Artics to the Q12, B38, Bx35 and other schedule changes

[Union Tpke]

@BM5 via Woodhaven

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.23 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.31 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.36 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.44 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.52 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

 

[Brillant93]

How come the Bronx keep on having their routes converted into artic ops? Last year it was the Bx6 and SBS, The Bx36 and now the Bx35. We knew about the B38 and the Q12 was a rumor until now, but this is just out of left field. 

[aemoreira81]

I'm surprised the B38 is being converted before the Q58. I also suspect that in the future, the Bx11 will be converted as well. I suspect that maybe in the next round, the B15, B82, and Q58 would be converted, and then the B6 after that.

[Brillant93]

8 minutes ago, aemoreira81 said:

I'm surprised the B38 is being converted before the Q58. I also suspect that in the future, the Bx11 will be converted as well. I suspect that maybe in the next round, the B15, B82, and Q58 would be converted, and then the B6 after that.

B6 isn't on the table just yet. For brooklyn is the B46 next, B82, and B15 next year. 

[Union Tpke]

They do the Q12 before the Q46.

[Cait Sith]

3 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

They do the Q12 before the Q46.

Mostly because Stengel is already equipped to work on artics. They'd have to do some shuffling around to convert the Q46 into an artic route.

The other issue with the Q46 is the Queens Blvd/78th Avenue stop.

[Union Tpke]

1 minute ago, Cait Sith said:

Mostly because Stengel is already equipped to work on artics. They'd have to do some shuffling around to convert the Q46 into an artic route.

The other issue with the Q46 is the Queens Blvd/78th Avenue stop.

That is what I thought the issue wold be on the second point.

[Cait Sith]

4 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

That is what I thought the issue wold be on the second point.

Yep, it's also why they rarely run artics on the E shuttles when shuttle buses replace the E between Kew Gardens and Jamaica. The last time that happened, 5713 came from Manhattan to do trips on the shuttle in the AM.

[Lil 57]

Well more people are going to be taking the S79 and walking on Sundays. Who's idea was it to cut the S78 in half on Sundays? (If anything cut the short turns to Clove Road but not eliminate them entirely.)

Edited July 19, 2019 by Lil 57

[bwwnyc123]

I was waiting for Bx35 to use artics after Bx36 was converted. Bronx routes really do need them.

[KingsbridgeKid2532]

The Bx28 should be considered first. 

[Uncle Floyd Fan]

So it'll finally happen - the Q12 will get articulated buses. For some time now, the tales of the Q12 getting articulated buses were akin to urban legends of secret menus at fast food restaurants, and of In-and-Out coming to NYC.

2 hours ago, aemoreira81 said:

I'm surprised the B38 is being converted before the Q58. I also suspect that in the future, the Bx11 will be converted as well. I suspect that maybe in the next round, the B15, B82, and Q58 would be converted, and then the B6 after that.

I don't see it coming to the Q58 anytime soon due to the narrow streets it operates on in Corona. It's difficult enough to operate a 40 ft bus as it is. What would happen if there was an unplanned road closure and the bus needed to divert off-route? The diversions can barely be done with a 40 ft bus - how will they be done with a 60 ft bus?

1 hour ago, Cait Sith said:

The other issue with the Q46 is the Queens Blvd/78th Avenue stop.

I don't see this stopping the MTA entirely. If they needed to, they could probably move and expand the stop to the NW corner (the pharmacy and "Hot Bialys" corner) of 78th Ave and Queens Blvd, and place the Q60 and X-Buses in the current Q46 stop. Also, if needed, they could probably queue up the not-in-service Q46 artics on Union Tpke over the GCP (ideally once the Kew Gardens Interchange construction is completed). Granted, parking spots would be lost; merchants and residents would not like this (I wouldn't - I lived over there for a bit). Other than the QV Depot not being able to handle the articulated buses at the present, I wouldn't swear off the Q46 from getting the artics.

Who knows, maybe sightings of an artic being on the the Q46 will become the next April Fools joke?

[Around the Horn]

First of all, where are these artics coming from for the Bx35 and Q12...

Second, what the actual f**k is that S78 change? That's ludicrous... It's packed enough on 15 minute headways 

[trainfan22]

53 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

First of all, where are these artics coming from for the Bx35 and Q12...

Second, what the actual f**k is that S78 change? That's ludicrous... It's packed enough on 15 minute headways 

The TA has an surplus of artics, all the 1200s running on the M15 SBS that will be demoted to local service, the MTA Bus artics running on the Q52/53 that will be transferred to NYCT once the MTA Bus batch comes in, etc. Also the XE60 will expand the artic fleet even more.

[aemoreira81]

2 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

First of all, where are these artics coming from for the Bx35 and Q12...

Second, what the actual f**k is that S78 change? That's ludicrous... It's packed enough on 15 minute headways 

LFS artics displaced from SBS service. With the exception of 5364-5438, 6033-6081 (odd numbers only), 6101, 6105, and 6121, all of the blue-and-yellow articulated buses are for Select Bus Service...meaning one will ultimately have 416 LFS buses, 217 XD60s, and 93 XN60s for local service. Right now, the MTA is growing its articulated bus fleet with only rigids being retired.

[paulrivera]

3 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Second, what the actual f**k is that S78 change? That's ludicrous... It's packed enough on 15 minute headways 

Farebeaters don’t count as riders. Their new campaign pretty much says “if you all pay your fare, we’ll run more buses. If you don’t, we’ll run less”

[BreeddekalbL]

Wow the 38 getting artics! 😲

Edited July 20, 2019 by BreeddekalbL

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

7 hours ago, Union Tpke said:

@BM5 via Woodhaven

Screen Shot 2019-07-19 at 2.50.23 PM by Union Turnpike, on Flickr

I was actually thinking about it yesterday (if the Bx35 will ever receive artics) and hear we are. In any case, one should be cautioned, even with these posted headways, that the service levels may be cut more than what is disclosed here. After how they did the Bx36, I could see similar things occurring with these three routes. 

