Allan Grades NYCDOT and the MTA

[BrooklynBus]

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2013/01/allan-grades-the-dot-mta/

[qjtransitmaster]

 

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2013/01/allan-grades-the-dot-mta/

no offence you are a very wise man but don't you think you are being hard on DOT all the time?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'm not sure how you can conclude that the left the B49 "as is"... Service on that line has become ATROCIOUS!!  The headways stink and bus service on that line has become unreliable, very much like the old B4.  I used to use the B49 regularly when I lived in Sheepshead Bay, along with the B4 and the B36 and out of the three the B49 was the most reliable... I'm not sure what happened, but if anything more needs to be done to get the B49 back to the way it used to be.... For one they have to be pulling drivers from that line like they did with the B4 because the waits are not justifiable... Over 30 minutes waiting for one bus and then when you've given up on it, one bus shows up, so what happened to the other buses?? Second, the headways are a joke... If they want to talk about getting people to take buses again, provide reliable service and maybe they'll use it again.  I now just walk instead of using the B49 for that very reason.

[qjtransitmaster]

B49 was my old neighborhood line so sad to see it like this.

[peacemak3r]

You can't grade someone or something solely on one line of an entire system.  That's like grading the entire USPS for not receiving a letter one a specified date of arrival.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You can't grade someone or something solely on one line of an entire system.  That's like grading the entire USPS for not receiving a letter one a specified date of arrival.

Very true... I do have to wonder though how soon these temporary signs were put up and when will the DOT put back the old bus stops?? That bus shelter there in the photo that is missing by Shore Blvd is one that I used regularly going back to the the real old one they had there when I went to the old IS 43... They restore the service and then make it an obstacle course for people to take the bus... Now where they have these temporary stops, the question is do the B/Os know and will they stop or will it turn into a circus like the recently restored B64 where the passengers nor the B/Os know where the stops are... Smh

[BrooklynBus]

I'm not sure how you can conclude that the left the B49 "as is"... Service on that line has become ATROCIOUS!! The headways stink and bus service on that line has become unreliable, very much like the old B4. I used to use the B49 regularly when I lived in Sheepshead Bay, along with the B4 and the B36 and out of the three the B49 was the most reliable... I'm not sure what happened, but if anything more needs to be done to get the B49 back to the way it used to be.... For one they have to be pulling drivers from that line like they did with the B4 because the waits are not justifiable... Over 30 minutes waiting for one bus and then when you've given up on it, one bus shows up, so what happened to the other buses?? Second, the headways are a joke... If they want to talk about getting people to take buses again, provide reliable service and maybe they'll use it again. I now just walk instead of using the B49 for that very reason.

 

What I was trying to saying was that if both routes carry only ten passengers on the weekend in the few miles before the terminus, how do you justify truncating one at Coney Island Avenue and not the other one at Sheepshead Bay Station? Either you truncate both or leave both alone.

 

As far as B49 reliability, that is nothing new. I think it depends on the time of day you ride. When I rode it daily in the 1990s, I found it to be very reliable during the morning rush hour. Always seemed to be on time. However, after 2PM the service would fall apart. I made a complaint once and I was told something about there being problems filling afternoon runs. Whenever I would wait for the B49, especially between 5 and 7 PM, service woud be attrocious. Like you said, no bus for half an hour. I wouldn't be surprised if whatever problems they had back then, still continue today. That's why most take the B1 to the college in the evenings, because it is more reliable.

 

Last time I rode the B49 a few weeks ago, we had to wait 10 minutes at Avenue U for the relief driver because he was arriving from the depot with the B3 which was late.

 

You can't grade someone or something solely on one line of an entire system. That's like grading the entire USPS for not receiving a letter one a specified date of arrival.

True.

 

It was really just a grade on how well each agency handled the return of the B4. I threw in the comment about the Bridge because, that also wasn't completed on time.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

What I was trying to saying was that if both routes carry only ten passengers on the weekend in the few miles before the terminus, how do you justify truncating one at Coney Island Avenue and not the other one at Sheepshead Bay Station? Either you truncate both or leave both alone.

 

As far as B49 reliability, that is nothing new. I think it depends on the time of day you ride. When I rode it daily in the 1990s, I found it to be very reliable during the morning rush hour. Always seemed to be on time. However, after 2PM the service would fall apart. I made a complaint once and I was told something about there being problems filling afternoon runs. Whenever I would wait for the B49, especially between 5 and 7 PM, service woud be attrocious. Like you said, no bus for half an hour. I wouldn't be surprised if whatever problems they had back then, still continue today. That's why most take the B1 to the college in the evenings, because it is more reliable.

