Express Bus Dangerously Overcrowded During Pandemic

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE!! I am furious about this! This is HORRENDOUS planning on the  's part.

 

[azspeedbullet]

was there suppose to be a picture, i dont see anything

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, azspeedbullet said:

was there suppose to be a picture, i dont see anything

There are two photos. Not sure why they don't display, but I see them.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

19 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE!! I am furious about this! This is HORRENDOUS planning on the  's part.

 

Should they have planned to require drivers to report for work even when they're sick?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 minutes ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

 

Should they have planned to require drivers to report for work even when they're sick?

You have a hard time comprehending, so I'll repeat myself again. They should've provided service on the lines that were NEEDED instead of running lines that were NOT needed. They had a whole pick for this modified schedule, and several WEEKS of collecting data to see which lines were used and what ridership was like. It's not rocket science... This is not about a driver shortage because they just added service after this happened, so they have enough drivers.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

After the way they cursed that driver out on that SIM1C bus, f**k them...and I'm from S.I but this is outrageous. 

For those customers to curse out that bus driver because the higher ups f**ked up the service, is just blatantly wrong. I now see why Staten Island express riders got slapped in the face with the redesign, they're disrespectful complaining a**holes that can never be satisfied. 

Yes the redesign was a mess but the same 50 people out of 12,000 were complaining (sarcastic numbers). 

In this situation, the entitlement shows...if the driver picks them all up and makes communication that the bus is full and people continue to get on, that's at their discretion. If the driver bypasses all the stops, because the bus is maxed out at 22 people, they'll also complain about that...it's also another problem. 

Not the drivers fault that the higher ups provided shitt service, but people aren't gonna listen regardless, and that's why he called them a**holes. It's like these riders can't make decisions for themselves. 
 

I'm sorry I'm all for better service but after seeing those scumbags IDGAF what happens at this point, don't disrespect the drivers that grind daily for you. 

It's ridiculous at this point...I'd put local buses out on the routes at this point to protect drivers and keep them 10ft away from all riders. 

Note: No I do not know the driver involved. 

[Lawrence St]

6 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

After the way they cursed that driver out on that SIM1C bus, f**k them...and I'm from S.I but this is outrageous. 

For those customers to curse out that bus driver because the higher ups f**ked up the service, is just blatantly wrong. I now see why Staten Island express riders got slapped in the face with the redesign, they're disrespectful complaining a**holes that can never be satisfied. 

Yes the redesign was a mess but the same 50 people out of 12,000 were complaining (sarcastic numbers). 

In this situation, the entitlement shows...if the driver picks them all up and makes communication that the bus is full and people continue to get on, that's at their discretion. If the driver bypasses all the stops, because the bus is maxed out at 22 people, they'll also complain about that...it's also another problem. 

Not the drivers fault that the higher ups provided shitt service, but people aren't gonna listen regardless, and that's why he called them a**holes. It's like these riders can't make decisions for themselves. 
 

I'm sorry I'm all for better service but after seeing those scumbags IDGAF what happens at this point, don't disrespect the drivers that grind daily for you. 

It's ridiculous at this point...I'd put local buses out on the routes at this point to protect drivers and keep them 10ft away from all riders. 

Note: No I do not know the driver involved. 

I agree with this. They are not the only one's affected by this.

[OrionVIIonM79]

13 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

After the way they cursed that driver out on that SIM1C bus, f**k them...and I'm from S.I but this is outrageous. 

For those customers to curse out that bus driver because the higher ups f**ked up the service, is just blatantly wrong. I now see why Staten Island express riders got slapped in the face with the redesign, they're disrespectful complaining a**holes that can never be satisfied. 

Yes the redesign was a mess but the same 50 people out of 12,000 were complaining (sarcastic numbers). 

In this situation, the entitlement shows...if the driver picks them all up and makes communication that the bus is full and people continue to get on, that's at their discretion. If the driver bypasses all the stops, because the bus is maxed out at 22 people, they'll also complain about that...it's also another problem. 

