Express Bus Advocacy Group

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

@Via Garibaldi 8 I've been noticing more and more that on the MCI's, the signs are glitching with the brightness settings to the point where you can't even read what route the bus is on. 

If there's a particular express bus, post the number in the group and we'll have it looked at. I have several drivers and union reps in the group. Working hard to keep the buses up. Keep in mind that new express buses are coming though, so some of these buses will be retired starting this year or next.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

On 7/25/2020 at 3:25 PM, jaf0519 said:

I do find it odd that the Bronx seemed to be rather unscathed compared to Queens with the cuts. The Bronx has way more access to subway service than Queens, yet Queens express buses were destroyed way more in the draft plan. While I disagree with cuts decimating the system in general, one would have assumed that the Bronx would be easier to cut express service since the subway is a closer alternative. Just struck me as odd.

I don't know what you're talking about. Just about all of the areas where there are express buses in the Bronx are needed, either because there is no subway or the subway runs horribly or the hilly topography necessitates them, or all of the above.

[MysteriousBtrain]

13 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I don't know what you're talking about. Just about all of the areas where there are express buses in the Bronx are needed, either because there is no subway or the subway runs horribly or the hilly topography necessitates them, or all of the above.

Not to even mention ADA accessibly for some riders

[jaf0519]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I don't know what you're talking about. Just about all of the areas where there are express buses in the Bronx are needed, either because there is no subway or the subway runs horribly or the hilly topography necessitates them, or all of the above.

Even with all of those points, express bus routes weren’t cut as badly as Queens. 

Let me comment on the proposed Bronx Express Bus changes (which the MTA is holding off on because of opposition) and the Queens Express Bus proposal:

Bronx:

• BxM1, BxM2, BxM3: Riverdale is already better of than most of the Bronx with three Midtown express buses, plus Metro North. I think it was good that the MTA eliminated BxM3 service on Sundays, as riders could take one of the two other routes. Both routes are a short local bus ride away from the 231 St   with is accessible. I agree with reduction in frequency of all 3 routes, but not with span reduction. All three should run a few hours more than they are proposed, but less than what the currently have. And if the MTA wants to be cheap run service every 90 minutes on the BxM1 & BxM2 on Sunday reverse peak so that Riverdale still gets service better than hourly combined.
• BxM4: Duplicates the Concourse Line. People can take the Bx2 to 3 Ave-149 St  for ADA service. Agree with elimination outside of peak service.
• BxM5: People can take the Bx31 to 233 St  for ADA service. 
• BxM6 & BxM10: Much more efficient to combine off-peak service.
• BxM7: Not really any complaints about frequency reductions. The span reductions are HORRENDOUS however.
• BxM8: Same as BxM7. Do think the CIty Island trips skipping Westchester Ave is a great idea.
• BxM9: Same as BXM7. 
• BxM11: Agree with reroute away from subway. Should definitely help out with reducing any delays due to el traffic being avoided. Fine with span reduction and frequency reduction. Maybe span should have been a bit longer NB on weekdays and SB daily.
• BxM18: Fine

Queens:

• Downtown service (QMT100-107): Having buses use the Williamsburg Bridge? TERRIBLE. For the QMT104: should be every 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
• Hudson Yards service (QMT112, 115-117): Since when has Hudson Yards been a ridership destination for Queens express buses. I don’t picture this going well.
• 3 Ave service (QMT130-135): QMT134 should be every 20 minutes not every 30-37 minutes. 
• Madison Ave service (QMT155-157): It’s pretty good.
• 6 Ave service (QMT160-170): Service on routes that operates less than every 30 minutes in the PM should be 30 minutes at a minimum. Great routing of the QMT165-167. There is no reason Union Tpke should have had as many service variants as it does currently. Good rerouting of the QMT170 in Rockaway. 

