CS: 267, 653, 575, 274, 648, 558, 566, 669, 456, 640, 539, 6127, 227
QV: 9362, 4904, 4906, 9357, 8375, 8385, 9351, 4938, 9376, 9377, 9358, 509, 532
JAM: 9263, 9267, 4558, 4340, 5147, 9551, 9053, 4333, 4568, 5152, 4335, 5151, 5166, 5158, 3469, 9346
I was on these buses across 4 trips. I have comments next to each bus.
4340 south: This bus was not governed, but slick road conditions controlled its speed. This bus had slow acceleration, but did reach 55 miles per hour.
257 north: This bus had good acceleration, and was capped at 55 miles per hour. It was a very crowded bus, and the only one that I had that was crowded.
9351 south: This bus had good acceleration, but was capped at 45 miles per hour.
4568 north: The best ride of the day! This bus had fast acceleration, and reached 55 miles per hour, and was pushing 60, but slower cars in front of this bus slowed down.
456 south: This Brooklyn original, which I had not been on since I went to school in Bay Ridge, was the slowest bus of the day. It was capped at about 38 miles per hour, despite good acceleration. Combined with loud children, this was my worst ride of the day.
9263 north: This was a very quiet ride on a moderately fast bus (seemed capped at 50 mph, but I am not sure). This quiet ride was ruined only by a teen bickering with her parents about four seats back of me. Her parents, that bratty teen, and me in the front seat were the only passengers on this bus.
5158 south: This bus was capped at 40 mph, and the driver got lost coming off the Cross Bay Bridge, going to Beach 87 Street before getting it right.
9351 north: See above.
If anyone else went on the G.O buses, let me know. Otherwise, feel free to comment.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The four buses that were lined up at voorhees ave included
2 9000 series buses from fresh ponds
1 older looking rts from east ny
and miss 7576
What a shock no UP buses and of course no passengers
To add insuklt to injury, the MTA decided it needed to staff the tooken booth at voorhees ave.
5 ta employees standing around doing nothing, no passengers.
I have a news flash, it is raining and cold. Nobody's going to the beach
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com_
I had the pleasure of biking around CI on friday before the ski's opened up. It is nice to see the parachute jump in one piece again
That could be MTA NYCT Traffic Checkers & we will be doing Beach Shuttle Bus every weekends until labor day.
David
The point about doing nothing is that due to the weather, their was no need for all the staffing.
The money would be better spent reducing service in the bad weather and increasing service when it is really needed between late june and late september.
It is my guess that the beach shuttle will end labor day when the beach season at CI realy ends towards the end of september
Id the beach shuttle running out of both entances at sheepshead bay. I saw buses lined up at e14th and sheepshead bay road also
The MTA really knows how to run a sloppy ineffecient operation
David
It is a 5-6 minute ride or less to the beach from sheapsheab bay station
Straight down shore parkway service road to ocean parkway.
Left on ocean parkway, right on surf ave
Map quest driving direction. 6 minutes ride
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?do=rer&2n=KINGS%20COUNTY&1g=BQ7utOu5W3Y%3d&1y=US&2a=Stillwell%20Ave%20%26%20Surf%20Ave&1z=11235&2s=NY&2c=Brooklyn&1l=1aSA7QlAZ6Y%3d&1n=KINGS%20COUNTY&2g=LAbHuXPcYLA%3d&did=1054514595&1a=Voorhies%20Ave%20%26%20Sheepshead%20Bay%20Rd&un=m&2y=US&2z=11224&1s=NY&1c=Brooklyn&2l=V2y7TBZyak0%3d&go=1&ct=NA&r=a
David
As for anticipated volume. In typical MTA fashion they operate the service from day one at max anticipate volume during the busiest period which is a month away.
The fact is the weather forcast called for rain and mid 55 to mid 60's the last two weekend.
Any amature hack could have anticipated lower volume levels.
Based on my experience riding the brighton line, going to the beaches etc. The MTA planning group pulled service levels out thier ass. A full beach train load at the busiest portion of the day would barely fill one RTS up. Having 3-4 buses standing by on the train side and probably an equal numer on the beach side just did not make sense. The bus should opertate as a continous loop.
The buses should come from the nearest depot perion. All drives know how to drive RTS. Importing buses from clear across brooklyn is another huge money waster.
The more I think about it the shuttle should loop from orental blvd manahattan beach with stops at CI ave brighton beach Q stop and teminate where it currently does. It jsut makes sense on many levels
Plus the MTA had multiple dispatchers and ride checkers standing by. all on a rainy day. One driver had his feet up hanging out with the other drivers, the traffic checker and the dispatcher. All three buses sitting at sheepshead bay had thier engines running
David
the problem is MTA proceedures. They need a complete reworking of the bus operations from top to bottom with clear lines of accoutability
The reasons the low level supervisors are up the drivers butt for every little thing is that they don not have anything real do and need to justify there existance
Right now it is a waste, especially when it rains. the service should have been cut back to one bus dooning continuous loop. It is less then 5 min ride each direction
If the MTA wants a dedicated beach shuttle service it should run from oriental blvd(aka brighton beach ave) near manhattan beach to CI and back. Theire is a high capasity bus turnaround point near kingsbourough Community College wher the B49 and B1 turn around. Many people catch the B49 at sheepshead bay station to get to manhattan beach. This would serve two birds with one stone.
Reduce beach crowding on the B49 Bus and end the need for suplimental service.
Provide easy access to CI from the brighton line
Possible encourage some people who now barbeque at manahattan beach to go to the amusements in CI afterwards.
This would truly attract more visitors to CI amusements. The purpose of the shuttle. Personally the brighton beach end of the beach has mpre attractive women. That is where I normally go.
Many families drive to manahttan beach and BBQ in the park area. The free shuttle service running as often as the service levels of the current Q shuttle would incourage some to take a quick ride for a few hours to the amusement park and back.
A dedicated dispatcher would not be needed as there is already a full time dispatcher near stillwell terminal. If you want to get fancy. Combine the F shuttle into one big loop. It can be done rather easily.
A secound option would be to enhance B36 service instead of the beach shuttle. Once again less buses would be needed, the same bennift would be derived plus in bad weather like today, some people would get use of the service instead of having empty idling buses all day. What baffles my mind is that why even send the bus though to CI if noone is aboard. Plus the drivers should shut not let the buses idle endlessly wasting valuable fuel.
I called my state senator today and alerted him of the huge waste of public dollars
All that I am saying is that they could have provided the same as advertised service the past two weekend with the far fewer buses.
Any too bit hack could have.
I understand the whole incentive issue. If you have ever read any of my subtalk posts, I always put a premium on more frequent subway service as an incentive to get people off thier buts and onto the trains. More freqent shorter trains both are cheaper to operate and will provide an incentive to leave the cars at home or get off your butt.
The bettrer touting would have been from oriental blvd manhatan beach via brighon beach ave making stops at the brighton beach subway station. This would provide and incentice in addtion to the subway riders to those who drive and picnick at manahttan beach to jump on the fast free bus shuttle to the amusements
Killing two birds with one stone.
The bettrer touting would have been from oriental blvd manhatan beach via brighon beach ave making stops at the brighton beach subway station. This would provide and incentice in addtion to the subway riders to those who drive and picnick at manahttan beach to jump on the fast free bus shuttle to the amusements
Now I see what you're saying it should just follow the Q train then run via the B1 to Manhattan Beach, hmmm maybe you should write a letter for your suggestion.
I plan on writing the MTA. The bus would also relieve crowding on the B49 which picks up beach traffic heading to manahttan beach.
The MTA may be worried that forces will want them to continue running the manahttan beach to CI shuttle after stillwell re-opens. It would definatly help CI as many people who drive to the beach(you just can carry more) could park at manahattan beach and take the free shuttle to CI for the rides.
The new parking lot at Keyspan park is a boon to CI because it provides parking that people deem safe. Not sure why The aquarium does not open up pay parking on it's vast lots on the weekend
If you've read Harry Potter, you know what this is about... :)
Chuck Greene
I recall seeing pictures from London Transport showing how its double deckers were tested for stability by tilting them at quite a severe angle on a hydraulic table.
The entire issue comes down to whether a triple-decker could have a low-enough center of gravity to prevent it from tipping, as by having a low, thick, concrete floor, which might make it too heavy to operate economically.
Robert
O
If you see Suburban, Olympia Trails or any other Coach USA operator operating a MC9B in the new Coach USA Scheme, its because Coach USA PURCHASED those buses from NJT from the Auction and have distributed them between Suburban and Olympia so far.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
TransiTALK
Short Line has been running at least one 9B recently, still in the old Short Line blue and white paint scheme (75384, I believe).
I was under the impression that the non-NJT companies owned the 9A's and 9B's they had. When they first received these buses in the 1980's, they were leased from NJ to the bus companies for a term of around 15 years for $1.00 per year. When the lease term was up, I believe the bus companies had the option to purchase the buses for some nominal sum. Thus, for at least the past year or two, all of the 9A and 9B Cruisers were owned by the companies themselves.
Strangely, Short Line put a number of 9B's in OWL service with a new orange paint scheme before the lease term was up. I don't know how they got away with that. I believe these 9B's are still running in OWL service.
As for the OWL MC-9Bs, they are all gone, and right before they left, Short Line placed the original numbers back on them!
The only 9B that is in this region that was not NJT purchased was Academy Bus #190. That bus was soley purchased by Academy as for the 6000s and 5000s, those are NJT buses and they are all being turned in for the D4000/D4500s. However as previously stated, Coach USA purchased a handful of some Lakeland and Decamp MC-9Bs at a NJT Auction and placed them into service at Suburban and Olympia. The Suburban units got the full new paint shceme, while the Olympia units are wearing Continental Airlines Wraps.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
TransiTALK
Coach USA Operator
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
check this link: look for the M30 Orion Suburbans here...specifically #151 and 159
Incognito
Thanks,
Glenn
The colors were a darker shade of red, cream, and silver on the roof (with a thin black separation stripe). You can actually see models of similar buses...Corgi made them a few years ago!!
Glenn
By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 1, 2003; Page C01
Government and business leaders are designing an ambitious shuttle bus system to change the way tourists, residents and federal workers navigate central Washington.
The system, called the downtown "Circulator," would have a fleet of 86 eye-catching buses running every five minutes along two east-west routes and two north-south routes, covering the ground from Union Station to Georgetown and from the new Convention Center to the Southwest waterfront. The one-way fare would be 50 cents, the cheapest transportation in downtown Washington.
The idea, planners said, is to make it convenient for an employee at a federal agency near the White House to reach Capitol Hill and for visitors to monument-hop or travel from the Convention Center to a restaurant or hotel in the burgeoning Seventh Street NW corridor.
"We're going after the lunch movement, the tourist movement, the I-got-a-meeting-on-the Hill movement," said Dan Tangherlini, the District's transportation director. "In many ways, much of this service is about marketing mobility to people. You'll be able to walk out there and in five minutes, there will be a very recognizable bus taking you along a recognizable route."
Funding for the project -- estimated at $26 million in capital costs and $9 million in annual operating subsidies -- is uncertain. But Tangherlini is hoping the costs will be split among the District, downtown businesses and the federal government. The system would be phased into service, with the first two routes to be launched next year.
Modeled after systems such as those in Miami and Los Angeles, Washington's Circulator would be simple to understand and use and environmentally benign because they would run on natural gas, its boosters say. A local example of what is planned is the Blue Bus, operated by the Georgetown Business Improvement District, a popular shuttle that runs between the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom and Rosslyn Metro stations.
"We do want a new brand of service, buses that look different, that are easy for people to hop on and hop off -- new buses that are modern in design, bright color, low floors, that don't look like the typical urban bus system," said Patricia E. Gallagher, executive director of the National Capital Planning Commission. The commission is working with the District, the Downtown DC Business Improvement District and Metro to create the system.
"We're trying to get more people on buses and, frankly, people don't like buses," she said. "So how do we do that? We get environmentally friendly buses that are cool to look at, that people will want to get on."
In the process, officials are hoping the shuttle buses will reduce dependence on other vehicles, improving traffic flow around the city's core. Large tour buses, for instance, could drop schoolchildren at the Mall and leave them to tour memorials via the Circulator, instead of hauling them from site to site, said William A. Hanbury, president of the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corp., the city's marketing arm.
"We have a city with some of the most serious traffic congestion problems of any city in the world," he said. "If we want to maintain our stature as a premiere, top-notch destination, we have to look at this solution."
The Circulator could also replace private van service used by 16 federal agencies to ferry thousands of federal workers around the heart of the city, Gallagher said. Those agencies spend $7.5 million a year on van service, she said. About 90 percent of downtown federal employees would work within walking distance of a Circulator route, she said.
Passengers would take 45,000 trips a day on the shuttle system, according to Len N. Foxwell, transportation manager for the Downtown business group, which represents downtown property owners.
Metrobus, the nation's fifth-largest bus system, operates a heavily subsidized, extensive network of 1,500 buses across the District, Maryland and Virginia. But Metrobus is designed as a "long-haul" system, carrying people from the suburbs to the city, Tangherlini said.
"The 32 bus goes from Capitol Hill to Georgetown, but it starts somewhere in Connecticut. . . . It's an enormous line," he said. "It serves a different role and population. We're saying, is there something between the taxicab and the Metrobus? Is there some other flavor of bus that could augment the existing system?"
Tangherlini and others who have reviewed the current system said Metrobus is daunting to newcomers. Comprehensive bus maps are hard to find and are not posted at bus stops or in Metro stations, and the names of the routes often don't suggest their destination.
Metro officials, who have worked on the design of the Circulator project on the assumption that Metro will ultimately operate it, say it will not siphon passengers from Metrobus.
But Tom Mack, owner and general manager of Tourmobile Inc., said there's not enough room in Washington for his tourist buses and the Circulator.
"It will destroy my business," said Mack, whose red, white and blue buses carry tourists around monuments and memorials while offering interpretive narration. The company has held exclusive rights to provide the service under agreements with the National Park Service dating to 1969.
Tourmobile fares for adults range from $6 to $45, depending on the route and duration. In normal times, the Tourmobile runs about 20 buses a day and carries as many as 2 million passengers a year, Mack said. But business has been down about 40 percent since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he said. The Circulator would make a bad business climate even worse, he said, and he plans to fight it on Capitol Hill.
Tangherlini said the Circulator can coexist with the Tourmobile. "I think there are two spaces there," he said. "We'd be happy to work with Mr. Mack to make sure these work together or operate in different ways.
"In this town, it's really easy to stop things; it's really hard to start them. It would be nice to find a way for mutual accommodation."
