As MTA removes printed bus schedules from stops, elected officials push back on behalf of the tech-challenged

[EastFlatbushLarry]

5 hours ago, SoSpectacular said:

Also, unless you've been to Zerega and trained there, you should know that Transit emphasizes safety- especially now that Vision Zero is a thing. They will tell you to basically throw your paddle "out the window" because you're most likely not going to make the time points listed on it. You'll get there when you get there. So all in all, I'm not surprised in the least bit. 

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

[checkmatechamp13]

13 minutes ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

If they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

As part of the Staten Island redesign, they originally discussed having a separate Friday schedule. Not sure why that wasn't implemented. It was actually a good idea.

Edited August 19, 2019 by checkmatechamp13

[B35 via Church]

19 minutes ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

Hah!

That would require a route by route analysis of something other than a freakin service cut.... You'd think that'd be common sense, but as things being as they are, I won't hold my breath for that to occur.....

I feel like I already know the answer I'm going to get, but I'll ask anyway..... Is there even an avenue for a b/o (that truly cares, anyway) to provide honest feedback to their higher ups, for the sake of improving the route{s} that they drive along each & every single day?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

It would be one thing if the MTA promised that the schedules would be followed to the absolute letter (which I believe most passengers realize that they don't)...

It's quite another to tell b/o's just throw them out the window.... One thing I learned about managing is that some people really need order to perform a task to the best of their ability.... What I'm getting at is, if you just have b/o's doing whatever, I would fathom that would translate into an IDGAF mentality...

Who cares about audits when the MTA does what it wants.... smh....

What some people don't realize is they have actually been tweaking the schedules. @SoSpectacular makes it sound like all trips don't have enough time. Simply not true... Lots of trips have been pushed back considerably, 20 - 30 minutes in some cases.  There isn't a budget that can just allow for buses to take more and more time to do one trip, citing traffic as the reason. One thing I've been happy to see is that express buses are leaving terminals at the times stated versus 10 - 20 minutes after.  That is something that needs to be looked at Citywide, which should include the local buses too.  Given that the  has real-time data to analyze versus years ago when they had buses run empty to gauge run times, they can look at that data to not only examine the run times, but also choke points. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

I think on the local they haven't done much, but they most certainly have on the express. That was something we discussed back in February when I had the planners all in the room, which is that I didn't understand the run times... For example, I told one of the planners who oversees the Bus lines.... I don't understand why the QM1, QM5 and QM6 all get 10 minutes to do the Midtown Loop ALL week, yet the QM15 gets almost double the time going down the same corridor.  The problem is some lines just aren't touched. They copy and paste the run times and call it a day, and when they want to look to cut down on costs, then they will look at the run times more closely.

This is essentially what these redesigns are about, which is cutting down on the run times to cut down on costs.

[QM1to6Ave]

3 hours ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

 

3 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

As part of the Staten Island redesign, they originally discussed having a separate Friday schedule. Not sure why that wasn't implemented. It was actually a good idea.

It’s funny you mention the Friday idea...I’ve been thinking that the QMs should have different Friday afternoon schedules than the restaurant of the week, because the early afternoon buses get slammed going back to Queens. 

[B35 via Church]

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

It’s funny you mention the Friday idea...I’ve been thinking that the QMs should have different Friday afternoon schedules than the restaurant of the week, because the early afternoon buses get slammed going back to Queens. 

Someone's got other things on his mind

[bwwnyc123]

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

 

It’s funny you mention the Friday idea...I’ve been thinking that the QMs should have different Friday afternoon schedules than the restaurant of the week, because the early afternoon buses get slammed going back to Queens. 

Wow someone is hungry I guess?

[paulrivera]

6 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Good to know.

Proof that the narrative of the incompetence of this agency isn't mere rhetoric & conjecture by frustrated & downright pissed the f*** off commuters in this city.

It would be one thing if the MTA promised that the schedules would be followed to the absolute letter (which I believe most passengers realize that they don't)...