 

Last time I rode the B49 a few weeks ago, we had to wait 10 minutes at Avenue U for the relief driver because he was arriving from the depot with the B3 which was late.

Yes service in the morning was actually quite prompt... As for cutting or leaving both, if you did that then you would have no local bus service at all for an even larger part of Sheepshead Bay, so while I had a problem with the B4 being cut there, having the B49 out as well would've been worse because you would eliminate North-South service and East-West service.  

[BrooklynBus]

no offence you are a very wise man but don't you think you are being hard on DOT all the time?

No. Not at all. It took DOT 3 months to update all the signage when the cuts were made. I did not criticize them for that because of all the work that needed to be done. I am assuming that this time all the new bus stops were in place prior to the dates the changes took affect which was good.

 

I checked the old bus stop signs on Avenue Z on Monday January 7th, and was surprised to that they were still there. They couldn't remove them while they were still in service, and I figured they didn't want to pay overtime to remove them on the weekend. But I figured that the work should have been completed by the end of the week. After all, how much work was it? Not that much. Only changing the Guide a Rides and removing the B4 route and destination sign from about eight stops. The hardest part was already completed, installing the new stops. So why wasn't the job done entirely within a week? It's not that there were a lot of other routes that also needed to have the route and destination signs removed.

 

Yes service in the morning was actually quite prompt... As for cutting or leaving both, if you did that then you would have no local bus service at all for an even larger part of Sheepshead Bay, so while I had a problem with the B4 being cut there, having the B49 out as well would've been worse because you would eliminate North-South service and East-West service.  

To play devil's advocate, they could have argued that Manhattan Beach riders had alternate service to the subway with the B1 and that parallels the B49, but they woud have used the word "duplicates", so with only 10 passengers per bus, the B49 could have been truncated on weekends at Shhepshead Bay Station, at least during non-summer months. It would have been a big inconvenience to lose the B49 in Manhattan Beach, but I think the inconvenience of losing the B4 was just as great.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No. Not at all. It took DOT 3 months to update all the signage when the cuts were made. I did not criticize them for that because of all the work that needed to be done. I am assuming that this time all the new bus stops were in place prior to the dates the changes took affect which was good.

 

I checked the old bus stop signs on Avenue Z on Monday January 7th, and was surprised to that they were still there. They couldn't remove them while they were still in service, and I figured they didn't want to pay overtime to remove them on the weekend. But I figured that the work should have been completed by the end of the week. After all, how much work was it? Not that much. Only changing the Guide a Rides and removing the B4 route and destination sign from about eight stops. The hardest part was already completed, installing the new stops. So why wasn't the job done entirely within a week? It's not that there were a lot of other routes that also needed to have the route and destination signs removed.

 

 

To play devil's advocate, they could have argued that Manhattan Beach riders had alternate service to the subway with the B1 and that parallels the B49, but they woud have used the word "duplicates", so with only 10 passengers per bus, the B49 could have been truncated on weekends at Shhepshead Bay Station, at least during non-summer months. It would have been a big inconvenience to lose the B49 in Manhattan Beach, but I think the inconvenience of losing the B4 was just as great.

Even with the B49 down there the stores are feeling it... Notice that the store where the old B4 bus stop was on Shore Blvd and Emmons closed... Granted there have been several stores at that location over the years, but that's a store that I would go into when waiting for the B4 or BM3 for an OJ and a toasted bagel or something.  With the cutting back of the BM3 I now have to hurry to get the last express bus back to the city so I don't have as much time to patronize stores around there like I used to in the past.  Can't even relax and have a few beers or anything... The restaurants and shops are completely dead along Emmons Av.... Part of it is the recession, but part of it is the lack of transportation as well.

[Around the Horn]

No. Not at all. It took DOT 3 months to update all the signage when the cuts were made. I did not criticize them for that because of all the work that needed to be done. I am assuming that this time all the new bus stops were in place prior to the dates the changes took affect which was good.

