Overnight Essential Bus Service Plan

[B35 via Church]

11 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

The BM3 is not running tonight. There's no advisory on the MTA website at all (it just refers to it as "Good Service"). However, there's nothing on bustime right now. 

So it's gotten to the point where no service is "good service".... Wow.

[Lil 57]

I think that at this point most (if not all) people that relied on the BM3 overnight has switched to alternative methods whether its taking another bus, using a ride hauling service or just straight up driving. I wouldn't be surprised if the  formally eliminates the BM3 overnight soon due to "very low ridership".

[Bay Ridge Express]

Step 1: Label the new service as a "service change"

Step 2: Consistently keep the service change

Step 3: Let people get used to it and make them forget about the old service pattern, dubbing the new service as "good service"

[Lil 57]

No BM3 running tonight either, i'm not surprised.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

3 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

No BM3 running tonight either, i'm not surprised.

They're getting an earful on social media. They have more of the service not running than running. Just bring back the damn subway if they can't do any better. Ridiculous.  They created these unrealistic schedules that have been a disaster. 

Edited June 22, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Via Garibaldi 8]

On 6/11/2020 at 2:34 AM, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Lots of bus routes are operating less frequent than scheduled tonight, primarily the Bronx expresses. They might have wanted to list the BxM1 too but listed the BxM11 twice, or the BxM1 is not a part of this and they listed the BxM11 twice. IDK for sure, but I'm guessing it's the former.

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:19AM

B62 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

 

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:17AM

BxM7 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:15AM

BxM4 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:13AM

BxM11 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:13AM

BxM11 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/11/2020  1:10AM

BxM2 buses are scheduled to run approx every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently.\

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential employee and need to travel. 

I gave them an earful last Sunday after they claimed that the BxM2 would be running regularly.  I waited about an HOUR. Then after I complained,  they send TWO local buses at once to me with "SUBWAY SHUTTLE" on them. Driver pulls up, opens his front door and asks where I was going. I said you're not the bus I need, not realizing that he was indeed the BxM2. Then he explained that he was the BxM2 and he was just covering the trip. None of those buses of course were trackable, and there was no sign showing what these buses were. Passengers running from bus to bus before they took off asking what they were. Driver literally had a sheet in his hand with the stops, etc. I spoke with some people about it privately and was promised they would at least get signs up on the buses. Unreal that they are scrambling like this weeks into the service. The problem now is that they have gone back to regular service during the day, so more drivers don't want the overnight work because they have their regular work. Either that or you can't work but so many hours in one day, so obviously the regular work gets done before any OT overnight work.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

15 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I gave them an earful last Sunday after they claimed that the BxM2 would be running regularly.  I waited about an HOUR. Then after I complained,  they send TWO local buses at once to me with "SUBWAY SHUTTLE" on them. Driver pulls up, opens his front door and asks where I was going. I said you're not the bus I need, not realizing that he was indeed the BxM2. Then he explained that he was the BxM2 and he was just covering the trip. None of those buses of course were trackable, and there was no sign showing what these buses were. Passengers running from bus to bus before they took off asking what they were. Driver literally had a sheet in his hand with the stops, etc. I spoke with some people about it privately and was promised they would at least get signs up on the buses. Unreal that they are scrambling like this weeks into the service. The problem now is that they have gone back to regular service during the day, so more drivers don't want the overnight work because they have their regular work. Either that or you can't work but so many hours in one day, so obviously the regular work gets done before any OT overnight work.

There's the same problem on the Q60. Some of those buses are displaying "SUBWAY SHUTTLE" instead of the Q60 destination signs, specifically the artics that they're running. How is anyone along the shared portions with other routes going to discern which one is which? If one of those Q60s show up in Sunnyside, people aren't going to know where it's a Q60 or Q32 unless they ask inside. What's worse is that those buses are MTABC buses too, and they're purposely not signing them up as Q60s for some reason, when all those buses should have the codes for the Q60. There's no paper sign or anything on the exterior of the bus that indicates that it's a Q60. 

Now, those buses are trackable, but because the buses don't bother showing the actual route and destination. For the more savvy, you have to go and find out the specific bus number and make sure to match the bus number for when it shows up. Because since bustime doesn't tell you directly, anyone can think that it's not their bus when it indeed is. IDK why they're doing that stupid shit. The buses have destination signs for a reason, and then they don't use it properly. 