Summary:

• Just because an area has sometimes unreliable subway service doesn’t mean an express bus should be guaranteed to serve a nearby neighborhood. If one does the ridership needs to warrant it. 
• Just because an area doesn’t have ADA subway access at every nearby station doesn’t warrant express bus service. Metrocards have transfers for a reason. Even if someone has to take three buses, paying a second time after using their first transfer to get to their destination, it is still cheaper than the express bus fare. The MTA runs a bus service not door to door car service.
• The Bronx and Queens redesigns were different. Queens in my opinion is the type of redesign the city needs. Streamlining routes and speeding up service.
• The Bronx Express redesign was easier as well. The routes are basically fine. What the MTA needed to do was “trim the fat” By reducing frequency and make the service more efficient by getting more riders onto each bus. Instead, for some reason they also cut service spans dramatically, which just strands the riders in general. That is their flaw IMO. 
• In Queens at a minimum there should be weekend service on Sundays on the redesigned routes for the QM1, QM2, and QM5. Elimination of service for the QM4 and QM6 are fine. The QM4, which is my personal express bus route which I take, is an absolute waste of money outside of rush hours. The QM6, aside from North Shore Towers, is covered by a interborough express in the QT32, so I can see why the MTA cut it. 
• Then with the service patterns for Hudson Yards and Downtown, I honestly don’t even know what the MTA is doing. The Bronx they were too safe, and for Queens express buses it was almost like throwing ideas out and seeing what sticks.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 hours ago, jaf0519 said:

Even with all of those points, express bus routes weren’t cut as badly as Queens. 

Let me comment on the proposed Bronx Express Bus changes (which the MTA is holding off on because of opposition) and the Queens Express Bus proposal:

Bronx:

• BxM1, BxM2, BxM3: Riverdale is already better of than most of the Bronx with three Midtown express buses, plus Metro North. I think it was good that the MTA eliminated BxM3 service on Sundays, as riders could take one of the two other routes. Both routes are a short local bus ride away from the 231 St   with is accessible. I agree with reduction in frequency of all 3 routes, but not with span reduction. All three should run a few hours more than they are proposed, but less than what the currently have. And if the MTA wants to be cheap run service every 90 minutes on the BxM1 & BxM2 on Sunday reverse peak so that Riverdale still gets service better than hourly combined.
• BxM4: Duplicates the Concourse Line. People can take the Bx2 to 3 Ave-149 St  for ADA service. Agree with elimination outside of peak service.
• BxM5: People can take the Bx31 to 233 St  for ADA service. 
• BxM6 & BxM10: Much more efficient to combine off-peak service.
• BxM7: Not really any complaints about frequency reductions. The span reductions are HORRENDOUS however.
• BxM8: Same as BxM7. Do think the CIty Island trips skipping Westchester Ave is a great idea.
• BxM9: Same as BXM7. 
• BxM11: Agree with reroute away from subway. Should definitely help out with reducing any delays due to el traffic being avoided. Fine with span reduction and frequency reduction. Maybe span should have been a bit longer NB on weekdays and SB daily.
• BxM18: Fine

Queens:

• Downtown service (QMT100-107): Having buses use the Williamsburg Bridge? TERRIBLE. For the QMT104: should be every 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
• Hudson Yards service (QMT112, 115-117): Since when has Hudson Yards been a ridership destination for Queens express buses. I don’t picture this going well.
• 3 Ave service (QMT130-135): QMT134 should be every 20 minutes not every 30-37 minutes. 
• Madison Ave service (QMT155-157): It’s pretty good.
• 6 Ave service (QMT160-170): Service on routes that operates less than every 30 minutes in the PM should be 30 minutes at a minimum. Great routing of the QMT165-167. There is no reason Union Tpke should have had as many service variants as it does currently. Good rerouting of the QMT170 in Rockaway. 

