Express Bus Advocacy Group

[trife86]

11 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

Oh, I'll remove that info from my last post now.

OTOH, why would the governor be set below the highest speed limit. (50 MPH NYC). If a bus is deheading, it'll be going slower than any thing else on the expressway. Also on the NJT, the MTA Express Buses are governed slower than the 65mph speed limit. All the other buses are flying pass them. IMO the local buses should be set to 55 MPH and the express buses to 70 MPH.

None of the section of the NJT where our busses operate are 65mph last time I was on it. It was 55-60.

[trife86]

1 hour ago, RailRunRob said:

Yeah I've noticed the Nova on SI are pretty quick as well. SI is prob the only place they have space to perform. To my point the Last time on the S79 they ran a Nova the driver took the upper level on the bridge he was able to keep pace with a MCI (43XX) no issues. I should note the bus was half full as well.. And the Bayonne Bridge is super steep they added 60 feet to the height I was surprised the Bus performed so well single lane uphill. We don't have any Nova's out my way in Brooklyn so I noticed the difference right off.   

Might of only stood with the mci on the bridge because the speed limit of 45mph so no one should be speeding and up until maybe 6months or so ago all the locals were capped at 45, now they are down to 40. But that aside the Nova has good power when above 30mph but below that the NG and 3G are smoother for sure.

[RailRunRob]

58 minutes ago, trife86 said:

Might of only stood with the mci on the bridge because the speed limit of 45mph so no one should be speeding and up until maybe 6months or so ago all the locals were capped at 45, now they are down to 40. But that aside the Nova has good power when above 30mph but below that the NG and 3G are smoother for sure.

Your prob correct I just Assumed both buses were maxed out going uphill that MCI prob had more power to spare. The NG and 3G are hybrid buses? If so that makes sense.

[Lil 57]

4 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

The NG and 3G are hybrid buses?

's NG's are hybrids. Their 3G's are diesel buses.

[RailRunRob]

Just now, Lil 57 said:

's NG's are hybrids. Their 3G's are diesel buses.

3G's = 70xx Buses? Are they Orions?

[Lil 57]

1 hour ago, trife86 said:

None of the section of the NJT where our busses operate are 65mph last time I was on it. It was 55-60.

I think the speed limit on the NJT changers depending on conditions. Off-peak and weekends that area can be 65 MPH. 

[trife86]

1 hour ago, Lil 57 said:

I think the speed limit on the NJT changers depending on conditions. Off-peak and weekends that area can be 65 MPH. 

Oh wow didn't know that. Interesting

[Lawrence St]

2 hours ago, trife86 said:

Oh wow didn't know that. Interesting

Yep one of the cool things I love about the turnpike. Now only if NY could do the same...

[Lil 57]

5 hours ago, RailRunRob said:

3G's = 70xx Buses? Are they Orions?

Yes, they are Orion's.

Edited October 7, 2018 by Lil 57

[Orion6025]

2 things:

1. If you want fast novas, try the s59. Those operators book it down Richmond in the evening shoulder, so long as no one ets on in the small stops between the mall, ETC, and the SIRT. The S56 is decent too

2. While some refer to the 7000s as "3Gs", correct me if I'm wrong, but they're really 4th generation. The flipdot Orion 7s (both CNG and HEV) are generation 1. The 2004 CNG and 2005 HEV orange LED Orion 7s are generation 2, and the 2008-2010 Orion 7 NGs (HEV) are generation 3/"next generation". Then the 2011 Orion 7 diesels (I believe the official suffix is EPA10-thus the Orion VII EPA10) are the 4th generation orions.

 

for what it's worth, the 2006 and 2007 Orion VII HEVs I left off are Gen 2+...

