BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[checkmatechamp13]

19 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

Out of curiosity do MTA fare boxes accept dollar coins? For those paying in cash, dollar coins would be more manageable.

Also, with the bus redesigns introducing new transfer opportunities, with OMNY, should the MTA 

• Add a 2nd free transfer?
• Unlimited timed transfers (within 2 hours, etc)?
• Charge $0.25 per transfer after the first free transfer?
• (other) _________________________?

I'd say unlimited transfers within 2 hours. Let the riders determine what is the quickest way to make use of the new system.

[Mtatransit]

21 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

I think unlimited free transfers within a time frame (2-3 hours) would be the best option, it allows people who take trips with multiple transfers to use one fare and not have to pay double the fare to get to where they need to go. 

IIRC MUNI allows unlimited free transfers if you tap once between 8:30 PM and 5 AM so that is something the  could look into as well so that people taking longer trips at night don’t have to pay another fare because the card transfer window timed out, especially with the long headways at night.

Agreed, unlimited transfers within 2 and a half hour is a fair deal, especially if the new network force you to transfer multiple times.

 

That being said the unlimited night transfers for MUNI could have more to do with there being no fare inspection officers between 8:30PM to 5AM lol, so they might as well get one fare in instead of making it free.

[DCTransitFilms]

Question. What was Nova Bus 9769 doing in Jersey City today? Saw it running in Jersey City earlier today here:

 

[Jdog14]

1 hour ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Question. What was Nova Bus 9769 doing in Jersey City today? Saw it running in Jersey City earlier today here:

 

 

Looks like a delivery 

[Kingsbridgeviewer382]

15 minutes ago, Jdog14 said:

 

Looks like a delivery 

Most likely heading to the vendor as the bus has been in service in Manhattanville for a few months now.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

On 5/4/2022 at 6:05 PM, N6 Limited said:

Out of curiosity do MTA fare boxes accept dollar coins? For those paying in cash, dollar coins would be more manageable.

I believe they do accept dollar coins, but the plan long-term is to phase out coins on local buses too. The amount of people using coins on local buses is not that high from what I recall. 

Edited May 6, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Calvin]

https://nypost.com/2022/05/08/mta-bus-drivers-can-no-longer-open-back-doors-due-to-fare-evasion/?utm_source=facebook_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons&fbclid=IwAR1hVnZua4j0fc3IJR80CGejWF2_4vQRP29smtdJ7l2DP06xEHU8JBLwx7E
 

Kind of common: In effect this week (although mentioned the 6th), the local and limited bus routes with their buses, the ops are to not open doors automatically. If the people enter through the back, then the op will have the message to say, "Please pay up front". Wonder how that'll turn out, the B35, B41 are a few that I've known of. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by Calvin

[lornaevo]

10 hours ago, Calvin said:

https://nypost.com/2022/05/08/mta-bus-drivers-can-no-longer-open-back-doors-due-to-fare-evasion/?utm_source=facebook_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons&fbclid=IwAR1hVnZua4j0fc3IJR80CGejWF2_4vQRP29smtdJ7l2DP06xEHU8JBLwx7E
 

Kind of common: In effect this week (although mentioned the 6th), the local and limited bus routes with their buses, the ops are to not open doors automatically. If the people enter through the back, then the op will have the message to say, "Please pay up front". Wonder how that'll turn out, the B35, B41 are a few that I've known of. 

Yeah, this isn’t going to go over well. 

[NBTA]

10 hours ago, Calvin said:

https://nypost.com/2022/05/08/mta-bus-drivers-can-no-longer-open-back-doors-due-to-fare-evasion/?utm_source=facebook_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons&fbclid=IwAR1hVnZua4j0fc3IJR80CGejWF2_4vQRP29smtdJ7l2DP06xEHU8JBLwx7E
 

Kind of common: In effect this week (although mentioned the 6th), the local and limited bus routes with their buses, the ops are to not open doors automatically. If the people enter through the back, then the op will have the message to say, "Please pay up front". Wonder how that'll turn out, the B35, B41 are a few that I've known of. 

The Bronx ain’t gonna sit okay with this.

[B35 via Church]

From that article:

Quote

The new directive will ideally force potential fare beaters to enter through the front doors of the bus — and be confronted by the driver if they don’t pay.

