BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

2 hours 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..

The Q58 was at Grand Avenue back in 2019, which was what he was referring to. Towards the summer they started showing up on the Q58 fairly often, from what I recall. 

5 hours 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.  

Personally I hate those seats, it feels like you're gonna fall off if the bus suddenly stops or brakes too fast. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[Ultimategamer12c]

As of today 7858 from FP has started service on the B20  and 7856 is on the B26.

Edited May 13, 2022 by Ultimategamer12c

[NBTA]

7 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

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

They were on the 58 for a year, I remember, I have a pic of it from two years ago before the eventual swap.

[KDGallagher]

What did Tuskeegee have to give up to get the M125? 

[Kingsbridgeviewer382]

1 hour ago, KDGallagher said:

What did Tuskeegee have to give up to get the M125? 

From what @SevenEleven posted in the Bronx Bus Redesign thread, all routes will be kept in their current depots so Tuskegee is not losing any routes when the M125 is introduced in June.

[KDGallagher]

2 hours ago, Kingsbridgeviewer382 said:

From what @SevenEleven posted in the Bronx Bus Redesign thread, all routes will be kept in their current depots so Tuskegee is not losing any routes when the M125 is introduced in June.

They’re just absorbing the extra runs just like that? Wow 

[QM1to6Ave]

Bus 1324 on the QM5 got into an accident today at 57th and 2nd. As i passed it by, the front driver side bumper had a nice chunk dropped off 

[lornaevo]

1 hour ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Bus 1324 on the QM5 got into an accident today at 57th and 2nd. As i passed it by, the front driver side bumper had a nice chunk dropped off 

Traffics was ridiculous on 57th today. I hope everyone involved is safe. 

[Calvin]

With the rain going on recent, the B49 had its select times cancelled. No service leaving Manhattan Beach between 3:30 PM until now. 

[trainfan22]

I fanned the Q4 today, the houses and neighborhoods along Linden Blvd are quite nice. I did an Q84 - Q4 round trip (their east end terminals are within walking distance of one another) a few years ago and I don't remember it being THAT nice lol. That neighborhood is a hidden gem of NYC.

 

 

I got caught in the rain and took an Q77 back to the subway, those XD40s already leak in the rain even though they are not that old, WTF New Flyer. The leak was quite far from the rear air vent so I don't think that was the cause of the leak.

Edited May 15, 2022 by trainfan22

[R32 3838]

4 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

I fanned the Q4 today, the houses and neighborhoods along Linden Blvd are quite nice. I did an Q84 - Q4 round trip (their east end terminals are within walking distance of one another) a few years ago and I don't remember it being THAT nice lol. That neighborhood is a hidden gem of NYC.

 

 

I got caught in the rain and took an Q77 back to the subway, those XD40s already leak in the rain even though they are not that old, WTF New Flyer. The leak was quite far from the rear air vent so I don't think that was the cause of the leak.

 

Yeah The Q4 and Q84 are nice routes to fan on. I have taken pictures of the 1999 RTS when they were brand new on the Q84 but those pictures got lost when i moved.

[RSMG106]

As of right now, 3266 still has the EC sticker, even though it's assigned to Yonkers. There seems to be an goof because they forgot to replace the EC sticker with theirs.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

12 hours ago, RSMG106 said:

As of right now, 3266 still has the EC sticker, even though it's assigned to Yonkers. There seems to be an goof because they forgot to replace the EC sticker with theirs.

Those two depots swap and borrow buses often, more now in the last few years I've rode Eastchester express buses on Yonkers lines and 3266 I have rode recently. Didn't pay attention to the outside though. Stickers are the least of worries right now with manpower shortages to do things like clean the buses, etc.

[RSMG106]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Those two depots swap and borrow buses often, more now in the last few years I've rode Eastchester express buses on Yonkers lines and 3266 I have rode recently. Didn't pay attention to the outside though. Stickers are the least of worries right now with manpower shortages to do things like clean the buses, etc.

The swapping and borrowing is similar to Staten Island's depots. However, the shortages are taking a toll for routes at the MTA. At least 2 weeks ago, the M101 was experiencing less operators, and waited sometime for the bus to arrive to bring me home.

Edited May 17, 2022 by RSMG106

[Future ENY OP]

45 minutes ago, RSMG106 said:

The swapping and borrowing is similar to Staten Island's depots. However, the shortages are taking a toll for routes at the MTA. At least 2 weeks ago, the M101 was experiencing less operators, and waited sometime for the bus to arrive to bring me home.

