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Good for Park Slope, Carroll Gdns, Cobble Hill, etc.....

 

Do they plan on implementing bustime on every route though..... Because outside of nightime service, I don't see where it's necessary on having em on routes during the day that have low headways.....

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What's that mean? BusTime makes hella of a difference, so now you can map out an alternative routing if that specific bus is too far away.

 

Sure as hell helped me yesterday. I was able to do my shopping at Shop Rite while tracking the X10 that I wanted, walked out with a few minutes to spare so that I could meet the bus.

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Good for Park Slope, Carroll Gdns, Cobble Hill, etc.....

 

Do they plan on implementing bustime on every route though..... Because outside of nightime service, I don't see where it's necessary on having em on routes during the day that have low headways.....

 

Two entire boroughs (not counting SI) should be online by the end of the year...I have my doubts.

 

The other two will come online by the end of next year.

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Good for Park Slope, Carroll Gdns, Cobble Hill, etc.....

 

Do they plan on implementing bustime on every route though..... Because outside of nightime service, I don't see where it's necessary on having em on routes during the day that have low headways.....

 

IIRC, Manhattan & Queens are the last two. The Bronx & Brooklyn should be this year.

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Sure as hell helped me yesterday. I was able to do my shopping at Shop Rite while tracking the X10 that I wanted, walked out with a few minutes to spare so that I could meet the bus.

 

 

The thing that I've noticed lately is that the buses seem to arrive fairly late at that stop by ShopRite, because they know there are going to be very few passengers down the rest of the line. I remember a woman asked "What time does the bus come?", and I told her "5:32" when it was about 5:40, and then a minute later, the X10 showed up around the corner. From what I recall, they used to come a couple of minutes late, but now they come even later to avoid being early further down. Now if only they could program that into the schedule...

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The thing that I've noticed lately is that the buses seem to arrive fairly late at that stop by ShopRite, because they know there are going to be very few passengers down the rest of the line. I remember a woman asked "What time does the bus come?", and I told her "5:32" when it was about 5:40, and then a minute later, the X10 showed up around the corner. From what I recall, they used to come a couple of minutes late, but now they come even later to avoid being early further down. Now if only they could program that into the schedule...

 

 

On the one hand I love Bus Time, but on the other hand, these damn express buses (particularly the X10) are always late now and not just a few minutes either. I wanted to catch the 18:10 X10 back to the city, which I got, but I wanted that bus especially because I wanted to get the 19:40 BxM1 back to Riverdale and at that time it only runs every hour. Anywho, I saw that the 18:10 was set to arrive at 57th & 3rd and 19:27, which would be more than enough time for me to walk up to 3rd and 61st for the BxM1. He arrived a few minutes late, but then got back on schedule further along Narrows Road South. We got to the city around 19:00 and it took almost 45 minutes for him to get to 3rd and 57th. <_< Granted, there was traffic and a detour but still. The X10s... Now with Bus Time, they're always late and sometimes you wind up getting to your destination almost 30 minutes later than the schedule says regardless of what time of day or night it is. Quite frankly I see no point of them leaving late because they usually don't get back on schedule. It's like why can't the bus just arrive as scheduled and stay on time? Of course that isn't always possible due to traffic, but it doesn't matter when I take the X10 now.... It can be 21:00 at night going back to the city and there's no traffic and they still somehow are late. I bring it up because if they're charging a premium fare and constantly getting you to your destination late all of the time, then it kind of defeats the purpose of taking the express bus.

 

Folks are paying a premium for a fast ride AND one that is on time. Now my Riverdale express bus, I can set my phone to them and so far I've only missed maybe two buses since I've moved there and that wasn't because they were early. They were right on time and I just got to the stop a minute or so late. I only had one incident with a BxM18 showing up early, but other than that that has been it.

 

Luckily there was a bit of traffic and I had maybe a few minutes before the BxM1 came because I would've been pissed had I missed that bus and had to wait for another hour.

 

The way I see it, it isn't the headways that the B/Os out of Castleton are given. They're just God awful at keeping a friggin schedule. Even before Bus Time, they were always either late or early, rarely did they arrive on time.

 

The funny thing is the B/O looked at me when I got off and wondered why I had a pissed look on my face. Well let's see, you almost screwed up my connection... <_<

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On the one hand I love Bus Time, but on the other hand, these damn express buses (particularly the X10) are always late now and not just a few minutes either.

 

lol..... Tried to tell you that Bustime doesn't improve service a while back.....