Not the drivers fault that the higher ups provided shitt service, but people aren't gonna listen regardless, and that's why he called them a**holes. It's like these riders can't make decisions for themselves. 
 

I'm sorry I'm all for better service but after seeing those scumbags IDGAF what happens at this point, don't disrespect the drivers that grind daily for you. 

It's ridiculous at this point...I'd put local buses out on the routes at this point to protect drivers and keep them 10ft away from all riders. 

Note: No I do not know the driver involved. 

I completely agree. If anything, they should thank the bus driver for risking his life to keep the city, and them, moving at these desperate times. Ungrateful little shits.

Edited April 15, 2020 by OrionVIIonM79

[aemoreira81]

This is more on central planning, and also the ATU 726 contract. Keep in mind that only ATU 726 drivers can drive buses within, and to and from Staten Island, and so drivers from other divisions could not legally be called in to help (as one has seen as late as last weekend, the inverse does not exist---ATU 726 drivers can drive any other NYCTA route). You can bet that this could be something the MTA would want to change in the next contract negotiations to state that if a state of emergency is declared by the Governor, subject to equipment availability, any division can be called in with any equipment to assist, excluding electric equipment (Proterra, New Flyer XE40 and XE60), for as long as the state of emergency is in effect, and this will also likely be insisted on for all other bargaining units too.

Current divisions and bargaining units

• Manhattan (ALL): TWU 100
• Bronx (ALL): TWU 100
• Queens:
  • NYCTA: ATU 1056
  • JFK and Far Rockaway: ATU 1179
  • All others: TWU 100 (Spring Creek may be TWU 100A)
• Brooklyn (ALL): TWU 100
• Staten Island (ALL): ATU 726

[MysteriousBtrain]

16 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

After the way they cursed that driver out on that SIM1C bus, f**k them...and I'm from S.I but this is outrageous. 

For those customers to curse out that bus driver because the higher ups f**ked up the service, is just blatantly wrong. I now see why Staten Island express riders got slapped in the face with the redesign, they're disrespectful complaining a**holes that can never be satisfied. 

Yes the redesign was a mess but the same 50 people out of 12,000 were complaining (sarcastic numbers). 

In this situation, the entitlement shows...if the driver picks them all up and makes communication that the bus is full and people continue to get on, that's at their discretion. If the driver bypasses all the stops, because the bus is maxed out at 22 people, they'll also complain about that...it's also another problem. 

Not the drivers fault that the higher ups provided shitt service, but people aren't gonna listen regardless, and that's why he called them a**holes. It's like these riders can't make decisions for themselves. 
 

I'm sorry I'm all for better service but after seeing those scumbags IDGAF what happens at this point, don't disrespect the drivers that grind daily for you. 

It's ridiculous at this point...I'd put local buses out on the routes at this point to protect drivers and keep them 10ft away from all riders. 

Note: No I do not know the driver involved. 

Thing is, the MTA is at fault as well. There is no way you can get away with just running the C routes. I get they save resources with low ridership but there are most definitely nurses west of Hugenot that need some type of service. Doesn't excuse riders from acting up and talking about "Drivers get to stay home".

[Via Garibaldi 8]

19 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

After the way they cursed that driver out on that SIM1C bus, f**k them...and I'm from S.I but this is outrageous. 

For those customers to curse out that bus driver because the higher ups f**ked up the service, is just blatantly wrong. I now see why Staten Island express riders got slapped in the face with the redesign, they're disrespectful complaining a**holes that can never be satisfied. 

Yes the redesign was a mess but the same 50 people out of 12,000 were complaining (sarcastic numbers). 

In this situation, the entitlement shows...if the driver picks them all up and makes communication that the bus is full and people continue to get on, that's at their discretion. If the driver bypasses all the stops, because the bus is maxed out at 22 people, they'll also complain about that...it's also another problem. 

Not the drivers fault that the higher ups provided shitt service, but people aren't gonna listen regardless, and that's why he called them a**holes. It's like these riders can't make decisions for themselves. 
 

