MTA NYC Transit Announces Community Workshops to Help Reshape the Future of Bronx Busing

[paulrivera]

3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yesterday was Rosh Hashanah so schools were closed, which should mean buses should be on time given how light traffic usually is.  I have been able to take later buses on that holiday for years and get in on time. Well not yesterday. I was about 15 minutes late with all of that. 

Good Friday (before Easter) has become a big problem also, because for God knows what reason they run the buses (and only the buses) on a HOLIDAY schedule. Sure, the schools are closed also, but other than the kiddos, college students and teachers having the day off, everyone is still working on Good Friday and it is NOT a Government holiday.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 hours ago, paulrivera said:

Good Friday (before Easter) has become a big problem also, because for God knows what reason they run the buses (and only the buses) on a HOLIDAY schedule. Sure, the schools are closed also, but other than the kiddos, college students and teachers having the day off, everyone is still working on Good Friday and it is NOT a Government holiday.

I usually work that day too and more people are working on MLK as well. Luckily they put up a decent schedule on MLK. President's Day is another one that that I is optional for us. I get two optional days, and given that my clients are international, business is ongoing, so I usually just come in as I don't like working from home. MLK is super busy for me despite being a holiday. Just more quiet (less phone calls but a decent amount of e-mails).

[Gotham Bus Co.]

19 hours ago, paulrivera said:

Good Friday (before Easter) has become a big problem also, because for God knows what reason they run the buses (and only the buses) on a HOLIDAY schedule. Sure, the schools are closed also, but other than the kiddos, college students and teachers having the day off, everyone is still working on Good Friday and it is NOT a Government holiday.

 

Mention that at one of those "Fast Forward" meetings.

[Italianstallion]

On 9/10/2018 at 12:41 PM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Oh I see.  Well back in the day the BxM1 was set up differently since the BxM18 ran differently as well.  What I've been asking for now for years is that the  change the damn signage on the Super Express BxM1 trips that skip Spuyten Duyvil similar to how the BxM2 buses have separate signage for the two Super Express trips in the AM commute.  There are some BxM1 drivers that keep getting confused and go the wrong way because the signage for the Super Express trips is identical for those that continue down Henry Hudson Parkway after West 239th but skip Inwood.  Those errors add on as much as 15 minutes and leave passengers at Riverdale and 236th without service or scrambling to get to another express bus stop.  Those Super Express trips serve two purposes on the BxM1 and BxM2:

They provide service to people who are east of Riverdale Avenue and want a quick commute on the express bus. Otherwise they have to make their way all the way over to Henry Hudson Parkway which is not easy given the hills and the street layout, not to mention having to cross the footbridge to access one of the stops (236th and Henry Hudson Parkway West).  They also help prevent overcrowding which is why you have the via Inwood trips start about 10 minutes or so earlier than the Super Express trips.  

I think between the BxM1 and BxM2 each makes about 10 stops or so in Manhattan.  I would keep the BxM2 as is, but I would remove one stop from the BxM1. There's a stop at 64th that just seems stupid. Keep the one at 61st and let the bus pick up at 69th.  It isn't a big thing but perhaps it should be considered.  If the stop was further spaced apart fine, but since they can't have any stop near 57th street as they do Southbound, 61st really can cover two stops.

The real issue facing the Riverdale express buses is traffic these days, and I plan on discussing how we can get our buses moving.  The stops and turnound points are very simple for both the BxM1 and BxM2. Additionally, many Riverdalians are not happy with the frequency of the BxM18. It stops running far too early in the morning, so that the Midtown folks have to sit through stops on the Upper East and Upper West Side.  Despite repeated efforts from our elected officials to ask for later BxM18 service in the morning (at my request), the AM schedule has remained identical now for almost 6 years and then some.  We'd like service until about 08:30-09:00.  You could do that by having one or two more buses. Have a 08:00 bus and then an 08:30 bus or an 08:15 bus and a 08:45 bus.  

 

 

 

Don't the BxM1 buses that skip Spuyten Duyvil have some signage that says something like "via Riverdale Ave"?  Because the ones that DO go via SD definitely say "via Kappock St." So there must be a different sign for those that skip.

It is silly to have downtown stops at 64th and 61st. The legacy reason is that the 61st stop used to be at 59th or 58th at one point and they moved it north to avoid congestion.

As for the Bx18, I agree. I used to work on Wall St. in the 1970s (!) and I could never use the Bxm18 because I didn't need to get to work before 9:30 and the last run would get me there too early.

