MTA Windows?

[Jdog14]

Does anyone know the cause of this build up on the windows on most of the buses? Fresh Pond and Gun Hill depots seem especially heavy

 

DSC06836 by Jaydog18, on Flickr

[IAlam]

Although I can't answer your question, the photo you took was amazing what camera do you use?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Likely due to a lack of cleaning.  Yonkers Depot handwashes their express buses and I don't see this on the windows.  

[Jdog14]

Although I can't answer your question, the photo you took was amazing what camera do you use?

 

The picture was taken with a Sony A55 and I also have a Canon t3i

[Jdog14]

Likely due to a lack of cleaning.  Yonkers Depot handwashes their express buses and I don't see this on the windows.  

 

It's a shame we get a new fleet and after a few years you can't even get a view out some of the windows clearly. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It's a shame we get a new fleet and after a few years you can't even get a view out some of the windows clearly. 

This is another example of the not cleaning and maintaining what they have. If you notice, on a lot of the local buses, there is a film if you will that is put over the actual window in part to protect it from scratchetti, but it also allows them to change those out and put fresh ones on without actually cleaning the windows themselves.  When it rains, and the water dries/evaporates, I guess over time, there is build up from that (likely hard water) and the lack of cleaning, etc. leads to what you see on the windows.  If they just changed the film more frequently it wouldn't be an issue.  Hard water isn't easy to clean but changing those covers over the windows is.  Some depots are better than others at cleaning their buses, and I've said for a long time that needs to change. Maintenance, which includes cleanliness of the fleet should be the same across the board, but it still isn't, even as new depots are built.  Either they need more cleaners, or the cleaners that they have aren't doing their job.  As someone who cares about the environment, the other thing that annoys me about the is they will throw things away instead of cleaning them.  Those rubber yellow tiles that you see on the edge of the platforms are an example.  Dirty ones won't be cleaned.  They'll rip those out and put in new ones.  Is it that hard to just clean them??

[Jdog14]

This is another example of the not cleaning and maintaining what they have. If you notice, on a lot of the local buses, there is a film if you will that is put over the actual window in part to protect it from scratchetti, but it also allows them to change those out and put fresh ones on without actually cleaning the windows themselves.  When it rains, and the water dries/evaporates, I guess over time, there is build up from that (likely hard water) and the lack of cleaning, etc. leads to what you see on the windows.  If they just changed the film more frequently it wouldn't be an issue.  Hard water isn't easy to clean but changing those covers over the windows is.  Some depots are better than others at cleaning their buses, and I've said for a long time that needs to change. Maintenance, which includes cleanliness of the fleet should be the same across the board, but it still isn't, even as new depots are built.  Either they need more cleaners, or the cleaners that they have aren't doing their job.  As someone who cares about the environment, the other thing that annoys me about the is they will throw things away instead of cleaning them.  Those rubber yellow tiles that you see on the edge of the platforms are an example.  Dirty ones won't be cleaned.  They'll rip those out and put in new ones.  Is it that hard to just clean them??

 

The problem is mainly an issue outside of the bus. All the buses tend to have the film and even with it the windows are spotless on some buses (flatbush and ENY being a few). 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The problem is mainly an issue outside of the bus. All the buses tend to have the film and even with it the windows are spotless on some buses (flatbush and ENY being a few). 

Correct... The hard water builds up on the outside and worsens the longer the film isn't changed. Gun Hill annoys because they constantly get new buses and destroy them.

[Jdog14]

Correct... The hard water builds up on the outside and worsens the longer the film isn't changed. Gun Hill annoys because they constantly get new buses and destroy them.

 

Those 5300s look atleast 6 years old already. 

[Fresh Pond]

It's just a hard water buildup. The buses go through the wash bays, and get parked for the night right after still dripping wet. The buses air dry on their own.

[Jdog14]

It's just a hard water buildup. The buses go through the wash bays, and get parked for the night right after still dripping wet. The buses air dry on their own.

