Jump to content

Express Bus Advocacy Group


Via Garibaldi 8

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 2.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply
11 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Private operator notwithstanding, I feel like they should take another look at the former Metro Apple Express routes in the Brooklyn borough redesign...

@Via Garibaldi 8 Is that your copy of the timetable? I'd love to see the other pages

Nope, not mine. Someone else's who is in the advocacy group... I'm not into that stuff... That's actually the old Metro Apple Express routing with the stops. The new service is supposed to be similar in terms of the routing and the stops. I may have that today (so I was told anyway <_<). This service is not a go until enough signatures are obtained for the service. The guy that wants to run the service said he needs 300 signatures, and I am not creating a petition until I have more information to confirm that he is serious about running the service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They posted this article about the QM5 and QM7: https://qns.com/story/2019/08/06/northeast-queens-commuters-gain-two-additional-express-bus-trips-during-morning-rush-hours-rozic/

If only they could also add early morning buses to the QM20.  A 0530 run would be beneficial because the current first run at 0545 is pretty full.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, 7-express said:

They posted this article about the QM5 and QM7: https://qns.com/story/2019/08/06/northeast-queens-commuters-gain-two-additional-express-bus-trips-during-morning-rush-hours-rozic/

If only they could also add early morning buses to the QM20.  A 0530 run would be beneficial because the current first run at 0545 is pretty full.

The QM5 and QM7 runs I believe were cost neutral. They shifted a few trips around. It's not like they added money to run the service. The same would be done with the QM20. There is no money for more service for now, so until congestion pricing is sorted out that $50 million dollar Outer Borough Transit Fund can't be used for more express bus service or rail service in the transit deserts until then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The QM5 and QM7 runs I believe were cost neutral. They shifted a few trips around. It's not like they added money to run the service. The same would be done with the QM20. There is no money for more service for now, so until congestion pricing is sorted out that $50 million dollar Outer Borough Transit Fund can't be used for more express bus service or rail service in the transit deserts until then.

That is exactly right. These idiots are patting themselves on the back pretending they created a whole new run. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled they changed the times, and I relied on that 5:10 run last month for two weeks and it was a lifesaver. but don't pretend it is something it is not!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

That is exactly right. These idiots are patting themselves on the back pretending they created a whole new run. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled they changed the times, and I relied on that 5:10 run last month for two weeks and it was a lifesaver. but don't pretend it is something it is not!

I don't know if I showed them here but we created QM5 and QM7 fliers for riders in our group and they spread the word WELL before the (MTA) did to let people know about that 5:10 trip. Here is the flier:

60175235_10216553989734677_7472338604992

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I don't know if I showed them here but we created QM5 and QM7 fliers for riders in our group and they spread the word WELL before the (MTA) did to let people know about that 5:10 trip. Here is the flier:

60175235_10216553989734677_7472338604992

Let me tell you, the 5:10 is getting quite a nice load even in the light part of summer ridership. All the trips before 7 am get really good loads. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Let me tell you, the 5:10 is getting quite a nice load even in the light part of summer ridership. All the trips before 7 am get really good loads. 

Another FYI... The 5:10 will likely be serving Fresh Meadows as well very soon... As you know, that Fresh Meadows complex is quite large, and more and more QM5s are running via Fresh Meadows. We also make sure to check to see that it runs. We have David Weprin on our side too. He's a bulldog. There's a lady that takes the QM5 and she told all of the folks in her co-op about that 5:10 trip once we posted the flier in our group and told her she was free to print it and hand it out.

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

8 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Another FYI... The 5:10 will likely be serving Fresh Meadows as well very soon... As you know, that Fresh Meadows complex is quite large, and more and more QM5s are running via Fresh Meadows. We also make sure to check to see that it runs. We have David Weprin on our side too. He's a bulldog. There's a lady that takes the QM5 and she told all of the folks in her co-op about that 5:10 trip once we posted the flier in our group and told her she was free to print it and hand it out.

I'm sure it'll be SRO once it starts serving Fresh Meadows. It's crazy how many people work so early in the morning!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has there been any talk of lowering the express bus fare? I went to the NYPL yesterday and took pictures of docs from 1996-1998 and 2000-2002 and saw how they decreased the express bus fare, resulting in increases in ridership. This is how we get people out of cars!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

Has there been any talk of lowering the express bus fare? I went to the NYPL yesterday and took pictures of docs from 1996-1998 and 2000-2002 and saw how they decreased the express bus fare, resulting in increases in ridership. This is how we get people out of cars!