It's quite another to tell b/o's just throw them out the window.... One thing I learned about managing is that some people really need order to perform a task to the best of their ability.... What I'm getting at is, if you just have b/o's doing whatever, I would fathom that would translate into an IDGAF mentality...

Who cares about audits when the MTA does what it wants.... smh....

If we had a more competent version of Cuomo (his temperament is perfect but he misdirects his frustrations and priorities by a country mile) the  would be in much better shape. Not perfect shape, but better than what it is now.

[Future ENY OP]

Bus stop guideline schedule removals have started in Downtown Brooklyn. About a 1/2 dozen stops along Fulton street are removed. Giving customers to go online and call 511. 

[QM1to6Ave]

4 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Someone's got other things on his mind

 

3 hours ago, bwwnyc123 said:

Wow someone is hungry I guess?

HA! Goddamn autocorrect on my IPad. 

[SoSpectacular]

14 hours ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

If I got a dollar for every time I've heard that remark! 

[EastFlatbushLarry]

13 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

As part of the Staten Island redesign, they originally discussed having a separate Friday schedule. Not sure why that wasn't implemented. It was actually a good idea.

 

13 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

That would require a route by route analysis of something other than a freakin service cut.... You'd think that'd be common sense, but as things being as they are, I won't hold my breath for that to occur.....

simple answer: transit logic ≠ common sense. they are country miles apart. 

 

13 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

Is there even an avenue for a b/o (that truly cares, anyway) to provide honest feedback to their higher ups, for the sake of improving the route{s} that they drive along each & every single day?

believe it or not, there's really no simple answer to this question. it's varies from depot to depot. ask any bus operator, the same way general superintendents all conduct business in their respective depots differently (pertaining to discipline, accident/accident analysis, open door policy, etc) most union offices conduct business the same way. there's no uniforms way of dealing with operator issues or concerns. there's favoritism based on sex, level of kiss-ass-ness, seniority, etc. I'm only speaking specifically of local 100 TA/OA. certain depots I've worked in, there were "line captains", usually the most senior operator(s) on a line that operators could voice concerns to as a go between with the union office or G.S.'s office regarding run time, lack of assistance from dispatchers, other operators, etc. not every depot practices this, and not every concern was voiced, obviously. certain depots would marginally adjust run times for operators with the most seniority (I've heard this practice has been used at bus company depots as well) based on whatever complaint they voiced pertaining to their run (not enough run time here or there, not enough layover time, swing is too short, etc) sounds good in concept, yet the glaring problem is what I've already highlighted: seniority = you have a voice. if you don't have 20+ years of service, a complaint about run time needing adjustments on the m103 northbound (for example) on Fridays based on traffic conditions all along the east side will be ignored (and that's being polite) there's a crabs in a barrel mentality and furthermore, there's a "i'm gonna get mine... hope you get yours" mentality as well. it's very click-ish in certain depots (especially among the smaller workforces, believe it or not) there's a huge divide based on seniority, and looking out for a fellow coworker is extremely conditional. the hawks don't care too much about the pm reports... the am reports are divided against the late-am reports etc. i say all of that to say this: there could be significant upgrades in service & schedule coming solely from the workforce if we all felt we had a equal voice & valued opinion via the union, and if the workforce felt that the union didn't already sell it's soul to accommodate those who have high(er) seniority. this is why some operators have the attitude of "i'm gonna come here, do my job & leave... to hell with everything & everyone else". we could blame management for not listening if/when we speak, but ultimately, what can you do if the union doesn't stand up for you or clips your vocal chords, so to speak, and the only other choice you have is to go over their heads, while creating an enemy within your supposed ranks. it's happened, it happens and there's a reason why operators leave depots aside from following runs, lines & RDO's. 

[EastFlatbushLarry]

12 minutes ago, SoSpectacular said:

If I got a dollar for every time I've heard that remark! 

if i had a dollar from 09 til now, I could've told them take their 25/55 and shove it 3 years ago 😂

[Lex]

2 hours ago, EastFlatbushLarry said:

 

simple answer: transit logic ≠ common sense. they are country miles apart. 