There aren't going to be anymore Edwin Thomas (situations).... While you'll get b/o's to comply with not automatically opening the middle & rear doors, they're going to continue not saying shit to those that don't pay.....

[4 via Mosholu]

On 5/8/2022 at 8:10 PM, Calvin said:

https://nypost.com/2022/05/08/mta-bus-drivers-can-no-longer-open-back-doors-due-to-fare-evasion/?utm_source=facebook_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons&fbclid=IwAR1hVnZua4j0fc3IJR80CGejWF2_4vQRP29smtdJ7l2DP06xEHU8JBLwx7E
 

Kind of common: In effect this week (although mentioned the 6th), the local and limited bus routes with their buses, the ops are to not open doors automatically. If the people enter through the back, then the op will have the message to say, "Please pay up front". Wonder how that'll turn out, the B35, B41 are a few that I've known of. 

You can add the Pelham Manor to Norwood 16 to your list as well.

I have seen many of the 16 bus drivers that came from the 12 and 41 Select automatically operate the back door in addition to the front door. The few drivers along the 16 that do not use the back door toggle are those that initially did the 4, 5, 14 (when it was still a bus route), 24, 25 (due to come back), 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, and 40/42; the recent bus driver addition to the 16 came from 100 Street which dispatches the 101, an all day LIMITED route.

[Mtatransit]

Some back door could be open just by pulling it from the outside. I seen it happen first hand. Not sure if its the sensors or the B/O simply wanting to leave faster

This is not going to solve a thing... how about the 90% of the people in Staten Island who ignore the fare box near the front door? Or the hoard of people at Fordham Plaza who board every bus like its SBS, and that there are more people entering through the back then the front? It's not like operators are going to force everyone to exit through the front

Really feel like a sucker day after day seeing others take something for free while you have to pay for it... I'm this close to "if you can't beat them join em". Maybe I should put my Metrocard back in my pocket next time I see the people in front of me not paying. Cause I am sick and tired of the MTA complaining about fare evasion year after year, yet I see no enforcement year after year.

 

Luckily it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue in Northern Queens yet, and people are still civilized in boarding the bus in a single file line. Out in Nassau territory, people in Freeport and Hempstead pay their fare... and the median income is not that different from some SI neighborhood, yet its free for all in SI.

Man... not an advocate for free transit service, but might as well make it free now, cause only the suckers pay now, so might as well treat everyone equally

On 5/9/2022 at 9:09 PM, B35 via Church said:

From that article:

There aren't going to be anymore Edwin Thomas (situations).... While you'll get b/o's to comply with not automatically opening the middle & rear doors, they're going to continue not saying shit to those that don't pay.....

I still see some Queens drivers refuse to move the bus if you don't pay or even underpay... seems to be the only borough I feel like the fare is still somewhat enforced

On 5/8/2022 at 8:10 PM, Calvin said:

If the people enter through the back, then the op will have the message to say, "Please pay up front". 

Someone working in the MTA offices is living in fairy land if they THINK B/O will do this, and that this will work...

"Please pay your fare" God please..

How about have the undercover police do sweeps and start handing out $100 tickets? Would that solution be too hard? Or is this city too "progressive" for that?

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Mtatransit

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, Mtatransit said:

Some back door could be open just by pulling it from the outside. I seen it happen first hand. Not sure if its the sensors or the B/O simply wanting to leave faster

This is not going to solve a thing... how about the 90% of the people in Staten Island who ignore the fare box near the front door? Or the hoard of people at Fordham Plaza who board every bus like its SBS, and that there are more people entering through the back then the front? It's not like operators are going to force everyone to exit through the front

Really feel like a sucker day after day seeing others take something for free while you have to pay for it... I'm this close to "if you can't beat them join em". Maybe I should put my Metrocard back in my pocket next time I see the people in front of me not paying. Cause I am sick and tired of the MTA complaining about fare evasion year after year, yet I see no enforcement year after year.

 

Luckily it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue in Northern Queens yet, and people are still civilized in boarding the bus in a single file line. Out in Nassau territory, people in Freeport and Hempstead pay their fare... and the median income is not that different from some SI neighborhood, yet its free for all in SI.