Edited June 23, 2020 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[B35 via Church]

16 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I gave them an earful last Sunday after they claimed that the BxM2 would be running regularly.  I waited about an HOUR. Then after I complained,  they send TWO local buses at once to me with "SUBWAY SHUTTLE" on them. Driver pulls up, opens his front door and asks where I was going. I said you're not the bus I need, not realizing that he was indeed the BxM2. Then he explained that he was the BxM2 and he was just covering the trip. None of those buses of course were trackable, and there was no sign showing what these buses were. Passengers running from bus to bus before they took off asking what they were. Driver literally had a sheet in his hand with the stops, etc. I spoke with some people about it privately and was promised they would at least get signs up on the buses. Unreal that they are scrambling like this weeks into the service. The problem now is that they have gone back to regular service during the day, so more drivers don't want the overnight work because they have their regular work. Either that or you can't work but so many hours in one day, so obviously the regular work gets done before any OT overnight work.

It's one thing to use the local fleet on express buses, but to compound the problem (and spoof the public) by signing them as Subway Shuttles???? I get that these are abnormal times, but that's still no excuse for handling things this sloppily...

1 hour ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

There's the same problem on the Q60. Some of those buses are displaying "SUBWAY SHUTTLE" instead of the Q60 destination signs, specifically the artics that they're running. How is anyone along the shared portions with other routes going to discern which one is which? If one of those Q60s show up in Sunnyside, people aren't going to know where it's a Q60 or Q32 unless they ask inside. What's worse is that those buses are MTABC buses too, and they're purposely not signing them up as Q60s for some reason, when all those buses should have the codes for the Q60. There's no paper sign or anything on the exterior of the bus that indicates that it's a Q60. 

Now, those buses are trackable, but because the buses don't bother showing the actual route and destination. For the more savvy, you have to go and find out the specific bus number and make sure to match the bus number for when it shows up. Because since bustime doesn't tell you directly, anyone can think that it's not their bus when it indeed is. IDK why they're doing that stupid shit. The buses have destination signs for a reason, and then they don't use it properly. 

..and you can only get so close to the driver anyway, with a-third of the damn bus blocked off.

Even if they were subway shuttles, what subway line is it supposed to be substituting (and for how far along the line is service being supplied for)? Signing buses as subway shuttles w/o any public notice IMO, is starting to show that they really/ultimately want to do *whatever* with these buses running overnight.... I don't like the direction this is heading....

 

[Lex]

1 hour ago, B35 via Church said:

It's one thing to use the local fleet on express buses, but to compound the problem (and spoof the public) by signing them as Subway Shuttles???? I get that these are abnormal times, but that's still no excuse for handling things this sloppily...

..and you can only get so close to the driver anyway, with a-third of the damn bus blocked off.

Even if they were subway shuttles, what subway line is it supposed to be substituting (and for how far along the line is service being supplied for)? Signing buses as subway shuttles w/o any public notice IMO, is starting to show that they really/ultimately want to do *whatever* with these buses running overnight.... I don't like the direction this is heading....

 

Something tells me that the buses used in that particular case lack the proper codes.

They'd still need to stick some papers in, though...

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Tonight's changes:

 

NO SCHEDULED SERVICE

BM3 bus service is suspended between 1 AM until 5 AM as we work to provide as much service with the crews available to us.

For travel alternatives, see mta.info

 

DETOURS  Posted: 06/22/2020 10:35PM

Uptown M1, M2, M3, M4, BxM3, BxM4, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9, BxM10, and BxM11 buses are detoured because of construction on Madison Ave and 58th St.

While detoured buses are making stops on First Ave from 57th St and resuming their regular route on Madison Ave and 72nd St. 

DETOURS  Posted: 06/22/2020 10:29PM

M9, M15, M15-SBS and M23-SBS buses are detoured because of road work on First Ave between 14th St and 23rd St.

Bellevue Hospital-bound M9 buses are making requested stops on 23rd St and resuming their regular route on First Ave. 

East Harlem-bound M15, M15-SBS and Chelsea Piers-bound M23-SBS buses are making requested stops on Third Ave from 14th St to 23rd St. 

DETOURS  Posted: 06/22/2020 10:13PM

Uptown M101, M102, and M103 buses are detoured because of road work on Third Ave between 57th St and 72nd St.

