Brooklyn Division Bus Proposals/Ideas

[Via Garibaldi 8]

How do you guys know so much about ridership and stuff?

Simple... We use the buses or grew up in/live in the areas where these bus lines are.

 

 

I think one of the BM's should at least run on Sundays. I know how crappy they made the buses run, but maybe it could bring in ridership and encourage more people to use it in the week. I'm still astounded on how Command ran a myriad of buses on weekdays and saturdays, yet none of them had sunday service.

It would be a hard sell... I'm sorry to say it but unless South Brooklyn has a new breed of folks with money coming, the only areas that will keep express bus service 7 days a week will be Bay Ridge.  Bay Ridge along with Dyker Heights are the only two real old school upper middle class areas left where residents want the express bus because it's safe, provides a quick commute and they don't want to put up with the subway.  The old timers in Sheepshead Bay left a long time ago, and the Eastern Europeans save a few of them don't care too much about express bus service.  They're too busy parading down Emmons and Sheepshead Bay Rd in their expensive European (primarily German) luxury cars (i.e. Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz).  The folks in Mill Basin would probably use it some extent, given that there are some old school folks there and perhaps maybe some in Bergen Beach, but Bergen Beach is so isolated that most just drive over there.  Mill Basin & Bergen Beach though are more upper middle class in most parts are fairly isolated like Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge, hence why they've kept the old schoolers to some extent.  Sheepshead Bay still has some of the old school elderly left though, and they're the ones that primarily ride on Saturdays; the folks that refused to use the subway back in the day because it was perceived as being a haven for crime.  I know a lot of folks from the neighborhood that have moved to Staten Island, Long Island or New Jersey, or even Westchester.  Most of us left in the late 90's to Staten Island when the Russian invasion really took on steam.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Via Garibaldi 8

[GojiMet86]

 

Simple... We use the buses or grew up in/live in the areas where these bus lines are.

 

 

But it seems B35 and BM5 are everywhere, lol.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

But it seems B35 and BM5 are everywhere, lol.

Well B35 travels a lot... BM5 is an express bus addict in terms of stats... Me, I generally can only speak of ridership in parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and Riverdale, since those are the areas that I either lived in or travel in a lot.  I started riding the subway regularly around 15 or so to go to the city when I lived in Sheepshead Bay to hang out, and before that, I used buses A LOT, but primarly the B4, B44 in Sheepshead Bay and the B36 and B49.  Eventually when I lived in Midwood, I used the B9 and B2 a lot and here and there the B31 since I had friends in Gerritsen Beach.  The B6 I would use also... Had friends in Bensonhurst, and the B11 I would use primarily within Midwood.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

 

Simple... We use the buses or grew up in/live in the areas where these bus lines are.

 

 

It would be a hard sell... I'm sorry to say it but unless South Brooklyn has a new breed of folks with money coming, the only areas that will keep express bus service 7 days a week will be Bay Ridge.  Bay Ridge along with Dyker Heights are the only two real old school upper middle class areas left where residents want the express bus because it's safe, provides a quick commute and they don't want to put up with the subway.  The old timers in Sheepshead Bay left a long time ago, and the Eastern Europeans save a few of them don't care too much about express bus service.  They're too busy parading down Emmons and Sheepshead Bay Rd in their expensive European (primarily German) luxury cars (i.e. Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz).  The folks in Mill Basin would probably use it some extent, given that there are some old school folks there and perhaps maybe some in Bergen Beach, but Bergen Beach is so isolated that most just drive over there.  Mill Basin & Bergen Beach though are more upper middle class in most parts are fairly isolated like Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge, hence why they've kept the old schoolers to some extent.  Sheepshead Bay still has some of the old school elderly left though, and they're the ones that primarily ride on Saturdays; the folks that refused to use the subway back in the day because it was perceived as being a haven for crime.  I know a lot of folks from the neighborhood that have moved to Staten Island, Long Island or New Jersey, or even Westchester.  Most of us left in the late 90's to Staten Island when the Russian invasion really took on steam.