Man... not an advocate for free transit service, but might as well make it free now, cause only the suckers pay now, so might as well treat everyone equally

I still see some Queens drivers refuse to move the bus if you don't pay or even underpay... seems to be the only borough I feel like the fare is still somewhat enforced

Someone working in the MTA offices is living in fairy land if they THINK B/O will do this, and that this will work...

"Please pay your fare" God please..

How about have the undercover police do sweeps and start handing out $100 tickets? Would that solution be too hard? Or is this city too "progressive" for that?

 

That's pretty much it... The Progressive DAs like the Manhattan DA have already said that they won't prosecute farebeaters, so the NYPD is not going to bother and why should they when they will be deemed as "pigs" and "thugs" for doing their jobs? What we have right now is complete lawlessness and there are people in this City that see nothing wrong with anything going on. When you have lawlessness, you have chaos. I just sit back and look.

You have a moderate Democrat in office now with Adams who is old school and the Progressives are out with their pitchforks saying "I told you so" - that he would "target" people that shouldn't be targeted, like the churros lady that was arrested the other day in the subway station. Well people took issue with that, BUT she admitted that she has a license to sell her food, but not in the subway, yet she does it anyway instead of where she is allowed to sell it, so it's an issue of people wanting to do what they want to and that doesn't work, but when they are called out they yell about how cops are pigs for enforcing what's on the books instead of taking responsibility and it just allows everyone else to think that they can do whatever the hell they want. Don't want to pay the fare? No problem. Want to rob someone on the subway? No problem. You'll be released and on the street hours later to do the same thing.

People make every excuse about why they can't/don't/wan't to pay, despite being able to afford the fare and the "transit should be free crowd" will keep saying that, but the reality is it is not free here. Should be fun to see what happens. Adams has his work cut out for him. Out of control crime on the subways and even on some buses now and it's mostly being created by people that don't pay and then enter the system and commit other more serious crimes.

Edited May 12, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Future ENY OP]

Most drivers don’t want to put themselves in the situation of “please pay your fare”.  The rampant crime that is going on right now in this city is at a all time high and the  is telling its operators to aggressively enforce the fare. Last I checked, every driver wants to come home to their family every night or day when they are on the job.  

If you have  police patrol key bus stop intersections throughout the city and have specialized units in conjunction with the NYPD ride the buses you may see some difference but not a big difference. From observations I’ve only seen MTA police ride the trains between GCT and Atlantic Avenue. So, basically there’s no collaboration between TA/NYPD and MTAPD. (Politicians just talk to talk and not walk the walk) 

 

4 hours ago, Mtatransit said:

Luckily it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue in Northern Queens yet, and people are still civilized in boarding the bus in a single file line. Out in Nassau territory, people in Freeport and Hempstead pay their fare... and the median income is not that different from some SI neighborhood, yet its free for all in SI.

I still see some Queens drivers refuse to move the bus if you don't pay or even underpay... seems to be the only borough I feel like the fare is still somewhat enforced

Someone working in the MTA offices is living in fairy land if they THINK B/O will do this, and that this will work...

"Please pay your fare" God please..

How about have the undercover police do sweeps and start handing out $100 tickets? Would that solution be too hard? Or is this city too "progressive" for that?

 

Queens is really the only borough that enforces fare payment (for the most part). It doesn’t matter if you are on a NYCT or MTA bus. Most drivers in that borough make it their right to enforce or the bus doesn’t move. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

Most drivers don’t want to put themselves in the situation of “please pay your fare”.  The rampant crime that is going on right now in this city is at a all time high and the  is telling its operators to aggressively enforce the fare. Last I checked, every driver wants to come home to their family every night or day when they are on the job.  

If you have  police patrol key bus stop intersections throughout the city and have specialized units in conjunction with the NYPD ride the buses you may see some difference but not a big difference. From observations I’ve only seen MTA police ride the trains between GCT and Atlantic Avenue. So, basically there’s no collaboration between TA/NYPD and MTAPD. (Politicians just talk to talk and not walk the walk) 

 

Queens is really the only borough that enforces fare payment (for the most part). It doesn’t matter if you are on a NYCT or MTA bus. Most drivers in that borough make it their right to enforce or the bus doesn’t move. 

