BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, aemoreira81 said:

I have to wonder why the MTA went for plug-style rear doors on 9510. Such was typical on the Rapid Transit Series, but the MTA eschewed that option. (NJ Transit went for it.) It would be the first time the MTA went for that on a full-scale production series order (the only other buses in the fleet with that are buses 16-20, the five Proterras).

It's a smart move, as it reduces the likelihood of the doors getting stuck on obstructions (I've been on buses where the doors open and then get caught on garbage cans or polls, and the the B/O has to try and fix it. The plug-style front doors on the MCIs allow them to pull up in tight spaces without issues 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

The worst types of rear doors are definitely the ones on the LFS/LFSAs. I don't know if there were other door options or not, but it's terrible on packed buses. 

[Lawrence St]

25 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

The worst types of rear doors are definitely the ones on the LFS/LFSAs. I don't know if there were other door options or not, but it's terrible on packed buses. 

I agree with this. I can't count how many times I've been smacked in the face with the rear doors on crowded buses before COVID.

[danielhg121]

45 minutes ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

The worst types of rear doors are definitely the ones on the LFS/LFSAs. I don't know if there were other door options or not, but it's terrible on packed buses. 

One thing I will say about the Nova rear doors is that they close pretty quickly and most of the time without fail (assuming bus isn’t packed and the door motors are oiled). The Orions and New Flyers have to wait for the air release and then slowly shut. Even worse is when someone blocks the sensor and the door has to open out. It shaves off seconds in the grand scheme of things lol but it may allow the bus to catch the light. I will admit that the Nova front doors need some work, there’s a significant delay from when the operator moves the handle and the door actually opening. 

[paulrivera]

I noticed today that some of the Bx99 stops now have route maps installed on the Guide-a-Ride boxes. Looks like the 99's are gonna be around for the long haul...

[Lawrence St]

57 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

I noticed today that some of the Bx99 stops now have route maps installed on the Guide-a-Ride boxes. Looks like the 99's are gonna be around for the long haul...

This does bring up a question;

Other transit systems in the US have "night-owl" buses to replace rail service during overnight. In order to save costs on operating trains, why dont we replace the lower ridership used routes with buses instead?

For example; replace the Lefferts Shuttle overnight with the "S - Lefferts Owl" bus.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

1 minute ago, Lawrence St said:

This does bring up a question;

Other transit systems in the US have "night-owl" buses to replace rail service during overnight. In order to save costs on operating trains, why dont we replace the lower ridership used routes with buses instead?

For example; replace the Lefferts Shuttle overnight with the "S - Lefferts Owl" bus.

Most people which use the Lefferts Shuttle will end up transferring to the . It'll make it even more inconvenient if they have to take a bus to/from the Lefferts Shuttle. 

 

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, paulrivera said:

I noticed today that some of the Bx99 stops now have route maps installed on the Guide-a-Ride boxes. Looks like the 99's are gonna be around for the long haul...

Haven’t spotted in Manhattan and Brooklyn just yet. However, I bet those guide-a-rides are coming. 

[Lex]

2 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

This does bring up a question;

Other transit systems in the US have "night-owl" buses to replace rail service during overnight. In order to save costs on operating trains, why dont we replace the lower ridership used routes with buses instead?

For example; replace the Lefferts Shuttle overnight with the "S - Lefferts Owl" bus.

Then why not simply give the Q112 24-hour service? At least that would be more useful than trying to merely bustitute an overnight shuttle that'll only dive between Lefferts Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard.

[1train2255railfan]

5 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

This does bring up a question;

Other transit systems in the US have "night-owl" buses to replace rail service during overnight. In order to save costs on operating trains, why dont we replace the lower ridership used routes with buses instead?

For example; replace the Lefferts Shuttle overnight with the "S - Lefferts Owl" bus.

This idea/concept reminds me of the "Blue Night" system which the TTC has in place 

[Kurtis]

4 hours ago, Lex said:

Then why not simply give the Q112 24-hour service? At least that would be more useful than trying to merely bustitute an overnight shuttle that'll only dive between Lefferts Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard.

Costs wouldn’t be cut back if you discontinue the Liberty Avenue Shuttle  train and substitute with 24-hour Q112 service.

[Ultimategamer12c]

#6809 and #6840 from Eny Depot is at Eastchester I assume for storage now.

[Iron Valiant]

Hard to keep track which ones are at East New York, Fresh Pond, and Zerega/Eastchester.

