Why You Should Care About the Woodhaven Boulevard Bus Lanes

[BrooklynBus]

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2015/08/the-commute-why-you-should-care-about-the-woodhaven-boulevard-bus-lanes/

 

THE COMMUTE: If the Department of Transportation (DOT) has its way, bus lanes currently being installed on Wood haven Boulevard between Dry Harbor Road and Metropolitan Avenue will be ripped up in 2017. That is an irresponsible waste of funds.

 

Now these are not the Select Bus Service (SBS) or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus lanes I have long been criticizing. Those are the ones due in 2017. The lanes now being installed are the result of DOT’s Congested Corridors Study, which has been going on since 2008. Why a DOT study should take eight or ten years is another story. As I previously wrote, DOT is a Joke.

[NewFlyer 230]

I know some are going to criticize the fact you chose to speak about Woodhaven Blvd and SBS service.

I still question whether or not SBS on Woodhaven is needed because the road is straight with multiple lanes. It is not like some routes that crawl the whole time.

[BrooklynBus]

That is what I have been saying all along. Bus service speeds are only a problem during rush hours. There is absolutely no need for bus lanes at other times. Buses will not travel any faster. And to determine if they are necessary during rush hours, one has to look at the effects for everyone during rush hours, not only the effect on bus speeds but the effect on speeds for other traffic also.

[Cait Sith]

That is what I have been saying all along. Bus service speeds are only a problem during rush hours. There is absolutely no need for bus lanes at other times. Buses will not travel any faster. And to determine if they are necessary during rush hours, one has to look at the effects for everyone during rush hours, not only the effect on bus speeds but the effect on speeds for other traffic also.

Only rush hours?

 

Have you been on those buses lately? My friend drives the Q52 and he gets stuck in traffic A LOT! ESPECIALLY on WEEKENDS!

[BrooklynBus]

Only rush hours?

Have you been on those buses lately? My friend drives the Q52 and he gets stuck in traffic A LOT! ESPECIALLY on WEEKENDS!

Yes, I have used the Q53 about a dozen times this summer on weekends and have not encountered any traffic. I also have driven the entire road on about every other weekend at various hours and have never encountered traffic. In fact, I have had difficulty chasing buses in order to pass them as the service road was moving faster than the main road. Sometimes it would take a quarter to half a mile or more to catch a limited bus.

[Cait Sith]

Yes, I have used the Q53 about a dozen times this summer on weekends and have not encountered any traffic. I also have driven the entire road on about every other weekend at various hours and have never encountered traffic. In fact, I have had difficulty chasing buses in order to pass them as the service road was moving faster than the main road. Sometimes it would take a quarter to half a mile or more to catch a limited bus.

I'm calling shenanigans on this. What times of the day did you take the Q53? Because my friend does the Q52 from morning to the early evening hours and he has hit traffic pretty often....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

On Saturdays, heavy traffic doesn't usually start until 10 AM, unless its the summer, in which it may start earlier. I've used the express during that time, and it runs on time. That never happens in the afternoon when i usually do. The other buses seem also run on time too. When it hits late morning or afternoon; forget it. My area my not have as much traffic until the afternoon, but I'm pretty sure south of Metro, it gets more congested than north during those time periods.

 

4-7 PM is when its the worst on Woodhaven, IMO. By 8 PM, its decent (at least in my area).

As for Sundays, its almost the same.thing as Saturdays.

[BrooklynBus]

I'm calling shenanigans on this. What times of the day did you take the Q53? Because my friend does the Q52 from morning to the early evening hours and he has hit traffic pretty often....

What do you call traffic? Of course you will hit some intersections that might be busy and traffic slows down or stops for the light and queues build up. But if everyone can get through on the first signal change, I wouldn't call that "traffic", because that is normal for any street. It needs to be addressed when it takes two or three cycles for all traffic to get through the intersection. Does that happen on weekends, because that has not been my experience.

 

Also, buses getting stuck in traffic is not the only criteria to determine whether a bus lane is necessary. One has to look at how other traffic is affected, and so far DOT has not released any numbers as to how fast other traffic will move with bus lanes, oter than alleging traffic will be speeded up for all, or cars will still be able to travel at an "appropriate" speed. When I asked for a definition of "appropriate", they told e they would get back to me. That was four months ago.