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
Now here is the kicker, the bus was not a the product GMC. It was a 25’ rear engine rear drive mini bus powered by a large block gasoline fueled Chrysler V8. I have no idea who built the bus but it looked very much like the first Gilligs that RideOn had when it first started operations.
John
If you do not beleive this, try riding the Metrorail lines that really killed off the Downtowner - The Blue and Orange Lines. Also the Red line is an accomplice as well. An example: A "Congressman" takes the Blue/Orange Line from Capitol South to Farragut West to meet his "Lobbyist" for lunch at any of the Power Lunch spots off K st, L St, or M St near Connecticut Ave. Would this "Congressman" use a cramped bus that`ll take 20 minutes, or Metrorail that takes 10 to 12 minutes top? How would they answer that question?
My money would be on Thomas-Dennis-DamilerChrysler-Freightliner-Orion-Setra SLF 200 buses. WMATA seems to have had good luck with them on GEORGE, plus they're decent-looking buses to begin with and they can be dressed up with all kinds of crazy paint schemes. Additionally, the SLFs are available with alternate fuels and in various lengths.
A note: the article states that plans call for 86 buses. Does that seem a little much to anyone else?
-F.
-F.
-F.
THE ORION II IS DEAD!!!! DEAD!!!!!! DEAD!!!!!
I would have made that bigger but I don't know how. I would say the Thomas SLF, they might do better here since Baltimore's streets are pure crap and DC's have gotten better over the past couple years. Being 86 buses they would go with an all 30 foot fleet or a mixture. They might go with some three door artics as well as some 30-40 footers.
VTA retired their 1984 Flxibles in 1997 when the first batch of Gillig Phantoms arrived in 1997 while AC Transit and Samtrans both still have 1984 Gilligs on street today.
The service area, # of passengers, # of routes and fleet size of the combination of AC Transit + Samtrans + VTA are no doubt bigger than WMATA.
From Gilroy (Southern part of the South Bay) to Richmond (the Northern part of the East Bay)
VTA 68 + VTA 180 + AC Transit 211 + AC Transit 99 + AC Transit 82L + AC Transit 72/73 would require (1.5h + 1.0h + 0.25h + 0.5h + 1.5h + 1.25h = 6.0 hours) on the 85-mile corridor.
From Gilroy(Southern part of the South Bay) to San Francisco (the Northern part of the SF)
VTA 68 + VTA 22 + Samtrans KX (1.5h + 1.5h + 1.5h = 4.5 hours) on the 83-mile corridor.
...and most of these routes are still served by Gillig buses (the 1984 buses can be mostly found on KX, 99, 82L) today.....
Aaaaaaaaand you're WRONG. I'm not doing this to be an a$$hole, but rather as an attempt to keep misinformation off this board. Also, I'll add that I, for one, appreciate your use of non-East Coast transit examples.
The service area,
This is the only category where AC, samtrans, and VTA even come close. WMATA's service area is close to 1600 square miles. They serve an entire metropolitan region with almost 4 million people.
# of passengers
Your three examples are small potatoes compared to WMATA. metrobus carries in excess of 550,000 riders per day. Compare that to about 250,000 per day for AC Transit and maybe 120,000 apiece for the bus systems of the other two.
# of routes
I'm not gonna dig up my maps from AC, samtrans, and VTA, but WMATA has almost 400 individual bus routes. Not many systems (or even combinations of systems) can top that.
fleet size
725 (AC) + 490 (VTA) + 315 (samtrans) = 1530 buses. That's quite a few, but still short of the 1570 buses in the WMATA metrobus fleet alone.
In fairness to the Gillig Phantom (which I will admit is a halfway decent bus) it was not really ever a front-line bus in Washington. The few Phantoms there were odd members of the fleet and spent their entire careers in one service area.
http://www.wmata.com/about/metrofacts.pdf
The service area is 1500 square miles.
The 2002 annual bus ridership is 147.7 million = 402,739 daily.
The operating bus fleet is 1460 buses.
There are 364 routes but only 164 lines.
Too bad, we don't have a dominant metropolitan TA here in the Bay Area....
That's a nice approximation. Official census tract data for the area is closer to 1600, but this is not worth debating here...
The 2002 annual bus ridership is 147.7 million = 402,739 daily.
Yeah - if you divide 147,700,000 by 365. But in the case of WMATA, that's totally impratical. Their weekday ridership during Fall, Winter, and Spring is WAY higher than 402,000. Conversely, the weekend daily ridership is nowhere near 402,000. The whole system (metrobus especially) is heavily geared toward weekday peak-hour commuters who choose transit for their commute and use their car otherwise. As testiment, WMATA's peak-to-base bus ratio is one of the most lopsided in the industry.
The operating bus fleet is 1460 buses.
That's the number they like to give. It has been up over 1500 recently, though - especially considering how hesitant they are to mass-retire the 8700-series Flxibles.
There are 364 routes but only 164 lines.
Again, not to be a jerk, but are you familiar enough with WMATA to know the difference? On most (of course not all) of those lines, the individual routes only run together for maybe half the distance, and then branch out to serve wildly different areas. Each route qualifies to be counted; the 3A is considerably different from the 3B or 3F or 3Z.
On that note, it seems that systems in California use the word "line" where other systems say "route." The terms are usually interchangible, but WMATA uses both and each has a seperate meaning.
Too bad, we don't have a dominant metropolitan TA here in the Bay Area....
Naah. It'd be kinda cool to have a single fleet of that size, but it's really a lot more interesting to have 50 different systems all with their own fleets and colors and schedules and route structures. Now on the fare structures, that's where your Bay Area systems could use some coordination!
Well, the same logic can be apply to most TAs I would say. Sure, there are more students, commuters, children, and seniors in those seasons relying on public transit than just staying at home or traveling around. Same thing for Michigan and many other States....So, I wouldn't agree on that unless the numbers from officials can be claimed to be incorrect.
550,000 versus 402,000, the percentage difference is (550,000-402,000) divided by 550,000 (if 550,000 is correct and 402,000 isn't), that's 27%, a huge difference...
Again, not to be a jerk, but are you familiar enough with WMATA to know the difference? On most (of course not all) of those lines, the individual routes only run together for maybe half the distance, and then branch out to serve wildly different areas. Each route qualifies to be counted; the 3A is considerably different from the 3B or 3F or 3Z.
To be honest, I'm not familiar to WMATA since I went to DC once only...But why did they put that two numbers there?...It's got to have reasons for that...if not, then in favor of WMATA, I sure just put 364 routes....and don't get me wrong, I understand what route and line mean. But WMATA defined them to be different for some unknown reason...
That's the number they like to give. It has been up over 1500 recently, though - especially considering how hesitant they are to mass-retire the 8700-series Flxibles.
Hm....I found a different story from Metro Magazine...
2002 Statistics
http://www.metro-magazine.com/images/art/0902_Top100.pdf
2001 Statistics
http://www.metro-magazine.com/brt_pdf/9top100.pdf
According to the list, WMATA had 1533 in 2002, a difference of -17 to what was in 2001. I believe that 17 buses should be those WMATA Gilligs. Now, according to what I found in Omot.org and what Flxible said, "...WMATA retired their 1989 models for whatever reason right at age 12, in 2001. Meanwhile, their 1986 Flxible fleet is still rolling 17 years later." The 8700 series Flxibles you are mentioning should be the 1986 Flxible Metros according to Flxible and Omot.org. Now, the point is, if that's the case, these buses are not retired yet. If they did, then WMATA's # of buses will be down by even 74 buses.....that sounds a contradiction.....
I don't know if I'm correct or not, but I got a feeling that when I source some numbers from APTA or from each TA or magazines, there are always people objecting...if they are not correct, then it seems that we know more than the officials do.....or we did the actual statistics, surveys or whatever ourselves...
In my further research on this topic, I found this statistics...
http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/1990.php
In this document:
http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/metro/ma99-02.txt
According to US Census Bureau in 1999, the top 5 metropolitan area in the US are:
1. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA 20,196,649
2. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA 16,036,587
3. Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA 8,885,919
4. Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA 7,359,044
5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA 6,873,645
From this info, I would have to agree that the DC area holds more population in 1998-1999 than the Bay Area. Hmm...maybe that's because NY is the center of finance, LA is the center of entertainment, Chicago is the center of industrial world, and the SF Bay Area is the advanced-technological valley.
But if we can include Sacramento's 1+ million population, we have more people than DC because one can ride several local bus lines from Gilroy, CA to Sacramento, CA in that 150 mile corridor. But if same can be said that one can ride local buses from DC to NY, I will take that back...LOL...the reason for me to add Sacramento is that I am surprised to find that Baltimore, MD is counted into Washington DC's metropolitan area....how fun these researches are....
Anyway, long story short, we are just about the same level...LOL :P
You're really quite wrong. Sure, the metrobus route numbers look confusing and arbitrary, but if you take a minute to figure them out, they form an ultralogical hierarchy that makes so much sense that's it's confusing all over again.
Let's start with the first component of the route number, which is a number for Virginia lines and a letter for Maryland and some District lines. There are also some number-only lines in the District which more or less fit this scheme as well. In all service areas, all routes on one line share the same first component: all "16" line routes in Virginia travel the Columbia Pike corridor; all "C" line routes in Maryland serve the University Blvd corridor; all "50" line routes in DC head up 14th St NW. Of course, there are bizzare exceptions, like the B11 nowhere near the B25.
One could argue that there is some sort of logic as to how corridor designations are arranged. In Virginia, there is a loose pattern of lower-numbered lines heading due west, and then they start heading more southwest as the numbers increase. Similarly in Maryland, most of the lower-lettered routes tend to be in southern Prince George's County and then they increase as you go counterclockwise. The high-lettered routes are mostly in northern and western Montgomery County (again, exceptions to this, too.)
The second part of the route number - a letter on VA lines and a number on MD and some DC lines - also tells about the route. Lower letters on VA lines represent base-service routes. Mid-range letters indicate oddball variations which generally run at nonstandard times. End-of-the-alphabet letters stand for rush-hour routes that are sometimes limited-stop or express.
On MD and DC routes, even numbers for base-service routes and odd numbers for rush-hour variations. That can also be applied to the DC number-only routes: 52 and 54 run all day; 53 runs peak hours only.
Then, since some DC routes follow the Maryland alphanumeric model, one can trace continuity between then. All "L" routes run on Connecticut Avenue: L1 L2 and L4 in DC and then L7 and L8 in suburban Maryland.
I'll say again, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO ALL OF THIS but there is a lot of reasoning behind the route numbers.
-F.
-F.
The Gilligs that run out in California or not subject to the beatings that a Gillig will take in the East Coast ESPECIALLY in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The true test of this statement will be the Pittsburgh units, we'll all see what results Pittsburgh gets after the winter of 2003-2004.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Coach USA/Rockland
(Meanwhile, a 1994 Gillig just rolled past outside the window as I posted this. :)
-F.
-F.
Personally I thought they looked sharp in the original red and white. The current PAT scheme leaves much to be desired as it usually looks like crap a few weeks after its been in service after windows, doors and other panels start to be replaced on the buses (sometimes in totally different colors than the bus is painted in) not to mention the paint peeling off with the ads when they remove the ads.
How are things at OMOT...any news? And did you get another TARTA Metro for the collection? I hear more are to come up for auction.
-F.
-Fred
-F.
That good enough for you?
-F.
Replace ( with < and ) with )
(font color=red size=7)
When you are finished with whatever you want to be that color and size, type this:
(/font)
You can also do the commands separately:
(font color=red)(font size=7)
Size can be any value from 1 to 7. Just type in the color name for the color, there are some pretty interesting ones out there. FYI: Gray has to be spelled gray, grey will not work.
On my end, they all start in Hollywood (Chevy Chase).
The Key That Didn't Turn
Dr. Gridlock has a story to tell:
My 2000 Dodge Neon was stuck in a grocery store parking lot for a week. I could insert the ignition key, but I could not turn it. I maneuvered the steering wheel and applied pressure to the key. Nothing seemed to work.
The first person the American Automobile Association sent out was a locksmith. That was after a two- or three-hour wait. The repairman stuck various files into the lock. After another hour, no luck.
The locksmith said this was only the second car he had been unable to fix. He suggested calling his boss, who lived in a town I didn't recognize and who would appear with more extensive gear and fix my problem for $150, $175 or more, plus a five-hour wait.
That was a little too sketchy for me, so I asked AAA for a tow truck. After a two-hour wait, a truck appeared. It was a flatbed and looked able to do the job. Wrong. There was a pole in front of my car, and the transmission was stuck in park. The driver suggested another tow truck and said he would tell AAA and his company what to send.
Another two hours, and Tow Truck No. 2 showed up. The driver said he wasn't equipped to tow my car, either. "But didn't AAA or your colleague tell you what to bring?" I asked, somewhat incredulous. No, he said. I asked what was needed. He said, "Dollies."
So, after eight hours on the parking lot, I called it a night, no closer to fixing the problem than when we started.
I left the car parked there and used other cars during the week. The Giant Food police, meanwhile, left a citation on the windshield, saying they were going to have the car towed.
The following weekend, I resumed my quest. The AAA dispatcher, sounding concerned, said he was dispatching a different locksmith, because he couldn't believe a locksmith couldn't solve the problem.
Some two hours later, Locksmith No. 2 arrived. He wrestled with the key and with the steering wheel, back and forth, as Locksmith No. 1 had done, and the two tow truck drivers as well. "You need a new ignition," Locksmith No. 2 said.
I asked how much and was told $150 -- and a three-hour wait for his boss to come and install it. I said, "Fine, let's do it." He then contacted his boss, who said a new ignition for my car would cost at least $225. Too sketchy for me.
I called for Tow Truck No. 3, and asked the dispatcher to make sure the truck driver came equipped with dollies.
Of course, he didn't. "We don't even work this area," the driver said.
I gave up and left. About an hour later, my cell phone went off. It was a different AAA dispatcher saying a tow truck with dollies would be at my car in five minutes. Since I hadn't been expecting Tow Truck No. 4, I had to rush to the place where I had waited so many hours.
This truck had dollies. But the driver didn't need them. He simply turned the key and started the car in five seconds. "Some locksmith!" he said.
"How did you do that, after five other professionals couldn't?" I asked. He said he turned the steering wheel in a certain way, releasing a pin that was "pressuring the key." (I don't get it, either).
I had him tow me to my dealership, where the next day the service manager said that the vehicle started right up and that the mechanics couldn't fix it if it wasn't broken. So, they didn't do anything.