I'm sorry I'm all for better service but after seeing those scumbags IDGAF what happens at this point, don't disrespect the drivers that grind daily for you. 

It's ridiculous at this point...I'd put local buses out on the routes at this point to protect drivers and keep them 10ft away from all riders. 

Note: No I do not know the driver involved. 

Two things... It was stated that the drivers were supposed to radio in when their bus was becoming too crowded because there were buses on standby to assist, both in the middle of the route and at the end. Some riders knew this from following our express bus groups. Second, it was said that he was rude first, so he didn't radio in when he was supposed to because they were supposed to, and then he was rude. Some drivers don't want to come in and don't want to pick up passengers, even essential workers. A number of drivers want the system the shut down, period, so what you saw was part of the video, not the entire video.  You see passengers reacting, not the entire video. That paints a completely different story...

Edited April 15, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Thing is, the MTA is at fault as well. There is no way you can get away with just running the C routes. I get they save resources with low ridership but there are most definitely nurses west of Hugenot that need some type of service. Doesn't excuse riders from acting up and talking about "Drivers get to stay home".

Yeah they knew about it because some follow our express bus groups, so as I said above, there was more to this story than just then passengers cursing. They were cursing for a reason, and the video is shown in the middle of all of it, not at the beginning. He didn't follow protocol and then became rude when people started questioning why. I will say this. Any driver that doesn't want to pick up essential workers should stay home.

It's insulting to hear drivers b*t hing about how "all of these people can't be essential workers" (Staten Island has lots of them - cops, construction workers, nurses, City workers, etc.). There was one driver trying to deny a passenger entry on a bus who was an essential worker, which is ridiculous. Essential workers are not just doctors or nurses or first responders. We have lots of social workers helping people that are homeless or have mental health issues out here that have to go to work. Homelessness and mental issues don't just stop because of a pandemic. I have been speaking with some drivers about all of this in private. Most drivers have been quite professional, but there are always the few that are ignorant and crass. It's really about educating drivers on what essential workers are, because there are a lot of them.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[QM1to6Ave]

I'm afraid these situations are going to get more common starting Monday. I'm hearing about various companies planning to at least partially re-open offices after this week, and I'm already seeing more people on CP express routes. plus with the news that things are starting to improve with covid, i think people are getting more and more likely to leave their homes. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I'm afraid these situations are going to get more common starting Monday. I'm hearing about various companies planning to at least partially re-open offices after this week, and I'm already seeing more people on CP express routes. plus with the news that things are starting to improve with covid, i think people are getting more and more likely to leave their homes. 

Well yes, the City has to re-open at some point. A lot of drivers want the system to shut down. That is just not feasible. You and I know how many people are essential workers in this City and they must have transportation to get around. I am not an essential worker (technically), but I do work with numerous big hospitals that depend on services I provide, so sometimes I have to go in for paperwork, etc., and I have to use transportation. 

Perfect example... Some people I work with serve people that are transplant patients. They must follow strict protocol to remain healthy during this time, otherwise, they can deal with complications from the transplant, so this info is time sensitive, and if I need to go in to finalize paperwork, I have to go in. I certainly would not want some driver questioning me about whether or not I'm an essential worker.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

8 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yeah they knew about it because some follow our express bus groups, so as I said above, there was more to this story than just then passengers cursing. They were cursing for a reason, and the video is shown in the middle of all of it, not at the beginning. He didn't follow protocol and then became rude when people started questioning why. I will say this. Any driver that doesn't want to pick up essential workers should stay home.

It's insulting to hear drivers b*t hing about how "all of these people can't be essential workers" (Staten Island has lots of them - cops, construction workers, nurses, City workers, etc.). There was one driver trying to deny a passenger entry on a bus who was an essential worker, which is ridiculous. Essential workers are not just doctors or nurses or first responders. We have lots of social workers helping people that are homeless or have mental health issues out here that have to go to work. Homelessness and mental issues don't just stop because of a pandemic. I have been speaking with some drivers about all of this in private. Most drivers have been quite professional, but there are always the few that are ignorant and crass. It's really about educating drivers on what essential workers are, because there are a lot of them.