 

Dyker Heights only has the X17, which, although is a bit of an improvement over before, will kinda do for now, I guess. 

 

The problem with the BM's is that, although the span area is great, it's ridership (outside the specific neighborhood it serves), is very sporadic, as there is more of an overlap between the 4. You can't have one designated route at one time serving portions two routes. The BM3 and BM4 is a primary example of this. They serve the same areas (just on opposite ends). However, it's not like you can combine the two as an off peak service variation (unless one just says screw it) and make everyone take the B31 to the BM3. 

 

Also, the BM's can't really be streamlined in any possibility. At this point, all the diversion, turns, are to try collect as many riders as possible can. Like, let's take the BM3. 

 

I never liked the way the BM3 run south of Avenue U. I personally think it discourages ridership. (VG8 you can comment on this however you want). I had a way to "streamline" the BM3, so it would be more direct for people there (especially for the folks on Emmons). However, it would not be as direct for the people along Bachelder . I mean, the current BM3 route has bugged me, and maybe you can garner extra riders there, but then again, most people utilize cars there (on Emmons, like you said, which proved a suspicion I had). 

Well B35 travels a lot... BM5 is an express bus addict in terms of stats... Me, I generally can only speak of ridership in parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and Riverdale, since those are the areas that I either lived in or travel in a lot.  I started riding the subway regularly around 15 or so to go to the city when I lived in Sheepshead Bay to hang out, and before that, I used buses A LOT, but primarly the B4, B44 in Sheepshead Bay and the B36 and B49.  Eventually when I lived in Midwood, I used the B9 and B2 a lot and here and there the B31 since I had friends in Gerritsen Beach.  The B6 I would use also... Had friends in Bensonhurst, and the B11 I would use primarily within Midwood.

Not Quite, I can talk for local bus service in central and northeastern Queens, parts of Brooklyn, and then most of the express bus network in the Queens area (specifically the QM10/18/24/15/BM5, my specialty), and of course, the Q67.

 

I also never just look at the sole stats, I most often (primarly on the Q67 and the QM's) record ridership patterns by boardings and deboarding, specifically on routes I don't frequent as much.

Edited July 3, 2014 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[B35 via Church]

How do you guys know so much about ridership and stuff?

To sum it up, Observation..... about 2 decades of it.

 

Also, given the fact that riderbases & ridership #'s doesn't drastically change overnight (excluding some significant route change... like the no longer serving 4th av in Brooklyn, to serve QB instead [well that's a subway example, but you get the point]), if you've come to realize how a route's used (in either direction) after you've been on it for a prolonged time period (spanning across years, in my case), it becomes pretty easy to opinionate on it..... Having said that, I STILL don't know near as much as I'd like to, about how every route is used system-wide, at all times.... Probably never will, and I'm alright with that....

 

It's no accident that so many people have co-signed what I've said on these transit forums about how their "home" route is used, in decent enough detail... and here I am living nowhere near their route.... I have no reason to fabricate any of this stuff.... Furthermore, I don't rely on stats because that to me is boring - I'd rather ride the buses & see for myself if the posted stats generally illustrate my findings, or some doctored figures to try to illustrate what's actually not happening on these routes, as far as usage is concerned.....

 

But it seems B35 and BM5 are everywhere, lol.

When it comes to riding buses, my memory is sharp.... I pick up on things the average rider could give a shit about.... lol.

Sometimes I relay stuff here, sometimes I keep it in the ole memory bank..... But I NEVER pass off any info/findings I have come to find as "exclusive", because literally anyone has the ability to come out w/ the same findings I have.... And to keep it 100, shit is corny to me.... Ride the thing & see for yourself, IDGAF about exclusivity.....