[Italianstallion]

On 9/10/2018 at 6:49 PM, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It's bad enough that the BxM3 runs into Yonkers as it is. In other words, City services should remain just that.  They already come down and use BxM1, 2 and 18 even though it doesn't stop at 263rd, but rather 261st southbound, and I certainly wouldn't want that advertised.  Let them take Metro-North because they don't want us using Metro-North but they have no problem using our express buses. 

 

 

Who is "they"? It's true that upper-class Westchester suburban commuters don't like Bronxites using MNRR, but that doesn't apply to Yonkers residents who are largely working class. It's the latter who use "our" buses, and they shouldn't be faulted for that. If the buses are near their homes or easily transferred to, they're entitled to use them. The BxM3 Yonkers service is an original service dating back to the founding of express service by Liberty Lines.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

14 minutes ago, Italianstallion said:

Don't the BxM1 buses that skip Spuyten Duyvil have some signage that says something like "via Riverdale Ave"?  Because the ones that DO go via SD definitely say "via Kappock St." So there must be a different sign for those that skip.

It is silly to have downtown stops at 64th and 61st. The legacy reason is that the 61st stop used to be at 59th or 58th at one point and they moved it north to avoid congestion.

As for the Bx18, I agree. I used to work on Wall St. in the 1970s (!) and I could never use the Bxm18 because I didn't need to get to work before 9:30 and the last run would get me there too early.

No, the BxM2 has the signage that says via RIVERDALE AV or via KAPPOCK ST, but the signage does not change for the BxM1s that skip Spuyten Duyvil. Don't ask me why either.  I had to get quite nasty with one driver because he was skipping the stop at Riverdale and 236th for an entire week! So many people standing there and having to spend money on Ubers, etc. because of his mistake. Then I walked over to 239th and Henry Hudson. I ask him what bus are you? He goes I'm the such and such bus. I knew he was the bus because the arrives at the exact same time as the other bus is due, so then he tells me to not tell him how to do his job after I tell him that he's been going the wrong way now for several days. 

I told him you're causing me to A) have to walk much further than I need to and B) totally screwing up my commute leading me to be late.  There are only so many trips that stop at 236th and Riverdale Avenue (2 trips via the BxM2 and 7 via the BxM1) so if you miss a bus you are either stuck waiting or will be stranded and have to make your way to another stop.  After filing various complaints and then contacting elected officials about it, they straightened out the mess and he started coming down the right way, but he has picked the same trip again for the fall, and he did the same thing the first day.  Someone told him he was supposed to go down Riverdale Avenue and then he had to loop back around and use Blackstone. We've had a few other drivers make that mistake too.

3 minutes ago, Italianstallion said:

Who is "they"? It's true that upper-class Westchester suburban commuters don't like Bronxites using MNRR, but that doesn't apply to Yonkers residents who are largely working class. It's the latter who use "our" buses, and they shouldn't be faulted for that. If the buses are near their homes or easily transferred to, they're entitled to use them. The BxM3 Yonkers service is an original service dating back to the founding of express service by Liberty Lines.

Well last I checked they live in Westchester just the same so I put them in the same boat, because a lot of them are just as nasty as the upper-class types.  We're the lowly Bronx even though many of us earn just as much as the upper-class types in Westchester, but they have no problem hopping on our express buses.  I once heard a lady on the Hudson Line b*tching endlessly one weekend about how "unfair" it was that she got on in Yonkers and had to pay so much more to go to Grand Central, and how it was absurd that if she just came down and went to the Riverdale station, she'd only pay $4.25.  This went on and on and she complained endlessly to the conductor so that the entire car could hear her, so no, I don't give them a pass either.

 

[jolusoji]

On 9/10/2018 at 7:36 PM, Lawrence St said:

I honestly feel like Bee Line should allow MTA to extend some of their routes into Westchester because the way how Liberty Lines is running the routes aint working. There shouldnt be a reason why theres a 45 minute wait for the next 4 bus during rush hour.

how about part of Bx16? Does  it run in Westchester on one street?

[GreatOne2k]

1 hour ago, jolusoji said:

how about part of Bx16? Does  it run in Westchester on one street?

It has one stop at South 11th Avenue & Sandford Boulevard in Mt Vernon, then runs on Mundy Lane for one block (north side of Mundy Lane is in Mt Vernon). Bx16 only runs in Westchester going going S/B only, going N/B it is completely in the Bronx.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I've been trying to get media coverage on these upcoming workshops.  NY1 has provided coverage out on Staten Island and they admit that this "success" that the  is touting is simply not the case, as commutes overall have worsened.