While detoured buses are making requested stops on First Ave and resuming their regular route on Third Ave and 72nd St. 

 

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/23/2020  1:19AM

BX15 buses are scheduled to run approximately every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently. 

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential worker and need to travel. 

[Future ENY OP]

4 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

NO SCHEDULED SERVICE

BM3 bus service is suspended between 1 AM until 5 AM as we work to provide as much service with the crews available to us.

Can the  scrap the BM3 overnight service. Obviously this is the 12th or 13th day. I cant keep count on this that the service is being scrapped for the night. 

[Lil 57]

10 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Can the  scrap the BM3 overnight service. Obviously this is the 12th or 13th day. I cant keep count on this that the service is being scrapped for the night. 

IIRC the  didn’t do another pick since January. When the  was running Sunday service on every line, there were more B/Os available to do overtime so the overnight service was alright since more B/Os were willing to do overtime. Now with all lines running weekday service there are less B/Os willing to do overtime which leads to unpredictable service cuts overnight. If the  did a pick when the city started to reopen and included the overnight service as regular runs, things would probably be much better now.

[Lil 57]

And the BM3 is not running again, what a surprise 🙄

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Tonight's service changes:

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/24/2020  1:35AM

BM2 buses are scheduled to run approximately every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently. 

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential worker and need to travel.

 

NO SCHEDULED SERVICE

BM3 bus service is suspended between 1 AM until 5 AM as we work to provide as much service with the crews available to us.

For travel alternatives, see mta.info

 

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/24/2020  1:31AM

BX19 buses are scheduled to run approximately every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently. 

Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential worker and need to travel.

 

SERVICE CHANGE  Posted: 06/24/2020  1:27AM

Q22 buses are scheduled to run approximately every 30 minutes from 1am to 5am while the subway is closed for cleaning, but tonight, they will run less frequently. 

Consider taking the Q35, QM17 or Q53-SBS buses. Visit mta.info/overnight if you are an essential worker and need to travel. 

[MysteriousBtrain]

 

Beginning June 28:

Because ridership has been low we’ll be discontinuing 1-5 a.m. service on the BM3 (yes they finally made it "official"), BxM1, BxM2, BxM11, QM6, X28, X68. During that time you can use other bus service or book a for-hire ride with the Essential Connector program. 

These bus routes will, however, continue to operate during normal weekday hours.  The X68 will begin operating at 4 a.m.

For each route, we've listed other routes you can use overnight:

BM3: B68, BM2   

BxM1: Bx10   

BxM2: Bx10   

BxM11: Bx39   

QM6: Q46, Q60   

X28: B1, B6, B36, B82   

X68 Manhattan bound (not operating from 1-4 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60  

X68 Queens bound (not operating 1-5 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60 

[Lil 57]

2 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

 

Beginning June 28:

Because ridership has been low we’ll be discontinuing 1-5 a.m. service on the BM3 (yes they finally made it "official"), BxM1, BxM2, BxM11, QM6, X28, X68. During that time you can use other bus service or book a for-hire ride with the Essential Connector program. 

These bus routes will, however, continue to operate during normal weekday hours.  The X68 will begin operating at 4 a.m.

For each route, we've listed other routes you can use overnight:

BM3: B68, BM2   

BxM1: Bx10   

BxM2: Bx10   

BxM11: Bx39   

QM6: Q46, Q60   

X28: B1, B6, B36, B82   

X68 Manhattan bound (not operating from 1-4 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60  

X68 Queens bound (not operating 1-5 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60 

“Low Ridership”, you mean, not running the buses properly so people just give up on using them and use alternative methods.

With the exception of the BM3 the alternatives for all of the other lines tell you to take local buses that for the most part don’t go into Manhattan. The core reason why people would take the express bus is to get to Manhattan. Like how is the Bx39 going to bring me to Midtown?

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

2 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

 

Beginning June 28:

Because ridership has been low we’ll be discontinuing 1-5 a.m. service on the BM3 (yes they finally made it "official"), BxM1, BxM2, BxM11, QM6, X28, X68. During that time you can use other bus service or book a for-hire ride with the Essential Connector program. 

These bus routes will, however, continue to operate during normal weekday hours.  The X68 will begin operating at 4 a.m.