 

DOT's goal is to make traffic slower for cars so that they travel no faster than bicycles. They will lower the speed limit from 30 to 25 after they narrow the lanes. That means with fewer lanes and lower speed limits. The average speed will be no greater than 12 mph when all their modifications are complete. I don't call 12 mph "appropriate."

 

They are removing lanes from every wide street to slow traffic. They just removed two lanes from Pennsylvania Avenue south of Flatlands without even installing bus or bike lanes. They want to make car travel as difficult as possible. That is just as much a goal as speeding bus travel. I am just wondering how they will destroy Queens Boulevard next.

 

On Saturdays, heavy traffic doesn't usually start until 10 AM, unless its the summer, in which it may start earlier. I've used the express during that time, and it runs on time. That never happens in the afternoon when i usually do. The other buses seem also run on time too. When it hits late morning or afternoon; forget it. My area my not have as much traffic until the afternoon, but I'm pretty sure south of Metro, it gets more congested than north during those time periods.

4-7 PM is when its the worst on Woodhaven, IMO. By 8 PM, its decent (at least in my area).As for Sundays, its almost the same.thing as Saturdays.

If the lanes are needed for a few hours on the weekends without greatly hindering other traffic, then have them in affect for those few hours. But since two thirds of the users are not in buses, I can't see how more will be helped than hurt with the addition of bus lanes. Notice how there have been no predictions regarding people switching from cars to buses. That is because it will not happen. Full time bus lanes are totally unnecessary.

 

And if you think SBS will mean more frequent service. Forget about it. When the MTA switches from regular length buses to artculated ones, five regular buses are replaced with four articulated ones, so service will be reduced. And since SBS and express buses will not have their own lane to pass stopped local buses at most stops, expect delays as buses try to force their way into jam packed car lanes, so they still won't be able to run on time. Add to that the elimination of many bus stops in the Rockaways, forcing riders to walk an extra quarter mike to the nearest stop, that will eat up your time savings from SBS. This will be especially disastrous in the summer with the elimination of stops at Beach 96 and Beach 98 Streets where people can't get on the first bus now. The lines at Beach 116 Street will stretch around the block with long waits to use the fare machines in the summer. Businesses near Beach 96 and Beach 98 Street will suffer because no one wants to drag their beach chairs for a half mile to a bus stop.

 

This is a poor plan anyway you slice it.

[John from Flushing]

Just give the SBS a chance, SBs works fine on the M15 in Manhattan, Just think about it, a express bus in its own lane. with stops every 2 miles, this would get people to the beach faster, if you need the regular stops, then you take the local bus, in far rockaway the bus stops should be close to the beach. I think sbs would work, Nice li bus should try a sbs bus.

And speed for cars should be reduced, nyc should slow down cars so they go as fast as a bike, remember the faster a car goes the more chance you get seriously hurt or even death if you get hit by a car, now with woodhaven maybe the city should make it 2 lanes for cars and make one big wide bus lane surrounded by a fence and take away all parking on the right side, so the bus can pull into each stop, so 2 lanes would be for the bus, and no right or left turns, only every mile or two you can turn im sure you can go down side streets to get to your location, this would be a good vision for faster speed bus service.now since the bus lanes would be surronded by a fence, you can make bus speed limit 35 or 40 mph.

[BrooklynBus]

Just give the SBS a chance, SBs works fine on the M15 in Manhattan, Just think about it, a express bus in its own lane. with stops every 2 miles, this would get people to the beach faster, if you need the regular stops, then you take the local bus, in far rockaway the bus stops should be close to the beach. I think sbs would work, Nice li bus should try a sbs bus.

And speed for cars should be reduced, nyc should slow down cars so they go as fast as a bike, remember the faster a car goes the more chance you get seriously hurt or even death if you get hit by a car, now with woodhaven maybe the city should make it 2 lanes for cars and make one big wide bus lane surrounded by a fence and take away all parking on the right side, so the bus can pull into each stop, so 2 lanes would be for the bus, and no right or left turns, only every mile or two you can turn im sure you can go down side streets to get to your location, this would be a good vision for faster speed bus service.now since the bus lanes would be surronded by a fence, you can make bus speed limit 35 or 40 mph.

I am not willing to have $231 million of my tax money spent for this project with absolutely no proof that it will work. We need numbers, not generalities. Who cares if SBS works on Second Avenue, which is debatable anyway? Who cares if it works in Colombia? None of that means it would work on Woodhaven.

