Jump to content

Overnight Essential Bus Service Plan


Recommended Posts

22 minutes ago, danielhg121 said:

I think it should make additional stops along Northern Blvd heading east and reaching the highway it should parallel the Q66/QM3 to Main Street and then make a stop there, and then follow the Q34 routing to Whitestone and continuing on till Bay Terrace making all stops. No point in having it skip Flushing completely especially with so many transfers there.

 

38 minutes ago, Uncle Floyd Fan said:

While the QM6 and X68 appear close to each other at some points along their respective routes (like at Springfield Blvd and then at Winchester Blvd), it seems the MTA might've had different service areas and/or patrons in mind. Here's how I see it:

The QM6 is being run overnight to serve (in part) the following:

1 - LIJ Hosp on Lakeville Road

2 - Creedmoor near Union Tpke

3 - Queens Hosp Center on 164th St

4 - FDNY EMS Station 50 near Parsons Blvd (an EMT talked to the NY Post about the overload they've experienced due to COVID-19)

5 - NY Presbyterian Hosp / Queens (NYP/Q) at Main St and Booth Mem. Ave. (via a Q44-SBS transfer)

6 - All QM-18 / Queens Blvd Subway stops (including 67th Ave near LIJ - Forest Hills Hosp)

7 - NYU Langone (in normal times I've seen quite a few nurses in dark green uniforms use the Union Tpke QM's to get to work; they all seem to depart at 34th and 3rd)

(As a side note, I'm kind of surprised the QM6 is actually going onto the NST property in the middle of the night . . . at least that's what I thought BusTime showed. I'm sure the NST security are keeping an extra eye on the buses during these hours.)

 

The X68 appears to be serving (in part) the following:

 

1 - Folks who would normally use the F Train along Hillside Ave, or for that matter those who would walk north from the E Train stations seeking transit service into Manhattan

2 - Creedmoor near Hillside Ave

3 - Bellvue Hosp or the VA Hosp near 23rd St.

4 - Some first responders who live just across the boarder in Nassau County in the New Hyde Park area (though this can be said of the QM6, too)

 

I agree that the QM2 should ideally have overnight service as follows (in addition to the QM6 and X68 overnight services):

1 - The QM2 should run via Mitchell-Linden as it does on weekends and holidays (no need to have the QM20 if the QM2 is serving Mitchell-Linden)

2 - The QM2 should then make a provisional stop at Linden Place and 31st Road instead of the normal stop at Linden Pl and the Whitestone Expressway.

3 - The QM2 should then make a provisional stop on Northern Blvd at Main St so as to serve those who would normally use the 7 Train ( I believe this used to be a QM3 stop back in the QSC days).

 

Ideally all of the overnight service is supposed to be provisional until things get back to normal. The point when things return to normal is anyones guess.

 

14 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

I wonder why they kept the X68 and the QM6 running, they seem to serve relatively the same area and those are walkable distances. I feel they should keep the QM2/20 running late nights, either one but not both (preferably the 20 since it serves Mitchell Linden proper). Looking at the Remix map definitely shows you the gaps in the system.

Again, there is only enough drivers to run but so much service. Not sure how many times this has to be said. There are already buses missing because they don't have drivers to make the schedules. The QM6 serves Northeast Queens, which is the point. The X68 is serving other areas of Queens despite running along parts of Queens Blvd, so it isn't quite the same thing, and the idea was to run the lines that can provide the biggest bang for the buck. You run the QM6 down Union Turnpike and QM2 and QM20 riders can either drive (many of them already do that to get Downtown express bus service along Union Turnpike) or transfer, which is what some people will have to do.

This was all thought out well given the amount of drivers available, so one bus serves the heart of Northeast Queens (QM6 -Union Turnpike is the main express bus drag for all of Northeast Queens) one bus serves the Nassau County border and Southeast Queens (X68), and then the QM17 is serving the Woodhaven/Cross Bay Blvd, Far Rockaway area. You have to look at the demographics and understand where ridership is coming from. Folks in Neponsit are more likely to not need the express bus, which is why they opted for the QM17 over the QM16, and they also know that some areas are more car centric, so those people will just drive or can drive to the express bus if need be.