The service manager said, "You should have towed it in right away, when the key wouldn't turn."
I don't blame anyone. Perhaps some of you folks have tips on what to do when an ignition key won't turn.
Sometimes it takes a bit of effort, but I pulled on the steering wheel to move it slightly (remember - there is a very small amount of play when the steering lock is engaged), held the steering wheel while attempting to turn the key with the other hand.
Wayne
Wayne
I learned the value of curbing my wheels when I lived in Ithaca for a few years. (Then I forgot when I moved to Champaign-Urbana for the next few years.)
Wayne
Now here is the kicker, the bus was not a the product GMC. It was a 25’ rear engine rear drive mini bus powered by a large block gasoline fueled Chrysler V8. I have no idea who built the bus but it looked very much like the first Gilligs that RideOn had when it first started operations.
John
If you do not beleive this, try riding the Metrorail lines that really killed off the Downtowner - The Blue and Orange Lines. Also the Red line is an accomplice as well. An example: A "Congressman" takes the Blue/Orange Line from Capitol South to Farragut West to meet his "Lobbyist" for lunch at any of the Power Lunch spots off K st, L St, or M St near Connecticut Ave. Would this "Congressman" use a cramped bus that`ll take 20 minutes, or Metrorail that takes 10 to 12 minutes top? How would they answer that question?
My money would be on Thomas-Dennis-DamilerChrysler-Freightliner-Orion-Setra SLF 200 buses. WMATA seems to have had good luck with them on GEORGE, plus they're decent-looking buses to begin with and they can be dressed up with all kinds of crazy paint schemes. Additionally, the SLFs are available with alternate fuels and in various lengths.
A note: the article states that plans call for 86 buses. Does that seem a little much to anyone else?
-F.
-F.
-F.
THE ORION II IS DEAD!!!! DEAD!!!!!! DEAD!!!!!
I would have made that bigger but I don't know how. I would say the Thomas SLF, they might do better here since Baltimore's streets are pure crap and DC's have gotten better over the past couple years. Being 86 buses they would go with an all 30 foot fleet or a mixture. They might go with some three door artics as well as some 30-40 footers.
VTA retired their 1984 Flxibles in 1997 when the first batch of Gillig Phantoms arrived in 1997 while AC Transit and Samtrans both still have 1984 Gilligs on street today.
The service area, # of passengers, # of routes and fleet size of the combination of AC Transit + Samtrans + VTA are no doubt bigger than WMATA.
From Gilroy (Southern part of the South Bay) to Richmond (the Northern part of the East Bay)
VTA 68 + VTA 180 + AC Transit 211 + AC Transit 99 + AC Transit 82L + AC Transit 72/73 would require (1.5h + 1.0h + 0.25h + 0.5h + 1.5h + 1.25h = 6.0 hours) on the 85-mile corridor.
From Gilroy(Southern part of the South Bay) to San Francisco (the Northern part of the SF)
VTA 68 + VTA 22 + Samtrans KX (1.5h + 1.5h + 1.5h = 4.5 hours) on the 83-mile corridor.
...and most of these routes are still served by Gillig buses (the 1984 buses can be mostly found on KX, 99, 82L) today.....
Aaaaaaaaand you're WRONG. I'm not doing this to be an a$$hole, but rather as an attempt to keep misinformation off this board. Also, I'll add that I, for one, appreciate your use of non-East Coast transit examples.
The service area,
This is the only category where AC, samtrans, and VTA even come close. WMATA's service area is close to 1600 square miles. They serve an entire metropolitan region with almost 4 million people.
# of passengers
Your three examples are small potatoes compared to WMATA. metrobus carries in excess of 550,000 riders per day. Compare that to about 250,000 per day for AC Transit and maybe 120,000 apiece for the bus systems of the other two.
# of routes
I'm not gonna dig up my maps from AC, samtrans, and VTA, but WMATA has almost 400 individual bus routes. Not many systems (or even combinations of systems) can top that.
fleet size
725 (AC) + 490 (VTA) + 315 (samtrans) = 1530 buses. That's quite a few, but still short of the 1570 buses in the WMATA metrobus fleet alone.
In fairness to the Gillig Phantom (which I will admit is a halfway decent bus) it was not really ever a front-line bus in Washington. The few Phantoms there were odd members of the fleet and spent their entire careers in one service area.
http://www.wmata.com/about/metrofacts.pdf
The service area is 1500 square miles.
The 2002 annual bus ridership is 147.7 million = 402,739 daily.
The operating bus fleet is 1460 buses.
There are 364 routes but only 164 lines.
Too bad, we don't have a dominant metropolitan TA here in the Bay Area....
That's a nice approximation. Official census tract data for the area is closer to 1600, but this is not worth debating here...
The 2002 annual bus ridership is 147.7 million = 402,739 daily.
Yeah - if you divide 147,700,000 by 365. But in the case of WMATA, that's totally impratical. Their weekday ridership during Fall, Winter, and Spring is WAY higher than 402,000. Conversely, the weekend daily ridership is nowhere near 402,000. The whole system (metrobus especially) is heavily geared toward weekday peak-hour commuters who choose transit for their commute and use their car otherwise. As testiment, WMATA's peak-to-base bus ratio is one of the most lopsided in the industry.
The operating bus fleet is 1460 buses.
That's the number they like to give. It has been up over 1500 recently, though - especially considering how hesitant they are to mass-retire the 8700-series Flxibles.
There are 364 routes but only 164 lines.
Again, not to be a jerk, but are you familiar enough with WMATA to know the difference? On most (of course not all) of those lines, the individual routes only run together for maybe half the distance, and then branch out to serve wildly different areas. Each route qualifies to be counted; the 3A is considerably different from the 3B or 3F or 3Z.
On that note, it seems that systems in California use the word "line" where other systems say "route." The terms are usually interchangible, but WMATA uses both and each has a seperate meaning.
Too bad, we don't have a dominant metropolitan TA here in the Bay Area....
Naah. It'd be kinda cool to have a single fleet of that size, but it's really a lot more interesting to have 50 different systems all with their own fleets and colors and schedules and route structures. Now on the fare structures, that's where your Bay Area systems could use some coordination!
Well, the same logic can be apply to most TAs I would say. Sure, there are more students, commuters, children, and seniors in those seasons relying on public transit than just staying at home or traveling around. Same thing for Michigan and many other States....So, I wouldn't agree on that unless the numbers from officials can be claimed to be incorrect.
550,000 versus 402,000, the percentage difference is (550,000-402,000) divided by 550,000 (if 550,000 is correct and 402,000 isn't), that's 27%, a huge difference...
Again, not to be a jerk, but are you familiar enough with WMATA to know the difference? On most (of course not all) of those lines, the individual routes only run together for maybe half the distance, and then branch out to serve wildly different areas. Each route qualifies to be counted; the 3A is considerably different from the 3B or 3F or 3Z.
To be honest, I'm not familiar to WMATA since I went to DC once only...But why did they put that two numbers there?...It's got to have reasons for that...if not, then in favor of WMATA, I sure just put 364 routes....and don't get me wrong, I understand what route and line mean. But WMATA defined them to be different for some unknown reason...
That's the number they like to give. It has been up over 1500 recently, though - especially considering how hesitant they are to mass-retire the 8700-series Flxibles.
Hm....I found a different story from Metro Magazine...
2002 Statistics
http://www.metro-magazine.com/images/art/0902_Top100.pdf
2001 Statistics
http://www.metro-magazine.com/brt_pdf/9top100.pdf
According to the list, WMATA had 1533 in 2002, a difference of -17 to what was in 2001. I believe that 17 buses should be those WMATA Gilligs. Now, according to what I found in Omot.org and what Flxible said, "...WMATA retired their 1989 models for whatever reason right at age 12, in 2001. Meanwhile, their 1986 Flxible fleet is still rolling 17 years later." The 8700 series Flxibles you are mentioning should be the 1986 Flxible Metros according to Flxible and Omot.org. Now, the point is, if that's the case, these buses are not retired yet. If they did, then WMATA's # of buses will be down by even 74 buses.....that sounds a contradiction.....
I don't know if I'm correct or not, but I got a feeling that when I source some numbers from APTA or from each TA or magazines, there are always people objecting...if they are not correct, then it seems that we know more than the officials do.....or we did the actual statistics, surveys or whatever ourselves...
In my further research on this topic, I found this statistics...
http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/1990.php
In this document:
http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/metro/ma99-02.txt
According to US Census Bureau in 1999, the top 5 metropolitan area in the US are:
1. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA 20,196,649
2. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA 16,036,587
3. Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA 8,885,919
4. Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA 7,359,044
5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA 6,873,645
From this info, I would have to agree that the DC area holds more population in 1998-1999 than the Bay Area. Hmm...maybe that's because NY is the center of finance, LA is the center of entertainment, Chicago is the center of industrial world, and the SF Bay Area is the advanced-technological valley.
But if we can include Sacramento's 1+ million population, we have more people than DC because one can ride several local bus lines from Gilroy, CA to Sacramento, CA in that 150 mile corridor. But if same can be said that one can ride local buses from DC to NY, I will take that back...LOL...the reason for me to add Sacramento is that I am surprised to find that Baltimore, MD is counted into Washington DC's metropolitan area....how fun these researches are....
Anyway, long story short, we are just about the same level...LOL :P
You're really quite wrong. Sure, the metrobus route numbers look confusing and arbitrary, but if you take a minute to figure them out, they form an ultralogical hierarchy that makes so much sense that's it's confusing all over again.
Let's start with the first component of the route number, which is a number for Virginia lines and a letter for Maryland and some District lines. There are also some number-only lines in the District which more or less fit this scheme as well. In all service areas, all routes on one line share the same first component: all "16" line routes in Virginia travel the Columbia Pike corridor; all "C" line routes in Maryland serve the University Blvd corridor; all "50" line routes in DC head up 14th St NW. Of course, there are bizzare exceptions, like the B11 nowhere near the B25.
One could argue that there is some sort of logic as to how corridor designations are arranged. In Virginia, there is a loose pattern of lower-numbered lines heading due west, and then they start heading more southwest as the numbers increase. Similarly in Maryland, most of the lower-lettered routes tend to be in southern Prince George's County and then they increase as you go counterclockwise. The high-lettered routes are mostly in northern and western Montgomery County (again, exceptions to this, too.)
The second part of the route number - a letter on VA lines and a number on MD and some DC lines - also tells about the route. Lower letters on VA lines represent base-service routes. Mid-range letters indicate oddball variations which generally run at nonstandard times. End-of-the-alphabet letters stand for rush-hour routes that are sometimes limited-stop or express.
On MD and DC routes, even numbers for base-service routes and odd numbers for rush-hour variations. That can also be applied to the DC number-only routes: 52 and 54 run all day; 53 runs peak hours only.
Then, since some DC routes follow the Maryland alphanumeric model, one can trace continuity between then. All "L" routes run on Connecticut Avenue: L1 L2 and L4 in DC and then L7 and L8 in suburban Maryland.
I'll say again, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO ALL OF THIS but there is a lot of reasoning behind the route numbers.
-F.
-F.
The Gilligs that run out in California or not subject to the beatings that a Gillig will take in the East Coast ESPECIALLY in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The true test of this statement will be the Pittsburgh units, we'll all see what results Pittsburgh gets after the winter of 2003-2004.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Coach USA/Rockland
(Meanwhile, a 1994 Gillig just rolled past outside the window as I posted this. :)
-F.
-F.
Personally I thought they looked sharp in the original red and white. The current PAT scheme leaves much to be desired as it usually looks like crap a few weeks after its been in service after windows, doors and other panels start to be replaced on the buses (sometimes in totally different colors than the bus is painted in) not to mention the paint peeling off with the ads when they remove the ads.
How are things at OMOT...any news? And did you get another TARTA Metro for the collection? I hear more are to come up for auction.
-F.
-Fred
-F.
That good enough for you?
-F.
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Sometimes it takes a bit of effort, but I pulled on the steering wheel to move it slightly (remember - there is a very small amount of play when the steering lock is engaged), held the steering wheel while attempting to turn the key with the other hand.
Wayne
Wayne
I learned the value of curbing my wheels when I lived in Ithaca for a few years. (Then I forgot when I moved to Champaign-Urbana for the next few years.)
Wayne
JG-#8518.
ENY-#8347,#9076.
FLA-#9433.
UP-#9316.
Will we EVER see people on these buses?? That's like saying Ulmer Park will get hard seats on those 9300's-or even buses to replace the 4700's and 4800's. A pipe dream.
1) why was the shuttle service not run from brighton beach station. The bus could have truly acted as a beach shuttle taking riders to manhattan beach as well as CI. Currently riders take the B49 from the sheapshead bay Q station to get to manhattan beach. On summer days this is very popular route to the beach. Such a routing would kill two birds with one stone.
2) Why was it not run as suplimental B36 service if sheepshead bay station had to be the departure point. Simply terminate beach specials at east 14th and sheepsheadbay road. Running all supplemental B36 to it's normal endpoint at ave u and nostrand ave would provide addtional service to residents in this highly populated corridor which include's many apartment buildings and the nostrand and sheepshead housing projects.
Fewer buses would have been needed. Plus the MTA would save on the unneeeded tooken booth clerk at voorhees ave exit at sheepheed bay station. This entrance normally operates without a S/A on duty all weekend.
The current service as set up is a big waste of money, even when the weather warms up and people may begin to use it. Choice one would be my choice if I were in charge. It would relieve pressure off the B49 which gets supplimental service during the summer time.
The TA needs to look up at the callendar and weahter reports when staffing such a service.
2. Ridership levels along route B36 on weekends between the Sheepshead Bay station and Avenue U do not justify bolstering service, even in the summer (of which this weekend was most certainly NOT an example).
David
It would not only allow the same simple bus to train connection to CI from the Brighton line, but also would draw some day trippers from Manhattan beach where large families spend the entire day BBQ, hanging out and playing in the surf and sand. The total travel time is shorter routing the bus down Brighton Beach ave, left on ocean parkway,
right on surf ave with stops at the aquarium and hen astroland ending at the same endpoint as the current shuttle.
A fast 5 min bus ride to the amusement park will allow some portions of the group to go on the rides and come back for dinner. These people literally get their in the early Am to get the best spots and leave late into the evening. It opens up a new market for which you currently go to Manahatan beach or CI not both.
Currently their is no way to get from Manhattan Beach to CI by public transit. You need to drive. 99% of the visitors to Manhattan Beach any given day especially on weekends are not local residents but day trippers from central Brooklyn and their families.
Essentially the service I am proposing is truly an amusement shuttle.