Yonkers just sent back 3399, and 3436 to Eastchester as short term loans. There are some more units that have Eastchester decals currently at Yonkers.  Tuskegee situation about to get slightly better once they get buses for the M125. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, RSMG106 said:

The swapping and borrowing is similar to Staten Island's depots. However, the shortages are taking a toll for routes at the MTA. At least 2 weeks ago, the M101 was experiencing less operators, and waited sometime for the bus to arrive to bring me home.

I was told recently that they (Yonkers Depot) also have a shortage of staff to do things like cleaning, etc., and it shows. Their buses used to be very clean. Back years ago, they would have B/Os help out with cleaning the buses at the depot. Not sure what's the story these days.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[RSMG106]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I was told recently that they (Yonkers Depot) also have a shortage of staff to do things like cleaning, etc., and it shows. Their buses used to be very clean. Back years ago, they would have B/Os help out with cleaning the buses at the depot. Not sure what's the story these days.

This is a issue. Buses I've seen from Yonkers are clean, but other times, some buses aren't clean. 

[N6 Limited]

While bus lanes help to keep the path clear for buses, the buses still crawl at 20mph (the buses are still slower than traffic). To speed up buses, the city needs to increase the speed limit on arterials to 30mph minimum.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, N6 Limited said:

While bus lanes help to keep the path clear for buses, the buses still crawl at 20mph (the buses are still slower than traffic). To speed up buses, the city needs to increase the speed limit on arterials to 30mph minimum.

The speed limit on City streets is 25 mph for a reason.... You should know this already and why it was lowered from 30 mph.

[paulrivera]

7 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I was told recently that they (Yonkers Depot) also have a shortage of staff to do things like cleaning, etc., and it shows. Their buses used to be very clean. Back years ago, they would have B/Os help out with cleaning the buses at the depot. Not sure what's the story these days.

Yet I've noticed that Gun Hill's been making a bit more of an effort to clean their buses. Not as sparkling as a Quill, but better than they were pre-pandemic.

Holy cow, what a timeline we're in.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

11 minutes ago, paulrivera said:

Yet I've noticed that Gun Hill's been making a bit more of an effort to clean their buses. Not as sparkling as a Quill, but better than they were pre-pandemic.

Holy cow, what a timeline we're in.

Quill is pretty decent, though I have not taken a crosstown bus in some months. I was on a M101 bus on Sunday that had sticky floors. That depot is one of the worst. Buses sound terrible and they are filthy. Don't take the local buses often, but when I do, it has been the M101, M102 or M103 lines.

[Cait Sith]

7 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

While bus lanes help to keep the path clear for buses, the buses still crawl at 20mph (the buses are still slower than traffic). To speed up buses, the city needs to increase the speed limit on arterials to 30mph minimum.

That's not the actual reason as to why they're slow. The speed limit and vision zero does play a role, but it's not the full story.

Depending on the paddles/run/whatever you want to call it, it might give too much time between timepoints for the operator. And with ridership still being on the low end for buses, it doesn't help matters.

I've had many an instance in which I've been on a southbound M5 and we sat at various stops along 5th Avenue for a few minutes because he got to a stop early and had to meet with the timepoints on the paddle. You can cruise along the line at the speed limit and still get to places early, especially if you barely pick up any passengers along the way.

[4P3607]

There are no 68/900 series Orion VIIs in service at the moment. I'll be surprised if any of those units make it in service into June. 

They seem to mostly run during rush hours, although two were out on the Q27 late last night.

[QM1to6Ave]

The BOs at CP must all be in covid quarentine again...tons of missing runs today, it was a real mess in the morning. @Via Garibaldi 8 A QM5 was tracking with 38 passengers on board and then the BO put on the Next Bus Please and bypassed the remaining stops, even though there were empty seats (I visually confirmed that as the bus flew by my stop). The next 6 Ave bus was 10 mins away. Thankfully i was able to take a QM36 for a meeting on the east side today instead 

Edited May 19, 2022 by QM1to6Ave

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

The BOs at CP must all be in covid quarentine again...tons of missing runs today, it was a real mess in the morning. @Via Garibaldi 8 A QM5 was tracking with 38 passengers on board and then the BO put on the Next Bus Please and bypassed the remaining stops, even though there were empty seats (I visually confirmed that as the bus flew by my stop). The next 6 Ave bus was 10 mins away. Thankfully i was able to take a QM36 for a meeting on the east side today instead 

Crazy... Get bus# next time. Still incidents of nonsense like this going on.