Express Bus Advocacy Group

[7-express]

8 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Such stupidity. @7-express Thanks for posting this. I will use this photo in my meeting if you don’t mind. I’d like to understand why taxpayer dollars are being wasted on these countdown clocks that are often times broken, or if they work, cannot snow the times for ALL express buses. 

Please do use this to shame them for their stupidity.  As a QM20 rider, I find it ridiculous that they have it on the sign with no provision for a countdown clock.  Especially since it has more riders and a longer service span than the lowly QM3.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

14 minutes ago, 7-express said:

Please do use this to shame them for their stupidity.  As a QM20 rider, I find it ridiculous that they have it on the sign with no provision for a countdown clock.  Especially since it has more riders and a longer service span than the lowly QM3.

It was on my agenda anyway because not only is that a problem (same issue at a BxM1 stop I use - BxM1 is at the bottom with no countdown info), but most of them sit broken for several weeks at a time. Not clear who fixes them and why they are broken so often. Waste of money. Elected officials pay for those signs out of their budgets but it is still taxpayer dollars wasted.

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It was on my agenda anyway because not only is that a problem (same issue at a BxM1 stop I use - BxM1 is at the bottom with no countdown info), but most of them sit broken for several weeks at a time. Not clear who fixes them and why they are broken so often. Waste of money. Elected officials pay for those signs out of their budgets but it is still taxpayer dollars wasted.

About a year ago, when I sent in an email complaint about a broken countdown clock machine (which was practically brand new, by the way), MTA told me it's DOT's problem, and DOT told me it is MTA's problem. So ridiculous. 

 

Eventually, I happened to be at the stop when this unmarked van pulled up and two Hispanic guys got out and started fixing the machine. I asked them "who do you work for?" and all they said was "No English, no English" LOL 

[OIG119]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It was on my agenda anyway because not only is that a problem (same issue at a BxM1 stop I use - BxM1 is at the bottom with no countdown info), but most of them sit broken for several weeks at a time. Not clear who fixes them and why they are broken so often. Waste of money. Elected officials pay for those signs out of their budgets but it is still taxpayer dollars wasted.

The sign for the B67 and B69 at 7th Ave/Flatbush has been OOS for months. I guess they gave up on it because eventually they installed the schedule back on the pole.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

23 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

About a year ago, when I sent in an email complaint about a broken countdown clock machine (which was practically brand new, by the way), MTA told me it's DOT's problem, and DOT told me it is MTA's problem. So ridiculous. 

 

Eventually, I happened to be at the stop when this unmarked van pulled up and two Hispanic guys got out and started fixing the machine. I asked them "who do you work for?" and all they said was "No English, no English" LOL 

Wow... I'm going to get an answer in my meeting. What likely happens is like the bus shelters, someone handles it but they hire a subcontractor to do the actual work. For example, the DOT is technically responsible for the bus stops, BUT they contract the actual bus shelters out to a vendor who is supposed to clean and maintain them, but then you likely have THAT contractor subcontracting out a part of that work too to some smaller company to do one thing or another like maybe come in and change out the glass panels.  Having worked in construction on the insurance end, you'd be surprised how many vendors can be on one job and how many subs hire subs that hire subs, so that before you know, you're dealing with 20+ different vendors. It used to drive me nuts going after those people to get insurance because some of them try to play games and it can also hold up work being done. It becomes almost impossible to follow the trail of people.   It's all about cost. It's cheaper to have some other guy do parts of things or maybe the vendor just doesn't specialize in such and such thing.

Now the actual bus stops with the lollipops, those the DOT changes out themselves. HOWEVER, the actual schedules at the bus stops are handled by  personnel. I've seen  people n uniform changing those out at the bus stops. Then you have those SBS countdown clocks (the big ones). Those are federally funded (the lollipop ones and the smaller countdown clocks are not), and I'm not sure who exactly handles the upkeep of those, but I suspect those are contracted out as well.  All and all it's a big mess, and that's why it takes so long to get things done when there's a problem.  They all play dumb about who is responsible for what.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 minutes ago, OIG119 said:

The sign for the B67 and B69 at 7th Ave/Flatbush has been OOS for months. I guess they gave up on it because eventually they installed the schedule back on the pole.