I knew that some QM2 and QM20 riders already drove down to Union Turnpike for Downtown express bus service, but I wasn't aware of how many do until they started joining my advocacy group and answering the questions about which lines they used that I found out how many do this. This is why the QM7 and QM8 lines are so crowded. I'm sure the (MTA) knowa this because they can study Metrocard usage data, just like lots of people from the North Shore on Staten Island either drive to Hylan Blvd or transfer to reach the SIM1C.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 352
  • Created
  • Last Reply
7 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I knew that some QM2 and QM20 riders already drove down to Union Turnpike for Downtown express bus service, but I wasn't aware of how many do until they started joining my advocacy group and answering the questions about which lines they used that I found out how many do this. This is why the QM7 and QM8 lines are so crowded. I'm sure the (MTA) knowa this because they can study Metrocard usage data, just like lots of people from the North Shore on Staten Island either drive to Hylan Blvd or transfer to reach the SIM1C.

And that's part of the reason they proposed a Downtown version of the QM20 (albeit at 3 trips each way). Doesn't make up for the huge cuts they proposed to off-peak express service but it's a start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

And that's part of the reason they proposed a Downtown version of the QM20 (albeit at 3 trips each way). Doesn't make up for the huge cuts they proposed to off-peak express service but it's a start.

They agreed that a Downtown bus was needed years ago, but only proposed one with this redesign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

They agreed that a Downtown bus was needed years ago, but only proposed one with this redesign.

Props to you for escalating my complaints!

This morning, the dispatcher was parked at my stop, and when he saw me he introduced himself, apologized for the games the BOs playes, said they yelled at the BOs I complained about, and he was there to make sure the buses stopped to pick me up and the BOs know not to play any more games. One of the BOs that had hassled me last week of course stopped for me and was clearly pissed when he saw the dispatcher talking to me lol

The dispatcher explained that he normally was sitting at.Main Steet, and if a bus was empty he didn't make them go into the city, but that led some guys to play these games. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Props to you for escalating my complaints!

This morning, the dispatcher was parked at my stop, and when he saw me he introduced himself, apologized for the games the BOs playes, said they yelled at the BOs I complained about, and he was there to make sure the buses stopped to pick me up and the BOs know not to play any more games. One of the BOs that had hassled me last week of course stopped for me and was clearly pissed when he saw the dispatcher talking to me lol

The dispatcher explained that he normally was sitting at.Main Steet, and if a bus was empty he didn't make them go into the city, but that led some guys to play these games. 

Not a problem. I asked for your complaints to be escalated and addressed ASAP. If you continue to have any problems, please let me know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I see the QM6 overnight stops on Queens Blvd were actually added to Bustime. Shocking. 

Yes, they did that. Takes them a bit of time usually. Not done in-house from my understanding... Yes, BusTime was created in-house, but when changes are needed, they aren't done in-house. I believe the BusTime team was only temporary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not that I'm surprised by this but this morning while boarding on the SIM1C I realized they still charge passengers the usual $6.75. Contacted the MTA to make sure that the SIM1C was supposed to be free overnight too and they said ALL BUSES are free from 1-5AM (Boarded the 4:30AM from Midtown so this rule still counted). Right now it looks like the MTA is interested in having me attend a hearing for this matter.

Edited by MysteriousBtrain
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Not that I'm surprised by this but this morning while boarding on the SIM1C I realized they still charge passengers the usual $6.75. Contacted the MTA to make sure that the SIM1C was supposed to be free overnight too and they said ALL BUSES are free from 1-5AM (Boarded the 4:30AM from Midtown so this rule still counted). Right now it looks like the MTA is interested in having me attend a hearing for this matter.

All express buses are free overnight from the time you mentioned. Last week I took the 1:45am BxM2 home. Boarded and didn't pay a dime. Driver knew I was waiting since he is in my group, as did the (MTA) because I inquired about where the 1:15 was. I was supposed to be on the 1:15, but someone messed up the run sheets, so the 1:15 was sitting at the terminal thinking he was the 1:45. 

What they were doing on some lines to stop the homeless from riding was asking for ID to show people were essential workers on lines like the X28, but otherwise that's about it. I have business cards on me, so I can just show that and be fine if need be, but I haven't had an issue.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

All express buses are free overnight from the time you mentioned. Last week I took the 1:45am BxM2 home. Boarded and didn't pay a dime. Driver knew I was waiting since he is in my group, as did the (MTA) because I inquired about where the 1:15 was. I was supposed to be on the 1:15, but someone messed up the run sheets, so the 1:15 was sitting at the terminal thinking he was the 1:45. 

What they were doing on some lines to stop the homeless from riding was asking for ID to show people were essential workers on lines like the X28, but otherwise that's about it. I have business cards on me, so I can just show that and be fine if need be, but I haven't had an issue.