This right here is the problem. 90% and more people think essential workers are city workers and nurses, etc. This is a big no, when Cuomo first said at only essential services can stay open and that all non essential businesses must close, I did a quick Google search to see what was concerned an essential service. 

Essential services :

1. Essential Health Care Operations, Including:

research and laboratory services

hospitals

walk-in-care health facilities

emergency veterinary and livestock services

elder care

medical wholesale and distribution

home health care workers or aides for the elderly

doctor and emergency dental

nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities

medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers

2. Essential Infrastructure, Including:

utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission

public water and wastewater

telecommunications and data centers

airports/airlines

transportation infrastructure such as bus, rail, or for-hire vehicles, garages

hotels, and places of accommodation

3. Essential Manufacturing, Including:

food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages

chemicals

medical equipment/instruments

pharmaceuticals

sanitary products

telecommunications

microelectronics/semi-conductor

agriculture/farms

household paper products

4. Essential Retail, Including:

grocery stores including all food and beverage stores

pharmacies

convenience stores

farmer's markets

gas stations

restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)

hardware and building material stores

5. Essential Services, Including:

trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal

mail and shipping services

laundromats

building cleaning and maintenance

child care services

auto repair

warehouse/distribution and fulfillment

funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries

storage for essential businesses

animal shelters

6. News Media

7. Financial Institutions, Including:

banks

insurance

payroll

accounting

services related to financial markets

8. Providers of Basic Necessities to Economically Disadvantaged Populations, Including:

homeless shelters and congregate care facilities

food banks

human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support

9. Construction, Including:

skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers 

other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes

10. Defense

defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the US government

11. Essential Services Necessary to Maintain the Safety, Sanitation and Essential Operations of Residences or Other Essential Businesses, Including:

law enforcement

fire prevention and response

building code enforcement

security

emergency management and response

building cleaners or janitors

general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor

automotive repair

disinfection

12. Vendors that Provide Essential Services or Products, Including Logistics and Technology Support, Child Care and Services:

logistics

technology support for online services

child care programs and services

government owned or leased buildings

essential government services

 

That's a pretty long list. And while some can work online, others cannot. Think about the companies on that list, and think about the labor of their job, some people cannot work from home. There's also a lot more things that are considered essential that I really thought weren't, so shutting down the MTA is not even a thought...and to be quite honest...automation doesn't impact service...don't let this be a push for MTA modernizing and cutting jobs left/right. 

@Via Garibaldi 8 thank you for the update...I quite honestly cannot stand when drivers aren't on the same page. These inconsistencies and do whatever type attitudes are the reason why the customers are always entering with an attitude the will to start an issue (still does not justify yesterday's behavior on the passengers part, because if they really cared about safety they would've got off the bus at Fingerboard instead of letting the driver pull off onto the bridge). 

 

Why would passengers get on in the first place is my question? Why call for a backup bus and have buses waiting at Fingerboard? If anything...buses should be at the midpoint of routes..for example...the SIM1C...have some buses start at New Dorp like the SIM11 does...what's the point of having a back up bus to take people OFF of a bus that's ALREADY too full? The point is to not let the buses get PAST 22 people...so if all those people are getting ON the bus, AND the driver is allowing it....you're consenting to willing expose yourself to the virus. Plain and simple, all wrong on both sides.

 

*please excuse any grammar issues, I'll edit if needed   

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

There was like a 3 week period where the MTA was running weekday schedules after the stay at home orders. Were they not collecting rider data to see what was being utilized at the time by essential workers? Throwing the Sunday express schedule was the dumbest thing they could've done. If anything, being from Staten Island. The SIM1, SIM3C, SIM4C, SIM6, SIM10, and SIM33C should've been running on a 15-20 min schedule for weekday rush hours and then regular off peak service other hours. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

This right here is the problem. 90% and more people think essential workers are city workers and nurses, etc. This is a big no, when Cuomo first said at only essential services can stay open and that all non essential businesses must close, I did a quick Google search to see what was concerned an essential service. 