 

believe it or not, there's really no simple answer to this question. it's varies from depot to depot. ask any bus operator, the same way general superintendents all conduct business in their respective depots differently (pertaining to discipline, accident/accident analysis, open door policy, etc) most union offices conduct business the same way. there's no uniforms way of dealing with operator issues or concerns. there's favoritism based on sex, level of kiss-ass-ness, seniority, etc. I'm only speaking specifically of local 100 TA/OA. certain depots I've worked in, there were "line captains", usually the most senior operator(s) on a line that operators could voice concerns to as a go between with the union office or G.S.'s office regarding run time, lack of assistance from dispatchers, other operators, etc. not every depot practices this, and not every concern was voiced, obviously. certain depots would marginally adjust run times for operators with the most seniority (I've heard this practice has been used at bus company depots as well) based on whatever complaint they voiced pertaining to their run (not enough run time here or there, not enough layover time, swing is too short, etc) sounds good in concept, yet the glaring problem is what I've already highlighted: seniority = you have a voice. if you don't have 20+ years of service, a complaint about run time needing adjustments on the m103 northbound (for example) on Fridays based on traffic conditions all along the east side will be ignored (and that's being polite) there's a crabs in a barrel mentality and furthermore, there's a "i'm gonna get mine... hope you get yours" mentality as well. it's very click-ish in certain depots (especially among the smaller workforces, believe it or not) there's a huge divide based on seniority, and looking out for a fellow coworker is extremely conditional. the hawks don't care too much about the pm reports... the am reports are divided against the late-am reports etc. i say all of that to say this: there could be significant upgrades in service & schedule coming solely from the workforce if we all felt we had a equal voice & valued opinion via the union, and if the workforce felt that the union didn't already sell it's soul to accommodate those who have high(er) seniority. this is why some operators have the attitude of "i'm gonna come here, do my job & leave... to hell with everything & everyone else". we could blame management for not listening if/when we speak, but ultimately, what can you do if the union doesn't stand up for you or clips your vocal chords, so to speak, and the only other choice you have is to go over their heads, while creating an enemy within your supposed ranks. it's happened, it happens and there's a reason why operators leave depots aside from following runs, lines & RDO's. 

This is only cementing the idea that we have people in the MTA who do care, but lack the necessary power to bring progress.

[MTAbus677]

I first saw no schedules on one of the B11 stops at 49th St and New Utrecht Av.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

On 8/19/2019 at 8:17 AM, checkmatechamp13 said:

As part of the Staten Island redesign, they originally discussed having a separate Friday schedule. Not sure why that wasn't implemented. It was actually a good idea.

 

All of the bus operators' contracts call for a single "weekday" schedule with no allowance for different "types" of weekdays. 

[checkmatechamp13]

1 hour ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

All of the bus operators' contracts call for a single "weekday" schedule with no allowance for different "types" of weekdays. 

Then that should be renegotiated. How did they pull off having the Q100 run different types of weekday schedules?

[DetSMART45]

This removing printed schedules from stops idea of the MTA's is hardly surprising. I think the whole "people can use their mobiles" to get schedules is the latest justification. They certainly could have done a more scattered approach under the guise that "service comes frequently (under 10 minutes) all day, people can just show up and wait and a bus will be there." Or just say, "we have printed schedules on the buses, they're accessible, people just have to take one and keep it with them."

As I've said before, even with the proliferation of the smartphones, around here there are plenty of customers who walk up to the stop and look at the posted schedule -- with a good majority of them with said device feeding their earbuds. Even some who use the old-fashioned non-internet phones show up and use the posted schedule. Now, DDOT does not have ANY schedules posted across the City's thousands of bus stops, yet people make sure they know when they need to be at their points to get around.

Someone needs to contact the "Accessibility Director" of the MTA, that Alex Elgudin (or whatever his name is), and alert him to the fact that ADA customers need those stop-side schedules -- especially those like him who need a "mobility device" to get around. A whole lot of ADA customers are reliant on the local/Express buses because they may not want to go through the hassles of Access-A-Ride. So, on the one hand, the MTA is spending oodles of cash on screens inside the buses for audio/visual compliance with ADA, but that ADA customer can't find out when the bus is actually supposed to be there to pick them up. Sounds legit.