Actually there is nothing anywhere that states that the  is telling its operators to "aggressively enforce the fare", and if there is something that says so, please post the information. It's actually the opposite. Bus operators are told NOT to confront passengers that don't pay. Any driver that decides to do so is doing so on their own. If you're referring to the latest decision by the  to not have bus operators open the backdoor automatically on non SBS local bus lines, passengers can still exit through the backdoor as they have been. The only difference is now they would have to tap the tape to do so. That's the only thing that is changing. Unfortunately, the people that are making such claims have not read the articles before jumping to conclusions. That and the headlines are rather misleading.

Edited May 12, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[IAlam]

Ok so I was on the Q58 today and the bus I was on had Gemini seats today. Probably the first time in years I've been on a bus with those seats. I forgot how much better those seats are compared to those tiny seats we on most buses today. Actual solid back support and my knees weren't rubbing up on the seat ahead of me. I wonder why the MTA didn't adopt theses for their current and future orders, especially considering how the new seats feel so much flimsier too.  

[Calvin]

7 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Ok so I was on the Q58 today and the bus I was on had Gemini seats today. Probably the first time in years I've been on a bus with those seats. I forgot how much better those seats are compared to those tiny seats we on most buses today. Actual solid back support and my knees weren't rubbing up on the seat ahead of me. I wonder why the MTA didn't adopt theses for their current and future orders, especially considering how the new seats feel so much flimsier too.  

I remember being on the B36 with those seats. There's quite a few that's there minus one at Flatbush Depot and most of them are at East New York. But, the comfort on those seats are better when you're at the part that's close to the rear door (left side). 

Edited May 13, 2022 by Calvin

[IAlam]

3 minutes ago, Calvin said:

I remember being on the B36 with those seats. There's quite a few that's there minus one at Flatbush Depot and most of them are at East New York. 

Yeah I'm not sure how one wandered into Flushing but it was definitely a pleasant surprise.

[trainfan22]

As a regular rider of ENY routes, it feels like I get XDE40 more often than the NGs even though ENY has more Orion hybrids than New Flyer hybrids.

 

Also those XDE40s have far more leg room in the last two rows compared to their diesel counterparts. Still can't wait for ENY and FLA to get their new batch of XD40s. What a great time to be an bus rider in Brooklyn 

Edited May 13, 2022 by trainfan22

[Calvin]

5 minutes ago, IAlam said:

Yeah I'm not sure how one wandered into Flushing but it was definitely a pleasant surprise.

They had a few of these after the B1 was converted to using Articulated buses back in the summer-fall 2020. The selected XD-40s were sent to Fresh Pond removing the old gens. The Q58 is out of Fresh Pond but chances vary. 

[IAlam]

1 minute ago, Calvin said:

They had a few of these after the B1 was converted to using Articulated buses back in the summer-fall 2020. The selected XD-40s were sent to Fresh Pond removing the old gens. The Q58 is out of Fresh Pond but chances vary. 

I also miss when the Q58 would get Proterra's probably one of the best interior layouts I've seen on any low floor bus I think it was running out of Grand Ave at the time. 

[Future ENY OP]

2 hours ago, IAlam said:

I also miss when the Q58 would get Proterra's probably one of the best interior layouts I've seen on any low floor bus I think it was running out of Grand Ave at the time. 

Proterras were never at Fresh Pond and Grand Avenue does not have the Q58 currently... I think you meant the Q59..

[GojiMet86]

12 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Proterras were never at Fresh Pond and Grand Avenue does not have the Q58 currently... I think you meant the Q59..

 

IMG_6356 by GojiMet86, on Flickr

[Calvin]

15 minutes ago, GojiMet86 said:

 

IMG_6356 by GojiMet86, on Flickr

Good times, that's when TA thought that the Q58 was going articulated. However, it was the B38 that's on the list. The Q58 was sent back to Fresh Pond after.

28 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Proterras were never at Fresh Pond and Grand Avenue does not have the Q58 currently... I think you meant the Q59..

 

[Future ENY OP]

25 minutes ago, GojiMet86 said:

 

IMG_6356 by GojiMet86, on Flickr

Excellent capture.. Didn't know they made an appearance on the line.