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MTA Announces Roll Out of New Buses With Wifi and USB Charging Ports in the Bronx


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MTA Buses in the Bronx

After the initial delivery of 4 buses, units will arrive at a rate of approximately three to five buses per week. All 83 buses will be in service by December 25, 2017 and will be based at the MTA’s West Farms and Kingsbridge Depots in the Bronx, running on the Bx 6,8,11,17,21,27,31,32,33,35,36,46 and the Bx 1,2,9,15, respectively.  

 

Articulated SBS Buses in Queens and the Bronx

After the initial delivery of 4 ‘new look’ SBS articulated buses in Queens, buses will arrive at a rate of three to four per week, with 22 SBS Articulated Buses arriving by April. An additional 21 will begin arriving in July at a rate of three per week completing delivery in August for a total of 43 buses. The buses will be based out of Casey Stengel Depot, and run on the Q44 which operates in Queens and the Bronx.

 

Select Bus Service is the brand name in New York for Bus Rapid Transit, a concept that speeds service through implementation of features that allow bus service to mimic train service. Customers appreciate the convenient off-board fare technology that allows them to pre-pay their fare and enter and exit through any bus door, eliminating the need for customers to wait to pay at a single fare box and reducing the amount of time the bus spends at each stop. 

 

The addition of Wi-Fi provides a new level of connectivity to New Yorkers, bringing ease and convenience to those working, reading emails, or checking in on their social media accounts without impacting their cellular data plans. The number of USB ports on buses will range from 35-55, depending on the make and model, and will be conveniently located throughout the bus. 

 

With nearly 8.7 million travelers per day, these upgrades are part of a robust plan to fully transform the MTA into an innovative, state-of-the-art system with improved customer service and first-class amenities.

The addition of new buses is one part of Governor Cuomo’s overall plan to modernize the MTA. Other elements of the broader enhancement program that focus on buses include:

 

  • Digital Information Screens: The MTA is in the process of completing a successful pilot program to evaluate digital information screens on 200 buses. With the completion of the pilot this month, the MTA will begin the process of deploying the screens to 3,600 buses by 2020. The digital screens offer audio and visual route information and display next stop information, service advisories and travel information, including transfers. They also have the capability to display geo-specific advertising, enabling the potential opening up of a new avenue of advertising revenue.
  • Pedestrian Warning System & Collision Avoidance Technology: The MTA is also conducting pilot programs for new technologies aimed at improving customer and passenger safety, including a pedestrian turn warning system, will be installed on 288 buses, and a new collision warning technology system will be installed on 145 buses. After the successful completion of this test, the technologies will be installed on 1,600 buses starting in mid-2018.

 

  • LaGuardia Link: The relaunch of the Q70 Limited bus service as “LaGuardia Link” with a distinctive new look designed to help customers and tourists quickly find their way between LaGuardia Airport and two regional transit hubs in Queens that connect to five subway lines, Long Island Rail Road and seven bus lines. The route, nicknamed the “LaGuardia Link,” is a Select Bus Service which employs convenient off-board fare technology that allows customers to pre-pay their fare and enter and exit through any bus door, eliminating the need to wait to pay at a single fare box, and decreasing dwell time at stops. The LaGuardia Link will also continue to offer travelers convenient luggage storage racks.
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(link: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-roll-out-new-buses-wifi-and-usb-charging-ports-bronx)

 

Here are the photos:33512381296_7915398aa1_b.jpg

 

33424545311_3ae75f415c_b.jpg

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Similar to stop announcements. Hopefully each bus has "Welcome to (route number) service to (destination)" when opening the front door and the stop announcement features. If the SBS routes will go first

 

 

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Well the LFSAs currently on the Q44 say "This is the Q44 SBS to Jamaica" or "This is the Q44 SBS to Bronx Zoo". Close enough?
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I don't know, unless the LFSA order shifted and Gun Hill isn't getting a part of it...

Gun Hill's part won't be coming this year hence it's left out of this. The article is mainly pertaining to the XD40's going to WF and the artics for the Q44 SBS. Kingsbridge will get a few LFSA's in the meantime.

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I think they skip "the" in the announcement. If they keep the same style, they use the destinations written on the bus stop signs which aren't exactly specific. Also, what about some SBS short turns?