If you are familiar with the areaas, Manhattan Beach, Brighton beach and CI all face the same ocean front. Manahattan beach is separated from the brighton/CI Beachfront buy a few blocks of ocean front housing. Brighton Beach and CI is actually one continuous beach.
The Brighton beach portion is a local beach used by the Russian community and other going to look at hot chicks. The part east of Coney Island Ave is nicknamed "the bally’s beach" as the whole gym hangs out there.
As for the B36. It is often quite busy during the beach season. In the days before I drove, I would change for the B36 to get to the gym (pre free bus to train transfer).
To summerize, the routing I am suggesting is a
---shorter ride from the train to the CI amusement parks
plus
---Connects the day tripper freindly manhattan beach with CI ammusment parks
and as an added bonus also serves as a quicker route from the subway to manhattan beach. Some riders once at the crossroads may decide, lets go to CI instead or go to both and see which one is not as crowded.
Manhattan beach often has overflow crowds because it is not that big. Some people looking for more beachspace may take the free shuttle and check out CI. They may spend money. Many people prefer manahttan beac becaue it has a history of being safer and cleaner then CI
Many people who drive to the beach choose manhattan beach becasue of it's large parking lot.
With a free shuttle bus connecting Manahattan beach, brighon beach subway station and CI amusement area. Some people would choose to park in Manahattan beach safe parking lot to go to the rides in CI
Many families prefer driving. It's quicker and cheaper. They are afraid to park thier cars in CI vs the tree line streets of Manahattan beach
Umm because the beach is right there and they could walk down the Boardwalk and Manhattan Beach is eastward, Brighton/CI beach is westward so the people on the B49 b/c they are heading EAST.
Manahattan beach, brighton beach and CI are all along the same road. The road changes names and turns twice but it is essentially the same road. About 1.5 mi end to end.
Brighton Beach station is about 3/4 mile walk from CI amusements in one direction and about the same diatance to manhattan beach.
Manhattan beach goers who don't drive by car take the B49 from sheepshead bay road Q station.
Manhattan beach has alot of families on weekend and is a high school beach during the week.
Manahattan beach has amenities such as food stand, basketball courts, softball fields, areas to BBQ, picnick table that Brighton Beach and CI does not. It serves as different beach going crowd then CI. Families find manahattan beach safer and more family friendly then the wide open Brighton/CI waterfront
You miss the point. If the shuttle bus operated using the manahttan beach bus terminal as it's first stop, It could serve two beach populations with one shuttle service bringing beach goers to manahattan beach as well as CI. Provide quicker transfers for both CI bound and Manahattan beach bound riders plus allow manhattan beach goes shoot over and ride the rides for a few hours. Creating one big community.
The actual beach at brighon beach is two long blocks from the subway station. Very far to carry beach chairs, thermus etc. It is easier to take the bus to ci or MB then to walk the two ling blocks
Manhattan beach hosts large family BBQ's on weekends. The same families come week after week. The men play softball, Bball and the beach. The beach shuttle would allow some people to go on the rides for a few hours and come back.
Many resort towns operate such shuttles such as ocean city MA. The MTA is running the shuttle anyway this would be the perfect route.
That does not explain why they were running so many buses today.
When the temp tops 90 they could have used some of the money they are wasting to run more buses when they are truely needed.
Right now they are running far too much service empty. the only riders where bus talkers
I observed a grand total of ZERO riders for the 30 min period I observed this afternoon
Peak Cash fares are $1.50.
Off peak cash fares are $1.00.
Transfers to other buses stay the same as before 5/4.
Assuming you use PPR Metrocard, an extra $.50 will be taken off your card when you swipe it on the LI Bus. Thus, it will cost you $2.00 in each direction.
So Sid from NJ is wrong and Q46 Nova is right?
Yes. I have did connections from NYCDOT Bus to MTA Bus and to other routes with a MetroCard(And with an RFM) and this is based on my experence
After I'm tortured in boot camp, I will be sent to Pensacola, Florida and I will take my schooling there. I will take pictures of the buses they have over there and post them here. Sigh, I'm going to miss it here. When I'm in Florida, I'm going to blow my first paycheck on a new computer and a PS2, that's all really need. Oh, and who can forget Cable television.
Goodbye Fresh Pond, I won't have to look at your damn 3900's and 4600's/4700's anymore.
I'm going to start a new life, and I'll finally visit different places in the U.S.., and maybe I'll go under a new handle when I come back to BT. Farewell everyone.
-Jay
Myy only experience with FP buses were the two 9000+ series Nova's on the Q Beach shuttle
FP got some nice buses.
Have fun in the Navy
Don't Drop the soap in the shower!!!!
Unless you like that kind of stuff
Lucky it's the summer
BIG AL
I'm sitting here waiting for my recruiter to pick me up, I only have until noon before I'm gone. At least I'll get to look at some buses as I'm taken to the Airport.
Have fun in the Navy...LOL! Listen, take care of yourself buddy. Don't do anything stupid! Just be yourself and enjoy the learning experience! I'll keep you posted!
Vince
E-mail is NYCTMCID4500@aol.com
Good luck and be safe where you go
Take Care
As of now there is nothing to report on the strong possibility of a MTA takeover of the Queens Private Lines. June 30th appears to be the target date. Targeted date for takeover means it could happen before or after this date. We have to remain united and calm during these trying and historic times. It seems all the crazy rumors have run out of steam. Remember the individuals who were spreading the outrageous rumors to divide the membership. Are they the same individuals who might have an axe to grind because they lost the December 4th breakaway vote? These individuals may ask for your support in the upcoming election. Remember the individuals who gave the facts and nothing but the facts.
Bus Shortages
At Triboro Coach, we are experiencing large amount of buses out of service on a daily basis. This is a serious problem due to the fact that many members are experiencing double and some cases triple headway on heavy traveled lines. The risk of assaults and abuse from angry passengers has increased due to increased waiting time for missing buses. There are safety concerns that should be addressed because recently a certain member was seen taking out a defective bus that was previously turned down. Allegedly a bus without a reverse was taken out as a favor to a manager. Some operators were seen overloading the natural gas buses (Orions). Surprised? You know there is a passenger limit on these buses. Why do you insist on being a Good Samaritan by taking out defective buses? Why do you insist on being a Good Samaritan by overloading the Orion buses? Why do you allow passengers to ride on the front steps of the buses? Overloaded buses diminish braking. Taking out defective buses only increases the risk of mishaps on the road. Nice guys finish last in the transportation business.
Summer Pick:
We are our own worst enemies. We gave management the ammo to use against us. Some operators like to drive at wrap speed because they want to stay on schedule. Some members (you know who there are) like to operate the bus with passengers on the lower front steps. We have the "heros" who like to overload the Orion buses because they feel sorry for people. The summer pick have angered the members but most of the blame should be placed on ourselves because we make the unrealistic schedules work. We prove to management that we can operate with fewer buses by overloading buses. Nice guys finish last in the transportation business.
Rock Bottom?
Members believe we have hit rock bottom. Maybe the company have hit bottom but we the union is strong and united.
TWU LOCAL 100 SECRETARY-TREASURER
MAY 30, 2003
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I am here on behalf of TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint and the 38,000 members we represent. TWU Local 100 sees the bus service presently provided by private carriers with public subsidies as an integral part of mass transportation system in New York, and we attach great importance to the future of this service.
We think that there are three essential considerations to any viable future arrangement for the management of these routes: protection of service, protection of funding, and protection of workers’ rights.
The first consideration is service to the public. There must be no interruption and no cuts in service. Our City needs this and our riders deserve this.
A world-class city needs a world-class system of mass transportation and this cannot be achieved without a strong financial commitment to bus service. Large tracts of the City – notably in Eastern Queens and parts of the Bronx -- are underserved or simply unserved by the subway. We are always in favor of proposals to extend subway service, but we also recognize that such solutions would be decades in the making. For the foreseeable future, only well-organized, frequent and reliable bus service can fulfill the needs of significant parts of our City, and the residents and businesses that thrive there.
Providing quality service requires that funding streams for the service on these routes continue to flow. We are all keenly aware that mass transit is a public good which needs and deserves public subsidy to function adequately. Indeed, one of the wonders of mass transit in New York is how much we have achieved in the face of gross under-funding.
Figures on the FTA website show that mass transit users elsewhere in the U.S. pay about 40% of the cost of their ride, while New Yorkers have been paying in the neighborhood of 60%, and even more since the fare hike took effect May 4th. Our system carries 84% of the state’s mass transit riders and we receive only 63% of state subsidies to mass transit.
Our Union holds – and I am confident that every elected official in this room will agree – that we cannot afford to permit any cuts in the already inadequate funding. This would be a recipe for disaster and a clear sign of retaliation against workers and the riding public. This would be an outrage.
Only a qualified and experienced workforce can provide the sort of service that our riders need and deserve. We have just such a qualified and experienced workforce at the private bus lines today. And it is that workforce that will be serving the public on these routes in the future.
Under Federal law, if there was a change in providers on these routes, our members operating, maintaining and cleaning the buses today will retain their seniority and pension rights.
Moreover, we are confident that, during any transition, every one of the over 2,000 jobs now needed to service these routes will remain. This is so for several reasons. First, Federal law makes it prohibitively expensive to cut jobs in such a transition. In addition, any cut in jobs will mean a cut in service, and we do not believe that our riders and their elected officials will stand still for any such cut.
There is yet a final reason, a reason which I hope all parties will understand. TWU Local 100 will not accept any attempt to eliminate our jobs. We will fight any cuts by any means necessary.
Maintaining full and uninterrupted service, ensuring the continued flow of funding streams, and respecting the rights of our members are essential features of any future arrangement for service on these routes.
We insist and expect that all elected officials will agree that there be no reduction in service on these routes. In fact, the bus system needs improving.
Our members work hard to serve our riders on these routes. But often they are called upon to do first-rate work under second-rate physical conditions, with second-rate equipment and parts. Despite the significant subsidies that go to these routes, our members do all this at lower hourly rates and with a smaller pension than their counterparts at the MTA. If dialogue on the future of these routes is to be realistic, it must address how our members’ first rate work can be matched by conditions and compensation that most of New York City’s transit workers.
Finally, Local 100 knows that maintaining things as they are is not good enough. The future demands improvement and innovation in service.
With the needs of under-served areas in mind we urged the MTA this past year to adopt a program of Bus Rapid Transit. BRT provides swifter, more reliable service at a substantial savings. I happen to be a resident of Queens, and I can think of fewer streets more ripe for BRT than the major boulevards in this borough. If discussions on the future of these routes is to be realistic, it must address creating the conditions for improvement and innovation in service to meet the challenges of the future.
Thank you.
The dollar van problem is easily solveable. Enforce the traffic laws. IF the dollar vans were ticketed for every traffic infraction they would have to slow down and thus remove their main advantage over the bus SPEED.
A dollar van gets you there twice as fast.
Driving a bit agreesivly, It takes me 18 min to get from kings plaza to the wall street area during rush hour. Compare that to 1 plus hours on the B41
Artics would just add to the time. They need low floor buses on the B41/B46
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The only problem is that in order to only pay the $1.00 fare, you can't use your pay-as-you-go Metrocard. You must use cash.
The price advantage vs the dollar vans is out the window with free bus to subway transfers and the fact that most people already have money on thie metrocards vs spending additional out of pocket on the vans
Most dollar vans charge $1.50
Many people concider them not safe. There has been many quotes in the brooklyn skyline ariticle that asked people why they take the dollar vans. Most say speed not price
i wish the MTA would jusr extend the 2/5 to KP and let the dollar vans handle the street level traffic. It would be far cheaper over time. Remeber that new line construction is finaced with 30 year bonds. Take the savings of eliinating B41 service and the line would easily be affortable
The N6 is there on that map, its just faded
First, the MTA looses money 99% of bus operations
If the subway ran end to end on flatbush ave, was ada complient stations most of the riders would move undergound. The reason the subway was built in the first place. The remaining riders if they took dollar vans would be no major loss. As long as the dollar vans drove safely
If the decision was every made. We are taling 10 years if all the ducks were in a row and all the money was there.
The Two conditions that don't exist. It won't happen
Articulated buses are needed. I was just pointing out the pitfalls of articualted buses. The MTA needs to keep service frequency and wait time down. A mix of articualted and 40 ft would be the best aproach
automated bus monitoring and dispatcing would still be needed to properly space buses. traffic on flatbush ave is a major issue. I drove to and from work up flatbush for two years. Articulated buses would still get stuck in this trafic
As for the Queens buses, those lines; especially the Q17, Q27 and Q46 could use Artics however I don't see it happening in the future. Since the Q44 in CS is slated to get Artics, will one pop up on a Q27 maybe however there are some turns like on Holly Av that could make it difficult but other thatn that it could work.
IMO, this is what I think can handle artics (routes listed per division):
Bronx Division
Bx1-artic
Bx2-artic
Bx3-can handle artics
Bx4-artic
Bx5-artic
Bx7-see above
Bx8-too few passengers to warrant
Bx9-artic
Bx10-probably could not handle the Johnson Avenue-Kappock Street turn
Bx11-streets too narrow
Bx12-artic
Bx13-too few passengers
Bx14-too few passengers
Bx16-can it handle the east end of the route?
Bx17-too few passengers
Bx18-way too few passengers
Bx19-should be artic, but Hale cannot handle artics
Bx20-no
Bx21-could be, but also in Hale
Bx22-artic
Bx25/26-artic rush hour
Bx28-artic rush hour
Bx29-no
Bx30-artic rush hour
Bx31-artic rush hour
Bx32-no
Bx33-no
Bx34-no
Bx35-can it handle 167 Street>
Bx36-no, see above
Bx39-artic
Bx40/42-artic
Bx55-artic
M1-see Bx19/21
M7-see Bx19/21
Manhattan Division
Bx6-no, b/c of Amsterdam Depot
Bx15-see Bx6
M2-problems potentially on Edgecombe Avenue
M3-could be
M4-could be, but Ft. Washington Avenue
M5-could be
M6-could be
M8-no, streets too narrow in West Village
M9-insufficient ridership
M10-could be
M11-could be
M14-could be, and may become when HP closes
M15-becoming artic
M16/34-see M14
M18-never
M20-could be
M21-see M8(?)