 

I checked the old bus stop signs on Avenue Z on Monday January 7th, and was surprised to that they were still there. They couldn't remove them while they were still in service, and I figured they didn't want to pay overtime to remove them on the weekend. But I figured that the work should have been completed by the end of the week. After all, how much work was it? Not that much. Only changing the Guide a Rides and removing the B4 route and destination sign from about eight stops. The hardest part was already completed, installing the new stops. So why wasn't the job done entirely within a week? It's not that there were a lot of other routes that also needed to have the route and destination signs removed.

 

 

To play devil's advocate, they could have argued that Manhattan Beach riders had alternate service to the subway with the B1 and that parallels the B49, but they woud have used the word "duplicates", so with only 10 passengers per bus, the B49 could have been truncated on weekends at Shhepshead Bay Station, at least during non-summer months. It would have been a big inconvenience to lose the B49 in Manhattan Beach, but I think the inconvenience of losing the B4 was just as great.

the signs for the B64 still havent been updated only the guide a ride,also of the ten B64 i saw since the 7th all the novas still used the bath beach sign and only one 3g had the coney island sign

[peacemak3r]

True.

 

It was really just a grade on how well each agency handled the return of the B4. I threw in the comment about the Bridge because, that also wasn't completed on time.

 

When it's on that perspective, then I'm content.

[BrooklynBus]

Even with the B49 down there the stores are feeling it... Notice that the store where the old B4 bus stop was on Shore Blvd and Emmons closed... Granted there have been several stores at that location over the years, but that's a store that I would go into when waiting for the B4 or BM3 for an OJ and a toasted bagel or something.  With the cutting back of the BM3 I now have to hurry to get the last express bus back to the city so I don't have as much time to patronize stores around there like I used to in the past.  Can't even relax and have a few beers or anything... The restaurants and shops are completely dead along Emmons Av.... Part of it is the recession, but part of it is the lack of transportation as well.

Also, Sandy caused a lot of them to close.

 

the signs for the B64 still havent been updated only the guide a ride,also of the ten B64 i saw since the 7th all the novas still used the bath beach sign and only one 3g had the coney island sign

Are you sure?  I believe it's thse same crew that updates the signage and Guide a Rides.  It's hard to believe they updated one without  the other. As far as the Nova signs not being updated, there might be a reason for that. The MTA may have to go to Nova to get the signs changed.  I think it may have something to do with the warranty.

 

That's what happened when the B1 was changed.  About ten buses were never changed and still used the Bay Ridge Ave sign. The MTA told me the reason was that they couldn't update those signs themselves because it was part of some pilot test that was the contractor's responsibility to update and apparently I was the only one who realized it or cared.  After I told them, it was fixed in three days.

 

It may be the same case with the Nova's.  It may have just slipped through the cracks, and if no one tells them about it, it may take forever til it gets fixed.  

[JubaionBx12+SBS]

I guess this only applies to Sheepshead Bay because I was going to reply with comments about the Bronx and how the MTA would possibly be graded there. 

[B35 via Church]

I'm not sure how you can conclude that the left the B49 "as is"... Service on that line has become ATROCIOUS!!  The headways stink and bus service on that line has become unreliable, very much like the old B4.  I used to use the B49 regularly when I lived in Sheepshead Bay, along with the B4 and the B36 and out of the three the B49 was the most reliable...

 

I'm not sure what happened, but if anything more needs to be done to get the B49 back to the way it used to be.... For one they have to be pulling drivers from that line like they did with the B4 because the waits are not justifiable... Over 30 minutes waiting for one bus and then when you've given up on it, one bus shows up, so what happened to the other buses?? Second, the headways are a joke... If they want to talk about getting people to take buses again, provide reliable service and maybe they'll use it again.  I now just walk instead of using the B49 for that very reason.

I have my own gripe about the B49 (the northern half of the route), but as was said, service too has sucked on that line for quite a long time now....

 

Anyway, I never really looked at it like that (part in bold) - Outside of the B44, Sheepshead Bay does receive very unreliable service.....

As Contor (think his name is) in another thread said, the B36 is getting worse, and I have to agree with him on that....

Piss poor headways was always a problem on the B4, but I still think this has to do w/ the fact that the route runs on Bay Ridge pkwy..... As long as those folks on that end don't use the B4 in large enough numbers to justify a headway decrease on the route, service on the B4 is gonna remain the way it is - at the expense of Sheepshead patrons.....

 

You can't grade someone or something solely on one line of an entire system.

This.....

 

Same conclusion I came to before reading the replies in this thread, skimming through the article.....

For instance, If I were to pick the B39 to grade the DOT on, it would get an 'A'......

