Official MTA BusTime Discussion

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Well at least I can track some of my home routes now when Brooklyn gets it (Q58, Q59)

[Gorgor]

Finally!

 

Manhattan bus routes probably get slammed with delays the worst out of all the boroughs.  Yes, we're less dependent on buses, but also many people choose to walk because the buses are so unreliable.  Even though the schedule says that a bus may run every 5 minutes you could easily be waiting 8-10 minutes because of bunching and traffic.  Once during the heart of the PM rush I waited 17 minutes for an M15 SBS before choosing to take the local (and an SBS never passed us).  If I was able to track the bus I would've taken the local instead and gotten home 17 minutes sooner.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Finally!

 

Manhattan bus routes probably get slammed with delays the worst out of all the boroughs.  Yes, we're less dependent on buses, but also many people choose to walk because the buses are so unreliable.  Even though the schedule says that a bus may run every 5 minutes you could easily be waiting 8-10 minutes because of bunching and traffic.  Once during the heart of the PM rush I waited 17 minutes for an M15 SBS before choosing to take the local (and an SBS never passed us).  If I was able to track the bus I would've taken the local instead and gotten home 17 minutes sooner.

A big shot like you, why don't you just drive??

[QM1to6Ave]

I hate the non-SBS Manhattan bus routes, especially the uptown/downtown routes. THose buses are so unreliable. 

[favbusbx13]

Bronx got it second

[qjtransitmaster]

I hate the non-SBS Manhattan bus routes, especially the uptown/downtown routes. THose buses are so unreliable. 

Just use the subway you don't need those things that show up when they feel like it anyway unless your 60 and over LOL.

[QM1to6Ave]

Just use the subway you don't need those things that show up when they feel like it anyway unless your 60 and over LOL.

When the buses do show up, they are nice and empty (at least the ones I take), which is a big advantage over the subway. But unless the bus happens to be pulling up, I go for the subway. 

[Gorgor]

Just use the subway you don't need those things that show up when they feel like it anyway unless your 60 and over LOL.

 

You do realize that most buses do not run along the same routes as the subway, and would require additional walking which will defeat any time saved.  Plus, there are a lot of crosstown routes and L-shaped routes that you just simply couldn't do with the subway, even if you made multiple transfers.

[Quill Depot]

Just use the subway you don't need those things that show up when they feel like it anyway unless your 60 and over LOL.

 

I don't see subway lines across 79th Street to the East Village. Do I?

[MHV9218]

I don't think manhattan needs it. Buses are close by to each other and they have almost all the subway routes.

 

You must not take the bus much. That couldn't be any further from the truth. 

 

Having said that, Brooklyn should have come before Manhattan, no question.

[LRG]

Just like I predicted, Manhattan was getting Bus Time next, and either Brooklyn or Queens would be getting it afterwards.

 

Let's see how many old buses fall victim to the shredder as it wouldn't make sense to hook them up with GPS.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just like I predicted, Manhattan was getting Bus Time next, and either Brooklyn or Queens would be getting it afterwards.

 

Let's see how many old buses fall victim to the shredder as it wouldn't make sense to hook them up with GPS.

The more the merrier, esp. those bloody RTS's and old Orions.... 

 

You must not take the bus much. That couldn't be any further from the truth. 

 

Having said that, Brooklyn should have come before Manhattan, no question.

I agree but it'll come in handy when I need local bus service in the city... Now and days I generally just use the express buses in Brooklyn and then walk but now that B4 is back I'll use that here and there.

[Quill Depot]

The more the merrier, esp. those bloody RTS's and old Orions.... 

 

You are asking for negative reputation...

[qjtransitmaster]

You do realize that most buses do not run along the same routes as the subway, and would require additional walking which will defeat any time saved.  Plus, there are a lot of crosstown routes and L-shaped routes that you just simply couldn't do with the subway, even if you made multiple transfers.

True but manhattan is still the least bus dependent. L shaped routes and crosstowns are not redundant I was talking about north -south lines.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You are asking for negative reputation...

Bring it on... 

[LRG]

 

 

The more the merrier, esp. those bloody RTS's and old Orions....  

 

I don't care what you say about the RTS', but leave my Orions alone!!!!!

 

Besides there are hundreds of RTS from 1996 so a majority of them are going to go. The oldest Orion 5s in service are the Ex-Bee Line units from 1995 and there's only a handful of the (like around 20) but I don't really care about those so much so you can bad-mouth them all you want!!!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

 

 

 

I don't care what you say about the RTS', but leave my Orions alone!!!!!

 

Besides there are hundreds of RTS from 1996 so a majority of them are going to go. The oldest Orion 5s in service are the Ex-Bee Line units from 1995 and there's only a handful of the (like around 20) but I don't really care about those so much so you can bad-mouth them all you want!!!

LOL! Well those Ex-Bee line buses are TERRIBLE inside and out.  I'd use an old Orion any day over those as long as it was cleaned inside.  They actually aren't that bad because I use them sometimes on the Q32.  It's just that Staten Island trashed those Orions so bad that I had really bad memories, like the duct tape handle bars. 

[Quill Depot]

True but manhattan is still the least bus dependent. L shaped routes and crosstowns are not redundant I was talking about north -south lines.

 

The north-south routes are definitely necessary. Lets look at the bus lines running on Lexington Ave and 3rd Ave, the M101, 102, and 103. First of all, the 3 had an average weekday ridership of 58,196 during 2011, the latest year available for statistics. Also, they have artics on them, a route clearly has high ridership if they have artics. Finally, most stops on it's nearby partner subway line, the Lexington Ave Line do not have wheelchair accessibility and during delays or reroutes these lines are the life-line for the Upper-East-Siders getting to work. You cannot say how Manhattan is the least bus dependent.