M22-no, Frankfort and Worth Streets
M23-artic
M27/50-probably not, too much crowding on 49/50 Sts
M30/72-no, part-time
M31/57-could be, but problems with northern terminal (M31), too few artics @ 126 for M57
M35-no, too few riders, M72 could not handle Freedom Place
M42-could be artic, strange why it is not
M60-should be (but would need to go to Quill or Queens Division when CS gets its artics to get artics)
M66-streets too narrow
M98-if it ran out of Kingsbridge, then yes
M100-could when it goes to KB during rush hours
M101/3-will become artic when 100 St opens
M102-artic
M104-See Bx6
M116-not enough riders
Q32-if out of Quill, then possibly
Brooklyn Division
B1-problems with Bay Ridge Avenue
B2-too few riders
B3-should be
B4-problems near Sheepshead Bay with narrow streets
B6/82-should be artic
B7-judgment reserved
B8-not enough riders, and this roue has bounced all around Brooklyn Division
B9-should be artic, but see B1
B11-no
B12-no
B13-could be
B14-no
B15-problems in Ocean Hill
B16-not enough riders
B17-should be during rush hours
B20-not enough riders
B23-no
B24-no
B25-not enough riders
B26/38/52-problems in Ridgewood, storage problems @FP
B31-see B2
B35-should be
B36-not enough riders
B37/63-could be
B39-not enough riders
B41/44/46-should be artic
B42-should be rush hours
B43-Greenpoint Avenue is too narrow near Bedford
B45/65-not sure
B47-not enough riders
B48-see B47
B49-see B47
B51-part time route
B54-not enough riders
B57-Flushing Ave. is too bumpy
B60-Wilson Avenue is too narrow, same with Cooper/Decatur)
B61-see B43
B64-maybe rush hours
B67-no
B68-should be
B69-no
B70-39 St?
B71-no
B74-only one bus is needed for most of the route
B75-Smith Street is too narrow
B77-too few riders
B83-rush hours
Q24-does not warrant it
Q54-132 Street presents a problem
Q55-problems at terminals of the routes
Q56-not enough riders
Q58-should be, but some turns may need to be checked
Q59-judgment reserved
Queens Division (TA only)
Q1-rush hours
Q2-problems with Hollis Avenue
Q3-turns in Jamaica to head south need to be checked
Q4-rush hour
Q5-should be artic
Q12-problems at Glenwood Street, street before is way too narrow to even consider this route
Q13/28-rush hours
Q14/15/16-not enough riders to warrant
Q17-should be artic
Q20/44-will become artic, at least the 44
Q26-no
Q27-problems with Holly Avenue, one lane-two way street
Q30/1-not enough riders to warrant
Q32-see Manhattan Division
Q36-rush hours
Q42-no
Q43-should be artic
Q46-should be artic
Q48-not enough riders
Q7x routes-none have sufficient riders and all are part time routes or low ridership routes
Q83/84/85-at least during rush hours, probably full time for the 83 and 85.
Q88-not enough riders
Staten Island Division probably does not warrant artics on any route.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Okay, first the M14 will become an artic route. I believe it will most likely be the M14A. As for the M16, M34 and M42....according to my source at Quill, they are PLANNING to make ONE of those routes artic. More likely the M42. I can see artics on 34th St but I think it would be the M34 rather than the M16. In Queens, just the Q43, Q44 and Q46. None of the JAM routes can handle artics now. In Brooklyn and the Bronx..okay I see some points. In Staten Island...NEVER will see artics. Probably to many hills.
Vince,
E-mail me at NYCTMCID4500@aol.com
The B3 does not need articulated buses. Any crowding problems on the are due to delays casued by traffic or long waites.
Automated bus monitoring that would allow dispatchers to see the landscape of where all buses are and adjust the schedule when buses are running behind would solve the problem
The B3 has one busy bus and one empty bus. It's problem is the bus schedule not the fact that it uses 40 ft bus. In fact it currently run mostly Nover suburbans now and gets by
this line runs right in front of my house and I view it all day
The B2 on the other hand if the privates merger ever happend could use artics between 5:30 and 7 pm. The combined B2/B100 ridership could save money by running articulated buses. It is not the pure number of riders that requires articulated buses but rather the flow of these riders. During the period above, riders pour off the Q local and express in large waves. It is Common from 5:30-7pm to have both the B100 and B2 pullout with full loads and riders left waiting for the next bus.
Brooklyn Division
B1 [narrow streets at times & some turns]
B2 [too short, not enough ridership]
B4 [infrequent]
B7 [questionable but is every 15-20 minutes on weekends]
B13 [and all FP routes due to narrow roads, the B26 & B52 for example]
B15 [not the JFK branch]
B16 [infrequent]
B23 [too short, low ridership]
B31 [too short]
B37 [infrequent]
B39 [some tight turns]
B47 [not enough frequency]
B48 [not enough frequency]
B51 [not enough frequency & ridership]
B64
B65
B67 [not enough frequency]
B69
B70
B71
B75
B77 [questionable]
Manhattan Division
M8 [infrequent, narrow streets]
M9 [infrequent]
M11[questionable]
M21
M22
M27/M50 [narrow streets]
M30 [part time, not that busy]
M57
M66 [narrow streets]
M72
M98
M103
M106
M116
Queens Division
Q2
Q3
Q13
Q14
Q15
Q16
Q24 [not enough ridership]
Q31
Q32 [probably because of the el]
Q42
Q48
Q56 [because of the el]
Q59 [not enough frequency]
Q75
Q76
Q77
Q79 [very infrequent]
Bronx Division
Bx8 [very infrequent]
Bx10 [some turns]
Bx11 [narrow streets]
Bx13 [narrow streets]
Bx14 [infrequent]
Bx16
Bx18
Bx20
Bx21 [questionable]
Bx29
Bx30
Bx32
Bx33
Bx34
Bx35 [narrow streets]
I think Artics in Staten Island is unnecessary however the only routes that is close to being justified is the S53, S79 & S93 but as I said Artics in SI is not really needed.
Once again there is enough ridership between 5:30 and 7 PM evenung rusgh to borrow a few artics from flatbush depot,
IF you combine the B100 and the B2 the need for artics is even greater.
The buses serves large waves of people. The number of buses in service between these hours could be cut nearly 1/2.
Don't look at the numbers
stand out there and observe the action. I rode this bus every day for years.
Both the B100 and B2 leave people on the curb every evening.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
B3- Expect Maybe Trun @ 71 & 74
B7
B8
B12
B15 - Not Airport
B17
B35
B39 - Only 2 Artics Needed
B41
B42
B44
B46
B47 - Great 4 Artics
B51
What Ever Not UP Here Does Not Need Or Can't Get Artic
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
I think you have it backwards.
Artics allow transit agencies to reduce their operating costs. Fewer buses -- and fewer bus drivers -- can handle the same number of passengers.
Artics aren't simply plopped down in place of 40-foot buses -- schedules are adjusted to account for the greater capacity per bus.
The bus line I ride most often received artics a few years ago. While it's a bit easier to get a seat now, I have to wait longer for the bus, and once I'm on board it spends much longer at each stop. I don't consider that a service improvement.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Don't meant to be pessimistic, but I don't think they'll be here around for sometime, despite what everyone says. Imagine the vandalism that's going to happen, especialy on Stengel. As I said before, just bad...
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
Peace
David
BTW: Do you work for MTA??? Don't Ask if you know better than me & have a good night.
No, I'm posting on what I've learned and gained from this very forum.
Don't Ask if you know better than me & have a good night. Are you insulting me or are you just commenting? I'll await and post proper judgement until you do so.
At this point there are no plans to put artics in Casey Stengel Depot. Like everything else with NYC Transit, however, that is subject to change.
David
David
Peace
David
Okay, first you need to understand something. I already explained this to you. The Q20A and the Q20B are NOT slated for the artics....ONLY the Q44! As for the other bus routes, the Jamaica Depot is not suitable for artics! So, the Q5, Q17 and Q85 are out. Unless if Jamaica gets a NEW depot..it's not happening. Although, it would be niec to see them on the Q5 and Q85. I do not know about the Q17. For the Q12...NO because it can not handle the turnaround in Little Neck. The Q60 is NOT part of the MTA (at least for the time being) but it would be nice to see an artic on the Q60. Finally, the Q46 from your depot...okay I can picture an artic on that route but I'm surprised that you did not mention the Q43 as well. Maybe even the Q30 (once they finish that construction on the LIE in Douglaston). However, QV is not slated for artics...at least for now but that could change! Since you work with the MTA...you should know that things can change! As for the D60HFs, they have DD50 series engines and CS will get their artics when they get them. They are slated for buses #5742-5769. I got a feeling that may change as KB backed out of it's order and Quill and 126th St are getting theirs plus 100th St is still waiting for theirs so CS could get more. We shall see!
Vince
E-mail me at NYCTMCID4500@aol.com
And the questions you were asking was things that an MTA employee would/should know! Yeesh, another reason I didn't feed into you by cursing you out!
Stunts like that is what gets this board shut down and so forth!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Coach USA
Actually this board has been shut down before because of incdents as when you cursed out Trevor, so just chill out, and it was that serious Dave doesn't play when he shuts down boards, we were lucky this time.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B1
B3
B6
B8
B9
B12*
B15 [not the JFK branch]
B35*
B41
B42
B44*
B46*
B60
B61
B63
B68
B77 [school hours]
B82
B83
*=best candidates
*=best candidates"
2) Artics cost over $700,000 per bus. No line is getting artics for rush hour only service because the investments necessary will be too much for it. An Artic line will have to use them all day long to justify that investment to the MTA, the Feds, and the union.
3) Heavy flows don't need bigger buses: they need schedule adjustments. Maybe every second or third bus is a short turn discharge only run. An express run can shoot a third of the way down the route nonstop before making dropoffs. Managing flow can probably handle these issues better than a $700,000 bus...look at the M79 and M86. The MCIs were only $400,000 average and they have saved a lot of money in exchange for that investment.
4) There are no more than 10 routes in each borough that can use artics effectively.
I don't think Fresh Pond routes or the depot itself could handle them could I be wrong yes but on routes like the B26, B52 & Q58 it just cannot happen IMO. I never said that it cannot handle other types of roads like what you mentioned and the Artics might be too high for some routes running els [excluding routes like the Bx4 & Bx39 which can run under them since they currently do].
4) There are no more than 10 routes in each borough that can use artics effectively.
I know and the routes that could use Artics effectively in Brooklyn for example is the B12,15[NOT for JFK],35,41,42,44 & 46.
4) There are no more than 10 routes in each borough that can use artics effectively.
I know and the routes that could use Artics effectively in Brooklyn for example is the B12,15[NOT for JFK],35,41,42,44 & 46.
I have several sets of the following:
GMC RTS 04 builders plate $20
TMC RTS 06 nameplate $20. This is an adapted version of the GMC style.
Matched set $35.
GMC TDH 4801 builders plate,immaculate. Make me an offer.
All items come with hisotry of the buses they were salvaged from before they got the torch.
I also am selling copies of my busfan tapes at $10 a crack. Theyre a mix match of driver training films, home shot footage, etc.
Email me at vermont_and_dillinger@yahoo.com for further info.
All orders get various "Mystery Gifts" included.
Thanks,
Sean in LA
Q47, Q33, Q19a, Q19b are a few.
Q47 and Q19b - come back to back and they arealways packed to the gills.
http://talk.nycsubway.org/cgi-bin/subtalk.cgi?read=505040
You are absolutely right: artics do turn tighter than 40-footers and really can go anywhere a 40-foot bus can go. I have given up trying to express that, though, because I and others have posted it several times before and a lot of people here refuse to believe it.
Our D60LF's are 10'10" high over the AC units, and we have all too many low-hanging trees around the county. Makes all kinds of nice noise when the branches scrape over the AC.
Bronx Division MaBSTOA:
Bx3 (rush hours), Bx19 (rush hours), Bx36
Manhattan Division MaBSTOA:
M14*, M16/34*, M42, M60 (crush loads from LaGuardia and Rikers), M101/103*
Manhattan Division NYCTA:
M31
Brooklyn Division NYCTA:
B6, B9 (rush hours), B12, B17, B35, B41, B42 (rush hours), B44, B46, B68, B82, Q58
Queens Division (NYCTA only): Q1 (rush hours), Q4, Q5, Q12, Q17, Q20/44^, Q27, Q43, Q46, Q83 (rush hours), Q85 (rush hours)
Staten Island Division NYCTA:
none
*likely will become artic when HP closes and 100 St opens
^Q44 is slated to become artic
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I drive one 40 hours a week.....
Wayne
If I had to make a judgment, I would say that the artic bus turned about right on with a 40 foot bus although not all 40 foot buses are equal. And not all turns are equal either. If an intersection has nice rounded corners, turns are easier than if they come out to a sharp point--they're not all the same. You can't just consider only the number of lanes and width.
What you're really worried about when driving a long vehicle is the phenomenon called off-tracking which results in your back axle not following the path of your front axle. So on a turn, your back axle will track inside the path of your front axle, which ain't good if you do not swing your front axle out wide enough. You don't want to drag the back of your bus into obstructions on the corner like pedestrians or street signs. They way I think about it is you pretend you're driving the back of the bus, meaning you position the front of the bus so that the back of the bus behaves the way you want it to.
So the million dollar question is: "On an artic bus, does the rear axle track inside the middle axle or not?" I don't know the answer, but I do know the data provided in my D60HF Operator's guide:
I don't know if you can go by the published turning radius or not.
The thing I didn't like was that when you reached the maximum bend angle of 40º this damn buzzer goes off to let you know you're fucked if you have mis-judged the turn because the bus just ain't gonna turn any tighter. As if the 'clunk' feeling of the joint locking up isn't enough. In this situation what will happen with the New Flyer anyway is the back wheels will drag/skip along because the far back axle isn't steerable.
I was always told that if you were going forward and slow, you wouldn't damage the joint if you reached the maximum bend angle. But if you were in reverse, you were putting the joint in danger. That's why there's a safety system that puts the interlock on when you're in reverse and reach the maximum angle.
One more thing about the D60HF. On that solid strip in the middle of the joint I noticed there was some damage on one of the D.M. MTA's artics. I wondered, "How in the hell did someone hit something there!?" I believe I found the answer. There was a place on my route where we had a stop at the far side of a corner (near side of the intersection) and then needed to immediately get over into the next lane to the left because the lane ended on the other side of the intersection. So what you'd do is make the stop and then crank the wheel and make the tightest turn possible over into the next lane. When you did that, I believe the joint would actually swing over the curb where there were some parking meters! Sort of a mid-tail-swing of sorts. That would be one more thing to consider--tight turns couldn't be set up in tight places.