[Lex]

9 hours ago, Kurtis said:

Costs wouldn’t be cut back if you discontinue the Liberty Avenue Shuttle  train and substitute with 24-hour Q112 service.

But they would be by bustituting the shuttle? How?

[Jdog14]

11 hours ago, Lex said:

But they would be by bustituting the shuttle? How?

 

Cause now the money spent running the train is running the bus. 

[Lex]

7 minutes ago, Jdog14 said:

 

Cause now the money spent running the train is running the bus. 

Then just give the Q112 24-hour service. That would be more effective than mere bustitution, especially since it would do something about the branch's range.

[Kurtis]

1 hour ago, Lex said:

Then just give the Q112 24-hour service. That would be more effective than mere bustitution, especially since it would do something about the branch's range.

Leave the current service pattern as it already is. The shuttle train connecting Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard is superior to a Q112 running on 1-hour headways overnight. If you miss a Q112 departing Rockaway Boulevard by 30 seconds, you're going to be really tight knowing that you now have to wait an hour for the next one. That's a huge annoyance, especially if you're trying to get home from work at 3:00 AM.

[NBTA]

24 minutes ago, Kurtis said:

Leave the current service pattern as it already is. The shuttle train connecting Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard is superior to a Q112 running on 1-hour headways overnight. If you miss a Q112 departing Rockaway Boulevard by 30 seconds, you're going to be really tight knowing that you now have to wait an hour for the next one. That's a huge annoyance, especially if you're trying to get home from work at 3:00 AM.

Not if the owl service runs every 15-20 minutes, and runs to Jamaica.

[Kurtis]

12 minutes ago, NBTA said:

Not if the owl service runs every 15-20 minutes, and runs to Jamaica.

There is no demand for there to be buses running back and forth along Liberty Avenue going all the way out to Jamaica at such a high frequency. Like I said before, you're not saving the operating budget by substituting the shuttle train with 24/7 Q112 bus service or these hypothetical owl trips...

[Lex]

1 hour ago, Kurtis said:

There is no demand for there to be buses running back and forth along Liberty Avenue going all the way out to Jamaica at such a high frequency. Like I said before, you're not saving the operating budget by substituting the shuttle train with 24/7 Q112 bus service or these hypothetical owl trips...

I think there's a misunderstanding here.

I'm not in favor of scrapping the overnight shuttle just to run a bunch of buses, but if that were to happen, I'd just give the Q112 24-hour service and call it a day.

[QM1to6Ave]

3rd Ave between 55th and 56th is like a death trap for exp buses...just yesterday, there was another fender bender between an MCI (from YON, I believe, I think bus 3355 or something close to that) and a car that was merging. That island in the middle of third ave with multiple merging spots is just asking for trouble. I've been on two different CP buses that got into similar fender benders. 

[Lawrence St]

13 hours ago, Lex said:

I think there's a misunderstanding here.

I'm not in favor of scrapping the overnight shuttle just to run a bunch of buses, but if that were to happen, I'd just give the Q112 24-hour service and call it a day.

A bunch of buses? At max you only need two shuttle buses...

[Lex]

57 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

A bunch of buses? At max you only need two shuttle buses...

Yes, because the physical number of buses used at one time is the issue.

[trainfan22]

Nice diversity on the shuttle today. Every borough except Manhattan is working the shuttle today, even CP and LGA!

Got an LFS from SI, nice.

[B35 via Church]

On 11/12/2020 at 5:11 PM, Lex said:

Then why not simply give the Q112 24-hour service? At least that would be more useful than trying to merely bustitute an overnight shuttle that'll only dive between Lefferts Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard.

The simple answer is because the Q112 does nothing for you, west of Rockaway Blvd.

I get your general premise & generally agree with it (east of Rockaway blvd. anyway, in regards to saving money & being effective with such a service past Lefferts)... However, I would go with running Q41's overnight b/w Rockaway Blvd. & Jamaica proper.... The mileage east of 127th would be better spent directly connecting people to LIRR Jamaica/Sutphin blvd. & Jamaica Ctr. (like, with the Q24).... I mean yeah, bustituting the Lefferts shuttle would save more money over running the Lefferts shuttle (train) itself - but people are seeking service past Lefferts/Liberty (which is where you get those Q10 riders descending from the subway riding up towards QB during that hour for the Q24/54/56 or whatever)...

3 hours ago, Lex said:

Yes, because the physical number of buses used at one time is the issue.

That Lefferts shuttle operated every 20 mins... How often would you have these hypothetical Q112's running?