 

And if you call cars traveling as slow as bikes a good thing, your priorities are all screwed up and you have no concern at all for anyone who drives. Why wou,d you care if this adds 45 minutes to someone's trip as long as it is not you? You are just an obvious car hater and do not realize the necessity of the automobile in this area where car ownership is high and there are no north South subways and few east west ones.

 

Also your facts are all wrong. SBS bus stops are not spaced at every two miles. Also, you are only allowed two buses for one fare. If one of them is used to transfer from the SBS to the local, most riders will require a double or a triple fare for a one way trip. That will certainly not increase bus usage.

[John from Flushing]

Just give it a chance, studies have been done the closer a car travels if it hits a person the more likely that person will LIVE. This is going to be reality where cars are slowed down, is there any reason why a car should be going 30 mph plus on a major roadway like wood haven or cross bay where many people are trying to cross the street? If the speed limit is 20 ( which I support for cars and 35 mph for buses more people will leave the car at home & take the faster Sbs bus, if you pay cash fare you can get

A transfer to another bus but not the same bus number.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I am not willing to have $231 million of my tax money spent for this project with absolutely no proof that it will work. We need numbers, not generalities. Who cares if SBS works on Second Avenue, which is debatable anyway? Who cares if it works in Colombia? None of that means it would work on Woodhaven.

 

And if you call cars traveling as slow as bikes a good thing, your priorities are all screwed up and you have no concern at all for anyone who drives. Why wou,d you care if this adds 45 minutes to someone's trip as long as it is not you? You are just an obvious car hater and do not realize the necessity of the automobile in this area where car ownership is high and there are no north South subways and few east west ones.

 

Also your facts are all wrong. SBS bus stops are not spaced at every two miles. Also, you are only allowed two buses for one fare. If one of them is used to transfer from the SBS to the local, most riders will require a double or a triple fare for a one way trip. That will certainly not increase bus usage.

I support the plan 100%.  One way or another we have to get people out of their cars.  They have a right to use them but we simply have too much congestion in NYC, so it's either this and/or congestion pricing.  Sick of seeing all of these people driving into the city with one damn person in the car while I sacrifice and use mass transit and sit in traffic.  Commuting to work has become worse, even during the summer months.  I'd like to know what exactly you suggest to improve traffic overall?  Additionally we don't need a bus stop on every corner. I support removing those too.  The more bus stops you have, the lazier people will be.  Let people WALK and get some damn exercise.  Enough obesity in this city as it is.  

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

If the lanes are needed for a few hours on the weekends without greatly hindering other traffic, then have them in affect for those few hours. But since two thirds of the users are not in buses, I can't see how more will be helped than hurt with the addition of bus lanes. Notice how there have been no predictions regarding people switching from cars to buses. That is because it will not happen. Full time bus lanes are totally unnecessary. 

 

And if you think SBS will mean more frequent service. Forget about it. When the MTA switches from regular length buses to artculated ones, five regular buses are replaced with four articulated ones, so service will be reduced. And since SBS and express buses will not have their own lane to pass stopped local buses at most stops, expect delays as buses try to force their way into jam packed car lanes, so they still won't be able to run on time. Add to that the elimination of many bus stops in the Rockaways, forcing riders to walk an extra quarter mike to the nearest stop, that will eat up your time savings from SBS. This will be especially disastrous in the summer with the elimination of stops at Beach 96 and Beach 98 Streets where people can't get on the first bus now. The lines at Beach 116 Street will stretch around the block with long waits to use the fare machines in the summer. Businesses near Beach 96 and Beach 98 Street will suffer because no one wants to drag their beach chairs for a half mile to a bus stop.

 

This is a poor plan anyway you slice it.

Since traffic is generally not so bad during evenings and late nights, having a full time bus lane shouldn't really be a problem during those times either. On Weekdays, there should be lanes throughout the day, generally speaking. There should be daytime bus lanes throughout the Boulevard, at least from 7 AM-10 PM on Weekdays, and 8 AM-8 PM on Weekends.

 

Well yeah, I know limited bus service will get reduced because of the articulateds. The local buses will still be standard buses, since they don't carry as many people as the limited. They can't really cut much of the midday service on the local, because they run every 15 minutes combined. As they are scheduled right now, the locals shouldn't so much of a problem, especially on weekends, since one is almost close behind the other. 