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From what I've seen, the drivers just floor it and get back on schedule that way. I mean, there are times when you'll see a whole crowd of people waiting at that stop across from ShopRite, and then X10 will slow down and pull to the right, and nobody in that crowd wants the X10, so he just pulls back into the regular lane and continues along his merry way. I mean, usage really doesn't pick up until you hit Victory Blvd, so buses don't need that much runtime. That's why I said they should trim down the schedule. I mean, you said yourself the buses were known for coming 10 minutes early, and I even remember somebody commenting on Second Avenue Sagas about that. You said the only way it'll use the full runtime is if there was a problem with an earlier bus (i.e. They came early), and people are getting on like crazy.

 

Even here, you said the main issue was once the buses reached Manhattan. The bus came late towards the beginning of the route in SI, but by the time they reached Arrochar, they were on time. So the issue was in Manhattan. The schedule says it takes 35 minutes to get to 57th & 3rd, so chances are it was just the detour delaying you the extra 10 minutes.

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From what I've seen, the drivers just floor it and get back on schedule that way. I mean, there are times when you'll see a whole crowd of people waiting at that stop across from ShopRite, and then X10 will slow down and pull to the right, and nobody in that crowd wants the X10, so he just pulls back into the regular lane and continues along his merry way. I mean, usage really doesn't pick up until you hit Victory Blvd, so buses don't need that much runtime. That's why I said they should trim down the schedule. I mean, you said yourself the buses were known for coming 10 minutes early, and I even remember somebody commenting on Second Avenue Sagas about that. You said the only way it'll use the full runtime is if there was a problem with an earlier bus (i.e. They came early), and people are getting on like crazy.

 

Even here, you said the main issue was once the buses reached Manhattan. The bus came late towards the beginning of the route in SI, but by the time they reached Arrochar, they were on time. So the issue was in Manhattan. The schedule says it takes 35 minutes to get to 57th & 3rd, so chances are it was just the detour delaying you the extra 10 minutes.

 

 

Yeah, but even going to Staten Island, it takes forever now... Yesterday wasn't too bad though.

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lol..... Tried to tell you that Bustime doesn't improve service a while back.....

 

 

Indeed, IMO all it does is offer transparency to the general public...this way they can't pull a..."I been waiting 30 minutes for this bus" meanwhile they don't even have their fare ready lol (even though they still will)

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Indeed, IMO all it does is offer transparency to the general public...this way they can't pull a..."I been waiting 30 minutes for this bus" meanwhile they don't even have their fare ready lol (even though they still will)

 

 

There are plenty of people who wait until the last minute to pull out their MetroCard. It doesn't matter they've been waiting 1 minute or 30 minutes. They're not going to pull out the MetroCard (or their coins for that matter) until the bus pulls into the stop.

 

In some cases, I could sort of understand (you don't want to be a target going through your bag or whatever), or you don't want to drop stuff on the ground (or worse, have your MetroCard blow away or something) while you're fumbling either.

 

But that's why I always make sure to have my MetroCard in an easy-to-reach place. I usually wear cargo pants, so I just can just reach in and pull it up in advance (of if I'm running for the bus, I don't have to fumble on the bus and hold everybody up).

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lol..... Tried to tell you that Bustime doesn't improve service a while back.....

 

 

Actually I would disagree with that. Overall I have found that service has improved.... Just not with the X10... The only difference with the X10 is that now that they don't show up 10 minutes early, but they still can't come on time. In fact now that I think about that route seems to be the only express bus on SI that leaves the terminal almost 8 - 10 minutes late just about all of the time because I track them. Meanwhile you have a line like that the X30 that will leave right on time from their terminal (barring traffic of course). I guess some will say that before I complained about them coming early which is true, but if other express bus lines can stick to the schedule, why can't the X10 B/Os? For example, the X12s are generally right on time when I use them.

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Actually I would disagree with that. Overall I have found that service has improved.... Just not with the X10... The only difference with the X10 is that now that they don't show up 10 minutes early, but they still can't come on time. In fact now that I think about that route seems to be the only express bus on SI that leaves the terminal almost 8 - 10 minutes late just about all of the time because I track them. Meanwhile you have a line like that the X30 that will leave right on time from their terminal (barring traffic of course). I guess some will say that before I complained about them coming early which is true, but if other express bus lines can stick to the schedule, why can't the X10 B/Os? For example, the X12s are generally right on time when I use them.

 

 

Didn't you use them around the Castleton Corners area? If so, that's part of the reason: The buses leave a little bit late from Mariners' Harbor and then arrive right on time in Castleton Corners. I see it every day when I'm passing by on the S44, S59, or S89 in the opposite direction. (For the X12, it runs too frequently to tell if it's on time, but I see it with the X42 since that's less frequent). They leave a little late from Mariners' Harbor and then catch up for the rest of the route, so they get to Castleton Corners right on time. It's maybe 7-9 minutes behind schedule. A little might be due to traffic on Forest Avenue, but that bus probably left at least 5 minutes late.