 

....but don't you think you are being hard on DOT all the time?

I think we as riders are too lenient actually..... DOT takes their sweet ass time updating these shelters/bus stops/signs, which doesn't help to keep riders apprised of current service on affected lines.....

 

Even with the B49 down there the stores are feeling it... Notice that the store where the old B4 bus stop was on Shore Blvd and Emmons closed... Granted there have been several stores at that location over the years, but that's a store that I would go into when waiting for the B4 or BM3 for an OJ and a toasted bagel or something.....

 

.....The restaurants and shops are completely dead along Emmons Av.... Part of it is the recession, but part of it is the lack of transportation as well.

This is true.... When I venture down there, I say to myself, how can such an upbeat looking community actually be so quiet.......

 

the signs for the B64 still havent been updated only the guide a ride,also of the ten B64 i saw since the 7th all the novas still used the bath beach sign and only one 3g had the coney island sign

Also true.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I have my own gripe about the B49 (the northern half of the route), but as was said, service too has sucked on that line for quite a long time now....

 

Anyway, I never really looked at it like that (part in bold) - Outside of the B44, Sheepshead Bay does receive very unreliable service.....

As Contor (think his name is) in another thread said, the B36 is getting worse, and I have to agree with him on that....

Piss poor headways was always a problem on the B4, but I still think this has to do w/ the fact that the route runs on Bay Ridge pkwy..... As long as those folks on that end don't use the B4 in large enough numbers to justify a headway decrease on the route, service on the B4 is gonna remain the way it is - at the expense of Sheepshead patrons.....

 

This is true.... When I venture down there, I say to myself, how can such an upbeat looking community actually be so quiet.......

No question the B36 is getting worse... I think I said that back in 2010... Less service...

 

As for the B49 I considered it the best out of the three going back years ago... Now, it's a toss up between which of the three is the worst...

Such a shame how dead Emmons Av has become.... Back in the 90s when I lived there it so much more vibrant... 

[Around the Horn]

Also, Sandy caused a lot of them to close.

 

Are you sure?  I believe it's thse same crew that updates the signage and Guide a Rides.  It's hard to believe they updated one without  the other. As far as the Nova signs not being updated, there might be a reason for that. The MTA may have to go to Nova to get the signs changed.  I think it may have something to do with the warranty.

 

That's what happened when the B1 was changed.  About ten buses were never changed and still used the Bay Ridge Ave sign. The MTA told me the reason was that they couldn't update those signs themselves because it was part of some pilot test that was the contractor's responsibility to update and apparently I was the only one who realized it or cared.  After I told them, it was fixed in three days.

 

It may be the same case with the Nova's.  It may have just slipped through the cracks, and if no one tells them about it, it may take forever til it gets fixed.  

all of the b64 sign say Bath Beach and the maps still show Harway Av as the last stop

[BrooklynBus]

all of the b64 sign say Bath Beach and the maps still show Harway Av as the last stop

Let us know when they are updated. All the B4 Guide a Rides at the new stops were updated by Jan 6th. The old ones at the eliminated stops are still there. I do not know if the B4 signs were updated in Bay Ridge. I wonder what DOTs time frame is for updating guide- rides. I still see B1 signs dated July, and I doubt if summer schedules are still in effect during the winter. I'm starting to wonder if DOT deserves an F when it comes to updating Guide-a-Rides.

[qjtransitmaster]

most people use smartphones so they could care less abour DOT signage.

[checkmatechamp13]

most people use smartphones so they could care less abour DOT signage.

 

a) No, not most people use smartphones.

 

b) Smartphones have nothing to do with this.

[BrooklynBus]

I guess this only applies to Sheepshead Bay because I was going to reply with comments about the Bronx and how the MTA would possibly be graded there.

You can still do that.

[Around the Horn]

Let us know when they are updated. All the B4 Guide a Rides at the new stops were updated by Jan 6th. The old ones at the eliminated stops are still there. I do not know if the B4 signs were updated in Bay Ridge. I wonder what DOTs time frame is for updating guide- rides. I still see B1 signs dated July, and I doubt if summer schedules are still in effect during the winter. I'm starting to wonder if DOT deserves an F when it comes to updating Guide-a-Rides.

the b4 stop at RIDGE BLVD and 78 STREET still has the 6/12 map...

[Around the Horn]

the guide a ride was finally updated today...

[BrooklynBus]

Thanks.