IAlam Posted December 25, 2022 Share #2601 Posted December 25, 2022 4 hours ago, GreatOne2k said: https://www.silive.com/news/2022/12/express-bus-riders-left-out-in-the-cold-in-free-mta-bus-ride-proposal-for-nyc-opinion.html I kinda agree with this, part of the reason why the Queensbridge and VanDam St gets clogged up so much is because it's free. Having a toll on east river bridges could help balance the load on each crossing and free up some congestion for express buses going back to Queens. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted December 27, 2022 Share #2602 Posted December 27, 2022 @Via Garibaldi 8 any updates on when the Express Bus Plus 7-day program (or any equivalent express bus savings program) will get added to OMNY? I was thinking about this today as I cursed out the MVM that ate my metrocard as I was trying to add another 7-days EXP bus pass to it. One of those MVM repair workers, with the PPA agent in tow, happened to be there, but when I showed him the receipt saying "card not returned, add value failed" he said "I can't do anything, you have to buy a new card" in a tone suggesting that I was bothering him while he was performing delicate brain surgery. So then I had to call the Metrocard number and file a complaint, which will take 4 weeks to resolve! I will also be challenging the charge once it posts to my credit card, but this is ridiculous and I had to lay out an extra $62 to buy a new card. I know OMNY isn't perfect by any means, but at least my card can't get eaten up by a machine... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted December 28, 2022 Author Share #2603 Posted December 28, 2022 2 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said: @Via Garibaldi 8 any updates on when the Express Bus Plus 7-day program (or any equivalent express bus savings program) will get added to OMNY? I was thinking about this today as I cursed out the MVM that ate my metrocard as I was trying to add another 7-days EXP bus pass to it. One of those MVM repair workers, with the PPA agent in tow, happened to be there, but when I showed him the receipt saying "card not returned, add value failed" he said "I can't do anything, you have to buy a new card" in a tone suggesting that I was bothering him while he was performing delicate brain surgery. So then I had to call the Metrocard number and file a complaint, which will take 4 weeks to resolve! I will also be challenging the charge once it posts to my credit card, but this is ridiculous and I had to lay out an extra $62 to buy a new card. I know OMNY isn't perfect by any means, but at least my card can't get eaten up by a machine... My folks are on vacation until January. When I speak with them, I'll ask where things are with that, but there is a team that's been working on OMNY. They've been having a lot of programming/software issues, which has continued to delay the next phases. Just recently heard that the LIRR/Metro-North phase was pushed back again until 2025! That was supposed to be ready in 2023 or thereabouts... Smh... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted December 28, 2022 Share #2604 Posted December 28, 2022 3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: My folks are on vacation until January. When I speak with them, I'll ask where things are with that, but there is a team that's been working on OMNY. They've been having a lot of programming/software issues, which has continued to delay the next phases. Just recently heard that the LIRR/Metro-North phase was pushed back again until 2025! That was supposed to be ready in 2023 or thereabouts... Smh... Thanks for following up! Wow, that is super disappointing to hear. Somehow I bet this programming team isn't the best and brightest from silicon Valley... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence St Posted December 28, 2022 Share #2605 Posted December 28, 2022 On 12/24/2022 at 3:07 PM, GreatOne2k said: https://www.silive.com/news/2022/12/express-bus-riders-left-out-in-the-cold-in-free-mta-bus-ride-proposal-for-nyc-opinion.html Free rides will never happen. People need to stop with this fantasy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 3, 2023 Share #2606 Posted January 3, 2023 Weird possible safety issue I noticed this morning on a newer Prevost is that the locked overhead bins behind the driver are locked with some weird looking padlock that has sharp steel wire sticking out of it. I almost cut my hand on it this morning trying to grab onto the overhead ledge while exiting. Not sure if it's on other buses or just this one (137x). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share #2607 Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) 1 minute ago, 7-express said: Weird possible safety issue I noticed this morning on a newer Prevost is that the locked overhead bins behind the driver are locked with some weird looking padlock that has sharp steel wire sticking out of it. I almost cut my hand on it this morning trying to grab onto the overhead ledge while exiting. Not sure if it's on other buses or just this one (137x). I am not sure how true this is, but I was told by one of the drivers that they had started locking the overhead bins because the drivers were leaving them filthy. I haven't seen such instances, but I may take the express bus tomorrow and if I get a new one, I'll have a look. Edited January 3, 2023 by Via Garibaldi 8 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 4, 2023 Share #2608 Posted January 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: I am not sure how true this is, but I was told by one of the drivers that they had started locking the overhead bins because the drivers were leaving them filthy. I haven't seen such instances, but I may take the express bus tomorrow and if I get a new one, I'll have a look. I'll check again tomorrow morning since my AM driver usually takes out a Prevost. But this is probably why drivers always leave their stuff on the first seat instead of the overhead bins... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share #2609 Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) 14 minutes ago, 7-express said: I'll check again tomorrow morning since my AM driver usually takes out a Prevost. But this is probably why drivers always leave their stuff on the first seat instead of the overhead bins... For some express buses yeah, but I've been on some recently where the overhead bins were definitely open because the drivers were opening them. Edited January 4, 2023 by Via Garibaldi 8 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 4, 2023 Share #2610 Posted January 4, 2023 I got a 135x bus this morning and while the bins were padlocked on the driver's side, this one did have steel cable that was trimmed properly. Seems like maybe it was only the 137x bus I was on yesterday so far... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share #2611 Posted January 4, 2023 4 hours ago, 7-express said: I got a 135x bus this morning and while the bins were padlocked on the driver's side, this one did have steel cable that was trimmed properly. Seems like maybe it was only the 137x bus I was on yesterday so far... Just report that one then. They are slowly making tweaks as I continue to talk to them. I'm on a new express bus now that has the overhead blowers on for the entire time. The coolest bus I've been on yet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 4, 2023 Share #2612 Posted January 4, 2023 5 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: Just report that one then. They are slowly making tweaks as I continue to talk to them. I'm on a new express bus now that has the overhead blowers on for the entire time. The coolest bus I've been on yet. I have yet to encounter a Prevost with working overhead blowers. I checked the one I was on this morning and it was dead. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share #2613 Posted January 5, 2023 3 hours ago, 7-express said: I have yet to encounter a Prevost with working overhead blowers. I checked the one I was on this morning and it was dead. The one I got coming to the City and the one going back (also a new one) also had air circulating. I'm trying to have patience with this because there are SO many damn issues with these buses that they are trying to fix (that they created in the first place). The screens... The AC... The seat situation... And that doesn't include the partitions that have been delayed due to sourcing delays. It's a huge undertaking given the few hundred or so express buses and it's been very slow going. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 5, 2023 Share #2614 Posted January 5, 2023 11 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: The one I got coming to the City and the one going back (also a new one) also had air circulating. I'm trying to have patience with this because there are SO many damn issues with these buses that they are trying to fix (that they created in the first place). The screens... The AC... The seat situation... And that doesn't include the partitions that have been delayed due to sourcing delays. It's a huge undertaking given the few hundred or so express buses and it's been very slow going. I have noticed that more often than not now, I am getting the Prevosts with the fixed screens, seats, and installed partitions now. So it seems they're getting traction now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share #2615 Posted January 5, 2023 2 hours ago, 7-express said: I have noticed that more often than not now, I am getting the Prevosts with the fixed screens, seats, and installed partitions now. So it seems they're getting traction now. I still get very few with the partitions. I know some drivers don't like the partitions, so they purposely get buses that don't have them. Funny thing is the union asked for them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 5, 2023 Share #2616 Posted January 5, 2023 6 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: I still get very few with the partitions. I know some drivers don't like the partitions, so they purposely get buses that don't have them. Funny thing is the union asked for them. I guess a lot of the fixed ones are going to CP depot so far? I know my PM bus driver exclusively asks for an MCI to take out and hates the new Prevosts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share #2617 Posted January 5, 2023 5 minutes ago, 7-express said: I guess a lot of the fixed ones are going to CP depot so far? That and some of them may be new from the vendor, so those should come with the tweaks done already. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share #2618 Posted January 10, 2023 It was brought to my attention today that the plans to eliminate Wi-Fi on all buses. If you use Wi-Fi on the express bus, post here. If you don't use it or stopped using it, also post as to why. I also encourage everyone to fill out this link and provide the with feedback if they want Wi-Fi to be kept: https://contact.mta.info/s/customer-feedback 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteriousBtrain Posted January 10, 2023 Share #2619 Posted January 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: It was brought to my attention today that the plans to eliminate Wi-Fi on all buses. If you use Wi-Fi on the express bus, post here. If you don't use it or stopped using it, also post as to why. I also encourage everyone to fill out this link and provide the with feedback if they want Wi-Fi to be kept: https://contact.mta.info/s/customer-feedback This is a general statement, but every time I try to connect to the Wi-Fi it is either slow or laggy to the point it becomes unusable. I don't want extremely great WiFi, but WiFi that works. I have a feeling that they made the internet slower unpurpose as a away to "find a reason" to cut more things, and if nobody is "using the WiFi", then why is it around? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share #2620 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said: This is a general statement, but every time I try to connect to the Wi-Fi it is either slow or laggy to the point it becomes unusable. I don't want extremely great WiFi, but WiFi that works. I have a feeling that they made the internet slower unpurpose as a away to "find a reason" to cut more things, and if nobody is "using the WiFi", then why is it around? Their argument was that it is seeing low usage. I put a poll up in my group and it seems that most people find it unreliable or can't log on, which is why they either stopped using it or don't use it as much as they would like to. I don't know exactly what date they plan on pulling the plug on this, but it just says mid January, so they really haven't given much time for the public to provide feedback on this since they just put the notice up this evening. Edited January 10, 2023 by Via Garibaldi 8 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princelex Posted January 10, 2023 Share #2621 Posted January 10, 2023 With this news about wi-fi going away, I wonder if they will do away with the USB ports too. I can’t see that happening but this is the MTA we’re talking about here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 10, 2023 Share #2622 Posted January 10, 2023 15 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said: It was brought to my attention today that the plans to eliminate Wi-Fi on all buses. If you use Wi-Fi on the express bus, post here. If you don't use it or stopped using it, also post as to why. I also encourage everyone to fill out this link and provide the with feedback if they want Wi-Fi to be kept: https://contact.mta.info/s/customer-feedback I just noticed the disclaimer today to when connecting to the WiFi. It says mid-January and we're awfully close to it so they could be yanking the plug in just one or two weeks. I do use the WiFi just to keep my data usage low on my plan. But it is indeed quite slow. It's okay for general browsing but forget trying to do anything media intensive on it. Probably contributes to the lack of popularity as everyone is trying to stream a video one way or another. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-express Posted January 10, 2023 Share #2623 Posted January 10, 2023 10 hours ago, Princelex said: With this news about wi-fi going away, I wonder if they will do away with the USB ports too. I can’t see that happening but this is the MTA we’re talking about here. I doubt they'll get rid of USB ports though. There's no upkeep charge like there probably is with a mobile data plan and the maintenance is probably just limited to plugs that have been vandalized/damaged. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share #2624 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, Princelex said: With this news about wi-fi going away, I wonder if they will do away with the USB ports too. I can’t see that happening but this is the MTA we’re talking about here. USB ports are staying. I haven't heard anything about them getting rid of them. They're already part of the contract for whatever new buses are coming in. 1 hour ago, 7-express said: I just noticed the disclaimer today to when connecting to the WiFi. It says mid-January and we're awfully close to it so they could be yanking the plug in just one or two weeks. I do use the WiFi just to keep my data usage low on my plan. But it is indeed quite slow. It's okay for general browsing but forget trying to do anything media intensive on it. Probably contributes to the lack of popularity as everyone is trying to stream a video one way or another. I tried it out years ago and it was generally too buggy for me, plus there is a dead spot here in Riverdale in both directions along the express bus routes that totally screws up the Wi-Fi if you're trying to connect to it in that area, so I haven't bothered with it in years. I have data for both my cell phone and tablets, so with me working mainly from home and using my FiOS Wi-Fi, I am never at risk of having my unlimited data slowed when I'm out and about. That said, the disclaimer just came out last night so there has been very little time to react to it. I created a poll late last night in the group and took a screenshot of the responses (so far over 100 people responded) and sent it over to the asking them to reconsider given the feedback about how many people either can't connect, get booted, or that there doesn't seem to be Wi-Fi installed on a number of express buses. I suspect that perhaps the contract is ending with the vendor and they just decided to yank the service. I'll give it a little bit of time before following up, as the correspondence involves other important matters that are more involved. Edited January 10, 2023 by Via Garibaldi 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Sith Posted January 10, 2023 Share #2625 Posted January 10, 2023 What the Wi-Fi is, is basically an extension of your own cell phone signal, since its literally another cellular network you're connecting to. Should've never been on the buses to begin with, in my opinion. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.