---

Some riders say their commutes are even longer after the MTA overhauled Staten Island Express Buses routes

By Jose Martinez  |  September 17, 2018 @5:57 PM

Whether it's the morning ride from Staten Island to Manhattan or the return trip home in the evening, some commuters who take MTA Express Buses to and from Staten Island are furious.

"I'm adding about 30 minutes to my commute," one woman said.

"It used to take me, I'd say, about an hour," another said. "Now it takes about an hour-and-a-half."

Last month, the agency implemented a sweeping overhaul of the Express Bus system, redesigning routes to make service faster and more reliable.

But some riders say the result has been just the opposite.

"Overcrowding, people standing on buses, people waiting for buses for extraordinary amounts of time — there seems to be, really, a difference in the amount of frequency and the number of buses," one bus rider said.

The MTA said it was the biggest redesign of a system that had been in place on Staten Island for nearly half a century. The agency reduced the number of routes to 21 from 26 and spaced some stops further apart, the first step in what's supposed to be a borough by borough overhaul.

But it's had to keep tweaking the Staten Island plan. By mid-October, the MTA plans to add one route and increase service on 10 others.

Transit advocates applaud the MTA for trying to redesign the network. "It's something on a totally new scale when compared with previous agency revisions to bus routes," said Tabitha Decker, the executive director of the Transit Center. "Frankly, it's something that, if done well, can bring a lot of benefits to riders."

So far, some riders say they're not seeing enough of those benefits.

"They are supposed to make the system better, and it's gotten worse. There's no difference as far as saving any time," one commuter said.

Transit officials and Borough President James Oddo vow the overhaul eventually will improve the commute for more Express Bus riders.

"I am very much aware that we have not yet achieved that goal," Oddo said in a statement. "We will continue to grind at this until we have it right."

The bus route revamps are just beginning: After Staten Island, the MTA will set about redesigning how buses run in the Bronx.

Visit the MTA's website for more information on the new routes.

How's your commute on the new SIM routes? Connect with using the hashtag #NY1Commute.

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/transit/2018/09/17/one-month-later-staten-island-nyc-express-bus-commuters-say-service-is-not-better-after-mta-overhauled-the-routes#

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Some of these transit advocates something else. Yay, the routes are changing, progress! 

...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Some of these transit advocates something else. Yay, the routes are changing, progress! 

...

Yeah as they said, if implemented correctly, they can work, but that’s the key thing missing here.  The other thing that is amazing is the  set up these schedules, and every day we field complaints from commuters about missing buses on various routes, so they had a chance to make schedules that worked for them and they still can’t ensure that buses arrive, forget about late.  If they were bunched that would be understandable, but they have 20 - 45+ minute gaps in service, and I don‘t buy the excuse that buses are breaking down. They have some of the newest fleet out so they simply are not filling trips and no one wants to come out and say that. I’ve been thinking about a few options to find out why we have so many missing buses, and one idea is to see if the Comptrollers’ Office is willing to audit them again. Another idea is simply to do a running tab of how many missing trips happen per day and collect data for a few weeks across lines that are reported. In the last two days, just between my commutes and another commuter, there have been four missing trips alone, which is a lot, and most of these are happening during rush hour. Someone else helping with advocacy has also offered to help us compile the data regarding missing buses and then present it to the . Either way there are far too many trips missing on an array on lines on Staten Island and elsewhere, so just off of that alone, this re-design is a failure since they promised “frequent service”. 20 - 45 minute waits with commutes increasing roughly 30 minutes each way for the majority of commuters is not a success, and if it was, they would be more than willing to say exactly how they arrived at such a conclusion.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Some updates... I have been reaching out to the media to get some coverage on some of the upcoming workshops.  We expect to have media coverage at the workshop in Riverdale on October 18th.  We are finalizing the details at the moment, but they are very much interested in hearing from express bus riders in Riverdale. They also would like to hear from riders in Kingsbridge and other areas of the Northwest Bronx such as Woodlawn, so if any express bus riders will be attending, @78 via Stew Leonards @Q43 Floral Park @Italianstallion @WonderBread they would like to speak with you.

Meeting location below:

Christ Church Riverdale

Thursday, October 18

5030 Henry Hudson Parkway (at 252nd Street)

Riverdale, NY 10471

Runs from 6pm - 8pm

[FLX9304]

On 9/10/2018 at 11:12 AM, Lawrence St said:

The Bx9 does not need to be split. Its the only route during the night that still connects the and . The Bx9 needs a LTD counterpart to it.