So consider what would happen if your New York MTA put an artic bus on a route with sharp turns. An operator could space off one day and take a turn too wide. The bus could lock at the maximum bend angle and the operator could be on an unavoidable path into some obstructions. Well, if he or she puts the bus in reverse, the fucker's going to lock up because of the safety system. And then it will be stuck there until help arrives unless the operator uses the override, which they may not be allowed to do. I know I'd rather sit there and block traffic than cause major damage to a bus! If the same thing happened on a 40 footer, no problem. Just inch it back a little in reverse and complete the turn.
So the answer to the question might lay in the "what ifs" of artic bus operations rather than the basic capabilities of the bus itself.
Mike
1-The L Shuttle
2-The F Beach Shuttle
3-The Q Beach Shuttle
I could not believe the waste of money that the TA displayed this weekend. And its not operating the Beach Shuttles because of the weather, I have no problem with that. My problem is how these shuttles were operated.
To have buses from East New York and Fresh Pond operate the Beach Shuttles and to have buses from Flatbush and Ulmer Park operate the L Shuttle was a waste of money and clearly showed the TA's contempt of the public.
I have no problem with splitting the overtime between depots.
My problem is why can't the TA have buses sent to the closet shuttle route. To bring buses from one side of the borough to the other is just a waste of funds.
I know the excuse that is going to be used is that the schedules are made in advance. WELL THATS NOT GOOD ENOUGH
1-Make up revised schedules. They will be bus shuttles on the L and the Beach Routes at least for the next two weeks(weather permitting more if the weather does not)
2-Adjustments can be made right now and be ready for the weekend.
THIS IS A WASTE OF FUNDS. OPERATINS PLANNING SHOULD MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS NOW.
Have East New York and Fresh Pond buses only working the L Shuttle
Have Flatbush and Ulmer Park buses work the Beach Shuttles.
Of course buses from Gleason and 126th Street can be assigned to either shuttle or have 126th Street work the L and Gleason work the beach shuttles
Any commnets
Thank You
Most businesses pay you a gauarateed 4 hours for showing up if the employer did not give you the proper notificatio that you were not needed that day
It is also far cheaper to just have the B/O stay home even if you have to pay him. The fuel costs of bringing a bus from clear across the brooklyn to idle endlessly ads up.
A few dollars here and a few dollars their in a system the size of nyct is big money.
The shuttle was advertised. It had to be operated in case somebody wanted to ride it, whether it was sunny, rainy, or snowing out. Besides, if one remembers, the weather Saturday morning was not all that bad.
David
Drivers report to the depot nearest the shuttle service to pick up the buses
Plane and simple
NYCT could easily save tens of millions of dollars with common sense proceedures.
This is an issue that the comptrollers hsould be going after not the moronic politcally motivated issues they choose to pursue
I guess "voiceofreason" doesn't actually READ my postings, and yet here I am trying to explain it again.
I said, a few days ago, in response to his similar argument, that while the contract allows Operators to report to "foreign" depots (that is, a depot to which he or she is not assigned) the penalties for doing so that are BUILT INTO THE CONTRACT make it financially prohibitive to do so.
Again: don't like it? Write a new contract and send it to MTA, which can then ask TWU to sign it -- but don't be surprised or disappointed if TWU refuses.
David
The rule is probably ment to protect drivers on normal shifts from getting sent all over the place
It should not apply when a driver CHOOSES the shift which is based out of another depot. These are two differnt situations
Ever wonder why mangement and union brass never get along. Such simple common sense goes out the widow costing us all. Especially the union memeber who lives in the city who is now paying 18% increae in property taxes and a resumption of the sales tax because of this and other similar work rules
David
In good faith the TWU should have the best interests of it's members.
Since it's memebers are residents of this city, it is in there best interest that such a clause be changed. It is a waste of resorces. Resources that they are paying $2 for any bennifit that may be had ve an indidual union memeber
This why it is so expensive to live in this city. Horrible unreasonable work rules that serve noones good
the shuttle should be operating out of Brighton Beach station. For the same operating costs it could serve both manhattan beach and CI allowing the CI business draw some business from the crowds at Manahattan Beach Plus eliminating the need for suplimental B49 bus service the summer
Frankly, I can't imagine a family laden with "beach stuff" unpacking said "beach stuff" at Brighton or Manhattan Beach after getting off a train and a shuttle bus, deciding to head for Coney Island, packing up the "beach stuff" again, jamming it onto another shuttle bus, unpacking it AGAIN at Coney Island, and packing it up YET AGAIN to go home. Can anybody here? And, by the way, diverting via Manhattan Beach WOULD cost many, many dollars -- dollars that, as "voiceofreason" keeps insisting, nobody has.
David
People usually head out to a particualar beach. There are different crowds and amenities at each bay on a beach. Your concerns are not true. Plus the beach at brighton beach station is two long blocks from brighton beach ave to the broadwalk.
For instance most college people congregate on one specific part of brighton beach. the area two blocks east of CI ave.
Manahattan beach is popular with the high school set. Etc. People head to CI to play in the sand and go on the rides.
Families go to Mnahattan beach to BBQ, play a littel softball, bbball and play in the water fountain.
David
The bus has to stop at manahattan beach from an operational perspective in order to turn the bus
Take a walk down the beach. Get some color
Get out of your mother's house for once in your life and do some actual observing instead of shooting downs one's constructve idea's
Defending the status quo is getting us Higher taxes and chasing the middle class out of the city
The rich can afford any taxea. The poor don't pay most taxes. It's the middle class bus driver and teacher who suffer the most by crazy union rules and short sighed individuals like yourself
"Get out of your mother's house for once in your life and do some actual observing instead of shooting downs one's constructve idea's"
I love it when people who have nothing to say get personal. I, on the other hand, am through with this conversation.
David
1. I've lived two blocks from the Sheepshead Bay station for nearly ten years and am a lifelong resident of southwestern Brooklyn. I know this area as well as anybody if not better.
2. I've been working for NYC Transit for over 15 years and am a manager with some responsibility for the areas "voiceofreason" is complaining about in this thread. He makes sense sometimes, but on this one, SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE AND FROM KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTRACT (NOT from what I think the contract SHOULD say), I can say he's way off.
And, with that, I have no more to say on this subject.
David
Peace
David
Peace
David
The point is that routing the shuttle bus from brighon beach station is a shorter route to CI then from sheapshead bay.
There is not turning zone near brighton beach station thus the bus needs to cotinue on to Manahattan beach to turn around
People heading to manahttan beach via mass transit could utilize the shuttle instead of the B49
The end result is a shuttle service that is cheaper to operate
If no day tripers choose to go to CI from Manahattan Beach(beachgoes not residents) the total route of the shuttle route is still shorter then routing vi sheapshead bay station
You are one of the useless employees that would be eliminated if my proposals were ever enacted.
If years and you have done nothing to right the crappy union rule that is robbing the transit rider,
You could have alerted your councilman or state senator of the waste. Or the MTA IG's office
You choose to do nothing
We thank you for your incompetence
The task of correcting flaws (from NYCT's view) in the contract rests solely with the NYCT and MTA negotiators. It's the negotiators who go into the talks, with full knowledge of the contract. David's job is to use his knowledge of the current contract to complete tasks that are assigned to him.
And... There's no reason to alert the politicians and IG, because (1) nothing illegal is happening, and (2) they already know what's going on anyway since, AFAIK, the contract is a public document. There's ZERO basis for "whistleblowing" if the activity in question is not only legal but contractually required.
The problem is the MTA does not seem to operate flexible enough. They certaintly had the supervisory staff on hand.
They should have the power to schale back the shutlle service when conditions warrent it being scaled back. The Q beach shuttle could have been scaled back to 3 buses once the weather dictatd constant rain and low temps.
As a courtesy drivers should be notified at least 3 hours before the shift starts that it will be cancelled. If a driver shows up and it is determined that he is not needed, he should get 4 hours for his trouble. Cheaper then running extra service that is just not warrented
The suppervisory staff should have the power to put the bus on a different route if it is in the union contract that the driver must get paid. Anything would be better then what was done
They do, and who says it wasn't?
Daivd
David
David
Operations Planning does not decide which depots operate which runs on which shuttles. That decision is made by staff at the Department of Buses. Operations Planning's Schedules Unit writes the schedules and turns them over to DOB to split as it sees fit.
David
Why doesn't someone bring this up.
If this was a private business you bet it would have been done right away or the person reponsible would have been fired so fast
Thank You
At SEPTA, whenever any rail line (subway, streetcar, or Regional Rail) sees bus-bridge operations, it generally works as follows:
MARKET FRANKFORD EL
Between Center City/Spring Garden and Bridge-Pratt (locals): Work is generally assigned from all City Transit Division depots, with Callowhill, Comly, Frankford and Midvale getting the bulk of the work, with the other two depots - Southern and Allegheny - get a handful of runs.
Between Center City and Bridge-Pratt (express via I-95 with a stop at Bridge St/Torresdale Av): All work is assigned to Allegheny using artics. In 1996, when there was a mixed bag of buses at Allegheny, the bulk of the work saw Volvo artics, with a few RTS and Neos tossed in for good measure. When the NABIs arrived, virtually all express work saw the Volvos. Even though Allegheny Depot is nowhere near Frankford, they get the work because they have the most Neo artics available on weekends (most of Midvale's artics are generally used on the 18, 22, and 55, even on weekends).
Between Center City and 69 St Terminal (all locals): Same generally holds true as on the east end of the El, but most of the work is covered by Callowhill and Southern, with the rest split between Allegheny, Midvale, and Frankford (with one or two runs coming from Comly).
BROAD STREET SUBWAY
All work is generally covered using artics from Midvale with some runs coming from Southern, depending on what section of the Broad Street line sees scheduled shuttle service. This is very rare as most bus-bridges on Broad St involve shuttling passengers between "Express" stops (ie. Olney to Erie) when the local track is taken out of service.
When there's an emergency shuttle on the El or Broad St line, however, buses can be pulled from any depot, regardless of location.
SUBWAY-SURFACE
Schedule bus bridges due to construction have buses coming from both Callowhill and Southern, however the operators come from Elmwood Depot (the trolley yard), but there are no facilities to fuel diesel buses at Elmwood. If there's an emergency bus-bridge, however, operators and vehicles come from Callowhill and/or Southern, depending on the line.
RED ARROW RAIL (P&W, Media/Sharon Hill trolleys)
All rail shuttles on the 100 (P&W), 101 (Media), and 102 (Sharon Hill) are operated out of Red Arrow, even though the P&W ends at Norristown, which is Frontier territory.
REGIONAL RAIL (at least the ones I know of)
R1 Airport: Normally operated out of Southern; during the Rail Power project, however, the shuttles are operated out of Allegheny.
R2 Marcus Hook and R3 Elwyn: Generally operated out of Red Arrow, though I think Southern and Callowhill also cover a few runs if the entire line needs to be covered (at least on the R3); during the Rail Power Project R3 shuttles between University City station and Center City, the work comes out of Southern
R2 Warminster: A mixed bag if starting at Fern Rock, but generally Midvale and Allegheny artics; between Hatboro and Warminster, though, it's usually Frontier
R3 West Trenton: Trevose to West Trenton by Frontier, unsure about rest of line to Jenkintown (I think it's the same as the Warminster line)
R5 Doylestown: Normally, Frontier covers between Lansdale and Doylestown. Two years ago, when bus bridges were instituted between Ambler and Jenkintown due to a washed out bridge at Ft Washington, Allegheny and Midvale covered most of the work, with some runs coming from Comly. The mid-day "protect buses" between Lansdale and Doylestown (which filled in the gaps between the two stations when trains were normally not scheduled) were split between Comly and Midvale, using 40-foot buses
R5 Thorndale: Red Arrow
R6 Cynwyd: Callowhill
R6 Norristown: Frontier covers shuttles between Conshohocken and Elm St/Norristown; I think either Midvale or Allegheny cover shuttles for stations within the city
R8 Fox Chase: I think the shuttles ran from Comly the last time, but I don't recall off the top of my head
Rail Power Project Center City shuttles: Artics from Allegheny and Midvale, though they do sneak in a New Flyer occasionally
I suppose I can answer part of my question, the R6 train isn't fully ADA compatible (heck Wynnefield Ave isn't much more than a bus shelter and a plywood platform).
Still, it's really sad to see the R6 go, SEPTAs slowly killing it, but I suppose that's for SubTalk.
On the Media/Sharon Hill lines, it's almost always an ElDorado.
They took the scheme from the MCI D Series order and worked it onto the Neoplan Artic Suburban
Over the Front Wheelweel you have the words NJ Transit in the standard NJT Font. Most of the bus is white, even around the windows. Then from the rear of the bus, over the rear wheelwell you have the New NJT Tri-Color Swoosh.
HOLY SHIT!
Regards,
Trevor
Hunting it down tomorrow!
Trev
Trevor
(Speaking of the ALP-46, I happened to notice one of them (#4613) in the Amtrak Yard at 30 St Station in Philadelphia this afternoon. Sorry for the off topic observation, but if it helps, I was on a Center City bound 9 bus when I saw the new locomotive.)
They are working on making Transit more attractive and I must say they are bang up job. Ever since the Baby Nova RTS-06N order, every NJT bus has had a different paint scheme, something like Lynx in Florida.
A while back they came out with a pamphlet explaining what they are doing to make traveling on transit more pleasant.
So expect EVERY bus/rail car order to come in with some varient of the NJT colors.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Ronnie
NJ Transit bus routes: 108, 171 & 190
NJ Transit Flxibles: 3580, 3223 & 3791
B1-#4778-TMCRTS
BIG AL
Items of interest...
Both the N3 and the new N8 are on the map. I was under the impression that the N3 would be gone once the N8 was started. The N8's routing is: Exit Green Acres, Left on Sunrise, Right on Hook Creek Blvd, continue onto Elmont Road, Right on Dutch Broadway, at Franklin/Corona loop down to serve Franklin General Hospital, then north on Franklin, east on Hempstead Tpk, east on Front Street, then a left on Washington Street to the Terminal.
There's also an error in the N14/15/16 routing on the Rockville Centre inset map -- northbound 15's and 16's are shown going west on Sunrise Hwy. In actuality the busses go one block north and access the LIRR station through the parking lot -- then turn back onto Sunrise a block west of Park Ave.
CG
Enjoy!
Incognito
Both the N3 and the new N8 are on the map. I was under the impression that the N3 would be gone once the N8 was started. The [N8's routing is: Exit Green Acres, Left on Sunrise, Right on Hook Creek Blvd, continue onto Elmont Road, Right on Dutch Broadway, at Franklin/Corona loop down to serve Franklin General Hospital, then north on Franklin, east on Hempstead Tpk, east on Front Street, then a left on Washington Street to the Terminal.]