 

As far as the I'm everywhere comment, well understand that a lot of times, the subway isn't my first option when I (want to) go places.... If I'm not in a rush to get somewhere, it's nothing for me to take 4,5,6 buses.... I'm not hard up on money (I'm not rockefeller either, but I'm not frugal either)... I favor (riding) the bus over the subway, always did.....

 

For example, if I wanted to go to Queens plaza, I'd walk to CI av for the B68, to take the B61, to take the B62 (which I've actually done more times than I can count on two hands & feet)..... rather than walk to church av & xfer for the at 42nd....

Edited July 3, 2014 by B35 via Church

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Dyker Heights only has the X17, which, although is a bit of an improvement over before, will kinda do for now, I guess. 

 

The problem with the BM's is that, although the span area is great, it's ridership (outside the specific neighborhood it serves), is very sporadic, as there is more of an overlap between the 4. You can't have one designated route at one time serving portions two routes. The BM3 and BM4 is a primary example of this. They serve the same areas (just on opposite ends). However, it's not like you can combine the two as an off peak service variation (unless one just says screw it) and make everyone take the B31 to the BM3. 

 

Also, the BM's can't really be streamlined in any possibility. At this point, all the diversion, turns, are to try collect as many riders as possible can. Like, let's take the BM3. 

 

I never liked the way the BM3 run south of Avenue U. I personally think it discourages ridership. (VG8 you can comment on this however you want). I had a way to "streamline" the BM3, so it would be more direct for people there (especially for the folks on Emmons). However, it would not be as direct for the people along Bachelder . I mean, the current BM3 route has bugged me, and maybe you can garner extra riders there, but then again, most people utilize cars there. 

Well the BM3 used to get more ridership when it did all of the looping in Sheepshead Bay before it was streamlined. It drove me crazy, but I found out the reason for it.  Since the BM4 stops running earlier, folks from Gerritsen Beach that were close enough to Knapp St. would make their way over there to the BM3 stop.  They were pissed when the stop was removed and the BM3 was streamlined.  They refuse to make their way over to Batchelder and Avenue X citing that they don't feel safe there because of the housing projects, as many of the Gerritsen Beach folks that would use the BM3 were either elderly or disabled.  The stop on Batchelder before Avenue X is a must because it is used for folks who need to get to the city.  The Batchelder and X stop can see some usage here and there but not much.  Usually more people get off than on and I imagine that the projects is the reason for this.  The real big stop along X is East 29th street and then to some extent Bedford Avenue as that area is still a nice part of Sheepshead Bay (as in well-to-do).  Most of Sheepshead Bay is nice, but many pockets are just middle class.  I don't see the BM4 going away because Gerritsen Beach is a close knit old school type of Brooklyn neighborhood and they were quite vocal about losing the B31 overnight, and Senator Golden, who is involved on the transportation committee is one the most powerful senators of South Brooklyn, representing Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, parts of Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach and Marine Park to name a few.  He has been instrumental in getting numerous South Brooklyn buses restored (B2, B37, B64, X27 weekend service, X17 weekend service).

 

About the BM1 having Sunday service though, Mill Basin and Bergen Beach are both pretty upper middle class.  You don't hear much about them because they're tucked away and pretty isolated and far from the city.  Mill Basin has several tracts with incomes in the $110,000+ range and homes over $1M.  The BM1 doesn't serve Bergen Beach directly but I'm sure people use it. Still some Italians down there in both Mill Basin and Bergen Beach. I used to hang out down there back in the day.  In short out of all of the BM's, the BM1 would be the best candidate given the affluence of the residents in those two areas, and the isolation of those two neighborhoods.  Sheepshead Bay has pockets that are somewhat affluent, but far fewer of them, and not as high in terms of income, and Gerritsen Beach has some pockets too close to 100k, but is generally overall more middle class, and those folks tend to drive more.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Via Garibaldi 8