For each route, we've listed other routes you can use overnight:

BM3: B68, BM2   

BxM1: Bx10   

BxM2: Bx10   

BxM11: Bx39   

QM6: Q46, Q60   

X28: B1, B6, B36, B82   

X68 Manhattan bound (not operating from 1-4 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60  

X68 Queens bound (not operating 1-5 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60 

So now, Inwood residents at night would have to travel into the Bronx and transfer up to twice just to reach Washington Heights, if they take the bus. If they're gonna discontinue both of the Riverdale express routes, they could have at least replaced it with the Bx7 for the sake of coverage and to make it easier for riders to get into Manhattan, but of course not. 

I can see why they eliminated the QM6, since the Q46 is operating on the enhanced service the Q60 then runs into Manhattan (and if one needs to go further into Midtown, transfer in Sunnyside to the Q32). While it's not the same, it is doable. However, the X68 does serve the Hillside Ave routes and I think that route should have been maintained. Of the people I've seen use the QM6, most are getting off along Queens Boulevard. So the X68 could have covered those and SE Queens riders with no problem. 

[R10 2952]

1 hour ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

So now, Inwood residents at night would have to travel into the Bronx and transfer up to twice just to reach Washington Heights, if they take the bus. If they're gonna discontinue both of the Riverdale express routes, they could have at least replaced it with the Bx7 for the sake of coverage and to make it easier for riders to get into Manhattan, but of course not. 

Exactly- MTA telling BxM1/2 riders to take the Bx10 is basically them telling the riders to go f-ck themselves.

[MysteriousBtrain]

8 minutes ago, R10 2952 said:

Exactly- MTA telling BxM1/2 riders to take the Bx10 is basically them telling the riders to go f-ck themselves.

@Via Garibaldi 8 any thoughts about the express changes (I definitely am curious about your thoughts on the BxM1/2 change)

[checkmatechamp13]

7 hours ago, R10 2952 said:

Exactly- MTA telling BxM1/2 riders to take the Bx10 is basically them telling the riders to go f-ck themselves.

 

11 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

With the exception of the BM3 the alternatives for all of the other lines tell you to take local buses that for the most part don’t go into Manhattan. The core reason why people would take the express bus is to get to Manhattan. Like how is the Bx39 going to bring me to Midtown?

They should've listed the full alternatives.

For the BxM1/2, the BxM4 connects to the Bx10.

For the BxM11, the Bx39 connects to the BxM7 (which is making stops on Bruckner Blvd overnight)

For the X28, the B6/82 connect to the BM2 (though the B82 is a super backtrack). As crazy as it sounds, for those near the last pickup stop, the best bet might be to backtrack with the S53 to the SIM1C. (Supposedly the BM2 is making a stop by the Prospect Avenue station, which you can come close to with the B63 but my understanding is the buses are bypassing it in practice). 

[Lil 57]

48 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

For the X28, the B6/82 connect to the BM2 (though the B82 is a super backtrack). As crazy as it sounds, for those near the last pickup stop, the best bet might be to backtrack with the S53 to the SIM1C. (Supposedly the BM2 is making a stop by the Prospect Avenue station, which you can come close to with the B63 but my understanding is the buses are bypassing it in practice). 

Thinking about that, do you think that the SIM1C should make a stop in Bay Ridge overnight? (similar to what the X17C did on weekends.) It could give the X28 riders by Bay Ridge a direct trip to the city and most other X28 riders can take transfer to/from the B1 in Bay Ridge since most of the X28 route is a few blocks from the B1.

[Future ENY OP]

13 hours ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

 

Beginning June 28:

Because ridership has been low we’ll be discontinuing 1-5 a.m. service on the BM3 (yes they finally made it "official"), BxM1, BxM2, BxM11, QM6, X28, X68. During that time you can use other bus service or book a for-hire ride with the Essential Connector program. 

These bus routes will, however, continue to operate during normal weekday hours.  The X68 will begin operating at 4 a.m.

For each route, we've listed other routes you can use overnight:

BM3: B68, BM2   

BxM1: Bx10   

BxM2: Bx10   

BxM11: Bx39   

QM6: Q46, Q60   

X28: B1, B6, B36, B82   

X68 Manhattan bound (not operating from 1-4 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60  

X68 Queens bound (not operating 1-5 a.m.): Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, and Q60 

I'm a bit surprised that they didn't mention the B49.. The 49 runs overnight and is somewhat parallel with the BM2 stop for Foster Avenue. Not too far of a backtrack

[MysteriousBtrain]

26 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

Thinking about that, do you think that the SIM1C should make a stop in Bay Ridge overnight? (similar to what the X17C did on weekends.) It could give the X28 riders by Bay Ridge a direct trip to the city and most other X28 riders can take transfer to/from the B1 in Bay Ridge since most of the X28 route is a few blocks from the B1.