Funny enough everyone on my SIM1C besides me paid to get on the bus. Don't know if they realized the bus was free or if the driver hassled them to pay like me. Either way I'm bringing it up during the hearing I should be attending.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Funny enough everyone on my SIM1C besides me paid to get on the bus. Don't know if they realized the bus was free or if the driver hassled them to pay like me. Either way I'm bringing it up during the hearing I should be attending.

They likely just paid out of habit. The SIM1C runs overnight, so you will get lots of regular customers. Staten Island has the construction crew workers that travel at odd hours, so they always get on, among other people that work late or overnight. Some drivers aren't saying anything because they just want to keep it moving.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

They likely just paid out of habit. The SIM1C runs overnight, so you will get lots of regular customers. Staten Island has the construction crew workers that travel at odd hours, so they always get on, among other people that work late or overnight. Some drivers aren't saying anything because they just want to keep it moving.

What a day of MTA incompetence...first, this morning I get on the QM5 which has 7 other people. As you know, since about 1/3 of the seats in the front are roped off, and all the other seats are fairly close together, there isn't that much room for social distancing. We get to Main Street, and a QM6 pulls up. The B/O's make a deal that the 3 passengers on the QM6 transfer to our bus so that the B/O can get paid to take a nice little nap somewhere. So, now we are up to 11 people, which makes it impossible to keep social distance. It is utterly ridiculous that 2 B/Os are getting paid but all passengers need to squeeze onto one bus and put everyone at higher risk for no reason at all!

Then, it gets even better. When I get back to Queens, I get off at Main Street to go into that Key Food on the corner of Union and Main. In the parking lot, there is a woman (who had an MTA vest on her dashboard) literally punching and choking her child, with two other kids screaming for dear life in the back seat. I have never seen something so disturbing in my life. Anyway, I of course pull out my phone to call 911, but then I see an Eagle Team van parked at the corner. I rush over to them, point out what is happening, and the lazy a** says "We aren't PD, you have to call PD." I respond with "are you kidding me?? You have a badge and a uniform, you can at least try to intervene until the real cops get here, you look like a cop and a kid's life may be in real danger." He just ignored me, and instead I had to wait for NYPD to arrive, but by then the mom already left the parking lot; the cops tried to find her, but I highly doubt they did. I know these Eagle Team guys are glorified security guards, but they do have badges and can write tickets, so they have some sort of power. So disappointing to see this. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

What a day of MTA incompetence...first, this morning I get on the QM5 which has 7 other people. As you know, since about 1/3 of the seats in the front are roped off, and all the other seats are fairly close together, there isn't that much room for social distancing. We get to Main Street, and a QM6 pulls up. The B/O's make a deal that the 3 passengers on the QM6 transfer to our bus so that the B/O can get paid to take a nice little nap somewhere. So, now we are up to 11 people, which makes it impossible to keep social distance. It is utterly ridiculous that 2 B/Os are getting paid but all passengers need to squeeze onto one bus and put everyone at higher risk for no reason at all!

Then, it gets even better. When I get back to Queens, I get off at Main Street to go into that Key Food on the corner of Union and Main. In the parking lot, there is a woman (who had an MTA vest on her dashboard) literally punching and choking her child, with two other kids screaming for dear life in the back seat. I have never seen something so disturbing in my life. Anyway, I of course pull out my phone to call 911, but then I see an Eagle Team van parked at the corner. I rush over to them, point out what is happening, and the lazy a** says "We aren't PD, you have to call PD." I respond with "are you kidding me?? You have a badge and a uniform, you can at least try to intervene until the real cops get here, you look like a cop and a kid's life may be in real danger." He just ignored me, and instead I had to wait for NYPD to arrive, but by then the mom already left the parking lot; the cops tried to find her, but I highly doubt they did. I know these Eagle Team guys are glorified security guards, but they do have badges and can write tickets, so they have some sort of power. So disappointing to see this. 

Technically the bus is fine at 11. Not ideal, but you should be able to sit about every other seat without a problem. They are trying keep the express buses at 22-25 tops. Anything over that, the driver should be radioing in for another bus. I had a BxM9 passenger in my group that asked if we could get an earlier bus for them because the first bus is now at 6:15 instead of the usual 4:45am, so we got the (MTA) to start a 5:45am bus despite me being told that the 6:15 wasn't all that crowded. They actually had standees on that first bus one day and they were doubled up other days, so better safe than sorry.