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Well the BM3 used to get more ridership when it did all of the looping in Sheepshead Bay before it was streamlined. It drove me crazy, but I found out the reason for it.  Since the BM4 stops running earlier, folks from Gerritsen Beach that were close enough to Knapp St. would make their way over there to the BM3 stop.  They were pissed when the stop was removed and the BM3 was streamlined.  They refuse to make their way over to Batchelder and Avenue X citing that they don't feel safe there because of the housing projects, as many of the Gerritsen Beach folks that would use the BM3 were either elderly or disabled.  The stop on Batchelder before Avenue X is a must because it is used for folks who need to get to the city.  The Batchelder and X stop can see some usage here and there but not much.  Usually more people get off than on and I imagine that the projects is the reason for this.  The real big stop along X is East 29th street and then to some extent Bedford Avenue as that area is still a nice part of Sheepshead Bay.  I don't see the BM4 going away because Gerritsen Beach is a close knit old school type of Brooklyn neighborhood and they were quite vocal about losing the B31 overnight, and Senator Golden, who is involved on the transportation committee is one the most powerful senators of South Brooklyn, representing Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, parts of Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach and Marine Park to name a few.  He has been instrumental in getting numerous South Brooklyn buses restored (B2, B37, B64, X27 weekend service, X17 weekend service).

Well, in the case of a BM4 discontinuation of service during off peak times (in signifcant amounts), would a QM5 styled diversion to Gerritsen Avenue and Avenue W work , or is it better to restore the loop during those hours?

 

https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204750700533050976010.0004fd4119509577dcfe7&msa=0&ll=40.592448,-73.933525&spn=0.012074,0.026157

 

It would add an extra 4-6 minutes in travel time.

Edited July 3, 2014 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well, in the case of a BM4 discontinuation of service during off peak times (in signifcant amounts), would a QM5 styled diversion to Gerritsen Avenue and Avenue W work , or is it better to restore the loop during those hours?

 

https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204750700533050976010.0004fd4119509577dcfe7&msa=0&ll=40.592448,-73.933525&spn=0.012074,0.026157

 

It would add an extra 4-6 minutes in travel time.

I think it's best to keep the BM4 the way it is.  It has the shortest span out of all of the BM's for the obvious reason, but it does receive usage at times.  Quite frankly, the folks in Gerritsen Beach would prefer to just have their own service and not have to go to the Sheepshead Bay border for the BM3.  I'm pretty sure that's why the current off-peak BM4 is still around for that reason.  The looping thing believe it or not was a good 15 - 20 minutes as I sometimes get the BM3 at Shore Blvd and Emmons.  Not a fun thing to have to endure that loop before hitting the main route and heading up Avenue X and then Ocean.

 

The dilemma is that Gerritsen Beach is extremely isolated, and only those in Gerritsen Beach ("old Gerritsen Beach" to be specific) that are close to Knapp Street would have some sort of access to the BM3, otherwise they would have to schlepp on the B31 and get the BM3 at Ave R and Ocean.  

Edited July 3, 2014 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

Imma just go a bit off topic for a moment.

 

I rode the B37 on Monday, trying to see ridership patterns. There were two main ridership patterns, one which mainly was residents using the bus within Bay Ridge, and riders from the 50's along 3rd Avenue getting off at Atlantic and 3rd. If this is the common pattern of riders along the B37 starting from now, it would prove what I've said. If people wanted the , they would walk one over.

- The Intra-Bay Ridge ridership was always apparent, and IMO, what kept it afloat for as long as the old route existed...

 

- Sunset Park riders taking B37's was apparent too, but they were usually folks coming off B35's (moreso than the service area around the B11)......

 

- So the Boerum hill riderbase that previously existed (on the old B37) has evaporated....

....and that's where the B103 comes into the equation.

