MTA Leaves Passengers Out in the Cold in Seven Degree Weather and Politics Over Transit

[BrooklynBus]

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2014/01/the-mta-leaves-passengers-out-in-the-cold-in-seven-degree-weather-and-politics-over-transit/

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Hopefully this problem can be remedied to some degree with Bus Time...

[BrooklynBus]

Hopefully this problem can be remedied to some degree with Bus Time...

I really don't see how Bus Time can help with this. It doesn't know when buses are bypassing stops with waiting passengers.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I really don't see how Bus Time can help with this. It doesn't know when buses are bypassing stops with waiting passengers.

It can help passengers to some extent so that they aren't waiting in the cold unnecessarily... Why can't they just start some buses after the college??

[BrooklynBus]

It can help passengers to some extent so that they aren't waiting in the cold unnecessarily... Why can't they just start some buses after the college??

I think it can be more of a hindrance than a help. Someone can check Bus Time and see the next bus is a quarter-mile away which should be like three minutes at maximum. Then the bus doesn't stop and someone had his expectations raised unnecessarily.

 

It makes no sense to add buses after the college because half of all the buses empty out at the subway, so we are talking of a distance of less than two miles. The numbers of passengers who need to get on every ten minutes or so at all the stops put together for both routes is like between 15 and 20, hardly enough passengers to warrant additional service for that distance. The buses need to leave the college with enough room in the front of the bus for passengers to board. They usually leave when passengers are already up to the first line. I have also heard that one drivers have been threatened when they try to close the doors when there is still room on the bus. The college kids only seem to care about themselves.

 

Also a lot has to do with the school schedule which varies. Something special must have been going on with the school and they didnt notify the MTA because buses were coming every few minutes at around 3 PM and none had more than about 20 passengers when they are usually all jam packed at that time.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I think it can be more of a hindrance than a help. Someone can check Bus Time and see the next bus is a quarter-mile away which should be like three minutes at maximum. Then the bus doesn't stop and someone had his expectations raised unnecessarily.

 

It makes no sense to add buses after the college because half of all the buses empty out at the subway, so we are talking of a distance of less than two miles. The numbers of passengers who need to get on every ten minutes or so at all the stops put together for both routes is like between 15 and 20, hardly enough passengers to warrant additional service for that distance. The buses need to leave the college with enough room in the front of the bus for passengers to board. They usually leave when passengers are already up to the first line. I have also heard that one drivers have been threatened when they try to close the doors when there is still room on the bus. The college kids only seem to care about themselves.

 

Also a lot has to do with the school schedule which varies. Something special must have been going on with the school and they didnt notify the MTA because buses were coming every few minutes at around 3 PM and none had more than about 20 passengers when they are usually all jam packed at that time.

This is a unique situation and is more of an issue of the finding a way to serve the stops outside of KCC.  I use Bus Time every day and it is very beneficial and my waits are usually pretty short.  If not I can relax in a cafe or elsewhere and then walk to the stop when I see my bus coming.  I don't know anyone who would say that knowing where the next bus is serves as a "hindrance" unless of course they can't get on the bus, but again, that's a scheduling problem. I'm not saying add more buses after KCC. I'm saying have some buses start after KCC.  The provides school shuttles for the high schools, so I don't see the difference here.  Give KCC some school shuttles and call it a day.  Then have all other buses pick up after KCC.  They should be able to determine how many buses they need for KCC.  I don't see what's so complicated about this.

[Olegkha]

I am doing B1 right now, and wow some of those people standing after the college are COLD   ( 30-40 minutes ..... )

There is nothing we can do about that,  ( they are pissed !!! )

 

The only way to fix this situation would be 1 Artic, pick up in college, next and only stop is B68 stop on Coney island ave ( north of brighton beach ave ) , and come back  using Neptune Ave.

This Artic would be able to pick up in college and drop off on brighton train, pick up at the train and bring to college.