Summary:

• Just because an area has sometimes unreliable subway service doesn’t mean an express bus should be guaranteed to serve a nearby neighborhood. If one does the ridership needs to warrant it. 
• Just because an area doesn’t have ADA subway access at every nearby station doesn’t warrant express bus service. Metrocards have transfers for a reason. Even if someone has to take three buses, paying a second time after using their first transfer to get to their destination, it is still cheaper than the express bus fare. The MTA runs a bus service not door to door car service.
• The Bronx and Queens redesigns were different. Queens in my opinion is the type of redesign the city needs. Streamlining routes and speeding up service.
• The Bronx Express redesign was easier as well. The routes are basically fine. What the MTA needed to do was “trim the fat” By reducing frequency and make the service more efficient by getting more riders onto each bus. Instead, for some reason they also cut service spans dramatically, which just strands the riders in general. That is their flaw IMO. 
• In Queens at a minimum there should be weekend service on Sundays on the redesigned routes for the QM1, QM2, and QM5. Elimination of service for the QM4 and QM6 are fine. The QM4, which is my personal express bus route which I take, is an absolute waste of money outside of rush hours. The QM6, aside from North Shore Towers, is covered by a interborough express in the QT32, so I can see why the MTA cut it. 
• Then with the service patterns for Hudson Yards and Downtown, I honestly don’t even know what the MTA is doing. The Bronx they were too safe, and for Queens express buses it was almost like throwing ideas out and seeing what sticks.

You're out in Queens. I don't think you have any idea what the neighborhoods in the Bronx are like taking buses to subways. You are basically saying screw you to the people that simply cannot reach the subway because of disabilities. Case in point. For some 40,000 residents, there is ONE subway station at Broadway and 231st that has a working elevator, and everyone that needs to access the subway goes to that one station. That station serves ALL of Riverdale, which is a natural retirement community, Kingsbridge, ALL of the nearby hospitals, and all of the other surrounding neighborhoods.  The next nearby ADA station is in Manhattan.  When they renovated 242nd street, the REFUSED to make the station accessible, despite pleas from the community, so I'm sure your attitude is cut the express buses and add more local bus and subway service. The problem is people in my community have been asking for more subway and local bus service to address overcrowding.  has REFUSED to add more local bus service and it is needed. You can easily wait 20-30 minutes to get a bus from 231st and Broadway to get up the hills. What you're proposing is putting more people on buses and subways that can't handle them with NO alternative. If you want to argue that some people can take Metro-North, some people don't because of the high fares, not to mention that Metro-North pre pandemic was bursting at the seams with riders, so again, there are capacity issues, and the when asked to run more Metro-North trains has REFUSED.

Then there is the commute. Without the express buses, some commuters face a substantial increase in travel time. The more you have to transfer, the longer the commute can be. On a good day, if I take a bus and three trains, I am lucky to be in the office in an hour and 30 minutes. Any delays and that commute can be two hours. The point of the express buses is to make the commutes faster and more direct, eliminating numerous transfers. 

I'm all for cutting down on waste, but at the same time, we cannot simply leave communities with nothing.  You may say OH they can build subways. The reality is that the outerboroughs have seen ZERO subway expansion. ZERO. We're not getting more subway service or bus service in return, and that's one problem I have with this. Additionally, the service prior to the advocacy groups starting for express buses had been very poor. LOTS of missing buses and poor service while increasing the fares. If you want more people to ride, LOWER the fares, PROVIDE the service, ADVERTISE the service and find ways to make it more efficient.  These are the heated discussions my advocacy group has had with the since we started. We think these are VERY reasonable requests for neighborhoods that have not seen any subway expansion and likely never will. Meanwhile, Manhattan has seen the Second Avenue subway built. What have the outerboroughs received in terms of transit improvements? Nothing!! For people with some of the longest commutes not only in NYC, but in the nation, we should be getting something as well, so the measley express bus service that exists on some lines like the QM4 which is hourly off-peak, there needs to be network coverage. The QM5 can't do it alone. I would re-route the QM4 to Fresh Meadows and keep the QM5 and QM6. The QM6 can stay as is down Union Turnpike and the QM5 can perhaps skip Fresh Meadows. It does far too much off-peak.