[NYSubwayBuff]

To comment on BM5's post about routing and the truns post #3282 (tapatalk quoting feature doesn't work) the routing of the BM3 is precisely why the bus still has so much service, if it weren't for those people who got on at batchelder. I get on at X and Bedford; during rush hour the bus is already full, sometimes we go next bus please after K because we are over crowded, if you were to say make it easier for the riders at emmons and just send it up Knapp or Nostrand people would stop using it because the train is fairly close and the 20 or so people who use Batchelder would start taking the 4 or walking to the train

[Via Garibaldi 8]

To comment on BM5's post about routing and the truns post #3282 (tapatalk quoting feature doesn't work) the routing of the BM3 is precisely why the bus still has so much service, if it weren't for those people who got on at batchelder. I get on at X and Bedford; during rush hour the bus is already full, sometimes we go next bus please after K because we are over crowded, if you were to say make it easier for the riders at emmons and just send it up Knapp or Nostrand people would stop using it because the train is fairly close and the 20 or so people who use Batchelder would start taking the 4 or walking to the train

I would like to know what BM3 bus is that is so crowded? You're right, some of them are close to SRO. I've taken the 09:30 BM3's to the city during the week and they've generally been O.K. crowd size, but certainly nowhere near SRO.  

[NYSubwayBuff]

Well when I went to Stuyvesant orientation a couple weeks (yes im a freshman, no congratulations for getting into stuy is not necessary I already heard enough and frankly im quite tired of hearing it) I took the 6:45 BM3 I had the same mindset as you, I thought to myself oh ill get a seat in the front and no one will sit next to me, I got on at Bedford and X and I took the only bench with 2 seats available at about Kings Hwy or maybe K I don't quite remember I was half asleep but I remember looking up and seeing all the seats filled and one dude standing

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well when I went to Stuyvesant orientation a couple weeks (yes im a freshman, no congratulations for getting into stuy is not necessary I already heard enough and frankly im quite tired of hearing it) I took the 6:45 BM3 I had the same mindset as you, I thought to myself oh ill get a seat in the front and no one will sit next to me, I got on at Bedford and X and I took the only bench with 2 seats available at about Kings Hwy or maybe K I don't quite remember I was half asleep but I remember looking up and seeing all the seats filled and one dude standing

Oh at 06:45 that makes sense... The rush hour buses are packed but the off-peak buses are just not used as well.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Oh at 06:45 that makes sense... The rush hour buses are packed but the off-peak buses are just not used as well.

I would still keep them, but the drop in ridership was really unexpected (for me, at least), hopefully the BM's make a comeback this year in terms of ridership.

[NYSubwayBuff]

This year the BM ridership was terrible, it seems like much of the area where the BM's serve is getting mor car friendly than ever. Ik people in Mill Basin who'd rather drive to the city than take the bus just because they can. I don't know if this is a direct correlation but it seems like over the last year there has been more and more cars in Sheepshead/ Plumb beach with less and less riders

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This year the BM ridership was terrible, it seems like much of the area where the BM's serve is getting mor car friendly than ever. Ik people in Mill Basin who'd rather drive to the city than take the bus just because they can. I don't know if this is a direct correlation but it seems like over the last year there has been more and more cars in Sheepshead/ Plumb beach with less and less riders

This is true as well.  There is also another difference with these areas versus other areas where express bus service remains relatively healthy.  If you compare Bay Ridge for example, Shore Rd has tons of co-ops and condos, with the express bus service right outside in some cases, which is advertised when selling apartments, and it's dense enough to have folks that prefer driving and enough that like having the express bus.  You also have families near Shore Rd that live in expensive houses that like having the express bus nearby to the city, as they see the subway as dangerous and far away in comparison to the X27.  It serves Bay Ridge and basically just Bay Ridge and is great if you have kids and want a safe, fast ride to the city, so it's the perfect way to commute to Manhattan, whereas the subway goes through other areas that aren't as nice, and with the large elderly population in Bay Ridge, they are afraid of the subway, and some simply can't use the stations due to a lack of accessibility. The areas that the BM3 serve, particularly where ridership was strong are generally houses with homeowners, so it's a different type of living.  The express bus for them they'll use when they want to go shopping in the city with their girlfriends and leave the car home.  If the express bus wasn't there they would drive, as they would not use the subway.  The primary corridor that the BM3 serves (Ocean Avenue) has luxury some condos, etc., but those people primarily will use the express bus to get to work and will drive everywhere outside of that. 