When will the N8 start? And how often will it run?
[There's also an error in the N14/15/16 routing on the Rockville Centre inset map -- northbound 15's and 16's are shown going west on Sunrise Hwy. In actuality the busses go one block north and access the LIRR station through the parking lot -- then turn back onto Sunrise a block west of Park Ave. ]
Also, in the Lynbrook inset map, there is no longer the N91(JFK Flyer).
In the Hempstead Insert, it shows that the northbound N15 and N16 turns left Columbia street to the Terminal, when infact they go in both directions along Jackson St, south of the terminal. And both directions on Columbia street, north of the terminal.
http://www.mta.info/libus/maplibus.pdf
As someone who grew up in Valley Stream, I am flabergasted that there will be three bus lines serving Franklin Avenue between Franklin General Hospital and Hemptead Turnpike. Unless patronage patterns have changed much in the last few years, I believe that area is over-served. On the other hand, I remember as a kid thinking that there should be bus service on Dutch Broadway. I'll be interested in seeing how this new N8 does.
[at Franklin/Corona loop down to serve Franklin General Hospital, then north on Franklin]
It is hard to tell on the map how that loop will be run. Besides the service road of the Southern State, which is a bit north of the hospital, there are no through streets connecting Franklin and Corona, other than an elementary school driveway. I can't wait to see this part of the routing.
My guess for the routing around Franklin General is that both directions will use the service road facing eastbound. In that direction the road is 3 lanes wide at the light, compared to only one lane wide going westbound.
So the Northbound N8 would go Dutch Broadway, right on Corona, left on service road, left on Franklin. The southbound would go Franklin, bear right on Corona, left on the service road, left on Franklin, left on Dutch Broadway.
CG
So the Northbound N8 would go Dutch Broadway, right on Corona, left on service road, left on Franklin. The southbound would go Franklin, bear right on Corona, left on the service road, left on Franklin, left on Dutch Broadway. ]
That makes sense. Is there a sidewalk on the north side of the service road?
Apparently, SEPTA may be planning to run shuttles from the Navy Yard to the Vet on that day, since parking at the Sports Complex will be at a premium due to the construction of the two new stadiums; which is why the Roadeo won't be held there either (it was the site for the APTA International Roadeo two years ago).
Of all the places SEPTA chose to have it's Roadeo, they had to choose a location that is (1) in an area that is poorly accessed by existing SEPTA routes and (2) in the suburbs.
Yes, actually that's why Fresh Pond; in particular & Brooklyn gets a lot of the hand me down RTS's. Big Al and others have explained it to us in the past.
Peace
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
Maybe that's KB's order they dropped, right? KB was suppose to get more artics but they declined. Could that be why WF is getting artics?
Vince
How many are still running? Where am I most likely to find them? I want to ride one this week, either tomorrow or (probably) Thursday.
On my end, they all start in Hollywood (Chevy Chase).
Peace,
ANDEE
B1-#4861-TMCRTS
Frontier is set up in much the same way as the Victory yard is; there was a guard station right as you entered the complex, but that was since removed within the past 2-3 years.
In the city, the 6 bus garages have mostly indoor storage, though a few buses are parked outside. Elmwood car house (subway-surfcae depot) has a guard station right before you enter.
It would be virtually impossible to steal a SEPTA bus from a city garage; can't say the same thing about the burbs.
Whoa! I can not believe this. The N8 will actually run down the city line into Green Acres! So, this means that there will be about three bus routes on Hook Creek Blvd (Q5, X63 - weekdays and now the N8). Also, I bet that Hook Creek Blvd will add more traffic lights on it now, huh? One is at Hook Creek and Sunrise, then Merrick Blvd/Rd and then Brookville Blvd.
Now, I got two questions for Joe Sattia:
1) Will the N8 stop along Hook Creek Blvd between Merrick and Sunrise? I know the east side of Hook Creek Blvd is Nassau County and the Q5 stops on that side but will the N8 do the same. Also, will the N8 pick up passengers along Hook Creek Blvd between that same area seeing how the Q5 goes to Green Acres as well?
2) When will the N8 start OR has it started already and how often does it run?
THhanks in advance Joe Saitta!
This was a great idea by the MTA Long Island Bus operations planning! It is so cool. Also, I just realized that for the first time on the MTA Long Island Bus Map...they got the N65, N66, N67, N93, N94 and N95 bus route listed. Well, the N94 and N95 were always on there as shuttles ("S") but now it's even better and now I know where they go.
Finally, somebody said that the N15, N16 and N17 buses do not use Sunrise Hwy west to North Village Av? Yes they do. I was in Rockville Centre and I saw the Roosevelt Field bound N15 along Sunrise Hwy and made a right turn up to Roosevelt Field. Now, if that was a "Not In Service" bus, then my mistake.
Have a good day!
Vince
If MTA has the same policy in effect for the N8 as it does for all other Nassau routes which operate into Queens, then I'd suspect that the N8 would operate discharge only along Hook Creek to Green Acres and pick-up only along Hook Creek from Green Acres. MTA would probably have that policy in place to protect the Q5, but don't hold me to it.
The map shows the N15 and N16 making a left from Park Avenue onto Sunrise and then a right onto North Village.
In actuality they go one block north of Sunrise and make a left onto the Railroad station service road. Then they make another left into the village parking lot and then a right onto Sunrise and another right onto North Village.
Also, it doesn't appear that the N8 is running yet. I drive on Dutch Broadway almost every day and I haven't seen it. As of today, the bus stop signs only list the N2. Over in Uniondale, they added the N43 to the signs right at about the time service started.
CG
BIG AL
BIG AL
In the past,,i have posted Agenda Items from the MTA Board ,,Destination Sign readings,,NJT Items and notes,,etc
Steve
I am somewhat dumbfounded by the soon-to-run N8. I don't understand why three bus lines are needed on Franklin Avenue between Franklin General Hospital and Hempstead Turnpike. On the other hand, I remember as a kid thinking that there should be bus service along Dutch Broadway. Hope the N8 draws enough passengers there.
[N8:Hempstead-Green Acres.]
For those who may not remember, the N3 at one point in its life provided Hempstead-Green Acres service. Possibly in the early 1970's the Franklin Square terminus was extended to Hempstead and the buses ran every 45 minutes instead of every hour. I believe that routing lasted only a few years.
The strangest part of the N8 routing to me is the loop near Franklin General Hospital. Other than the service road of the Southern State Parkway (which is a little north of Franklin General Hospital), there are no through streets south of the Hospital between Corona and Franklin Avenues, other than an elementary school driveway. I will be interested in what the precise routing will be here.
The N-8 is replacing the N-3 service between Green Acres and Franklin Square
Thank You
The N8 to Green Acres running south on Franklin, Will Make a Right on Corona, down and across the Southern State Parkway, Then a left on to the service road, To serve the Hospital. Then it will make a left on Franklin Ave, up to Dutch Broadway, then a Left onto Dutch Broadway to Elmont Road.
Northbound (Traveling East on Dutch Broadway) It will go all the way to Franklin Ave. Make a Right on Franklin, Cross the parkway. Make a Right on the Service road along the hospital, then make a Right On Corona, Up to Franklin and make that Left Up towards Hempstead Turnpike.
In looking at the bus map again, it certainly appears that the N8 will use the service road, as the hospital is placed south of the loop. I agree with another post that, if the service road is used, both northbound and southbound buses will loop counter-clockwise to use the service road westbound. Eastbound, the service road contains only one lane, so there is no place for a bus stop.
My only concern is that the service road is not as close to the hospital as the present N3/N25 bus stops. Hopefully, N8 riders headed to or from the hospital won't mind the walk.
Sid --
I think you've got your east and west bounds reversed, but if you're saying what I think you're saying we're on the same page.
CG
You are correct. I was so intent on not messing up the clockwise/counterclockwise description, that I forgot to pay attention to east vs. west!!!
CG
Okay, first 2003 D60HF #5523-5525 are at MJQ I believe. How, do you get Clayton's roster? I hope you do not mean Glenn's bus roster (www.UTCNY.org)? If not, what's clayton's website address? Thanks in advance!
Vince
I just heard from ABC 7 Eyewitness News that a person hijacked a bus from the ONE Bus Company in Elzabeth. Took it right out of the depot...GEEZ! Anyway, he did the right thing by driving the route and dropping off the passengers but he collected the fares by stating that the farebox does not work. So, he was arrested with only $32.34 because the fare was $1.10! LOL! It's sad but funny because he drve the bus and got caught because the bus came "too early" at Jersey Gardens Mall. Lol! Whoa! Well...Trevor, I bring you into this because since you work for Coach USA...did you hear about this? Also, what bus routes does ONE Bus Company have? I'm not sure but I think he hijacked route 24 or route 44. That's all they showed with a bunch of NovaBuses. Looks like the fleet is #31048-31066? I'm not sure, can you shed some light on it! Thanks in advance! Check out the news and their websites for more information!
Vince
Example the 31 bus has a different operating name for every bus.
Any idea why they are aren't just operated by Coach USA or one standard Newark name?
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Coach USA
Thanks
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
That message wasn't for you, it was for the other poster who asked, and I don't know what time wil the first Artic Shuttle will leave from FBF, just take anyone that comes.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
(You will NOT be allowed to enter the Rodeo)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Hmmm??? Whachooosayyyy? (What you say????)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Peace
David
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Peace
David
David
P.S.: stop "shouting" (all caps) -- we can hear just fine!
David
Wayne
Today, 316 was sighted being towed down Glen Cove Rd in Greenvale.
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Incognito
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The bus at the end (probably the same one that passes in the very beginning) looks like an LAMTA Neoplan AN440A CNG.
As an aside, I tried to find the Minneapolis low-floor artic on the M23 today, but did not see it at all. Is the 30-day test over by now?
B1-#4867-TMCRTS
B68-#7574-Orion VII
I am tired of sticky floors. I ruined a brand new jacket when someone eating french fries decided to put katchup on the seat
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU THAT YOU CAN NOT FOLLOW A SIMPLE RULE THAT IS MENT TO KEEP THE RIDE CLEAN FOR ALL
that is what wronf in this city, people want to do whatever they want. theier is a reason for the law. To keep buses clean.
Ever see a bus before it starts uo. Roaches everywhere
Unfortunitly as we have been seeing in the Daily News, Political forced want to have it both ways. The Union president is up for relection and want to justify to his memebers that he is worth his six figure salary. Presto, NYPD suddnetly put quota's on officers to issue more tickets. Tickets are bring issued summons for laws put in place to keep the city a nice place to live but rarely enforced
The laws are enforced so infrequently that people just ignor the rule. In many cities around this country if you threough a paper on the floor, people look at you and you get written a summons. DO the summons make money for the city, not really as they cost more to process then they make, bit their perpose is to change behavior through hitting your pocketbook
DOT at the request of the local state senator put up a no turning sign on ave U and E34th street during the morning and evening rush. It is never enforced and the fact that it is thier and people don't get tickets gives people the feeling that they can ignor other laws.
The oppsite is happeing with the Daily nEws Article's. The city is not issuing more tickets, but the perception of all the news coverage is causing people to adjust thier bad habbits and follow the law. The reason summons are issued in the first place. Just proves that the unions, the media and the local politiacinas think we are puppets too stupid or lasy to look at the facts
The marginal person who litters represents 90% of all litter on the trains and buses
Use Grafetti as an example. In the early 1990's, it was out of control all over the city. It was concidered cool by most the junior high and high school students.
In comes Guliani who vowed to crack down on anyone who wrote performed grafiti.
75% of graphiti artists disapeared overnight. These were the marginal guys that were writing on phone booths and kiddie slides becasue they thought they were cool
The Hard Coor Guy are still out in force. They just don't care about getting caught
It's unfortunite that if the city tried to crack down, all the critics come out of the woodwork. The same critics complaine the city does to litte to keep areas clean.
the areas and bus lines that suffer the most are in area's where there are large concentration of people who just don't care.
They should enforce a law that doesn't exist?
Don't get tic for tat
Perhaps you think that should be changed. Which is fine. But please don't try to enforce rules that don't exist.
There _should_ be a law against food consumption on public transportation. For all the obvious reasons.
You can not regualte people to death. But you should punish those who BLANTANTLY direspect the law and other's
Your attitude against cops is percieved in interactions with officers and is probably why those interestions don't go more smoothly. Police officers are average guys hired to do a job and many feel pasionatly about upholding thier vow.
It is never too young to teach a child that laws are ment to be followed
this is the biggest difference between the suburbs and the city. Most middle and working class people who moved to the suburbs moved thier because they are fustrated that they have to live in a society where laws ment to make life more enjoyable are ignored and parents don't teach thier children to respect the law and other people's property.
These are very basic tenants of a liveable society. Follow the laws ment to keep the place livale. If you don't agree with the law try to have it changed. I wish the NYPD with it's largest police force in the country would be enforcing the laws on the books as agressivly as the PBA and Daily News are implying. The city would be a cleaner more enjoyable place to live. Not to mention the cost of operating a clean transit system would be lower. Less people will die or become imjured by law breakers who make illegal U turns, ride bikes on narrow bridges, eat and spill drinks on the bus*, Block stairways.
I bet if the preganate tean age girl that was hanging with her friends blocking the subway stairway would have fell off the step when a crowd of people exited the subway she would have sued the city caliming he city did not enforce the law that would have protected her.
The reason some of theee laws that you think are silly are still on the books is that lawyers routinely use them in court to sue the city
Asthma is a major problem in this city. Eating and drinking on buses attracts roaches to buses which is a major cause of asthma attacks in children and adults. Sit on a bus that has it's engend turned off for a perios of time and watch the roaches crawl all over the place. I noticed this for the first time on the B9 at kings plaza. Once the engine starts up they crawl back to the heat of the engine compartment.
Many peopl like myself are alergic to mold and mildew, spiled drinks and food put alergents into the air making it hard for people to breath and further makes it difficult for athsma suffereers
Thier are reasons for these laws. Wake up and step out of your self centric world and smell the cofee. I don;t mean to be mean but go to another city and see how nice it is and come back to new york and ride around the boroughs and it will be more apparent to you. You are used to the lawlessness, you don't know any better.
I was once that way also. As a young teenager My freinds and I would drink Forties in the IS 278 School yard and playground. We would break the bottles when we were done. We bitched and moaned when the cops chased us away. When the cops saw us on the street at 1am they would stops and harrass them. we hated them
Looking back they were doing the right thing. The next morning little kids could not use the playground and get all cut up when they did.