Your comments on the Bronx are inaccurate. 

BxM4 is for Woodlawn and the Concourse. The Concourse line runs along Central Park West and 6th Av in Manhattan, not along 5th and Madison as the BxM4 does, so it not duplicative of the subway. Residents in both areas spoke out and are VEHEMENTLY opposed to what the proposed. We've spoken at length about that line on conference calls and in person with the agency, and my group got people out to call their elected officials and provide TONS of feedback. That is why the BxM4 would still serve the Concourse under the revised plan. We have many disabled people who cannot all go to 149th Street for subway access, and the hilly topography off of the Concourse makes commutes more difficult.

BxM6 and BxM10 we don't agree with. We see overcrowding as a problem. The BxM10 is one of the most heavily used Bronx express bus routes on weekends because it serves Montefiore and Albert Einstein, two of the biggest employers in the Morris Park area and in the Bronx for that matter, not to mention the lack of subway service on weekends in Morris Park. The BxM6 is only hourly, but two out of the three stops serve the large Parkchester complex, which is over 40,000 residents. You would likely need more service, so it would make sense to keep it as is.

BxM11 could be faster not running under White Plains Road, but it leaves the residents that are farthest away from Manhattan and from the subway with NO express bus service. Many people that live in Wakefield use the bus at the City border that would lose access.

The BxM3 is along Broadway, and goes into Yonkers, and serves other hilly areas away from the subway. The BxM1 and BxM2 would only serve a small amount of BxM3 riders and would leave many without a bus, so we're opposed to that cut.

We support and requested the Super Express BxM8 trips that skip stops to provide faster service for City Island, which wants more direct service. Many people drive to Pelham Bay for the express bus, so congestion along City Island Av could be improved.

We don't support any stop elimination on the BxM9. BxM9 riders in our advocacy group are opposed, as they are heavily used stops, and not much time would be saved.

As for the BxM18, we have questions. We're not sold on it being faster given the traffic along the West Side Highway, and we're not sold on it being heavily used at Hudson Yards enough to justify 5th and Madison Av riders losing their service. The can't project ridership numbers, nor how long the commute would be and didn't even have any plans for an HOV lane on the West Side Highway until we suggested it. It could be worse going that way given the traffic back-ups that often occur.

The Queens proposals. Most are absurd and we don't support them. Too many buses going to Hudson Yards, with 6th Av riders losing service. The question is how many riders would there be at Hudson Yards to justify riders along 6th Av and elsewhere losing their service? The should be able to provide ridership projections and not just say "trust us". Many people have purchased their homes based on transportation options, so these changes are extremely important and should be looked at carefully. Some of these proposed changes in Queens make absolutely no sense and would make the commutes worse, not to mention the cuts to frequencies.

Edited July 29, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

SEAT POLICY DURING COVID ON EXPRESS BUSES:

-The first three rows (12 seats) are blocked off to offer the drivers protection. However, we have received numerous reports of as many of seven rows (28 seats) blocked off on College Point express buses, making social distancing much more difficult for passengers, as express buses only have 57 seats.

-If you experience this, please post here or message me in private with the route #, the bus# and the amount of additional seats blocked off from use.

-We need to have uniformity to ensure that passengers feel safe riding as more people return to the system for work, etc.

@QM1to6Ave @ViaWaterViaChurch

Edited July 29, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

On 7/25/2020 at 3:25 PM, jaf0519 said:

I do find it odd that the Bronx seemed to be rather unscathed compared to Queens with the cuts. The Bronx has way more access to subway service than Queens, yet Queens express buses were destroyed way more in the draft plan. While I disagree with cuts decimating the system in general, one would have assumed that the Bronx would be easier to cut express service since the subway is a closer alternative. Just struck me as odd.