[Trainmaster5]

On 8/19/2019 at 8:04 AM, EastFlatbushLarry said:

Even before the 2015 audit (and vision zero), transit has been saying one thing to the workforce and another to the customer base. when I began in 2009, any instructor you spoke to at Zerega preached Safety, Service & Schedule... emphasis on safety first & foremost. meanwhile, to the general public, the powers that be put emphasis on improving reliability & schedule, all the while knowing the twain shall never meet. this is one of the biggest dividers between employees & customers, and why customers have such a negative opinion of us, calling us slackers, lazy, not being worthy of our salaries, you name it. oh, and the ever-present assaults from overzealous extremists, who attempt to blame frustration on lateness. divide & rule tactics have been utilized by the powers that be for quite some time now, and it'd be truly nice if we could all get on the same page... I'm not saying that the current paddles are as stringent/horribly unreasonable as NICE (I've heard the horror stories and Lord, i feel bad for TWU Local 252) but aside from the "modified"/new(er) SBS paddles (I'm being extremely kind by saying that) majority of these paddles do not reflect current road conditions day to day... that is/has been a fact for quite some time now, and needs to be thoroughly addressed. if they truly gave a damn, then there would be case specific paddles for each day of the week, depending on the lines & roads they operate on... there's no way the m103 should be operating off the same paddle on a Tuesday afternoon & a Friday afternoon northbound for instance. i could name a handful of lines that share the same dilemma, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

If you substituted T/O and C/R for B/O in your post the same basic S, S, and S, was taught in RTO 30 years before 2009. Come over to the Subway forum sometimes and see the constant complaints about speed, schedules, and running time(s). It's as if some people focus all their attention on numbers but are oblivious to the other factors in the real world. In a B/O's case it's obvious that traffic conditions impact your operation, at least to me. In my department (RTO) it's a combination of factors, human, infrastructure, what have you that make each day different. I had a superintendent that constantly complained that I was late on a stretch in the Bronx. Dude had 30 years on the job and was kicked out of the B division because of some improper actions over there. Comes over to my division and decides that the hourlies caused his problem and he wanted to set an example. This question is directed mainly the Bronx residents 30 years old and younger but all are invited to participate. Every Wednesday in the Summertime I was two minutes late heading s/b when I arrived at 149th and the Concourse. I'd be on time at East 180th St at 3:10-12 pm daily. Meanwhile the genius was holed up underground at the Concourse from 2:00 pm or so. One day he opened his mouth ,on the radio, and decided to embarrass me. He didn't realize that there were three TSS's aboard my train and a school car superintendent. I let him run his mouth for a minute and I asked him, politely, " what day is this, sir?"  I heard from the tower operator and the dispatcher on duty there that day that they almost choked trying to stifle their laughter. The school car super, who I grew up with, put his hand over my mouth before the profanity could emerge and waved his finger at me. He said that he'd take care of it and left my train. When I got to Brooklyn Bridge the ATD waved at me and laughed and when I got to Bowling Green the ATD came out of the office and pumped her fist. Believe it or not for the rest of my career the dude never spoke to me even though we were both on the the whole time. After we all retired my C/R ran into him at a medical center in Valley Stream and he tried to make small talk. She ignored him. Sorry for rambling on so much but to answer the question I posed earlier. Every Wednesday in the Summertime, back then, the admission to the Bronx Zoo was free. Every camp from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and S.I. would be on their way home about that time. They were so good that they would line up ,backs against the walls, and wait for the doors to open before approaching the train. To this day I have nothing but respect for those teachers, chaperones, monitors, certainly more than any " numbers" guy. Just my experience. I know exactly how you feel EastFlatbushLarry.  If Surface is anything like RTO the goal is to spend the least amount of time in that seat as possible. To think that employees are dragging along for no reason at all defies belief, at least where I come from. Carry on.