[bobtehpanda]

The north-south routes are definitely necessary. Lets look at the bus lines running on Lexington Ave and 3rd Ave, the M101, 102, and 103. First of all, the 3 had an average weekday ridership of 58,196 during 2011, the latest year available for statistics. Also, they have artics on them, a route clearly has high ridership if they have artics. Finally, most stops on it's nearby partner subway line, the Lexington Ave Line do not have wheelchair accessibility and during delays or reroutes these lines are the life-line for the Upper-East-Siders getting to work. You cannot say how Manhattan is the least bus dependent.

 

You can't say that Manhattan can live without buses, but you can DEFINITELY say that it is the least bus-dependent of the remaining boroughs without BusTime. Brooklyn residents in the southern and western sections of the borough have to take subway + bus commutes, and buses provide effective crosstown links - 5 of the top 10 buses in terms of ridership are Brooklyn buses (B46, B6, B44, B35, B41). Queens has just seven subway stops east of the Van Wyck, with a combined weekday ridership of 165K - about 3% of the subway's total weekday ridership. The majority of these riders are fed to these ten stops by buses that reach into areas the subway does not, and likely never will, serve. This also doesn't reflect the large amount of intra-Queens riders whose only option is the bus, whereas at least the able bodied in Manhattan can board subways or walk for their relatively shorter trip distances. The only argument in favor of Manhattan getting BusTime first that doesn't have to do with MTA Bus (let's face it, that's probably why Queens is getting it last) is the extreme unreliability of the bus network - at least Queens can manage timed connections in the far-flung sections of its network.

[qjtransitmaster]

You can't say that Manhattan can live without buses, but you can DEFINITELY say that it is the least bus-dependent of the remaining boroughs without BusTime. Brooklyn residents in the southern and western sections of the borough have to take subway + bus commutes, and buses provide effective crosstown links - 5 of the top 10 buses in terms of ridership are Brooklyn buses (B46, B6, B44, B35, B41). Queens has just seven subway stops east of the Van Wyck, with a combined weekday ridership of 165K - about 3% of the subway's total weekday ridership. The majority of these riders are fed to these ten stops by buses that reach into areas the subway does not, and likely never will, serve. This also doesn't reflect the large amount of intra-Queens riders whose only option is the bus, whereas at least the able bodied in Manhattan can board subways or walk for their relatively shorter trip distances. The only argument in favor of Manhattan getting BusTime first that doesn't have to do with MTA Bus (let's face it, that's probably why Queens is getting it last) is the extreme unreliability of the bus network - at least Queens can manage timed connections in the far-flung sections of its network.

EXACTLY SOMEBODY GETS IT!!!!!! This is all I have to say for this post 

 

I never said manhattan buses are worthless and expendable I said that manhattan is the least dependent on buses justifiably so if your able bodied most of the time you won't need them but not all the time at least you get it.

 

Manhattan's lifeline is the subway NOT the bus. 

 

Underlined LOL so true!! Even the Q85 is more reliable than many manhattan buses that is just plain wrong. However those were my experiences.

[qjtransitmaster]

The north-south routes are definitely necessary. Lets look at the bus lines running on Lexington Ave and 3rd Ave, the M101, 102, and 103. First of all, the 3 had an average weekday ridership of 58,196 during 2011, the latest year available for statistics. Also, they have artics on them, a route clearly has high ridership if they have artics. Finally, most stops on it's nearby partner subway line, the Lexington Ave Line do not have wheelchair accessibility and during delays or reroutes these lines are the life-line for the Upper-East-Siders getting to work. You cannot say how Manhattan is the least bus dependent.

I never said they were not needed I said your better off with the subway than waiting for them. Says one who has not been through ALL 5 boroughs. Last I checked brooklyn relies on buses due to subway-less areas all over in south brooklyn and other parts in central. Queens if you think they aren't as dependent as manhattan you are on strong shit. SI has no subway to rely on SIR don't count. Bronx last I checked there are no crosstown subways in the bronx if they weren't bus dependent then their BXM lines won't be crushed at rush and still have frequent off-peak service and ridership to back it up with 2 exceptions though but for another conversation. There is no way manhattan is more dependent than the bronx so yeah Manhattan is indeed the least bus dependent.

[NewFlyer 230]

Brooklyn will get it before Queens. The B61 and B63 already have them so they should continue. Queens as always is last but they should at least put Bustime on CP,BP,JFK, FR and CS since they have more newer buses. I don't like the whole idea of holding the whole bourough up just because some depots have more older buses and so on.

[Quill Depot]

You can't say Manhattan is the least bus dependent. It's the most densely populated place in the U.S. and is where the majority of New Yorkers work. Overall, Manhattan routes have an average weekday ridership of 486,096, which is greater than Queens.

[Gorgor]

Manhattan has to have the least reliable bus service out of any borough.  Traffic is unpredictable, and affects pretty much every route, and on some days one part of a route may take 10 minutes but another day it may take over 30 minutes.  Buses in the outerboroughs are subject to much less delays due to unpredictable amounts of traffic.

 

Bustime in Manhattan won't fix any of those problems, but will let riders know whether they should wait for the bus or take an alternate way (walk, cab, or walk to a parallel bus route).

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Manhattan has to have the least reliable bus service out of any borough.  Traffic is unpredictable, and affects pretty much every route, and on some days one part of a route may take 10 minutes but another day it may take over 30 minutes.  Buses in the outerboroughs are subject to much less delays due to unpredictable amounts of traffic.

 

Bustime in Manhattan won't fix any of those problems, but will let riders know whether they should wait for the bus or take an alternate way (walk, cab, or walk to a parallel bus route).

I would beg to differ on that.... If you were in the outerboroughs more you wouldn't say this Mr. Manhattan.