[Lil 57]

36 minutes ago, Orion6025 said:

1. If you want fast novas, try the s59. Those operators book it down Richmond in the evening shoulder, so long as no one ets on in the small stops between the mall, ETC, and the SIRT. The S56 is decent too

The S55, S74, S78, S79, S84, and S89 are also fast on some parts of their routes (Get an LFS for maximum performance). I remember going on the last S55 of the day to Rossville and I was the only one on the bus until a guy got on at the Annadale SIR station. That bus was constantly running at 40+ MPH for most parts of the route. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Getting this back on track about express bus service , so far of the trips we’ve selected, only two trips have been on-time at both the pick-up points and the final stop. Basically we’ve logged about seven trips, and only two have been on-time. The rest have been 10-15 to 30 minutes to over an hour late... These trips have been at various times off-peak at times that should favor the . Very disturbing...

We will post the routes, trips and performance later on as we take more trips, but we are putting everything on the iPad.

Edited October 8, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[QM1to6Ave]

I find it very suspicious that that 4:00, 4:30, and 7:00 pm QM1 runs to Queens almost never show up. I have noticed this pattern for 3 years now, even on days with no traffic and all the other runs are on time. 

I hope I am wrong, but I have a suspicion that since the QM5 and 6 make almost all of the stops of the QM1, these buses disappear since they figure the passengers can take the other buses. I hope I am wrong, but this pattern is ridiculous. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

23 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I find it very suspicious that that 4:00, 4:30, and 7:00 pm QM1 runs to Queens almost never show up. I have noticed this pattern for 3 years now, even on days with no traffic and all the other runs are on time. 

I hope I am wrong, but I have a suspicion that since the QM5 and 6 make almost all of the stops of the QM1, these buses disappear since they figure the passengers can take the other buses. I hope I am wrong, but this pattern is ridiculous. 

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We have been fielding attention to a number of lines from our customers and we will give the QM1 increased attention. We spent a lot of time in Queens this weekend, and we will continue to do so. Saturday we took two QM2 trips, and Sunday we took a QM5 and QM6 trip. Ironically three out of the four trips we took were one-time compared to other lines around the City. We are going to be closely monitoring service in Queens because we are getting a lot of feedback from Queens riders on our social media page and many of them are pissed, even the folks in Glendale and Middle Village. SRO conditions on buses that wasn't an issue before because trips are showing up late or buses are bunched if they come at all. We are in the process of compiling our random trips at various hours and we will be presenting them to the board and calling for better on-time performance, as well as for the MTA to be more transparent in terms of what metrics they use to measure on-time performance. I think before I spoke last month, it was business as usual. We have to keep on them to do better.

Additionally, please report any trips that are signed up to 57th Street where drivers refuse to go past 36th street and 6th Avenue. This is unacceptable, and we want it to stop. Trips are supposed to do the full loop and we've been riding them all the way to 3rd and 57th to ensure that they are. We've also seen drivers kneeling the bus for all riders, something else that was almost never happening in Queens.

We encourage any users to visit our Facebook page (Express Bus Advocacy Group).

Edited October 9, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

16 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We have been fielding attention to a number of lines from our customers and we will give the QM1 increased attention. We spent a lot of time in Queens this weekend, and we will continue to do so. Saturday we took two QM2 trips, and Sunday we took a QM5 and QM6 trip. Ironically three out of the four trips we took were one-time compared to other lines around the City. We are going to be closely monitoring service in Queens because we are getting a lot of feedback from Queens riders on our social media page and many of them are pissed, even the folks in Glendale and Middle Village. SRO conditions on buses that wasn't an issue before because trips are showing up late or buses are bunched if they come at all. We are in the process of compiling our random trips at various hours and we will be presenting them to the board and calling for better on-time performance, as well as for the MTA to be more transparent in terms of what metrics they use to measure on-time performance. I think before I spoke last month, it was business as usual. We have to keep on them to do better.

Additionally, please report any trips that are signed up to 57th Street where drivers refuse to go past 36th street and 6th Avenue. This is unacceptable, and we want it to stop. Trips are supposed to do the full loop and we've been riding them all the way to 3rd and 57th to ensure that they are. We've also seen drivers kneeling the bus for all riders, something else that was almost never happening in Queens.