 

 

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The Flushing short turn says "This is the Q44 SBS to Flushing Main Street Station" even though it actually terminates at Main and Kissena.

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The Flushing short turn says "This is the Q44 SBS to Flushing Main Street Station" even though it actually terminates at Main and Kissena.

 

With how bad traffic is in the area, that and walking is probably faster than terminating closer to the station.

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What I found interesting with the screens on 572 is that when it signs up for the B103 to Downtown Bklyn, the announcements and next stop map cease playing when it reaches Flatbush Junction. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the route going inbound is only drawn up to the Brooklyn College short turn while the full route is only drawn for any outbound Canarsie trips.

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The way they worded the part about The Bronx buses made me think KB gave up their artic routes to WF or something. And the fact that GH isn't there is a bit peculiar too.

 

 

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Gun Hill gets the newest of everything and they destroy those buses to boot.  They're like the Yukon Depot of the Bronx.  Time for the other depots to get some new buses.

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Gun Hill gets the newest of everything and they destroy those buses to boot.  They're like the Yukon Depot of the Bronx.  Time for the other depots to get some new buses.

It's not Gun Hill's fault that the buses are dirty! Please stop talking and look with your eyes. Your precious Yonker buses aren't gonna run like they used to either...

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It's not Gun Hill's fault that the buses are dirty! Please stop talking and look with your eyes. Your precious Yonker buses aren't gonna run like they used to either...

So you're blaming the passengers for how run down the buses look outside?  Even if Gun Hill had stellar maintenance, their buses run on rather demanding lines so they're going to need new ones regularly just on mileage alone.  That doesn't mean they should get everything.  Kingsbridge and the other depots have demanding lines as well, so they need to spread the love around with the new buses.  West Farms especially could use the help.  They're the only Bronx depot outside of Eastchester that still has RTS buses.  Yonkers can't compare either way.  Much smaller depot that only has express routes, so they have different issues to worry about.  

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So you're blaming the passengers for how run down the buses look outside?  Even if Gun Hill had stellar maintenance, their buses run on rather demanding lines so they're going to need new ones regularly just on mileage alone.  That doesn't mean they should get everything.  Kingsbridge and the other depots have demanding lines as well, so they need to spread the love around with the new buses.  West Farms especially could use the help.  They're the only Bronx depot outside of Eastchester that still has RTS buses.  Yonkers can't compare either way.  Much smaller depot that only has express routes, so they have different issues to worry about.  

Yes I have seen people throwing snow at the buses multiple times in the past...

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So you're blaming the passengers for how run down the buses look outside? Even if Gun Hill had stellar maintenance, their buses run on rather demanding lines so they're going to need new ones regularly just on mileage alone. That doesn't mean they should get everything. Kingsbridge and the other depots have demanding lines as well, so they need to spread the love around with the new buses. West Farms especially could use the help. They're the only Bronx depot outside of Eastchester that still has RTS buses. Yonkers can't compare either way. Much smaller depot that only has express routes, so they have different issues to worry about.

Whenever one Bronx depot gets new buses, the whole borough gets them, save for the CNG ones. All 3 got new Nova artics. Both Gun Hill and Kingsbridge got the first XD60s brand new. They both also got a piece of the LFS order.

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Yes I have seen people throwing snow at the buses multiple times in the past...

lol! Oh come on.  I rarely see anyone throwing snowballs at buses these days.  Besides we haven't really had that much snow of late anyway. 

 

Whenever one Bronx depot gets new buses, the whole borough gets them, save for the CNG ones. All 3 got new Nova artics. Both Gun Hill and Kingsbridge got the first XD60s brand new. They both also got a piece of the LFS order.

I'm aware of that, but what also seems to be happening is the newest buses are being put on the SBS lines, while the local lines see mainly older buses and those that are hand-me-downs from the SBS lines.  I hope that can be worked on as more of these new buses come in.   

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Gun Hill already has bad maintenance and they run on some routes that have people that treat everywhere as their garbage can. People littering, I've seen people smoking on the bus as well by opening the window thru the emergency exit way which unlocks the bottom half and blowing the smoke out. Shady people, but I agree they do get a lot of new buses but why them, they treat them like crap and a quarter of the ridership doesn't even pay by hopping thru the back and they treat it like a garbage can.

 

 

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