the MTA really wants to integrate, they will have to replace Clever Devices with this system...which relies on dead reckoning in Manhattan's GPS canyons.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It's GPS, but it's proprietary technology. The BusTime as used on SI is completely using off the shelf open source technology, no sole source procurements in the future.

 

I have a weird feeling that if the MTA really wants to integrate, they will have to replace Clever Devices with this system...which relies on dead reckoning in Manhattan's GPS canyons.

 

Well that's one of the advantages of Bus Time. :cool: They'll be able to make it better than it is now, which is great. I'd say there's maybe a lag time of about a minute, maybe less, depending on how frequent the tracking system refreshes itself.

[SIR North Shore]

There are some ghastly Orion Vs from Castleton roaming the streets of SI! They don't show up on any bustime website but are in service. It gives the impression that no bus is on the way, but if the schedule says a bus is supposed to be there, it's an Orion V. I figured it would be Castleton depot to be the one to not have all the buses GPS ready.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There are some ghastly Orion Vs from Castleton roaming the streets of SI! They don't show up on any bustime website but are in service. It gives the impression that no bus is on the way, but if the schedule says a bus is supposed to be there, it's an Orion V. I figured it would be Castleton depot to be the one to not have all the buses GPS ready.

 

Isn't that something... All the better... I hate those filthy buses anyway.... I'm going to try to catch the S53 over to the X10 today and see if I can save another $11.00. Sounds like chump change, but I eliminate two weekend trips and just use car service coming home, that will save me $88.00 for the month, not including trips I make during the week... So probably can save a good $100.00+ easily. I prefer using those NOVAs since they offer more room to stand.

[Amtrak7]

The following issues I have reported to the MTA and they are waiting for a GTFS merge to fix:

 

-x17C destinations

-Ghost stops in Brooklyn/NJ

-S89 shapes

-S74 Arthur Kill

-x22A/x22

-x5/x42 Manhattan shapes

-S54/S57 shapes

-S44 Merrymount St/Travis St

-School day shapes on S59, S78

[Amtrak7]

There are some ghastly Orion Vs from Castleton roaming the streets of SI! They don't show up on any bustime website but are in service. It gives the impression that no bus is on the way, but if the schedule says a bus is supposed to be there, it's an Orion V. I figured it would be Castleton depot to be the one to not have all the buses GPS ready.

 

That explains the giant gaps in service I see on the S40, S62, and a couple of other Castleton routes.

 

Do all 60 O5's not have GPS or just a handful?

[cartmn1210]

Are dispatchers monitoring the Bus Time to control the bunching?

 

YES They are and other things as well!!!! Don't get pissed off when you get on a bus and it is CRAWLING!!! This BUS TIME is forcing drivers to drive "BY THE BOOK" so if your in a hurry or the bus you used to take got you to work early, TAKE AN EARLIER BUS!!! Guys are being called on the radios for speeding, running early, or even sitting at stops killing time! We even get a friendly "reminder" to log on the radio or farebox if we leave the yard without doin so. It will def improve service on SI but the public as well as us drivers will have to adapt to the system. I am in favor for it as long as the TA don't use it for discipline or another way to "improve".... I meant cut service!!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

YES They are and other things as well!!!! Don't get pissed off when you get on a bus and it is CRAWLING!!! This BUS TIME is forcing drivers to drive "BY THE BOOK" so if your in a hurry or the bus you used to take got you to work early, TAKE AN EARLIER BUS!!! Guys are being called on the radios for speeding, running early, or even sitting at stops killing time! We even get a friendly "reminder" to log on the radio or farebox if we leave the yard without doin so. It will def improve service on SI but the public as well as us drivers will have to adapt to the system. I am in favor for it as long as the TA don't use it for discipline or another way to "improve".... I meant cut service!!

 

I have noticed this as well and I have no problem with it as it will mean that X10s and other buses known for unreliability won't "disappear" anymore and ( they will show up according to the schedule and not whenever. The B/Os will adjust accordingly. I have been using Bus Time since Thursday and my waits for the bus have been very short because I know where the buses are, and am very familiar with the traffic patterns so I show up about 5 - 10 minutes before the bus is due to arrive at the stop, all the while tracking the location of the bus and making sure that I allot enough time for delays in the tracking as well. Sometimes I time it so good that I meet the bus as I make it to the bus stop, which is perfect. :cool:

 

This weekend, my commutes into and from the city were faster than usual (that's right, faster) because I was able to time my commutes and since the buses adhered to the schedule, making my connections was very easy, as opposed to me trying to take a local bus to the express bus and hoping for the best, even though I give enough time for the connection. In fact I have not used car service since I started using Bus Time and have already saved almost $60.00 last week alone, which I just take and put into one of my savings accounts automatically. :tup: The only thing I would like to see is if they can note when a bus is scheduled and for some reason doesn't show up. For example, I am working today and planned on taking the last X30 in to the office. They were running on a modified schedule but they didn't really say what that is so you don't know what bus will show and what won't. The last bus apparently didn't come since I had the tracking on before I left the house and while walking to the bus stop. It wasn't a big deal. I just took the S48 a few stops over to the X14 and got in around my usual time. :cool:

 

This will be even better once the whole city has it. A real improvement in service for the passengers, especially with the brutal cold the last few days. Kudos to the . :tup::tup:

 

Personally I don't think I've seen any passengers complain about B/O's driving anyway. Has anyone complained???