 

I would still keep them, but the drop in ridership was really unexpected (for me, at least), hopefully the BM's make a comeback this year in terms of ridership.

It's expected to me... Demographics and attitudes have been changing in a lot of Southern Brooklyn.  Back when I lived in Sheepshead Bay, you had a lot of the old school folks living down there.  Now it's mainly Eastern Europeans (i.e. Russians) with some old school Brooklynites living there but they're either moving or dying out.  The folks that can take the express bus don't give a sh*t.  They're more interested in being seen.  Russians like living the high life and in their mind that means driving and driving around in high end cars,  Like I said, all of the luxury cars going up and down Emmons Av are there for that purpose.  The few of the Russians that do use the express bus are usually old ladies that would not dare use the subway, but they represent a minority in terms of users.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Via Garibaldi 8

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

May be a little off the subject, but here is an idea: Why not extend the B68 to Downtown Brooklyn/Cadman Plaza and extend the B67/B69 to Coney Island Hospital (via McDonald Avenue)?

 

Then for that matter, may I suggest that the B36 is extended to Kings Plaza Mall along with a new LIMITED-STOP route linking Coney Island and Rockaway Park?

The B68 is long enough (but then, that hasn't stopped the MTA from merging the M5 and M6). An extension of the 68 will be a merge with the 67, which is not feasible by any chance.

 

Rockaway Park already has the Q35, and transferring from the B36 to the Q35 doesn't hurt.

[qjtransitmaster]

This is true as well.  There is also another difference with these areas versus other areas where express bus service remains relatively healthy.  If you compare Bay Ridge for example, Shore Rd has tons of co-ops and condos, with the express bus service right outside in some cases, which is advertised when selling apartments, and it's dense enough to have folks that prefer driving and enough that like having the express bus.  You also have families near Shore Rd that live in expensive houses that like having the express bus nearby to the city, as they see the subway as dangerous and far away in comparison to the X27.  It serves Bay Ridge and basically just Bay Ridge and is great if you have kids and want a safe, fast ride to the city, so it's the perfect way to commute to Manhattan, whereas the subway goes through other areas that aren't as nice, and with the large elderly population in Bay Ridge, they are afraid of the subway, and some simply can't use the stations due to a lack of accessibility. The areas that the BM3 serve, particularly where ridership was strong are generally houses with homeowners, so it's a different type of living.  The express bus for them they'll use when they want to go shopping in the city with their girlfriends and leave the car home.  If the express bus wasn't there they would drive, as they would not use the subway.  The primary corridor that the BM3 serves (Ocean Avenue) has luxury some condos, etc., but those people primarily will use the express bus to get to work and will drive everywhere outside of that. 

 

It's expected to me... Demographics and attitudes have been changing in a lot of Southern Brooklyn.  Back when I lived in Sheepshead Bay, you had a lot of the old school folks living down there.  Now it's mainly Eastern Europeans (i.e. Russians) with some old school Brooklynites living there but they're either moving or dying out.  The folks that can take the express bus don't give a sh*t.  They're more interested in being seen.  Russians like living the high life and in their mind that means driving and driving around in high end cars,  Like I said, all of the luxury cars going up and down Emmons Av are there for that purpose.  The few of the Russians that do use the express bus are usually old ladies that would not dare use the subway, but they represent a minority in terms of users.

How often do ocean ave or sheepshead bay residents use the Belt parkway for queens destinations or JFK? When they do drive that is.

Edited July 15, 2014 by qjtransitmaster

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Then again, I did suggest that both the B67 and B69 extend to Coney Island Hospital via McDonald Avenue (as an alternative to the on the Culver) to go along with the B68 to Downtown Brooklyn. This means the B68 travelling along the B67 path won't hurt at all as the extended service (to the B67 and B69) would be clearly distinguished.