 

I guess they have to do some kind of other procedure to keep it off the windows. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I guess they have to do some kind of other procedure to keep it off the windows.

 

Yeah change the film more. lol You can't really stop hard water from forming, but if you're proactive in cleaning and/or changing the film, you can slow the process.

[Fresh Pond]

Yeah change the film more. lol You can't really stop hard water from forming, but if you're proactive in cleaning and/or changing the film, you can slow the process.

Well the buildup is on the film itself, the windows themselves should be unscathed.

 

...that is until you pull the film off the window

[DetSMART45]

Yeah change the film more. lol You can't really stop hard water from forming, but if you're proactive in cleaning and/or changing the film, you can slow the process.

Could treat them with Rain-X periodically, especially windshields and front sign areas.  Just the regular stuff that's premixed (not the wipe on, buff off variety).  Use that stuff in the washer tanks, works especially in winter (melts ice and snow) but all year helps keep wiper blades clean and lessens wear on them so less replacements.

 

Do a deal between the manufacturer and the MTA, discount on the price, a little advertising permission, job done.

[Blitz]

When the shifters take buses through the wash too fast, all of the soap does not get rinsed off. This is what causes the spots on the windows. It can be removed, but the side windows are not priority for the buffing process. When it gets really bad on the windshields, the body guys will buff them to get rid of the spots

[Via Garibaldi 8]

When the shifters take buses through the wash too fast, all of the soap does not get rinsed off. This is what causes the spots on the windows. It can be removed, but the side windows are not priority for the buffing process. When it gets really bad on the windshields, the body guys will buff them to get rid of the spots

Wouldn't it make more sense to just have those buses go through the wash again? 

 

Well the buildup is on the film itself, the windows themselves should be unscathed.

 

...that is until you pull the film off the window

Right, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. I see some buses with the film and some without.  The ones without seem to get washed regularly though, so build up isn't an issue.

 

 

Well the buildup is on the film itself, the windows themselves should be unscathed.

 

...that is until you pull the film off the window

Right, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. I see some buses with the film and some without.  The ones without seem to get washed regularly though, so build up isn't an issue.

Well the buildup is on the film itself, the windows themselves should be unscathed.

 

...that is until you pull the film off the window

Right, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. I see some buses with the film and some without.  The ones without seem to get washed regularly though, so build up isn't an issue.

[DetSMART45]

OK, so there's the film on the outside -- for exactly what purpose?  I can see film on the insides for vandalism purposes (never seen any scratchiti on any buses around here, at least on the glass; seatbacks, yeah, especially the regular plastic ones, not on the stainless steel DDOT ones though).

 

If the film is on the outside because of the automated washing process, then that sounds more like a problem with the bus wash "brushes" themselves being out of alignment, buildup of grime that's not getting flushed properly, or something like that.

 

SMART and DDOT have, in my knowledge, never had film on the outsides of windows, and just the usual scratches that comes from years of use are on the old units, and they're not that noticeable anyway.  BUT it also helps that a lot of DDOT buses/not as many SMART buses have full-wrap ads covering the windows, so the vinyl provides some additional protection for however many periods of time of the bus' lifespan.

[Fresh Pond]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just have those buses go through the wash again?

The layout of the depot makes it counterproductive. The wash bays are right after the fuel area, so the bus would have to leave the depot and rejoin the fuel line outside.

[trainfan22]

The line's R142s have the same problem with the glass.

[peacemak3r]

I assume they wash these buses during the day? I use to detail cars and this usually happens most often when left out to air dry in the sun. Easiest fix is to hand dry them but we all know MTA ain't got time for that.

[Fresh Pond]

I assume they wash these buses during the day? I use to detail cars and this usually happens most often when left out to air dry in the sun. Easiest fix is to hand dry them but we all know MTA ain't got time for that.

Most of the time it's done at nights when the buses start to pull in. After getting refueled, fluids topped off, and fareboxes probed, it drives (more like roll, it isn't that far away from the fuel pumps lol) straight to the wash, then gets parked for the night.