[John from Flushing]

With nice bus we don't have bus stops every block it's usually every 3-4 blocks. Your correct to make buses run faster we have to further space out local bus stops. My idea is every 3 blocks a local bus stop & every MILE would be a sbs stop, if that bus stop doesn't get much ridership than space the stop out further, not less and of course with sbs make every sbs stop at a train station or every major bus transfer point.

[NewFlyer 230]

So paying the fare requires you to put your metrocard and change in the SBS machines but how does that work if I happen to see the bus and I run to catch it before the bus leaves. Does the bus have to pull off or is the bus suppose to wait until I pay my fare on the machine and then board the bus? If it is the latter than I suppose SBS is not worth it because if everyone is finished and I am trying to catch the bus and the driver see me I pretty much hold the bus. Now if late people pay by using their cards on the bus than maybe it would be better.

 

From the statistics SBS caused ridership to decrease, however many people farebeat because the MTA makes it so easy to do so or some people don't know how those machines at the stop work. It sounds so silly saying that but put SBS on the Q44 in the fall and watch how many people in Flushing Main St will know how to use it. They will still be paying on the bus and I think it should be the MTA's responsibility to advertise SBS everywhere so people would know how it works. Since SBS usually causes local ridership to increase expect the Q11 and Q21 to have an increase in ridership while the numbers go slightly down on the Q52/Q53.

I already know it will happen to the Q44 and the Q20 is going to see a huge increase. I don't mean to be sterotypical but some people just don't want learn how things in America work when they move here. A few people trying to pay with cash on the bus when I was on a Q44 the other day. One of them I recognized before because they did that same thing before. MTA can't put SBS on a line and expect people to know what to do. That's why ridership is decreasing on those line.

[BrooklynBus]

Just give it a chance, studies have been done the closer a car travels if it hits a person the more likely that person will LIVE. This is going to be reality where cars are slowed down, is there any reason why a car should be going 30 mph plus on a major roadway like wood haven or cross bay where many people are trying to cross the street? If the speed limit is 20 ( which I support for cars and 35 mph for buses more people will leave the car at home & take the faster Sbs bus, if you pay cash fare you can get

A transfer to another bus but not the same bus number.

Yes, there is a very good reason why cars should be traveling at 30+ mph on Woodhaven. That is because it was designed as a major arterial roadway, not a local street and is the only through street in the entire area. It's not as if drivers haveachouceto use a parallel avenue a few blocks away, because there aren't any, the closest through street is miles away. People also havean expectation to get where they are going within a reasonable time. That is not possible if you are traveling a long distance and your average speed is 12 mph or less which is what will happen. As far as someone's chances of living when being hit by a car traveling slower, you need to first ask why was he hit in the first place? The accident happened because someone was doing something wrong. Either the driver wasn't paying attention, was going to fast for the conditions, or the pedestrian wasn't paying attention. That's what needs to change to make streets safer, not punishing all drivers by requiring them to go exceedingly slow at all times on all streets.

 

It's easy to say more people will take an SBS bus than a Limited but where is your proof. SBS will not reduce the amount of transfers or fares you need which is the real deterrent to not using buses. No one has made a single prediction as to the numbers that will switch from car to bus. That ought to tell you something. If you need to take a local to the SBS, your entire trip must be completed in the corridor for it to be one fare. I can guarantee you that many drivers don't begin and end their trips on Woodhaven in the corridor but just use it as one of three or more legs of their trip. They would need five buses with or without SBS. So don't just assume that SBS which might save ten minutes out of a 60 or 90 minute trip will cause someone who currently makes his trip in 30 or 45 minutes by car to switch to the bus. It will only increase his car trip to 45 minutes or an hour or more, but it still will be quicker than a bus trip costing $11 a day with four buses.

 

I support the plan 100%.  One way or another we have to get people out of their cars.  They have a right to use them but we simply have too much congestion in NYC, so it's either this and/or congestion pricing.  Sick of seeing all of these people driving into the city with one damn person in the car while I sacrifice and use mass transit and sit in traffic.  Commuting to work has become worse, even during the summer months.  I'd like to know what exactly you suggest to improve traffic overall?  Additionally we don't need a bus stop on every corner. I support removing those too.  The more bus stops you have, the lazier people will be.  Let people WALK and get some damn exercise.  Enough obesity in this city as it is.

 

You support putting in bus lanes that will be ripped up in two years even if they prove successful? That is what DOT has proposed.