Essential services :

1. Essential Health Care Operations, Including:

research and laboratory services

hospitals

walk-in-care health facilities

emergency veterinary and livestock services

elder care

medical wholesale and distribution

home health care workers or aides for the elderly

doctor and emergency dental

nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities

medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers

2. Essential Infrastructure, Including:

utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission

public water and wastewater

telecommunications and data centers

airports/airlines

transportation infrastructure such as bus, rail, or for-hire vehicles, garages

hotels, and places of accommodation

3. Essential Manufacturing, Including:

food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages

chemicals

medical equipment/instruments

pharmaceuticals

sanitary products

telecommunications

microelectronics/semi-conductor

agriculture/farms

household paper products

4. Essential Retail, Including:

grocery stores including all food and beverage stores

pharmacies

convenience stores

farmer's markets

gas stations

restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)

hardware and building material stores

5. Essential Services, Including:

trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal

mail and shipping services

laundromats

building cleaning and maintenance

child care services

auto repair

warehouse/distribution and fulfillment

funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries

storage for essential businesses

animal shelters

6. News Media

7. Financial Institutions, Including:

banks

insurance

payroll

accounting

services related to financial markets

8. Providers of Basic Necessities to Economically Disadvantaged Populations, Including:

homeless shelters and congregate care facilities

food banks

human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support

9. Construction, Including:

skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers 

other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes

10. Defense

defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the US government

11. Essential Services Necessary to Maintain the Safety, Sanitation and Essential Operations of Residences or Other Essential Businesses, Including:

law enforcement

fire prevention and response

building code enforcement

security

emergency management and response

building cleaners or janitors

general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor

automotive repair

disinfection

12. Vendors that Provide Essential Services or Products, Including Logistics and Technology Support, Child Care and Services:

logistics

technology support for online services

child care programs and services

government owned or leased buildings

essential government services

 

That's a pretty long list. And while some can work online, others cannot. Think about the companies on that list, and think about the labor of their job, some people cannot work from home. There's also a lot more things that are considered essential that I really thought weren't, so shutting down the MTA is not even a thought...and to be quite honest...automation doesn't impact service...don't let this be a push for MTA modernizing and cutting jobs left/right. 

@Via Garibaldi 8 thank you for the update...I quite honestly cannot stand when drivers aren't on the same page. These inconsistencies and do whatever type attitudes are the reason why the customers are always entering with an attitude the will to start an issue (still does not justify yesterday's behavior on the passengers part, because if they really cared about safety they would've got off the bus at Fingerboard instead of letting the driver pull off onto the bridge). 

 

Why would passengers get on in the first place is my question? Why call for a backup bus and have buses waiting at Fingerboard? If anything...buses should be at the midpoint of routes..for example...the SIM1C...have some buses start at New Dorp like the SIM11 does...what's the point of having a back up bus to take people OFF of a bus that's ALREADY too full? The point is to not let the buses get PAST 22 people...so if all those people are getting ON the bus, AND the driver is allowing it....you're consenting to willing expose yourself to the virus. Plain and simple, all wrong on both sides.

 

*please excuse any grammar issues, I'll edit if needed   

You know how things are with the  .... Poor communication... They promise one thing and there's always something that falls through the cracks. I'll give you an example of this. When I started the group, there were still tons of changes happening on Staten Island. They were as you know reinstating some stops, so I believe it was the SIM3 branch that they made a stop change to. They would start having them stop at Fingerboard and not just go all the way to Slosson and Victory for the first stop, which as you know is quite a difference in distance. What happened? Driver ignored the stop request for Fingerboard. Drivers were supposed have been told about the stop change, but for whatever reason, this driver didn't follow the change, so a furious passenger now is posting about how she has to now call someone to pick her up and how nasty the driver was about it when she asked why he wouldn't stop.