We encourage any users to visit our Facebook page (Express Bus Advocacy Group).

One of the major issues as to why such conditions (and even standees) are occurring on the QM24 AM is because the MTA cut frequencies by up to 50% at points in order to add service to the QM25, in efforts to make it cost-neutral. I've tried contacting my city councilman (Robert Holden) in order to address this, but I've never got a response from him regarding this situation, and I've written to him twice.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

48 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I find it very suspicious that that 4:00, 4:30, and 7:00 pm QM1 runs to Queens almost never show up. I have noticed this pattern for 3 years now, even on days with no traffic and all the other runs are on time. 

I hope I am wrong, but I have a suspicion that since the QM5 and 6 make almost all of the stops of the QM1, these buses disappear since they figure the passengers can take the other buses. I hope I am wrong, but this pattern is ridiculous. 

I've seen that too. IDK why random QM5 trips are going via Fresh Meadows in the evening rush, but it is an annoyance, especially since those Union Turnpike expresses get full. 

They need to fix those schedules. They still believe that it takes 10 minutes ot get from 6th & 36th to 57th & 3rd, which is not happening. Some of these trips go out as inbound trips, and then ruin the schedule in the long run. 

Edited October 9, 2018 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

One of the major issues as to why such conditions (and even standees) are occurring on the QM24 AM is because the MTA cut frequencies by up to 50% at points in order to add service to the QM25, in efforts to make it cost-neutral. I've tried contacting my city councilman (Robert Holden) in order to address this, but I've never got a response from him regarding this situation, and I've written to him twice.

It's an election year. You guys need to start voting these useless elected officials out who don't give a damn about peoples' commutes. It's a quality of life issue. When our elected officials don't produce, we vote them out here. We also go to our community board and raise hell. We've been having a trash problem here that has been infuriating me and I copied everyone on my community board the other day and told them in such words that I was a long-time resident who was not pleased with the cleanliness of our commercial corridors. If you want chabge, you have to be involved. When I don't get a response on an issue, I have no problem calling my elected officials until I get one. They're in office to work for you guys, not the other way around.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

4 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

It's an election year. You guys need to start voting these useless elected officials out who don't give a damn about peoples' commutes. It's a quality of life issue. When our elected officials don't produce, we vote them out here. We also go to our community board and raise hell. We've been having a trash problem here that has been infuriating me and I copied everyone on my community board the other day and told them in such words that I was a long-time resident who was not pleased with the cleanliness of our commercial corridors. If you want chabge, you have to be involved. When I don't get a response on an issue, I have no problem calling my elected officials until I get one. They're in office to work for you guys, not the other way around.

He was just voted in and started a term this year, so we'll just have to wait until the next election cycle. What bugs me is that he's emphasized public transportation improvements, but I have not seen any significant (or any for that matter) action to improve service in our area, especially since our former councilwoman did next to nothing, until it was time for the election. The only thing transportation related that he's been open about is opposition to the Q53 SBS lanes.

Edited October 9, 2018 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Via Garibaldi 8]

12 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

I've seen that too. IDK why random QM5 trips are going via Fresh Meadows in the evening rush, but it is an annoyance, especially since those Union Turnpike expresses get full. 

They need to fix those schedules. They still believe that it takes 10 minutes ot get from 6th & 36th to 57th & 3rd, which is not happening. Some of these trips go out as outbound trips, and then ruin the schedule in the long run. 

The QM5 that we were on yesterday (the 19:00 arrived on-time) but by the time he got to 260th and Union Turnpike, he was over 20 minutes late. He was killed on Queens Blvd. Just not enough run time. Then he has to do the Fresh Meadows stops, then go up in Little Neck and Douglaston and come down like that. It's simply too much and too big to do in an hour and six minutes. He then had to do the 20:30 back to Manhattan. By the time he took a little break, he was about 15 minutes late leaving to go back. Ridiculous. It's the passengers that are suffering.