[MysteriousBtrain]

51 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

Farebeaters don’t count as riders. Their new campaign pretty much says “if you all pay your fare, we’ll run more buses. If you don’t, we’ll run less”

Kind of ironic given the cuts coming this fall.

[Lil 57]

1 hour ago, paulrivera said:

Farebeaters don’t count as riders. Their new campaign pretty much says “if you all pay your fare, we’ll run more buses. If you don’t, we’ll run less”

And it should be like this. Teaches them a lesson.

[DetSMART45]

I still just shake my head every time the MTA scheduling department does its "artic-ization" to routes.

Good ole Judy scribbles the line that the artics "will significantly increase seat capacity on these routes," like the MTA is doing such a huge favor to everyone riding them. And then pisses on all those peoples' Wheaties by cutting the service back.

I don't care if you're going from 3 minute to 4 minute during Peak, or from 7 to 10 minute on weekend AM, you're still doing the same service as before, only using longer versus shorter buses (appearance is everything, obviously).

First of all, are the current headways even being met in order to fiddle with them? Probably not. Which leads directly to number two, how will the new headways be met if you essentially don't build any extra capacity into them?

As I've said many times, the DDOT artics get inserted into a schedule which is developed for all 40-footers running it. That means there is proper use of that extra capacity, so that ALL of the schedule is better maintained.

AFAIC if ANY route is slated for "artic-ization", the current schedule should be left alone at transition, with possibly the only casualties being short-turns. But even that need not be done immediately, but instead be operated by 40-footers if necessary, and after a good three month period, THEN assess load levels and on-time performance and make minor adjustments.

[JeremiahC99]

17 hours ago, bwwnyc123 said:

I was waiting for Bx35 to use artics after Bx36 was converted. Bronx routes really do need them.

 

16 hours ago, KingsbridgeKid2532 said:

The Bx28 should be considered first. 

I’m surprise nobody asked for some routes to use articulated buses during the Bronx redesign. That could’ve been really useful.

And considering that, I wonder how the articulated buses will handle the Bx35 lines new route on West Farms Road, Jennings Street, and Bryant Avenue, not to mention the sheer amount of riders switching from the Bx11 or the Bx35? Did they take this into account?

And fr the Bx28, you are right that the route should be considered first. However, given that the Bx38 will be eliminated, the Bx30 will be rerouted off Gun Hill Road, the planned service frequency increase to every 8 minutes on the Bx28 should be more than enough for Gun Hill Road riders (current service on Gun Hill Road is every 10 minutes with both lines). That is until Co-op City residents shuts part of it down since they don’t like it.

[JeremiahC99]

14 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

The TA has an surplus of artics, all the 1200s running on the M15 SBS that will be demoted to local service, the MTA Bus artics running on the Q52/53 that will be transferred to NYCT once the MTA Bus batch comes in, etc. Also the XE60 will expand the artic fleet even more.

 

13 hours ago, aemoreira81 said:

LFS artics displaced from SBS service. With the exception of 5364-5438, 6033-6081 (odd numbers only), 6101, 6105, and 6121, all of the blue-and-yellow articulated buses are for Select Bus Service...meaning one will ultimately have 416 LFS buses, 217 XD60s, and 93 XN60s for local service. Right now, the MTA is growing its articulated bus fleet with only rigids being retired.

Not to mention that Grand Avenue is getting 2012-13 XD60s for their operation on the B38. However, I do somewhat expect to see a few of them go to Casey Stengel Depot for the Q12 service with the rest to East NY for B15 service next year when they have artic operations ready.

And as for the Q12, at this porin, do you all think that the line should just be converted to light rail operations? Could increase capacity even more and, bring some transit service to the underserved borough.

[Mtatransit]

33 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

And as for the Q12, at this porin, do you all think that the line should just be converted to light rail operations? Could increase capacity even more and, bring some transit service to the underserved borough.

Light rail may actually be slower than the bus especially in NYC. Those light rails would never get to Northern Bl/165 St along Sanford anywhere near on time due to all the double parking along Sanford

[JeremiahC99]

14 minutes ago, Mtatransit said:

Light rail may actually be slower than the bus especially in NYC. Those light rails would never get to Northern Bl/165 St along Sanford anywhere near on time due to all the double parking along Sanford

Well don't light rail vehicles have a bigger capacity than buses? If the Q12 currently operates every 4 minutes, and the light rail will operate at the same frequency, then capacity on the corridor would be increased by 300% (for the most part)

And for the light rail, I was thinking of not having the light rail line run on Sanford Avenue. Instead, this light rail would operate along Northern Blvd all the way to the Main Street station, while the Q13 and Q28 would be rerouted from Northern Blvd to serve the narrow Sanford Avenue via 162nd Street. In addition, all routes would converge at a new bus terminal built at the Main Street station, which would reduce curb conflicts in such a congested area (to please business owners, some of then would also relocate to the new terminal as well). This bus terminal can be built with to without a light rail route on Northern Blvd. Either way, a Flushing Bus Terminal would help reduce congestion on the streets since the sidewalk and street space will be less congested with transferring passengers.

However, I do feel that any light rail to Queens (or anywhere in NYC) is just a pipe dream, given the circumstances of traffic in Flushing. If we can reduce traffic in Flushing with a new bus terminal, then I feel that we can have a light rail go from Flushing to the outer areas.