I in turn contacted someone and asked that they make an announcement over the system to make sure all of those drivers on the line knew about the change, but it's difficult. Will every driver have their radio turned up so they can hear the announcement? What about drivers that are off, out sick or on vacation? These are how these mistakes happen because the  often times poorly communicates, leaving the drivers unaware of some changes, and then they become defensive when passengers who know about the changes challenge them on why they don't abide by them.

I wonder how the SIMC arrangement was set up in terms of whether or not a memo was sent out or if dispatch just made an announcement over the radio... Obviously the drivers had a special pick for this, but the extra buses along the route set up... If the driver doesn't radio in, dispatch would have no idea about the need to send a bus, even if the bus has the seat availability mechanism on it, because they are supposed to radio in once ~22 passengers are picked up. Dispatch can't tell from BusTrek how many passengers have boarded because the seat availability mechanism doesn't show how many people are on the bus, only seats available, limited seating or standing room only.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 minutes ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

There was like a 3 week period where the MTA was running weekday schedules after the stay at home orders. Were they not collecting rider data to see what was being utilized at the time by essential workers? Throwing the Sunday express schedule was the dumbest thing they could've done. If anything, being from Staten Island. The SIM1, SIM3C, SIM4C, SIM6, SIM10, and SIM33C should've been running on a 15-20 min schedule for weekday rush hours and then regular off peak service other hours. 

Oh I was speaking with people and yes, they were indeed collecting data for weeks leading up to this decision, so they had a good idea of what lines were carrying and what weren't before deciding on this. Some people were trying to excuse this and say oh well lots of drivers were out which is true, (there were at one point over 500 drivers out on the island), but that isn't the point. You KNOW who have roughly X amount of drivers for the service you can make. Look at the data you have and come up with a modified schedule that makes SENSE based on what drivers you have. Instead they just threw out Sunday service, knowing that such a schedule would leave large areas of Staten Island with NO express bus service, especially areas of the South Shore. That basically forced lots of people to then drive to what... The Eltingville Transit Center and get the SIM1C, which has the most frequent service and is the only line with overnight service, so naturally more people are going to gravitate to that line. You can see lots of construction workers in some photos too because a lot of them still have to work, even though they may not look like "essential workers" to some drivers, but they are according to what the State of NY mandated as being essential workers, so yeah, after two days of issues, today was a lot better. They added service where needed, and the headways are 15 minutes at some points of the day instead of 20.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Deucey]

So they’re adding more buses on SI: 

https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/mta-making-express-bus-adjustments-to-ease-overcrowding.html

[QM1to6Ave]

7 minutes ago, Deucey said:

So they’re adding more buses on SI: 

https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/mta-making-express-bus-adjustments-to-ease-overcrowding.html

Jesus, one of the runs had 60 people on it?? That's criminally negligent 

[Deucey]

31 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Jesus, one of the runs had 60 people on it?? That's criminally negligent 

Don’t those buses only hold 47 people seated?

I remember seeing that number on similar MCIs on the interstate buses and NJ Transit.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

40 minutes ago, Deucey said:

So they’re adding more buses on SI: 

https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/mta-making-express-bus-adjustments-to-ease-overcrowding.html

Yeah they're decreasing the frequency from 20 to every 15 minutes.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

24 minutes ago, Deucey said:

Don’t those buses only hold 47 people seated?

I remember seeing that number on similar MCIs on the interstate buses and NJ Transit.

No... 57 people seated. With people standing, easily 60 more... Nicole Malliotakis just shared a response from the  noting that added capacity starting tomorrow will provide 1,000 seats for SIM express bus riders to ease overcrowding. 

 

[NY1635]

Why isn't the MTA giving the Express Buses their 24/7 service? I ride the QM 5/6 when I don't feel like using the QBL and the only LIRR worth the admission is the Hempstead Branch and Oyster Bay Branch. 