 

I understand the B68 is long, however I would beef up service to where there is a 5 minute headway all day, 7 days a week and add a LIMITED-STOP SERVICE (prospect for SELECT BUS SERVICE) to the route (7 days a week). The Locals would remain terminating at the 15th Street Station with exception to Late Nights.

 

And sure, it won't hurt to transfer from the B36 to the Q35, I would also suggest extending the B2 to Bay Ridge, 86th Street Station, mainly for connectivity and Staten Island connection purposes to go along with that transfer (and increase the service to where it runs at All Times and beef up service to where a bus arrives every 6 to 7 minutes at Rush Hours, and every 10 minutes during Middays, Evenings and Weekends while Late Nights every Hour).

The B68 does not need Limited stop service, neither select bus service, nor those headways. You're clearly over serving the McDonald, especially when you're suggesting 3 routes to go down McDonald. The B68 local handles McDonald Avenue fine.

 

And the B2, it's the same thing. You have the B100 which IIRC garners far more riders than the B2 does. I don't mind having both routes as they exist. The problem is, you're over serving that specific area. Also, I don't see many people from Midwood going to take a SI Bus. There's a SBS route (well, soon; which it's route is still undetermined) which would serve (not the specific, but general) similar areas as the B2, from the 86 Street .

[Via Garibaldi 8]

How often do ocean ave or sheepshead bay residents use the Belt parkway for queens destinations or JFK? When they do drive that is.

When I lived in Sheepshead Bay, family members used the Belt all the time... Not for Queens though. Usually to get over the Gowanus if anything.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

1. The B68 does not run McDonald Avenue, it runs on Coney Island Avenue.

2. The reason I suggested the B2 extension to 86th Street Station is due to the original suggestion of a bus route connecting Coney Island with the Rockaways (http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2012/05/my-proposed-bus-route-changes-for-sheepshead-bay-and-adjacent-neighborhoods-part-1-of-2/) combined with your statement, Rockaway Park already has the Q35, and transferring from the B36 to the Q35 doesn't hurt. This is mainly catering to a new transit connection to/from Bay Ridge to the Rockaways rather than to the or LIRR in Downtown Brooklyn.

3. It is not a matter of "overservicing" McDonald Avenue, as there are customers along McDonald Avenue who can't climb up and down the stairs to access the , and they can't walk the 1/2 mile to 3/4 mile East to Coney Island Avenue for the B68, or to a crosstown bus that will connect them with the B68. My suggestion on extending the B67 and B69 to Coney Island Hospital via McDonald Avenue was mainly as a bus alternative to the , especially when there is those necessary service suspensions that must take place (better to have a service available along a route [similar to the B46, Q24 and Q56 along the , Q60 on the , and the Bx1/Bx2 along the ] than to shell out Overtime to bus operators across the City to cover "unfamiliar territory" and to make up for "missing services"). And such an extension will mainly beef up the B67 (which I strongly suggest that the route should extend further to Williamsburg Bridge Plaza) since it services Downtown Brooklyn and Barclays Center.

Can you map it out??

 

Still, if the 67 and 68 extend, you're gonna see a combo of the two. Just as feasible as merging the B32 and Q103.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I like it!

 

The only thing is the B68 LIMITED, which would remain a LIMITED to Downtown Brooklyn while the B68 Local terminates at the 15th Street Station. The B67/B69 would do the Local stops along 7th Avenue, and the B67 to Cadman Plaza before returning East to Williamsburg.

You like what?

[qjtransitmaster]

What segments of BM1 get the most use? Ave k or mill basin?

[B35 via Church]

What segments of BM1 get the most use? Ave k or mill basin?

Why.....

[qjtransitmaster]

Why.....

I noticed many buses empty in that area. However I was thinking about the term opportunity running. Which is an in service DH. I am asking about offpeak use only.