Leave the Bx6/46 alone. There is no need for that merger. That means you will be taking service away from Longwood Ave, which is still on the rise. 

But the areas that need more service is by the East 222nd Street area. I see something there that can use a transit bus. 

Plus, there is a need for a Southern Route east of the Bronx River. Story Ave cannot handle the Bx5 crowds since they took away the Bx54 in 1990. 

As for YOUR Riverdale service, it sure needs a direct route between Fordham and here. 

The Bx12 does not need a split. That route does fine between Bay Plaza (Edson-Bartow {GH}) after hours. Last split for that route was the City Island (1990 with Bx29, which is similar to the old Bx52 summer service only, except that one ran to Orchard) 

Another one that can use a new route is in the Eastchester Gap. Baychester Ave. Boston Rd (US-1) can use a SBS Route to ease up some of the crowds on the Bee Line Open Doors. 

[limitednyc]

how  about flipping the west end  of the bx40/42 iwith the bx36.

[Future ENY OP]

10 minutes ago, limitednyc said:

how  about flipping the west end  of the bx40/42 iwith the bx36.

NO. NO and NO. I don’t live in The Bronx but that idea is completely bascura 🚮🚮. The Bx40/42 don’t belong at the George Washington Bridge. Leave the 36 and the 40/42 alone. 

Please and thanks. Management. 

[B35 via Church]

20 minutes ago, limitednyc said:

how  about flipping the west end  of the bx40/42 iwith the bx36.

6 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

NO. NO and NO. I don’t live in The Bronx but that idea is completely bascura 🚮🚮. The Bx40/42 don’t belong at the George Washington Bridge. Leave the 36 and the 40/42 alone. 

I'll say this much....

While I don't see them exactly swapping the Bx36's & the Bx40/42's western end terminals, I don't see the (future) Bx36 SBS' going to Washington Heights either.....

The setup'll likely be to have the Bx36 locals running to Washington Hgts. & the Bx36 SBS' truncated to ending somewhere within The Bronx.... Whether that's at the:

• Current short turn terminal (the last stop in the Bronx before it turns off for the bridge), or at....
• River Park Towers (to have the Bx40/42 truncated somewhere else to support such a move)

....remains to be seen.

[FLX9304]

29 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

NO. NO and NO. I don’t live in The Bronx but that idea is completely bascura 🚮🚮. The Bx40/42 don’t belong at the George Washington Bridge. Leave the 36 and the 40/42 alone. 

Please and thanks. Management. 

And you’re right. No improvements since my family reunion in 2016. Why would they wanna flip the West ends of the Bx36/40/42? There’s no need for that. But ok if you wanna flip the Bx36 to run on Burnside and the Bx40/42 to be a true Tremont Ave Route, which was first purposed back in 1991 & 1994. 

[4 via Mosholu]

On 9/20/2018 at 8:48 AM, B35 via Church said:

I'll say this much....

While I don't see them exactly swapping the Bx36's & the Bx40/42's western end terminals, I don't see the (future) Bx36 SBS' going to Washington Heights either.....

The setup'll likely be to have the Bx36 locals running to Washington Hts. & the Bx36 SBS' truncated to ending somewhere within The Bronx.... Whether that's at the:

• Current short turn terminal (the last stop in the Bronx before it turns off for the bridge), or at....
• River Park Towers (to have the Bx40/42 truncated somewhere else to support such a move)

....remains to be seen.

I disagree with this @B35 via Church. The 40/42 needs to remain at River Park Towers.

What I imagine would happen is the 36 Local stays in the Bronx by terminating at Grant-174 and the 36 Select+ would cross the Washington Bridge to Washington Heights at its Manhattan end. The Bronx end would be at Grant Circle for the 36 Local, thereby having the 36 Select+ go to Olmstead/Seward Avenues after stopping at the Circle.

This is what I think a redesigned 36 west of Webster would be like:

• The 36 would stay on University Avenue before turning right to Burnside Avenue and Valentine Avenue, where it can then backtrack left on 177th (that is, Tremont) and run its regular route via Webster and 180th Streets (going to Grant Circle and Olmstead/Seward).
• At 178th Street, instead of turning left to Valentine to run via Tremont (as it does now), the 36 would be rerouted right via Valentine to run via Burnside and University Avenue (going to Grant-174 and Washington Heights) *the existing 40/42 stop at 178th would be relocated north to the Twin Park Houses. 
• This route change west of Webster would ensure that the 40/42 becomes a 177th Street-Tremont route, terminating at River Park Towers.