I am surprised that the Express Buses aren't 24/7 because they are the essential form of transit during the lock down. The BMs and the SIMs and BXMs are the ones with the highest ridership. Out of the QMs, the 1/5/6, QM15/16/17, QM11s and other Middle Queens Expresses are the only ones that generate ridership. I left out QM3, and X64, and X68 because they are used more by Nassau Residents who don't want to take the Babylon Branch, Main Line, or drive all the way up north to the Port Washington Branch. 

I also left out people who live by the Queens-Nassau Border because all they want is for NICE to provide open door service on the n26 or somehow extend the open door policy to everything east of Springfield for Queens Residents. Even though I am instructed to not talk about NICE, I see Queens Residents who visit their relatives in Nassau who secretly yearn for NICE to run 24 hour service on the n22/24, n31/32, and n15 for convenience every time they shop at Westbury and Roosevelt Field. 

Brooklyn and Staten Island are the exceptions because they're better at being Nassau than Nassau Residents. They want a way to cut thru Jamaica without stopping at Sutphin for Long Islanders.

 

[checkmatechamp13]

19 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Two things... It was stated that the drivers were supposed to radio in when their bus was becoming too crowded because there were buses on standby to assist, both in the middle of the route and at the end. Some riders knew this from following our express bus groups. Second, it was said that he was rude first, so he didn't radio in when he was supposed to because they were supposed to, and then he was rude. Some drivers don't want to come in and don't want to pick up passengers, even essential workers. A number of drivers want the system the shut down, period, so what you saw was part of the video, not the entire video.  You see passengers reacting, not the entire video. That paints a completely different story...

Apparently the driver actually did call for a backup bus (but it wasn't at the stop. It had to come from further down the line). The passengers didn't believe another bus was going to come and refused to get off and the argument started (apparently with the driver)

18 hours ago, XcelsiorBoii4888 said:

 

@Via Garibaldi 8 thank you for the update...I quite honestly cannot stand when drivers aren't on the same page. These inconsistencies and do whatever type attitudes are the reason why the customers are always entering with an attitude the will to start an issue (still does not justify yesterday's behavior on the passengers part, because if they really cared about safety they would've got off the bus at Fingerboard instead of letting the driver pull off onto the bridge). 

Why would passengers get on in the first place is my question? Why call for a backup bus and have buses waiting at Fingerboard? If anything...buses should be at the midpoint of routes..for example...the SIM1C...have some buses start at New Dorp like the SIM11 does...what's the point of having a back up bus to take people OFF of a bus that's ALREADY too full? The point is to not let the buses get PAST 22 people...so if all those people are getting ON the bus, AND the driver is allowing it....you're consenting to willing expose yourself to the virus. Plain and simple, all wrong on both sides.

See post above. Also, they do have some buses staged at Tysens Lane (and also I believe at Hylan & Clove), not just at Fingerboard.

18 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

You know how things are with the  .... Poor communication... They promise one thing and there's always something that falls through the cracks. I'll give you an example of this. When I started the group, there were still tons of changes happening on Staten Island. They were as you know reinstating some stops, so I believe it was the SIM3 branch that they made a stop change to. They would start having them stop at Fingerboard and not just go all the way to Slosson and Victory for the first stop, which as you know is quite a difference in distance. What happened? Driver ignored the stop request for Fingerboard. Drivers were supposed have been told about the stop change, but for whatever reason, this driver didn't follow the change, so a furious passenger now is posting about how she has to now call someone to pick her up and how nasty the driver was about it when she asked why he wouldn't stop.

The example you gave was purely on the driver. The new system was implemented in August 2018. The SIM3C was stopping along Narrows Road in the June 2018 version of the plan (before they even wrote...or rather copy-pasted...the SIM schedules).

The same way someone else said they took an off-peak SIM3C that drove the SIM3 route and insisted that he was right even when the passengers told him not to go up the FDR. (That same bus also bypassed Narrows Road as per that same passenger, but he didn't think much of it)

The same way another driver turned off Bloomingdale Road onto Woodrow Road because the SIM26 is "the old X22". It is generally the old X22 but there are a few important differences and it is not exactly the same.