If we had a mayor who didn't fantasize over ferries and a governor who gave a sh*t we could maybe have some reasonable fare structures within the MTA (local bus and subway $2.75, express bus $5.00, ferries $6.50)...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

Has there been any talk of lowering the express bus fare? I went to the NYPL yesterday and took pictures of docs from 1996-1998 and 2000-2002 and saw how they decreased the express bus fare, resulting in increases in ridership. This is how we get people out of cars!

We have a petition out to restore the senior discount, student discount and the commuter monthly pass.  There's also another article I am posting from Senator Andrew Gounardes who is in our group (it will have its own thread). We will be discussing these things in the near future, as he too supports reinstating the student discount:

https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fair-fares-for-express-bus-riders.html?fbclid=IwAR03pho_ZiqWU8DWqSUyvtW1qJL-g50sd5h-zAKLRGvYgzuqlTfnKSuZ0IQ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Union Tpke said:

Has there been any talk of lowering the express bus fare? I went to the NYPL yesterday and took pictures of docs from 1996-1998 and 2000-2002 and saw how they decreased the express bus fare, resulting in increases in ridership. This is how we get people out of cars!

I feel that after this recent increase, the express bus fare should remain as it is without increases for a while. It would be similar to how Bee-Line has kept the BxM4C fare the same for so long (but myabe not that long).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, 7-express said:

I was actually chatting with another QM20 regular about the earlier buses on the QM5/7 since we're both early birds.  We agreed that the QM20 could benefit from a 0530 run.

Well don't bank of it happening anytime soon. The QM5 got it because of overcrowding on the 5:30 bus. Unless the QM20 is suffering from overcrowding on the first bus, it won't happen in the near future, not unless they decide to shuffle buses around to keep it cost neutral. If you got an earlier bus, they would cut another QM20 somewhere else.

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

8 hours ago, R68OnBroadway said:

If we had a mayor who didn't fantasize over ferries and a governor who gave a sh*t we could maybe have some reasonable fare structures within the MTA (local bus and subway $2.75, express bus $5.00, ferries $6.50)...

The ferry actually hasn't been doing too bad with the exception to the Soundview line most of the boat carry a decent load, and provide a decent alternative to the subway/express bus. Also a lot of the places the boats go to are already a hassle to get to with the current MTA network. I've been using the ferry a lot this summer especially towards the Rockaways because the QM16 only runs during peak and waiting 20 min for and (A) and then getting off for the (S) is a hassle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, IAlam said:

The ferry actually hasn't been doing too bad with the exception to the Soundview line most of the boat carry a decent load, and provide a decent alternative to the subway/express bus. Also a lot of the places the boats go to are already a hassle to get to with the current MTA network. I've been using the ferry a lot this summer especially towards the Rockaways because the QM16 only runs during peak and waiting 20 min for and (A) and then getting off for the (S) is a hassle.

The NYC ferry and express buses both have high operating subsidies compared to subway and commuter rail.

Edited by KK7365
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, KK7365 said:

The NYC ferry and express buses both have high operating subsidies compared to subway and commuter rail.

Yes that's true but it serves the same purpose that the express bus does. It serves transit deserts where subway service is lacking. Most river side communities don't have express bus service nor do they have easy access to subways. The only boat landing with good alternatives is Roosevelt Island out of all places. You could make a case for Bay Ridge with the X27/37 and maybe Hunters Point but that's still quite a walk from the subway. Even Pier 11 has a fairly long walk up a hill to get to the nearest station. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/9/2019 at 5:42 PM, 7-express said:

Daily News has an article out about providing discounts to students who take express buses to high school: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-express-bus-student-funding-20190806-p7yqythexfh7xibljy6uqgoz6y-story.html

We posted that separately...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Latest developments:

-Wrote to the State Comptroller's Office requesting an audit of express bus service. We have never reached out to the State Comptroller's Office previously, as we have been communicating with the City Comptroller's Office 

-Pushing to keep bus lanes clear and up-to-date...

-The private express bus service that was considered from Staten Island to Hudson Yards is not happening due to a cease and desist order.

-The private express bus service from Bay Ridge to Midtown is still pending, provided the operator can finalize the logistics. 

 

68720490_10217256129927743_3621677390771

68256647_10217256134767864_6382687925775

67838017_10217256753903342_4345266714565

68242202_10217256754023345_8552530366064

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
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.