 

That will free up a lot of space in local busses to pick up people who are siting and waiting in the cold weather, plus that can even let one of the buses to terminate at Coney island ave and not even enter Manhaten Beach area .

[MHV9218]

 

 

I will not take a partisan approach blaming one political party over the other.

 

What in the hell else would you consider Bridge-gate, an event which has been proven as clear political bullying by Republican Christie direct towards a Democratic mayor who wouldn't endorse him? A tea party? A friendly joke? It's not a 'partisan approach,' it's fact.

[BrooklynBus]

What in the hell else would you consider Bridge-gate, an event which has been proven as clear political bullying by Republican Christie direct towards a Democratic mayor who wouldn't endorse him? A tea party? A friendly joke? It's not a 'partisan approach,' it's fact.

I am not saying the Republicans weren't wrong. They definitely were. My comment was merely to state that I wanted to keep politics out of the article because if the shoe were on the other foot, I wouldn't put it past the Democrats to do the exact same thing. That was my point. By the way I usually vote Democratic.

I am doing B1 right now, and wow some of those people standing after the college are COLD   ( 30-40 minutes ..... )

There is nothing we can do about that,  ( they are pissed !!! )

 

The only way to fix this situation would be 1 Artic, pick up in college, next and only stop is B68 stop on Coney island ave ( north of brighton beach ave ) , and come back  using Neptune Ave.

This Artic would be able to pick up in college and drop off on brighton train, pick up at the train and bring to college.

 

That will free up a lot of space in local busses to pick up people who are siting and waiting in the cold weather, plus that can even let one of the buses to terminate at Coney island ave and not even enter Manhaten Beach area .

Funny, I didn't think there were any problems today. I hardly saw any college students. We're they traveling at a different time, like a half day of school? Your one artic idea sounds like it might work, but the MTA doesn't think that way, to do something entirely different for one specific situation. They like the one size fits all approach.

[Olegkha]

I did 3 trips from college, and havent stoped ones anywere between college and Staten Island ave

( people were waiting in most of those stops )

[Blitz]

I am doing B1 right now, and wow some of those people standing after the college are COLD ( 30-40 minutes ..... )

There is nothing we can do about that, ( they are pissed !!! )

 

The only way to fix this situation would be 1 Artic, pick up in college, next and only stop is B68 stop on Coney island ave ( north of brighton beach ave ) , and come back using Neptune Ave.

This Artic would be able to pick up in college and drop off on brighton train, pick up at the train and bring to college.

 

That will free up a lot of space in local busses to pick up people who are siting and waiting in the cold weather, plus that can even let one of the buses to terminate at Coney island ave and not even enter Manhaten Beach area .

I would not post thinks like this if I were you...

[Olegkha]

I would not post thinks like this if I were you...

Why ?

 

What did I post that was bad ? 

[Blitz]

Why ?

 

What did I post that was bad ?

I believe that it is against the rules for bus drivers to have any kind of electronics on theirs person at any time while operating a bus.

[Olegkha]

Huh... where did I say anything about electronic device?

[BrooklynBus]

You said "I am doing the B1 right now."

 

Anyway, why didn't you stop? We're you that full?

[Olegkha]

I did it in Am.

Now meant this pick.

 

Bus was full past the line so no point of stoping if no one is geting off

[LTA1992]

I did it in Am.

Now meant this pick.

 

Bus was full past the line so no point of stoping if no one is geting off

He's got a point. Technically, people are not supposed to be riding the bus in front of the white line.

[N6 Limited]

I really don't see how Bus Time can help with this. It doesn't know when buses are bypassing stops with waiting passengers.

Can they set up a system where a BO presses a "flag" button when he has to leave or pass passengers?

 

I am doing B1 right now, and wow some of those people standing after the college are COLD   ( 30-40 minutes ..... )

There is nothing we can do about that,  ( they are pissed !!! )

 

The only way to fix this situation would be 1 Artic, pick up in college, next and only stop is B68 stop on Coney island ave ( north of brighton beach ave ) , and come back  using Neptune Ave.

