Some MTA buses out of service due to bed bug concerns

[Harry]

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Crazy... What's bad about this is I assume that all of these buses have hard plastic seats. Usually bed bugs like soft seats where they can hide, so I wonder how they're surviving.  That lady talking about taking the subway.... If they're surviving on the buses, they can certainly survive on the trains.  I wonder if they're hiding on the soft seats that the B/Os use... Either way it's crazy.

[aemoreira81]

6 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Crazy... What's bad about this is I assume that all of these buses have hard plastic seats. Usually bed bugs like soft seats where they can hide, so I wonder how they're surviving.  That lady talking about taking the subway.... If they're surviving on the buses, they can certainly survive on the trains.  I wonder if they're hiding on the soft seats that the B/Os use... Either way it's crazy.

Drivers complained. It's likely in the bus operator seats. The seats likely need to be replaced completely, as well as the buses fumigated, as they're the only porous substances on the entire bus (since this is at Kingsbridge Depot).

Edited September 25, 2018 by aemoreira81

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, aemoreira81 said:

Drivers complained. It's likely in the bus operator seats. The seats likely need to be replaced completely, as well as the buses fumigated, as they're the only porous substances on the entire bus (since this is at Kingsbridge Depot).

That's what I'm thinking.  I do know that Kingsbridge has been taking on some of the older artics from other depots, and some of these buses back in the day were put into service with those cloth seats, but even with those, I can't think of any places for those bed bugs to hide aside from the B/O seats.

[B35 via Church]

Buses, as in... Plural (SMH).... Quite embarrassing & disgusting.

It'd be even more embarrassing if every single bus were needed to make service everyday.... How's that for a reason why a particular trip ended up no showing!?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

4 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

Buses, as in... Plural (SMH).... Quite embarrassing & disgusting.

It'd be even more embarrassing if every single bus were needed to make service everyday.... How's that for a reason why a particular trip ended up no showing!?

The thing with bed bugs, once they start up it is VERY difficult and expensive to get rid of them, so they had better have a very effective quarantine.  I wonder if they'll just get rid of the B/O seats entirely. Some years ago, a colleague of mine had them in her apartment and she basically threw out all of her soft furniture and any cushions, washed and dried all of her clothes several times over and didn't get anything new until she was certain that they were gone. A neighbor from somewhere in her building had them and spread them to her place and she was bitten all over.  She was incredibly embarrassed too.  I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Via Garibaldi 8

[B35 via Church]

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

The thing with bed bugs, once they start up it is VERY difficult and expensive to get rid of them, so they had better have a very effective quarantine.  I wonder if they'll just get rid of the B/O seats entirely. Some years ago, a colleague of mine had them in her apartment and she basically threw out all of her soft furniture and any cushions, washed and dried all of her clothes several times over and didn't get anything new until she was certain that they were gone. A neighbor from somewhere in her building had them and spread them to her place and she was bitten all over.  She was incredibly embarrassed too.  I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Back when I was a teenager, we had a friend of the family that had to have their whole house fumigated... To tell the truth, I used to hate when them kids used to come over, because I would have to keep a watchful eye on my shit (toys & SNES/Genesis cartridges), but that's besides the point.... Anyway, from what I recall, they (the husband/wife) ended up shelling out thousands of dollars & it still didn't completely rid themselves of bedbugs.... T'hell with doing all those sleepovers/pajama parties or w/e (from what I remember, that's how they ended up getting them)....

They eventually moved out of Greene county.. Don't know where they live now (don't really care, to keep it all the way funky)......

[Angelaavant]

These bedbugs are so annoying. They cause rashes and skin infections. Buses and other public transports should take proper care to avoid these nasty bed bugs. There are various methods such as the use of sprays, chemicals which can help in avoiding bed bugs. But for highly bed bug infested areas Pest Exterminators Lincoln CA can help in getting rid of bed bugs. The buses and other transports should avail pest control services on a regular basis to avoid these pests and make the surrounding clean.

[ABOGbrooklyn]

Conspiracy: what if the person who lied about too many RTS being in East Brooklyn to sabotage the MTA did this as well? Just a thought..

[DetSMART45]

The most expensive treatment for bedbugs -- especially for soft surfaces -- is the heat trailer, basically putting your stuff in an oven.

More than likely the operator seats will be destroyed. But even a good "fumigation" can still leave them behind. In homes, the bedbugs get behind mouldings/skirting boards, in electric outlets and other sorts of overlooked nooks and crannies. It takes multiple treatments, no matter what environment, and on a bus, they're gonna have to spray in all the little gaps -- or else they're gonna be back.

One of the safest and cheapest treatments -- for almost all bugs -- is diatomaceous earth. It's basically "glass sand" that when bugs get it on them, it cuts through their bodies. And it works pretty fast on bedbugs, in around 24 hours -- and you clean up by simply vacuuming it up. Home Depot sells bags for about $8 and it goes a long way.