Does anyone have anything to comment on this? At the moment, the existing 36 route east of Webster should be as is.

[FLX9304]

14 hours ago, 4 via Mosholu said:

I disagree with this @B35 via Church. The 40/42 needs to remain at River Park Towers.

What I imagine would happen is the 36 Local stays in the Bronx by terminating at Grant-174 and the 36 Select+ would cross the Washington Bridge to Washington Heights at its Manhattan end. The Bronx end would be at Grant Circle for the 36 Local, thereby having the 36 Select+ go to Olmstead/Seward Avenues after stopping at the Circle.

This is what I think a redesigned 36 west of Webster would be like:

• The 36 would stay on University Avenue before turning right to Burnside Avenue and Valentine Avenue, where it can then backtrack left on 177th (that is, Tremont) and run its regular route via Webster and 180th Streets (going to Grant Circle and Olmstead/Seward).
• At 178th Street, instead of turning left to Valentine to run via Tremont (as it does now), the 36 would be rerouted right via Valentine to run via Burnside and University Avenue (going to Grant-174 and Washington Heights) *the existing 40/42 stop at 178th would be relocated north to the Twin Park Houses. 
• This route change west of Webster would ensure that the 40/42 becomes a 177th Street-Tremont route, terminating at River Park Towers.

Does anyone have anything to comment on this? At the moment, the existing 36 route east of Webster should be as is.

Change the Bronx end of the 36 Local to terminate at White Plains Rd & Bruck, along with the short trip Bx5. The Bx36+ can extend one block to Lafayette. No biggie

[B35 via Church]

17 hours ago, 4 via Mosholu said:

I disagree with this @B35 via Church. The 40/42 needs to remain at River Park Towers.....

Re-read the post again carefully... I'm not advocating for the Bx40/42 to no longer remain at River Park Towers (that was @limitednyc that brought up that bit about swapping terminals)....

What I'm saying is, if they (the MTA) were to have the Bx36 moved to River Park Towers (again, like @limitednyc suggested), they would have to move the Bx40/42 somewhere else.... With the combined BPH of the current Bx40, Bx42, and however much service they'd abundantly supply on a Bx36 SBS, there's no way can you possibly terminate all 3 of those routes at River Park Towers...

That was my point.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Just finished the south Bronx workshop and I kinda have to say it was a bit underwhelming.

Basically the workshop is split into 3 parts. Part 1 (reimagining service) is basically asking where you JUST came from and putting down stickers to reflect that. Part 2 asks your top 3 choices in bus planning (more rush hour service, bus stop amenities, weekend service, technology features like USBs and wi-fi, more frequent service, etc.) And part 3 is trade-offs based on stuff some already are fighting for (more vs less stops, straight forward routes vs complex routes, and frequency vs coverage). There is an online survey available at this time and the Bronx bus network website is available online:

https://new.mta.info/BronxBusRedesign

http://bronxbusredesign.questionpro.com/

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Just finished the south Bronx workshop and I kinda have to say it was a bit underwhelming.

Basically the workshop is split into 3 parts. Part 1 (reimagining service) is basically asking where you JUST came from and putting down stickers to reflect that. Part 2 asks your top 3 choices in bus planning (more rush hour service, bus stop amenities, weekend service, technology features like USBs and wi-fi, more frequent service, etc.) And part 3 is trade-offs based on stuff some already are fighting for (more vs less stops, straight forward routes vs complex routes, and frequency vs coverage). There is an online survey available at this time and the Bronx bus network website is available online:

https://new.mta.info/BronxBusRedesign

http://bronxbusredesign.questionpro.com/

I'm very confused. Is this redesign only pertaining to the local buses? I don't see anything about express bus service.

[MysteriousBtrain]

26 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I'm very confused. Is this redesign only pertaining to the local buses? I don't see anything about express bus service.

They tried to avoid express buses as much as possible. Every time an express or sbs is brought up, the representatives try to turn it into a local bus topic.

The BxMs are only mentioned in the online survey.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

They tried to avoid express buses as much as possible. Every time an express or sbs is brought up, the representatives try to turn it into a local bus topic.

The BxMs are only mentioned in the online survey.

I took parts of the online survey and they aren’t mentioned anywhere...

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

16 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I took parts of the online survey and they aren’t mentioned anywhere...

They are there (in the questions regarding trips out of Manhattan). Honestly though, express buses are just as important as local buses. Someone should be pressing them every time they try to back out from talking about express buses.