Jump to content

Express Bus Advocacy Group


Via Garibaldi 8

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I got an MTA email that new summer QM5/6/20 schedules will be in effect, but the website still has the spring schedules. Anyone know what the changes are?

The QM20 schedule change consists of increases in runtime by 1-2 minutes during the AM rush, so nothing major.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 2.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

6/28/2019 11:44:40 AM    NYTB    Summer Schedules for some Queens Express Buses    Effective Sunday, June 30 through Saturday, August 31, 2019, summer schedules will be in effect for the QM4, QM15, QM16, QM17, QM18, QM21, and QM44 buses. Please visit new.mta.info to plan your trip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

The QM20 schedule change consists of increases in runtime by 1-2 minutes during the AM rush, so nothing major.

Better than last year when they axed the last 9:30PM trip to Midtown.  And when they killed off the 12AM run of the QM2...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One more thing I've noticed about the SIM23/24 routes. As well as not being on BusTime, GTFS data doesn't exist for those route. According to Google maps, those routes don't exist, which discourages ridership even more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

The QM20 schedule change consists of increases in runtime by 1-2 minutes during the AM rush, so nothing major.

https://new.mta.info/sites/default/files/2019-06/qm020cur.pdf

https://new.mta.info/sites/default/files/2019-06/qm001cur.pdf

https://new.mta.info/sites/default/files/2019-06/qm004cur.pdf

EDIT: NYCT LOCAL Schedules are up

Edited by Union Tpke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Latest updates:

-Just finished our latest conference call

-Discussed express bus corridors and the need for consideration of TSP for express buses.  It appears as if no plans were in the works for such a thing, but I have been told that they will have a look at it, as well as the discussion of HOV lanes with DOT.  

-Discussed possible reinstatement of monthly express bus. This one would have to be approved by the (MTA) Board, and thus we will likely have to start a petition to get the board to consider a vote in favor of it.

-Concerns about changes to the Bronx express buses. We will send those over for review as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

Which NYCT local routes? I checked and none of them seem to be updated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, S78 via Hylan said:

Which NYCT local routes? I checked and none of them seem to be updated.

I guess they only changed some.

Q1, Q2, Q3, Q5, Q13, Q16, Q17, Q20, Q26, Q27, Q28, Q30, Q31, Q32, Q36, Q43, Q44, Q46, Q54, Q55, Q58, Q76, Q83, Q85

I am not doing the rest of the boroughs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Latest updates:

-Just finished our latest conference call

-Discussed express bus corridors and the need for consideration of TSP for express buses.  It appears as if no plans were in the works for such a thing, but I have been told that they will have a look at it, as well as the discussion of HOV lanes with DOT.  

-Discussed possible reinstatement of monthly express bus. This one would have to be approved by the (MTA) Board, and thus we will likely have to start a petition to get the board to consider a vote in favor of it.

-Concerns about changes to the Bronx express buses. We will send those over for review as well.

Crazy that they never even considered TSP for EXP, especially on a corridor like Queens Boulevard!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Crazy that they never even considered TSP for EXP, especially on a corridor like Queens Boulevard!

The response I got was that the improvement would only be incremental. I told my contact that for $13.50 a day, we expect additional improvements, especially with us living in transportation deserts with no subways.  I said if this is a Bus Action Plan”, then it should include ALL bus riders, no? lol

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

One more thing I've noticed about the SIM23/24 routes. As well as not being on BusTime, GTFS data doesn't exist for those route. According to Google maps, those routes don't exist, which discourages ridership even more.

The sad thing is they actually were on Google Maps originally when the SIM system first came out. I forget when they got taken off. Maybe November when they moved to 34th

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

@Lil 57 Not 100% accurate. My SIM4C had 7 standees (myself included) but it still showed "limited seating"

Yeah well it’s new so nothing is 100% anything. Some express buses don’t show it either. It’s better than what they had though. I’m glad they were pressured to get it out though. A commuter in my group and in the Staten Island group went to Twitter asking why seat availablity wasn’t up and available yet when they promised it would be and then played the video clip of them at the (MTA) Board Meeting stating it would be. LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Do we know how many seats are considered "limited seating "? 

 

I'd love them to expand it out to the QMs as well

No. There’s a mechanism that will be installed right over the steps just above the door on the inside of the bus that should note when someone walks on. Obviously that is not 100% accurate, but it gives you an idea more or less. I would think since there’s roughly 57 seats on an express bus (not sure if Prevosts and MCI buses have the same amount or not off hand) that the second “band” would mean that the bus is halfway full.

The program will eventually spread to the other boroughs. I’m sending some comments over for the Bronx Redesign, so I’ll put that in an e-mail as well to see if they have an idea of when the program will spread.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No. There’s a mechanism that will be installed right over the steps just above the door on the inside of the bus that should note when someone walks on. Obviously that is not 100% accurate, but it gives you an idea more or less. I would think since there’s roughly 57 seats on an express bus (not sure if Prevosts and MCI buses have the same amount or not off hand) that the second “band” would mean that the bus is halfway full.

The program will eventually spread to the other boroughs. I’m sending some comments over for the Bronx Redesign, so I’ll put that in an e-mail as well to see if they have an idea of when the program will spread.

Thanks for checking on it!

I'd think it would be more accurate if it was tied into the farebox, so each swipe of the metrocard tells you how many passengers there are. Plus the B/O can press the farebeat button if someone doesn't pay etc. Perhaps thats not possible with our old farebox system. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Thanks for checking on it!

I'd think it would be more accurate if it was tied into the farebox, so each swipe of the metrocard tells you how many passengers there are. Plus the B/O can press the farebeat button if someone doesn't pay etc. Perhaps thats not possible with our old farebox system. 

Not necessarily. We were discussing this in fact. The seat availability should also include when people don’t pay for one reason or another. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Supposedly the little black box above the door is only supposed to count actual people entering/exiting, but who knows?

I read somewhere else that they're rolling out automated people counters on all newer buses (or retrofitting newer existing buses).  I think it uses infrared to count people entering and exiting.  It's not 100% accurate but it's better than relying strictly on MetroCard swipes, especially with farebeaters, back door borders, etc.  Granted an express bus is a somewhat more controlled environment than a local bus or articulated bus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I read somewhere else that they're rolling out automated people counters on all newer buses (or retrofitting newer existing buses).  I think it uses infrared to count people entering and exiting.  It's not 100% accurate but it's better than relying strictly on MetroCard swipes, especially with farebeaters, back door borders, etc.  Granted an express bus is a somewhat more controlled environment than a local bus or articulated bus.

Yeah that’s the idea, but as you said, it isn’t 100% accurate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, those little black boxes are the Automatic Passenger Counters (APC). The rectangular ones are for mounting above the door, but there are the larger square ones. Nothing more than motion detectors, really. The larger square ones would be mounted on Flyers across the back door gap (on the lower seat privacy guard and on the upper level base vertical), and the same way at the front door. The smaller rectangular ones for above-door mounting were for bus models that couldn't accommodate that across-entry scan. Activated by the door control. The Clever system can have the APCs tied-in to farebox and GPS, depending on options the TA pays for in the system.

DDOT had the APCs tied-in to their old, antique AVL, and SMART only recently had them put in as an add-on to the existing Clever system.

Somehow, though, I don't think the MTA is going the entire implementation, and may only be putting APCs in for the future OMNY. With how they have to practically back-engineer those fareboxes (as well as any changes to Metrocard) on an in-house basis, I think the APCs are offering some additional information, but aren't being exploited fully.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.