This Artic would be able to pick up in college and drop off on brighton train, pick up at the train and bring to college.

 

That will free up a lot of space in local busses to pick up people who are siting and waiting in the cold weather, plus that can even let one of the buses to terminate at Coney island ave and not even enter Manhaten Beach area .

How many people are usually waiting, couldnt you fill up the bus to the point where you can still pick up a few passengers?  Is the back of the bus full? As a passenger its irritating to get passed by a bus with room in the back

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I am doing B1 right now, and wow some of those people standing after the college are COLD   ( 30-40 minutes ..... )

There is nothing we can do about that,  ( they are pissed !!! )

 

The only way to fix this situation would be 1 Artic, pick up in college, next and only stop is B68 stop on Coney island ave ( north of brighton beach ave ) , and come back  using Neptune Ave.

This Artic would be able to pick up in college and drop off on brighton train, pick up at the train and bring to college.

 

That will free up a lot of space in local busses to pick up people who are siting and waiting in the cold weather, plus that can even let one of the buses to terminate at Coney island ave and not even enter Manhaten Beach area .

Why can't Ulmer Park dispatch more buses or better yet get a dispatcher over there to deal with the situation? This problem is not new.  It's been going on for years now.  

[BrooklynBus]

He's got a point. Technically, people are not supposed to be riding the bus in front of the white line.

Correct, but usually there is always room in the rear for the few passengers that need to board after the College and before the subway. Very few bus drivers ask the passengers to move back anymore. Also, why consistently leave the college with passengers up to the white line, when you know more passengers need to board and some of them have been waiting a very long time?

[BrooklynBus]

Why can't Ulmer Park dispatch more buses or better yet get a dispatcher over there to deal with the situation? This problem is not new.  It's been going on for years now.

 

There usually is a dispatcher there, but it is questionable how well he is doing his job. Yes, they can add more buses either to the entire route or as shuttles. But enrollment goes up every semester, and it takes three months for a pick and I believe the college knows what its enrollment is only a month before or so, so the MTA is always panning its service based on enrollment numbers of the previous semester. They are very limited in what they can do to add service at the last minute. Drivers have to be willing to work overtime. Many don't want to.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There usually is a dispatcher there, but it is questionable how well he is doing his job. Yes, they can add more buses either to the entire route or as shuttles. But enrollment goes up every semester, and it takes three months for a pick and I believe the college knows what its enrollment is only a month before or so, so the MTA is always panning its service based on enrollment numbers of the previous semester. They are very limited in what they can do to add service at the last minute. Drivers have to be willing to work overtime. Many don't want to.

Well it seems like the local politicians representing Manhattan Beach should also be getting involved.  This creates a dangerous situation in that neighborhood, with overcrowding on the buses and people waiting for long periods of time in severe weather. KCC is the main culprit, and the local politicians there should reach out to KCC and the ... Have them meet and get this mess straightened out.  It's been going on for years now and no one is doing anything about something that can be fixed.

[trife86]

Waaaaaaaaa its cold outside I don't know how to wear a jacket and hat

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Waaaaaaaaa its cold outside I don't know how to wear a jacket and hat

This article is referencing the period in which we had temperatures in the single digits, not ordinary weather.  Some of these people were waiting 30 - 40 minutes apparently, and waiting that long even properly dressed can be dangerous.  That day I was waiting for the BxM2 to go home and I waited inside of a warm ATM and tracked my bus using Bus Time.  Unfortunately, those people didn't have that luxury.

[MHV9218]

Also, why consistently leave the college with passengers up to the white line, when you know more passengers need to board and some of them have been waiting a very long time?

What do you mean? You think buses should leave the college with a few passengers still there to avoid skipping later? That just seems like changing who's being skipped... I agree that this does seem to be a systemic problem though if so many buses are packed in one location.