17 hours ago, jaf0519 said:

Summary:

• Just because an area has sometimes unreliable subway service doesn’t mean an express bus should be guaranteed to serve a nearby neighborhood. If one does the ridership needs to warrant it. 
• Just because an area doesn’t have ADA subway access at every nearby station doesn’t warrant express bus service. Metrocards have transfers for a reason. Even if someone has to take three buses, paying a second time after using their first transfer to get to their destination, it is still cheaper than the express bus fare. The MTA runs a bus service not door to door car service.
• The Bronx and Queens redesigns were different. Queens in my opinion is the type of redesign the city needs. Streamlining routes and speeding up service.
• The Bronx Express redesign was easier as well. The routes are basically fine. What the MTA needed to do was “trim the fat” By reducing frequency and make the service more efficient by getting more riders onto each bus. Instead, for some reason they also cut service spans dramatically, which just strands the riders in general. That is their flaw IMO. 
• In Queens at a minimum there should be weekend service on Sundays on the redesigned routes for the QM1, QM2, and QM5. Elimination of service for the QM4 and QM6 are fine. The QM4, which is my personal express bus route which I take, is an absolute waste of money outside of rush hours. The QM6, aside from North Shore Towers, is covered by a interborough express in the QT32, so I can see why the MTA cut it. 
• Then with the service patterns for Hudson Yards and Downtown, I honestly don’t even know what the MTA is doing. The Bronx they were too safe, and for Queens express buses it was almost like throwing ideas out and seeing what sticks.

How could the Queens redesign be the type of redesign the city needs, but yet you make a sticking point out of express routes being cut in Queens worse than that of in the Bronx? You say you disagree with cuts decimating the system in general, but you're on here making arguments for justifying cutting Bronx express services over Queens express bus services.... Proximity to the subway shouldn't be some nullifier for supplying an area with express bus service....

[Cait Sith]

22 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

@Via Garibaldi 8 I've been noticing more and more that on the MCI's, the signs are glitching with the brightness settings to the point where you can't even read what route the bus is on. 

It's not a glitch, nor is it about settings. There's a sensor that might not be working properly. Normally, that sensor works based on outdoor brightness, but the sensor can screw up, causing really dim signs.

 

52 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

How could the Queens redesign be the type of redesign the city needs, but yet you make a sticking point out of express routes being cut in Queens worse than that of in the Bronx? You say you disagree with cuts decimating the system in general, but you're on here making arguments for justifying cutting Bronx express services over Queens express bus services.... Proximity to the subway shouldn't be some nullifier for supplying an area with express bus service....

That's what I'd like to know also....almost all of the points he mentioned were super contradictory.

Edited July 29, 2020 by Cait Sith

[QM1to6Ave]

11 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

SEAT POLICY DURING COVID ON EXPRESS BUSES:

-The first three rows (12 seats) are blocked off to offer the drivers protection. However, we have received numerous reports of as many of seven rows (28 seats) blocked off on College Point express buses, making social distancing much more difficult for passengers, as express buses only have 57 seats.

-If you experience this, please post here or message me in private with the route #, the bus# and the amount of additional seats blocked off from use.

-We need to have uniformity to ensure that passengers feel safe riding as more people return to the system for work, etc.

@QM1to6Ave @ViaWaterViaChurch

I took the subway today, but will keep a careful eye going forward and report back! 

[QM1to6Ave]

21 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

SEAT POLICY DURING COVID ON EXPRESS BUSES:

-The first three rows (12 seats) are blocked off to offer the drivers protection. However, we have received numerous reports of as many of seven rows (28 seats) blocked off on College Point express buses, making social distancing much more difficult for passengers, as express buses only have 57 seats.

-If you experience this, please post here or message me in private with the route #, the bus# and the amount of additional seats blocked off from use.

-We need to have uniformity to ensure that passengers feel safe riding as more people return to the system for work, etc.

@QM1to6Ave @ViaWaterViaChurch

CP Bus 3029 has the first 5 rows of seats folded up so you can't sit until after the wheelchair area. This bus has the plastic curtain, but current BO is not using the shield nor wearing a mask 

[ViaWaterViaChurch]

QM8 bus 3192 has 5 rows on the right side and 4 rows on the left side folded up.  No plastic curtain in this bus yet.