 

It will not get people out of their cars as I explained to John from Flushing. We need to reactivate the QueensRail Line which wouldn't cost much more than this BRT BS, and Queensway put together. As for reducing bus stops all over, spacing needs to be examined on a case by case basis, not with broad generalizations. If you have a hospital or a school, you don't put the bus stop two or three blocks away as would happen by using hard and fast rules as you propose like a stop every quarter mile all over. Many who use te bus are elderly or have difficulty walking where every block matters. You are being totally inconsiderate by ignoring their needs. And don't tell me tey should use access a ride because not everyone qualifies, like someone on crutches temporarily, not to mention what it would cost if that fleet had to be doubled which is what would need to happen.

 

Since traffic is generally not so bad during evenings and late nights, having a full time bus lane shouldn't really be a problem during those times either. On Weekdays, there should be lanes throughout the day, generally speaking. There should be daytime bus lanes throughout the Boulevard, at least from 7 AM-10 PM on Weekdays, and 8 AM-8 PM on Weekends.

 

Well yeah, I know limited bus service will get reduced because of the articulateds. The local buses will still be standard buses, since they don't carry as many people as the limited. They can't really cut much of the midday service on the local, because they run every 15 minutes combined. As they are scheduled right now, the locals shouldn't so much of a problem, especially on weekends, since one is almost close behind the other.

 

Traffic may not be bad now late night or on weekends, but that will all change with narrower lanes, slower speed limits and new pedestrian islands. It will be slow at all times. Just putting in this bus lane in the summer when traffic is the lightest has caused car trip times to greatly increase. What will happen in September or when the real bus lanes are put in? Why has DOT not given any traffic projections or provided any data? There is a good reason for that. They don't want you to know how slow things will get not only on Woodhaven but also on the Van Wyck where traffic will be diverted to.

 

So paying the fare requires you to put your metrocard and change in the SBS machines but how does that work if I happen to see the bus and I run to catch it before the bus leaves. Does the bus have to pull off or is the bus suppose to wait until I pay my fare on the machine and then board the bus? If it is the latter than I suppose SBS is not worth it because if everyone is finished and I am trying to catch the bus and the driver see me I pretty much hold the bus. Now if late people pay by using their cards on the bus than maybe it would be better.

 

From the statistics SBS caused ridership to decrease, however many people farebeat because the MTA makes it so easy to do so or some people don't know how those machines at the stop work. It sounds so silly saying that but put SBS on the Q44 in the fall and watch how many people in Flushing Main St will know how to use it. They will still be paying on the bus and I think it should be the MTA's responsibility to advertise SBS everywhere so people would know how it works. Since SBS usually causes local ridership to increase expect the Q11 and Q21 to have an increase in ridership while the numbers go slightly down on the Q52/Q53.

 

I already know it will happen to the Q44 and the Q20 is going to see a huge increase. I don't mean to be sterotypical but some people just don't want learn how things in America work when they move here. A few people trying to pay with cash on the bus when I was on a Q44 the other day. One of them I recognized before because they did that same thing before. MTA can't put SBS on a line and expect people to know what to do. That's why ridership is decreasing on those line.

Bus drivers are not supposed to wait for people buying tickets. So if you miss a bus, there goes all your SBS tie savings right away. Not to mention walking longer to the bus in Rockaway with all your beach gear. Yeah, that really screams, take the bus, not your car. What about inoperable machines or taking a month to repair them, or not repainting the bus lanes, or the high probability of increased fare evasion or the high cost of the Eagle Team and te time you lose when they check everyone's card. No one is talking about SBS problems and the need to fix them before we expand the program. If DOT and the MTA can't properly handle the current SBS routes, how do they expect to add more routes without adding more problems?

[John from Flushing]