As for the Eagle Team, at least some of them are retired cops, and they are paid well. Don't expect them to do anything more than they are being paid to do, which isn't much to begin with. They spend more time at the Waffles & Dinges cart than they do anything else. lol

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Technically the bus is fine at 11. Not ideal, but you should be able to sit about every other seat without a problem. They are trying keep the express buses at 22-25 tops. Anything over that, the driver should be radioing in for another bus. I had a BxM9 passenger in my group that asked if we could get an earlier bus for them because the first bus is now at 6:15 instead of the usual 4:45am, so we got the (MTA) to start a 5:45am bus despite me being told that the 6:15 wasn't all that crowded. They actually had standees on that first bus one day and they were doubled up other days, so better safe than sorry.

As for the Eagle Team, at least some of them are retired cops, and they are paid well. Don't expect them to do anything more than they are being paid to do, which isn't much to begin with. They spend more time at the Waffles & Dinges cart than they do anything else. lol

HAHAH! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Via Garibaldi 8 The 3:41AM BxM4 that was supposed to be departing Grand Concourse and E 158th St to midtown was a no show. Complained to MTA once again and as I type this there are NO BxM4 buses tracking except two buses that lliterally just left about 10 minutes ago (no buses tracked prior to that). I'd also like to note that I saw an uptown BxM4 bus pass me a couple minutes ago but the driver put up a sign that said "BxM4 Via Major Degan Express" and because of that I could not find that uptown BxM4 on the concourse (where I'm currently typing this) even though it did indeed run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/21/2020 at 10:28 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

....but then I see an Eagle Team van parked at the corner. I rush over to them, point out what is happening, and the lazy a** says "We aren't PD, you have to call PD."

YGBFKM.... Where is that energy for when they're bumrushing SBS buses like they're some military faction, when it comes time to prompt passengers for a flimsy ass piece of paper proving payment????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

@Via Garibaldi 8 The 3:41AM BxM4 that was supposed to be departing Grand Concourse and E 158th St to midtown was a no show. Complained to MTA once again and as I type this there are NO BxM4 buses tracking except two buses that lliterally just left about 10 minutes ago (no buses tracked prior to that). I'd also like to note that I saw an uptown BxM4 bus pass me a couple minutes ago but the driver put up a sign that said "BxM4 Via Major Degan Express" and because of that I could not find that uptown BxM4 on the concourse (where I'm currently typing this) even though it did indeed run.

There are still some issues with service. For starters, I know that there were some errors on at least some of the run sheets. For example, I waited for a 1:15am BxM2 last Sunday night. It was a no-show because the driver for that trip had a run sheet that said he was to leave at 1:45am.

Additionally, trips may be missing if they cannot be filled, as all of this work is being done via overtime. I'm not sure if all of the work is being done out of Yonkers Depot, which I'm sure is another problem. I will find out for you though and see what the story is. Usually drivers are told what code to input for the signage. I wonder if there was an issue with that as well.

Another issue is the BxM4 was having issues with homeless people trying to ride back and forth. I haven't heard of any issues recently.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

@Via Garibaldi 8 The 3:41AM BxM4 that was supposed to be departing Grand Concourse and E 158th St to midtown was a no show. Complained to MTA once again and as I type this there are NO BxM4 buses tracking except two buses that lliterally just left about 10 minutes ago (no buses tracked prior to that). I'd also like to note that I saw an uptown BxM4 bus pass me a couple minutes ago but the driver put up a sign that said "BxM4 Via Major Degan Express" and because of that I could not find that uptown BxM4 on the concourse (where I'm currently typing this) even though it did indeed run.

Yes, the work is being split between Eastchester, Quill and Kingsbridge, in addition to Yonkers, so I'm sure that's part of it. Keep me posted if you can't track certain buses. As you know there aren't any official Super Express BxM4 trips anymore, though they do run unofficially if no one is being dropped off along the Concourse.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why hasn't the MTA posted the late-night express bus schedules, such as the X28 and BM2 in Brooklyn?  It's been almost a month!  Do they not have a set schedule?

But at least they posted updates to local bus schedules such as the B15, B8, and B63, which are now running every 10-25 minutes at 4am!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yes, the work is being split between Eastchester, Quill and Kingsbridge, in addition to Yonkers, so I'm sure that's part of it. Keep me posted if you can't track certain buses. As you know there aren't any official Super Express BxM4 trips anymore, though they do run unofficially if no one is being dropped off along the Concourse.

Did the 4:22 AM southbound BxM1 bus run yesterday from 256th St? It never showed on the tracker so I just took the BxM2.

Edited by Lawrence St
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.