[QM1to6Ave]

Bus 3207, all seats in the first 5 rows are folded up. 

[QM1to6Ave]

Bus 3129, 5 rows folded up and roped off with duct tape. 

Plus, one of the 22XX buses broke down right in the intersection of 37th and Lex, so that's great. 

[danielhg121]

31 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Plus, one of the 22XX buses broke down right in the intersection of 37th and Lex, so that's great. 

Welp, that's most likely 2204 or 2209 biting the dust. I wonder if they'll bother repairing it or just tow it to ECH. 

Edited July 31, 2020 by danielhg121

[QM1to6Ave]

5 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

Welp, that's most likely 2204 or 2209 biting the dust. I wonder if they'll bother repairing it or just tow it to ECH. 

The B/O looked PISSED, he had to help direct traffic in the intersection along with some traffic cops LOL

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Just now, QM1to6Ave said:

The B/O looked PISSED, he had to help direct traffic in the intersection along with some traffic cops LOL

Well, it could have been worse. If it broke down just a few minutes before the bus actually did, he would have been stuck in the tunnel. 

[QM1to6Ave]

Just now, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Well, it could have been worse. If it broke down just a few minutes before the bus actually did, he would have been stuck in the tunnel. 

So true. I've been on two buses that broke down in the tunnel and that was scary as heck. 

[QM1to6Ave]

Bus 3215 also had 5 rows all folded up...I think every single CP bus has this set up, to be honest. 

[tvega961]

10 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

Welp, that's most likely 2204 or 2209 biting the dust. I wonder if they'll bother repairing it or just tow it to ECH. 

2209. Still in the city as we speak. Definitely a tow job. They’ll fix it unless it’s something major wrong with it. CP has been keeping those Detroit’s in tip top shape. A lot of them had engine work redone

Edited August 1, 2020 by tvega961

[QM1to6Ave]

6 hours ago, tvega961 said:

2209. Still in the city as we speak. Definitely a tow job. They’ll fix it unless it’s something major wrong with it. CP has been keeping those Detroit’s in tip top shape. A lot of them had engine work redone

Maybe the mechanical parts are kept in tip top shape. The seats and inside components are worn out and depressing to look at. 

[tvega961]

7 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Maybe the mechanical parts are kept in tip top shape. The seats and inside components are worn out and depressing to look at. 

Well what do you expect for buses that are 18 years old

[ViaWaterViaChurch]

18 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Bus 3215 also had 5 rows all folded up...I think every single CP bus has this set up, to be honest. 

I've been back and forth to the city on QM7s, QM8s, QM2s, QM20s; they've all had the same set up we've been reporting.  

[QM1to6Ave]

12 hours ago, tvega961 said:

Well what do you expect for buses that are 18 years old

I expected them to be replaced 3 years ago lol. 15 years of good use out of an MCI is more than enough.  

[Via Garibaldi 8]

On 8/1/2020 at 2:03 PM, ViaWaterViaChurch said:

I've been back and forth to the city on QM7s, QM8s, QM2s, QM20s; they've all had the same set up we've been reporting.  

I can even live with that. Past five rows that's more than 20 seats unavailable. 

------

New express bus making its rounds out of Yonkers Depot. I have not rode it yet, but have seen it. Most drivers I know ao far have told me they like them overall. Should be Yonkers for about the next three weeks.

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I can even live with that. Past five rows that's more than 20 seats unavailable. 

------

New express bus making its rounds out of Yonkers Depot. I have not rode it yet, but have seen it. Most drivers I know ao far have told me they like them overall. Should be Yonkers for about the next three weeks.

I like the electronic signs! They make it look like the tour buses we used to take on long school trips with the TVs installed. Maybe the B/O can play a DVD of Shrek to really give me some nostalgia