 

I mean, what's the problem? If the bus still gets to the last stop on SI at the correct time, what difference does it make? Some B/Os just can't stand driving slow, so they'll do whatever it takes to avoid doing that. The only issue is that it's not reflected on the schedule, but what can you do?

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Indeed, IMO all it does is offer transparency to the general public...this way they can't pull a..."I been waiting 30 minutes for this bus" meanwhile they don't even have their fare ready lol (even though they still will)

 

 

I've witnessed this so many times down at the Island that it's not even funny anymore. While I was checking arrivals and such on my app, I had this one lady be mad nosey and was like "why are you checking your phone so often?" And I'm here like "I'm checking when the bus will arrive and how far away it is" She comes out and asks me how I'm checking it. Now mind you, I'm at a bus stop with a guide-a-ride which clearly shows how to use Bustime so I point it to her.

 

She comes out saying "What is that? How does that work?" So I calmly explain to her how to do it and well....stupidity struck. The bus arrives and she still looks through the maps and whatnot through her phone. As soon as the driver shuts the door, she knocks and unfortunately lets her on and she was saying "Sorry, was checking something on my phone".....B/O takes off on the Nova and she nearly busts her ass while looking for her metrocard (lol).

 

She comes to where I'm sitting and was like "can you show me how to do this again?" I had my earbuds on and was watching a movie on my Zune and just straight ignored her throughout the trip to St. George.

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Didn't you use them around the Castleton Corners area? If so, that's part of the reason: The buses leave a little bit late from Mariners' Harbor and then arrive right on time in Castleton Corners. I see it every day when I'm passing by on the S44, S59, or S89 in the opposite direction. (For the X12, it runs too frequently to tell if it's on time, but I see it with the X42 since that's less frequent). They leave a little late from Mariners' Harbor and then catch up for the rest of the route, so they get to Castleton Corners right on time. It's maybe 7-9 minutes behind schedule. A little might be due to traffic on Forest Avenue, but that bus probably left at least 5 minutes late.

 

I mean, what's the problem? If the bus still gets to the last stop on SI at the correct time, what difference does it make? Some B/Os just can't stand driving slow, so they'll do whatever it takes to avoid doing that. The only issue is that it's not reflected on the schedule, but what can you do?

 

 

Castleton Corners has nothing to do with it because I used the X12 more so going to Staten Island than going to Manhattan towards the beginning of the route. The point is there is no point in leaving so late to where you wind up getting to the final destination late, sometimes 20 minutes late. That's the point. People are paying a premium for a reason. I expect the bus to arrive at its destination at said time unless of course there it is rush hour or some traffic, but I generally use the X10 on the weekends and rarely do I get where I'm going on time with that bloody bus. The X12 meanwhile generally arrives on time to said destination along with other express bus routes, as they should. The issue is with the X10.

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Your right. The MTA local bus routes dont show up though. Dont tell me MTA Bustime is not for MTA bus

 

 

oohh are you serious?? I didnt check MTA Bus routes...only queens routes i did was

 

q1 q46 and q44

 

the bx i did bx36 bx9

 

brooklyn b1 b36 b74 b70

 

man m1 m15 m14a/d

 

s.i already has

 

that would be crazy if MTA Bus ends up not getting it

 

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oohh are you serious?? I didnt check MTA Bus routes...only queens routes i did was

 

q1 q46 and q44

 

the bx i did bx36 bx9

 

brooklyn b1 b36 b74 b70

 

man m1 m15 m14a/d

 

s.i already has

 

that would be crazy if MTA Bus ends up not getting it

 

Especially when I live near a CP route, that has all over the place scheduling Issue

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I just tried using BusTime the other day for the B61 on my computer and found it pretty useless. It will be of limited use until they can turn distances into time. I tried asking where the next bus was where there was the biggest gap between buses. It said the next bus was 4.5 miles away. How is someone supposed to translate that into a time? Another fault was that Bus Time can't see around a terminal. So if you ask for a bus and the next one is one block from the terminal in the opposite direction, you get "no buses enroute". That means if you are a few bus stops from the terminal you will have a better idea when the next bus will come simply by watching buses in the opposite direction than by using bus time.

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I saw an ad on a local bus last weekend in the city on an M5 bus I believe which said that the Bronx would be receiving Bus Time this fall. After that Brooklyn is next, though I'm not sure when. I believe it's supposed to be by the end of the year at the latest and then Queens and Manhattan will follow. Believe me... I'm with you on Bus Time. Bus service in Brooklyn has been ATROCIOUS and it's about time we find out where in the hell these buses are. I'm almost certain for example that this one driver on the BM3 just hangs out and comes whenever he feels like it because he was consistently a good 20 minutes late while waiting for him to Sheepshead Bay even when the other BM express buses are on time. It makes no sense because they all come Downtown the exact same way so there is something very fishy about him arriving that late.

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