Those QM6 buses have to FLY up Union Turnpike which likely explains why they won't even stop unless they know for sure you want to get on. It's like a race against the clock. We almost didn't get the last trip of the night. The QM6 was signed up as a QM5 to Glen Oaks. We had to ask him if he was the QM6. He said yes, then changed his sign as a QM6. He was not coming up on BusTime either. 48 minutes to go from Lake Success to 6th and 36th! lol! Insanity.

Edited October 9, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Lil 57]

9:51 AM. 4 midtown QM4 buses are within 7-10 minutes of each other.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

46 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

9:51 AM. 4 midtown QM4 buses are within 7-10 minutes of each other.

The bunching on several lines this morning was horrible.  My bus actually managed to arrive on-time and finish on-time, but I can't say the same for many other lines. 

[S78 via Hylan]

I waited for the 1:15 SIM3c to Manhattan at Castleton and Jewett which didn’t show up until 1:40. At least the B/O explained that the bus he was given didn’t function properly and so they had him wait for another bus. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, S78 via Hylan said:

I waited for the 1:15 SIM3c to Manhattan at Castleton and Jewett which didn’t show up until 1:40. At least the B/O explained that the bus he was given didn’t function properly and so they had him wait for another bus. 

That's nice.  At least you got a seat (I'm assuming).  We've got folks waiting just as long if not longer DAILY each way, and then they get the pleasure of standing the entire way, not including any transfers they have to make.  I will say that most of the drivers are sympathetic, but they also have some out there that don't know the routes. You can't have a newbie on a line that is only running ONCE an hour. It's absurd.  Someone posted either in my group or another express bus group about a B/O who outright refused to drop-off passengers at 2nd Avenue because in her opinion, the stops are spaced too close, so she refused to let the woman off and drove up further. It wasn't until after the passenger insisted that she finally let her off.  Then there was the SIM1 driver who kept yelling that he was a SIM1 driver so he didn't know ANY of the SIM4 stops, for a route running hourly service.  It's like torture every day for the commuters.  

Edited October 10, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[S78 via Hylan]

21 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That's nice.  At least you got a seat (I'm assuming).  We've got folks waiting just as long if not longer DAILY each way, and then they get the pleasure of standing the entire way, not including any transfers they have to make.  I will say that most of the drivers are sympathetic, but they also have some out there that don't know the routes. You can't have a newbie on a line that is only running ONCE an hour. It's absurd.  Someone posted either in my group or another express bus group about a B/O who outright refused to drop-off passengers at 2nd Avenue because in her opinion, the stops are spaced too close, so she refused to let the woman off and drove up further. It wasn't until after the passenger insisted that she finally let her off.  Then there was the SIM1 driver who kept yelling that he was a SIM1 driver so he didn't know ANY of the SIM4 stops, for a route running hourly service.  It's like torture every day for the commuters.  

Luckily, I did get a seat. As for operators not knowing the new SIM routes, that’s inexcusable. They were trained on them since May, so most of them should know that routes very well. But yes, riders who pay $6.50 should not have to be dealing with all the issues you mentioned.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 minutes ago, S78 via Hylan said:

Luckily, I did get a seat. As for operators not knowing the new SIM routes, that’s inexcusable. They were trained on them since May, so most of them should know that routes very well. But yes, riders who pay $6.50 should not have to be dealing with all the issues you mentioned.

The next thing being worked on by another express bus group is getting the bus stops back since quite frankly no time is being saved having them eliminated. We're also circulating petitions for the SIM4 and the SIM30 and 35 for better service and/or new routes to address overcrowding.  Meanwhile, I'm trying to set up another conference call with road ops, get a face to face meeting with at least one set of elected officials, and figure out what I want to cover in my speeches to the Board this month.

Edited October 10, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8