No, the schedules are being put on the ones that work as well, and likely because customers are complaining. The  is trying to make bus service like the subways and it doesn't work. We had a huge argument about this in my last meeting. They think it's ok to focus on how long a customer is waiting versus what the actual schedule says, so that means you can look at the schedule and expect a bus to come and maybe it won't because they can't fill the trip.  As long as you get A bus that's what should matter, not that the buses on the schedule aren't coming.  I told them absolutely not!!  There are some lines that are NOT frequent and thus people go by the schedules. This is really them trying to excuse not sending out scheduled service.  Unacceptable.  I'd be willing to bet that the same crap is happening with the subways too. I see posts all over social media with people that tape particular trains talking about how such and such train didn't come and they know because they take that train every day. Some trains help to alleviate overcrowding so when you see that you start taking that train.

[7-express]

6 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No, the schedules are being put on the ones that work as well, and likely because customers are complaining. The  is trying to make bus service like the subways and it doesn't work. We had a huge argument about this in my last meeting. They think it's ok to focus on how long a customer is waiting versus what the actual schedule says, so that means you can look at the schedule and expect a bus to come and maybe it won't because they can't fill the trip.  As long as you get A bus that's what should matter, not that the buses on the schedule aren't coming.  I told them absolutely not!!  There are some lines that are NOT frequent and thus people go by the schedules. This is really them trying to excuse not sending out scheduled service.  Unacceptable.  I'd be willing to bet that the same crap is happening with the subways too. I see posts all over social media with people that tape particular trains talking about how such and such train didn't come and they know because they take that train every day. Some trains help to alleviate overcrowding so when you see that you start taking that train.

I was actually going to mention how there's no more schedule box on that new pole.  It's a tad annoying because it does help people.  I've been at the stop a few times and people go up to the schedule box to see when the next express bus is scheduled to show up.  Granted it's a mess during rush hour but it helps people during the shoulder periods and off-peak when things usually run on time or slightly hot.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

18 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Such stupidity. @7-express Thanks for posting this. I will use this photo in my meeting if you don’t mind. I’d like to understand why taxpayer dollars are being wasted on these countdown clocks that are often times broken, or if they work, cannot snow the times for ALL express buses. 

There's another like this in LeFrak City too which can't show the QM40 arrivals (which sucks given that it doesn't even run that frequently). I should have a picture of it somewhere.

[Lil 57]

No 530, 630 or 7 PM QM1 buses today (2/7). Why can't the  run service on this route?

[Union Tpke]

2 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

No 530, 630 or 7 PM QM1 buses today (2/7). Why can't the  run service on this route?

Preparing for the cuts in MTA Bus express service.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Here's another stop with the same setup.  I don't care whose problem it is or not, because that needs to get fixed:

99 Street & 60 Avenue Bus Stop by BM5 Photos 2019, on Flickr

Edited February 8, 2019 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Lawrence St]

22 hours ago, IAlam said:

The DOt should've invested in a modular design, like the regular signs. It really doesn't make sense to waste money on things that work in every application. 

I dont understand why they dont use LCD countdown clocks, or full on LED ones at that. CTTransit has it, and weve been testing the tech on the subway. I have a mockup that I did on my computer somewhere if you guys want to see.

[QM1to6Ave]

These new lollipop signs can only handle 3 little screens instead of 4? Geez... 

And what about that plan to install more LinkNYC kiosks which can display bus arrivals on their big screens?? De Blasio promised hundreds more of those kiosks but never delivered

[Union Tpke]

7 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

These new lollipop signs can only handle 3 little screens instead of 4? Geez... 

And what about that plan to install more LinkNYC kiosks which can display bus arrivals on their big screens?? De Blasio promised hundreds more of those kiosks but never delivered

It is really dumb. They display the times for several stops. The one at 78th and Queens Blvd shows the times for several Q60 stops.