[paulrivera]

21 minutes ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Every Wednesday in the Summertime, back then, the admission to the Bronx Zoo was free. Every camp from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and S.I. would be on their way home about that time. They were so good that they would line up ,backs against the walls, and wait for the doors to open before approaching the train. To this day I have nothing but respect for those teachers, chaperones, monitors, certainly more than any " numbers" guy.

Still the case to this day.

-Sincerely,

30 year old Bronx resident.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

10 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

Then that should be renegotiated. How did they pull off having the Q100 run different types of weekday schedules?

That was TWU's contract with Queens Surface Corporation (which no longer exists). That had (and still has) nothing to do with ATU Local 726's contract with NYCT. 

[B35 via Church]

10 hours ago, DetSMART45 said:

...Or just say, "we have printed schedules on the buses, they're accessible, people just have to take one and keep it with them."

They can say that.... Of course, they'd also be lying in the process.
(in their defense though, of the rare occasions in like the past 5 years or so that I've actually seen a tangible schedule on a bus, pax. use them for everything else under the sun EXCEPT for their intended purpose..... Great for hocking a loogie in, picking up something off the ground with, wiping yourself down/drying yourself off with (esp. on rainy/snowy days), wiping off the seat with, you name it.)

 

[FLX9304]

On 8/17/2019 at 7:41 PM, NewFlyer 230 said:

Perfect example of the scenario you just explained with the Bx40-42 happened with the Q10. I remember how buses would show up very often when there was only 40 footers on the line. Then when the New Flyer artics hit the line, that’s when really noticed how much service has been reduced. Now you can easily wait 15-20 minutes in the middle of the day whereas back then you had a bus coming every few minutes. Even the ridership statistics that the MTA provides shows how the ridership on the Q10 is dropping. You have more extreme cases of ridership decreases on some of the routes that are within the top 10 for ridership and you see large decreases of 5,000-10,000 within a span of a few years, when ridership is dropping that drastically there is a problem. 

The MTA is finding every little thing to cut at and you’d think that you’d see the benefits elsewhere but that’s not the case with this agency. They wanted to remove the WiFi off buses, reduce the frequencies on lines like the  and  , they are trying to reduce repaints and washes, remove bus stops, schedules at stops and the list goes on. Like damn where are the improves at? They should have all this “saved” money, but where is it all going? 

If anything, “saved money” equals “pocket money” for the Chairman & CEO, not only him, but to all his “fat cat” buddies that you don’t normally see on the streets of New York City. Not a single one of them ride public transportation like us on an everyday basis to see what, when and why. Then the how’s come in play. 

When the Articulated buses came into play in 1996, (NFD60 1000) Some people was about to witness a change was coming. And it all started in the Bronx, with the Bx55, then the Bx1/2. What really got me pissed & surprised was when they started putting them on the Bx4 & Bx5 at the very same time in 1999. 

[NewFlyer 230]

10 hours ago, FLX9304 said:

If anything, “saved money” equals “pocket money” for the Chairman & CEO, not only him, but to all his “fat cat” buddies that you don’t normally see on the streets of New York City. Not a single one of them ride public transportation like us on an everyday basis to see what, when and why. Then the how’s come in play. 

When the Articulated buses came into play in 1996, (NFD60 1000) Some people was about to witness a change was coming. And it all started in the Bronx, with the Bx55, then the Bx1/2. What really got me pissed & surprised was when they started putting them on the Bx4 & Bx5 at the very same time in 1999. 

That trend still continues presently, we have routes like the Q12, that is getting artics but don’t necessarily need them. There are some routes that legit need them but others that are highly questionable. The M79 is another route that I question if it really needs artics because I can see it doing fine without them just like the M96. Artic use on MTA routes does not fully function the way they should. Instead it allows the agency to cut back on the frequency and run unreliable service. I’ve seen it happen with every Queens route that has received artics. This highly praised SBS with artics that has been placed on the Q52/Q53 back in the Nov 2017 has made Woodhaven service trash at times and you can wait up to 20 minutes for one of the 4 Woodhaven Blvd routes to come. So it’s easy to see what’s going to happen with the Q12 and even the Q13 since it also provides service on Northern Blvd.