That would work.

(Except they decided to discontinue free rides on Staten Island buses aka SIM1C service)

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

One thing I'm wondering is whether the X68 service will operate daily or will service start at 4 AM on weekdays only. It would be kinda pointless to run the X68 uni-directional for three trips on weekends if that's the case. 

44 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

 

They should've listed the full alternatives.

For the BxM1/2, the BxM4 connects to the Bx10.

For the BxM11, the Bx39 connects to the BxM7 (which is making stops on Bruckner Blvd overnight)

The problem is the Bx10 is not timed for the BxM4, as the former operates every 40 minutes, and the latter every 30 minutes. Although that is an alternative, it is not very useful as you could miss either bus or have to wait quite a while for a bus. That's why I stated before that the Bx7 should operate. At 168th, you have the M2 and M3 as options, which individually both operate more frequent than the BxM4. It's not ideal, but it's much better than Bx10 to the BxM4 (or vice-versa). If needed, have any Bronx or Manhattan depot necessary cover the Bx7 (since it's OT). 

1 hour ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

 

For the X28, the B6/82 connect to the BM2 (though the B82 is a super backtrack). As crazy as it sounds, for those near the last pickup stop, the best bet might be to backtrack with the S53 to the SIM1C. (Supposedly the BM2 is making a stop by the Prospect Avenue station, which you can come close to with the B63 but my understanding is the buses are bypassing it in practice). 

I did not know they were making a stop there until I checked bustime on my laptop, which is a problem.  The MTA posted the enhanced timetables separately from the standard timetable list at first, so there were two timetables up simulatenously. The enhanced timetables had the entirely list of overnight pickups and dropoffs. A while ago, they got rid of the enhanced timetables, and never updated the borough list, so they direct to the old schedules.  So people potentially didn't know about these extra stops which may have helped them, and they're confused on whether service runs during the overnight. On Trip Planner, the express bus option is unchecked by default, and you can't really find stops out too easily on the mobile version of bustime or with the app. 

38 minutes ago, Lil 57 said:

Thinking about that, do you think that the SIM1C should make a stop in Bay Ridge overnight? (similar to what the X17C did on weekends.) It could give the X28 riders by Bay Ridge a direct trip to the city and most other X28 riders can take transfer to/from the B1 in Bay Ridge since most of the X28 route is a few blocks from the B1.

With the X28 overnight service being discontinued, I personally believe that should be done as a substitute. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight there's only one service change:

 

SUSPENDED  Posted: 06/25/2020  7:59PM

BM3 bus service is suspended tonight between the hours of 1AM-5AM as we work to provide as much service with the crews available to us.See mta.info for alternatives.

 

[Bay Ridge Express]

1 hour ago, Lil 57 said:

Thinking about that, do you think that the SIM1C should make a stop in Bay Ridge overnight? (similar to what the X17C did on weekends.) It could give the X28 riders by Bay Ridge a direct trip to the city and most other X28 riders can take transfer to/from the B1 in Bay Ridge since most of the X28 route is a few blocks from the B1.

So, as a Bay Ridge resident, I'll give my opinion. Most of the time (not overnight), able riders can easily take the  to get to Manhattan, though often times people take the X27/X28/X37/X38 to get there (if either they live in those transit deserts, can't walk all the way down/upstairs for the subway, or just want to take the bus instead for some sightseeing). However, these rides are very infrequently scheduled and often times I'd see suggestions from my travel apps to take the S53/S79 to SI and transfer to a SIM since they are much more frequent and there are a lot more options. I personally would love to see 1-2 SIMs stop at Bay Ridge, provided that they aren't too far from the subway (lest this was overnight) but not too far from the outskirts (going into Dyker Heights) of the neighborhood either. I understand the willingness to not want to escape Gatling/Dahlgren Pl, though I do think at least overnight there could be some connection to 4-5 Avs to make up for the . Essentially, however, yes, the SIM1C should stop in Bay Ridge overnight.

Edited June 26, 2020 by Bay Ridge Express