[7-express]

9 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I dont understand why they dont use LCD countdown clocks, or full on LED ones at that. CTTransit has it, and weve been testing the tech on the subway. I have a mockup that I did on my computer somewhere if you guys want to see.

What would've worked are those displays that they have at some SBS stops.  There's a small black screen with orange text that shows the next 4 buses and their arrival times.  That would've worked find and probably could have fit into a revised pole design rather than sticking the the lolipop style design.

[Lawrence St]

32 minutes ago, 7-express said:

What would've worked are those displays that they have at some SBS stops.  There's a small black screen with orange text that shows the next 4 buses and their arrival times.  That would've worked find and probably could have fit into a revised pole design rather than sticking the the lolipop style design.

My design would retain the lollipop but instead of those little black screens and the signs, it would be replaced by a waterproof LCD display.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

43 minutes ago, 7-express said:

What would've worked are those displays that they have at some SBS stops.  There's a small black screen with orange text that shows the next 4 buses and their arrival times.  That would've worked find and probably could have fit into a revised pole design rather than sticking the the lolipop style design.

That’s exactly what we want. They are more expensive though and federally funded. The lollipop signs are usually funded by elected officials out of their budgets for their respective districts, but cheaper.

[Union Tpke]

10 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That’s exactly what we want. They are more expensive though and federally funded. The lollipop signs are usually funded by elected officials out of their budgets for their respective districts, but cheaper.

According to a friend who has worked with a City Councilmember, the MTA puts them wherever the hell they feel like, completely disregarding the local community.

[Lil 57]

49 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

According to a friend who has worked with a City Councilmember, the MTA puts them wherever the hell they feel like, completely disregarding the local community.

I think they also received backlash in residential communities because they would play a loud Bing every 12 seconds or so.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, Union Tpke said:

According to a friend who has worked with a City Councilmember, the MTA puts them wherever the hell they feel like, completely disregarding the local community.

Puts what where? The lollipop countdown clocks? That isn't true.  Those have to be paid for by elected officials for the most part.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

16 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Here's another stop with the same setup.  I don't care whose problem it is or not, because that needs to get fixed:

99 Street & 60 Avenue Bus Stop by BM5 Photos 2019, on Flickr

Is this one broken as well?

[Lil 57]

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Is this one broken as well?

I think so.

A lot of these "lollypop" countdown clocks either don't work or show wrongful information. If the stop has more than 3 routes, the other routes are out of luck. These countdown clocks also don't show short-turnes unless you press on the voice button that's on the stop. Why spend money one these countdown clocks if half the time they don't work. The larger clocks at the SBS stops are much better, even though more expensive, but at least they work.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Lil 57

[Via Garibaldi 8]

7 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

I think so.

A lot of these "lollypop" countdown clocks either don't work or show wrongful information. If the stop has more than 3 routes, the other routes are out of luck. These countdown clocks also don't show short-turnes unless you press on the voice button that's on the stop. Why spend money one these countdown clocks if half the time they don't work. The larger clocks at the SBS stops are much better, even though more expensive, but at least they work.

Well yes and I agree. I hope to get more answers from DOT and the MTA in the upcoming meeting. We were scheduled for next week, but the meeting has been pushed back. So many people to get together for this...  That said, it gives me more time to field more complaints. We should have a good hour and a half to discuss everything or two hours depending on how quick things go. We went over in the first meeting, and I don’t expect this one to be much shorter. 

I'm aware that they only show countdown info for three lines. I've noticed quite a few of them like that and it annoys me. Wasted money. I told them in my last meeting that I preferred the SBS style countdown clocks. The question is how expensive are those clocks and would elected officials be willing to put down money for them from their budgets?  There's only so much money to go around so they to stretch what they have, but I think they make a lot of sense at high volume stops.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Union Tpke]

4 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Puts what where? The lollipop countdown clocks? That isn't true.  Those have to be paid for by elected officials for the most part.

They were put in through participatory budgeting, but the MTA did not put them where the councilmembers wnated them.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Union Tpke said:

They were put in through participatory budgeting, but the MTA did not put them where the councilmembers wanted them.

Now that's interesting...