According to NY STATE LAW all pedestrian's have 100% right of way in the crosswalk, If i am crossing the street with a "green light" & cars have green light to turn, the car is supposed to come to a complete stop & yeild to me so I can safely cross, I dont care if im walking slow, texting & walking with my eyes facing the ground, the car is supposed to come to a complete stop & let me cross, people are saying pedestrians are not paying attention, this might be true, but the driver of the car has laws to follow, if I was jay walking in the middle of the street, this would be different, now with woodhaven & main street for Q44 SBS, i think woodhaven & cross bay blvd should be divided up, 4 lanes is way too big & dangerous in my view for a nyc local street.now woodhaven in my "vision" would have two lanes for cars in each direction & two lanes for the buses, one bus travel lane & one bus lane for bus stops, I would elimate all parking on woodhaven, if you elimate parking more people will leave the car at home & take SBS bus. I would install a big metal fence on woodhaven just like queens blvd has, this way jay walking will be immpossible. for turns my vision would be every ONE mile the car lane would open up into the bus lanes, just like the hov lanes exits on the LIE. and you can make right turn only from bus stop lane, not bus travel lane, My vison would be to have bus lanes 100% camera enforced at all times, with all fines going toward SBS I would have each SBS on 10 minute headways & local bus 20 minute headway, & each SBS stop one mile or more between stops. & for the beach I would have SBS at every stop for the beach goers, only from MEMORIAL day to LABOR DAY. Also main street flushing i would have one bus lane and one car lane, I would install fence in middle to stop jay walking, & remove parking from on both sides from LIE to NORTHERN BLVD. Q44 SBS would work 100%, you pay at the curb, and the SBS bus should WAIT for you to pay & get receipt, Thanks.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You support putting in bus lanes that will be ripped up in two years even if they prove successful? That is what DOT has proposed.

 

It will not get people out of their cars as I explained to John from Flushing. We need to reactivate the QueensRail Line which wouldn't cost much more than this BRT BS, and Queensway put together. As for reducing bus stops all over, spacing needs to be examined on a case by case basis, not with broad generalizations. If you have a hospital or a school, you don't put the bus stop two or three blocks away as would happen by using hard and fast rules as you propose like a stop every quarter mile all over. Many who use te bus are elderly or have difficulty walking where every block matters. You are being totally inconsiderate by ignoring their needs. And don't tell me tey should use access a ride because not everyone qualifies, like someone on crutches temporarily, not to mention what it would cost if that fleet had to be doubled which is what would need to happen.

 

Excuse me but we don't need a bus making a stop every block. It's insane.  There is definitely room to remove some stops.  I didn't make any suggestion to have people walking as far as you stated.  It was John from Flushing that made that comment.  I'm well aware of who uses the buses.  You seem to think that the status quo is perfectly fine, when it clearly isn't. 

 

As for repaving, the more repaving the better.  Our roads are an absolute mess.

[John from Flushing]

We do not need a bus stop every block, Every 3-4 blocks for a local bus & Every Mile to Mile and a 1/2 or even TWO miles for a SBS BUS.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

We do not need a bus stop every block, Every 3-4 blocks for a local bus & Every Mile to Mile and a 1/2 or even TWO miles for a SBS BUS.

Don't be ridiculous.... Every two miles for an SBS bus... Please... Every 8 blocks or so makes sense, just like an express bus, and before BrooklynBus goes complaining about the elderly, I'll point out that I live in a community that has a lot of seniors that use our express buses and they do just fine with that distance.

[John from Flushing]

Look at m15 sbs I believe bus stop is every mile. Sbs had longer distance between stops because it is like a subway it is express so it's a faster ride. If you want to get off at a stop

Not serviced by sbs just take the local

Bus case solved.

[John from Flushing]

I just asked a bus driver on the N20 bus with cash fare paid you get TWO transfers. So with the SBS bus you get TWO transfers, so you use one transfer to local bus & another transfer to the connecting bus you need. Also when i put transfer in the farebox i sit down, as im getting off the bus, i ask the driver, hey can i get a transfer, i forgot to ask you, and most of the time i get one.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Look at m15 sbs I believe bus stop is every mile. Sbs had longer distance between stops because it is like a subway it is express so it's a faster ride. If you want to get off at a stop

Not serviced by sbs just take the local

Bus case solved.

It is not every mile... 42nd to 34th is not every mile, nor is 50th to 42nd, 56th to 50th, etc... 

[John from Flushing]

M15 & M34 SBS are a success. Q53 & Q44 SBS will

Be a success too. The reason why ridership is down is because those people are all the fare beaters, if mta counted every person on the bus regardless if they paid or not we would actually see a huge increase in ridership

[Via Garibaldi 8]

M15 & M34 SBS are a success. Q53 & Q44 SBS will

Be a success too. The reason why ridership is down is because those people are all the fare beaters, if mta counted every person on the bus regardless if they paid or not we would actually see a huge increase in ridership

I wouldn't call either a success. They are better but both still have their issues, traffic being one of them.