The bus depot and train yard worker's in charge of cleaning the buses and train's inside and out bust thier asses everyday to make sure that those buses and train's are squeaky clean when it's time for them to be sent out for the day and yet when they return,they're so dirty that it look's like they never did anything at all.Hell Trevor alway's keep's his bus clean when he's driving them yet once he leaves a terminal and arrives at the next one,the bus is so dirty as if he never did clean the bus at all.All I'm saying is,fine want to enforce law's about no eating and drinking on buses and train's? Ok,no problem,but it shouldn't be overboard like it was in the case with that 12 year old girl.There's a line to be crossed and that's crossing it and then some.
Personally, since I grew up being taught not to eat or drink on the Metro here in DC, I never have nor do I do it elsewhere.
Besides the astetic issues. I sometimes have trouble breathing on buses. the reason is that the roaches hiding in the bus frame and the mold and bacteria of the food scraps triggers off my asthma.
Even when you don;t get a full blown attack, athsma robs you of energy and a dirty bus could be enough to make you day misreable
I drive for LI Bus; my vehicle, usually Orion V #621, starts out each day very clean. If anyone violates the above rules, they're politely asked to obey them. If they refuse, other action is taken. The offensive smell of most of the food brought on the bus, especially pizza, frankfurters, and fried chicken, is so gross with their odor that it not only annoys other passengers but I find it necessary to stop the bus because it makes me sick. After all, an ill bus operator can't drive safely. An average bus ride is only 30-45 minutes. Certainly one can hold off all consumables for that period.
LI Buses are much cleaner than before, but you still have the daily slobs who throw used tissues, newspapers, Metrocards, etc. on the floor or seats. The bus is my home for eight or more hours and I want it clean. Perhaps those same people who defile the bus also do the same things in their homes, or if in an apartment. in the hallways or outside the windows.
It is so easy to take your trash off of the bus. LI Bus has programmed announcements and posted signs stating the rules, 99.9% of the passengers obey them, but there's always the lone slob or defiant person who thinks they're better than anyone else or "that rule doesn't apply to me."
A number of years ago, a man boarded my bus in Flushing; it was the last one bound for Glen Cove, where I knew he lived. He entered the bus carrying the little brown bag with a can of closed Budweiser sticking out. I politely asked him not to open it. He said ok. The bus went one block, stopped for the traffic light, and then I heard the telltale "pop" of the can being opened. Glancing in my mirror, I allowed him one sip - to wet his whistle, then turned around and said, I'm sorry, either you or the can must leave the bus." He said he would leave because he wasn't giving up his beer. He exited the bus, took another swig and asked, "Hey, what time is the next bus?" I responded honestly with a straight face, "Tomorrow," closed the doors (while really relishing the priceless surprised expression on his face) and took off. I guess he nursed his beer walking the 18 or so miles to his destination..... Maybe he even picked up another one or more as he trotted home. Poor fellow.
Are bus allow to PHYSICALLY remove passengers off the bus? I saw that on the Q16 one time but the passengers says that the drive was not suppose to do that! Whose rght in that situation? Thanks in advance for your comments!
Vince
We need more B/O's who can take action like this!
I know ignorance of the law is no excuse, but if they're going to post signs about what's prohibited, they should be thorough about it.
I can't wait to see the sign on the bus saying no screwing!
;-)
I know most buses have the old stickers stating there is no spitting, radio playing, smoikng etc. On the newer buses yes they DO have stickers in the back and front saying no eating/drinking, no smoking and no radio playing with pictorals including the red circle with the slash over the pictures in case people don't understand that [can't see who wouldn't].
Wayne
I can beat that. On the subway once, there was a woman eating fried chicken out of a box across from me. As she finished each piece, she flung the bones on on the floor in the aisle in front of her. By the time she was done, all her greasy napkins were on the floor, the bones scattered because as people walked by the bones got scattered, and finally the box wound up on the floor.
People are slobs sometimes.
I have no problem people eating or drinking on trains, the problem with the volume of people who pass through the system, there is enough that show litte regard for others
I rather not be able to eat and have clean comfortable trains and buses.
I have to admitt I often eat on the bus and train.
God forbid the polic issue a summons for the chicken bones thrower, it will be all over the news
An interesting side note. China has just banned spiting in ublic due to SARS concerns. Apparently it was a custom to spit everywhere in china.
Another example of sometimes cusomes need to be changed for common good.
Cats were also banned from being eaten. The cats are actually a distant relative of house cats.
Why do you think places like Singapore are so clean? Heh, I guess the prospect of a whip outside the bedroom isn't so pleasurable. :)
The problem when you have groups of people who just don't care, it's a problem. And when the police enforce a rule occasionally it appears in the Daily news as a silly frivilous ticket when in actuallity it's the law.
You will have the guy claim, it accidently fell out of my pocket
A good way to enforce the law and not be overly restrictive is to issue tickets all the time. If it is a first time offense within a certain period of time the ticket gets dismissed as a warmining
The only practical way to do this is to have the cops have a PDA like devise that checks the database on the spot and makes it quick and easy to write the tickets. Say 1 min or less vs the current 5 long time it takes to write a ticket
Another solution is to have CCTV Camera's on buses and trains as a dterent. Most marginal literers will hold thier garbage until they ger off the train and bus making it easier and less costly to ticket those who throw chicken bones on the floor.
Many people in this city who for one reason mor another never made something of themselves have a depresssive phycosis and have little value fro life that manifests itself in in-caring behavior such as littering
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS ROTTEN APPLE, HMMM PICKING YOUR NOSE IN PUBLIC AND CHEWING IT PERHAPS :-\.
Anyway,I leave the mall at 2:30 and take the S63,Gillig #9632 too Patchogue arriving at 3:!5 then waited more than 15mins for the S54,Orion V #9919 in which I took that all the way to Walt Whitman Mall to catch the N79.I saw Commack for the first time in what seem's like ages and compared to Long Beach,where my bro now live's,I love Commack even better.Too bad it's way to far from the city.It's better to live out there and have a job close by instead of driving there to/from the city.
Back to the trip.So that damn S54 was mega late!! Arrived where I was waiting for it at Pathogue 7mins late and arrives at Walt Whitman 12mins late!That really ticked me off since I had less time at Whitman to take care of my business and check out some hockey jersey's at the Goin Pro store there.Afterward's I took the 5:18 N79 bus,Orion V CNG #174 to Hicksville where I took the N20 to Flushing on bus #386.While going along Northern Blvd in Queens,we passed by #670 on the Q12,who's mirror on the driver's side was sideway's and spotted an Orion V on the Q31 to Jamaica at Bell Blvd.
On Monday when I worked at Hudson Pier doing a ridecheck on M14 as a damn reserve from 15:46-2330,at some point I spotted bus #4810 and just wanted to ask when did that bus get to Hudson?I know it was in Manhattanville last so it must've been not to long ago it seem's.
Thursday I'm doing a rapid load survey(subway) at 14St-Union Sq on the Nb 4/5 train's car's 5/6 if anyone want's to go and meet me,the great MDT,at work.
Thats not that bad, I've often waited for buses running 20-30 min late, usually the N20,21, or N27 routes. 12 minutes late, thats the usual amount of time my bus is late.
I remember one day it would have been faster to WALK to Greenvale from Roslyn.
Anyway,I leave the mall at 2:30 and take the S63,Gillig #9632 too Patchogue arriving at 3:15 then waited more than 15mins for the S54,Orion V #9919 in which I took that all the way to Walt Whitman Mall to catch the N79.I saw Commack for the first time in what seem's like ages and compared to Long Beach,where my bro now live's,I love Commack even better.Too bad it's way to far from the city.It's better to live out there and have a job close by instead of driving there to/from the city.
Back to the trip.So that damn S54 was mega late!! Arrived where I was waiting for it at Pathogue 7mins late and arrives at Walt Whitman 12mins late!That really ticked me off since I had less time at Whitman to take care of my business and check out some hockey jersey's at the Goin Pro store there.Afterward's I took the 5:18 N79 bus,Orion V CNG #174 to Hicksville where I took the N20 to Flushing on bus #386.While going along Northern Blvd in Queens,we passed by #670 on the Q12,who's mirror on the driver's side was sideway's and spotted an Orion V on the Q31 to Jamaica at Bell Blvd.
On Monday when I worked at Hudson Pier doing a ridecheck on M14 as a damn reserve from 15:46-2330,at some point I spotted bus #4810 and just wanted to ask when did that bus get to Hudson?I know it was in Manhattanville last so it must've been not to long ago it seem's.
Thursday I'm doing a rapid load survey(subway) at 14St-Union Sq on the Nb 4/5 train's car's 5/6 if anyone want's to go and meet me,the great MDT,at work.
Anyway,I leave the mall at 2:30 and take the S63,Gillig #9632 too Patchogue arriving at 3:15 then waited more than 15mins for the S54,Orion V #9919 in which I took that all the way to Walt Whitman Mall to catch the N79.I saw Commack for the first time in what seem's like ages and compared to Long Beach,where my bro now live's,I love Commack even better.Too bad it's way to far from the city.It's better to live out there and have a job close by instead of driving there to/from the city.
Back to the trip.So that damn S54 was mega late!! Arrived where I was waiting for it at Pathogue 7mins late and arrives at Walt Whitman 12mins late!That really ticked me off since I had less time at Whitman to take care of my business and check out some hockey jersey's at the Goin Pro store there.Afterward's I took the 5:18 N79 bus,Orion V CNG #174 to Hicksville where I took the N20 to Flushing on bus #386.While going along Northern Blvd in Queens,we passed by #670 on the Q12,who's mirror on the driver's side was sideway's and spotted an Orion V on the Q31 to Jamaica at Bell Blvd.
On Monday when I worked at Hudson Pier doing a ridecheck on M14 as a damn reserve from 15:46-2330,at some point I spotted bus #4810 and just wanted to ask when did that bus get to Hudson?I know it was in Manhattanville last so it must've been not to long ago it seem's.
Thursday I'm doing a rapid load survey(subway) at 14St-Union Sq on the Nb 4/5 train's car's 5/6 if anyone want's to go and meet me,the great MDT,at work.And that will be from 1400-2000(2pm-8pm).
Most of the buses have a silly sticker on them... it does about as much good as the "Do Not Enter" sign on the rear door that everyone ignores. *sigh*
However, on one LFS (4819) we have these nifty lil triangles that work wonders.
As you might guess, the New Flyer low floor buses used in JFK airport service have, if memory serves me, some sort of protective gate so that you can place a small piece of luggage on the front wheel well, thereby putting it to good use. I've seen some transit systems use the front wheel well on the passenger (i.e., not driver) side used for a display rack for timetables, maps and other transit information.
On the other hand, I remember when Las Vegas got their first bunch of D40LF's. Some imbecile dispatcher was putting them on the AStrip route, which is their heaviest route. Standing loads 28 hours a day. And people were sitting ON the wheel wells!!!
I like the thing done on that Disney World bus....looks neat, does the job, and keeps everyone happy.
We had that problem intially. Idiot parents would put thier kids up there. I bet these are the same folks that allow thier kids to romp around the car without a seatbelt. *sigh*
-Tyler-
There are similar stickers in Los Angeles, but they are ignored regularly, and usually with common sense. If someone tries to put a baby seat with the baby in it on the wheel well, the B/O will immediately point to the sign and say it is not allowed, but they ignore light packages such as a brief case, or a bag or two of groceries with the owner holding them in place.
Tom
This was taken in Riverside, CA at a notable bus resale and engenerring facilty.
What was it?
Nobody even seems to know what I am talking about.
YET I have the photos to prove it.
Likely another example showing one of my "Rarest photo in history" buses.
Sean in LA
This is just speculation on my part, but probably makes sense. Orion offered the Orion VI with the option of the rear door in the "usual" position or at the very rear of the bus (behind the rear wheels). An Orion VI demo may have been built with the rear doors at BOTH locations so that prospective customers could actually see each rear door location. I would doubt that any production models contained three doors, as customers would opt for only one rear door at either location.
As an aside, it is not unusual to see buses with three doors in Europe.
When I saw it the center door was missing but the hole was still there. They looked to have been patching it up.
I only had about 10 seconds to get wat shots I could and get the hell out of the place. I got three good shots.
Frint right 3/4, left 3/4, and rear left 3/4.
If interested in aking a trade for prints I can make an extra set, email me vermont_and_dillinger@yahoo.com for further.
The question is was it or is it a WMATA coach or just an Orion demo?
Sean in LA
"Bus ID 0000" very odd.
I am lucky to have gotten it.
Sean in LA
On the MTA Long Island Bus Map online and I see where the N1 and the N2 terminate in Nassau County (another words when those two routes are not going into Jamaica) but it does not have the termination of the N3. Where does the N3 terminate at? Thanks in advance!
Vince
The only N-3 service that operates to Jamaica is the peak direction peak rush service to and from Malverne
Thank You
With the N8 and N43 getting ready for service, I was thinking of other bus routes like the following:
N5 - BRING IT BACK! Freeport to Jamaica via Sunrise Hwy. How much ridership is on the N4? If it's little then never mind.
N7 - was there an N7 before? Anyway, have the N7 from Far Rockaway to Lynbrook via Penninsula Blvd
N9 - Hicksville (more like the LIRR Station) to Mineola via Jericho Tpke (NYS 25) passing the LIE at exit 40 and up to the QUAD to connect with the N48 and N49.
N10 - Plainview to Mineola via Old Country Rd. No buses run on Old Country Rd (at least between Mineola to about Roosevelt Field)
Those are just some bus routes that I thought of. Let me know what you think.
Vince
I really doubt that LI Bus will be adding any new routes due to fiscal condition in Nassau County.
Long Island Bus is funded in a different way then NYC Transit is
Because of this any new routes have to be funded by other sources.
The N-8 is being created basically at the expense of the current N-3 service. You have to take from Peter to pay Paul
Thank You
For most of the weekday and all day Saturday, the N3 operates with only one bus. Given the additional distance to Hempstead, I've got to believe that the N8 will operate with more than one bus, therefor adding to whatever the N3 now costs to operate. So it appears that someone, probably the County, is willing to foot the bill for new or improved service in some circumstances.
Is it clear that the N3 is being eliminated (other than the peak service to and from Jamaica) when the N8 starts? In looking back at the LI Bus Map again, the portion of the N3 along Emerson Place down to Green Acres is clearly show, leading me to believe that the N3 may live on.
It isn't clear at all that the N3 Green Acres - Franklin Square is being eliminated. As you noted it's still on the map alongside the N8, and it wouldn't make much sense for LI Bus to publish their first map in 9 years and then need to make an immediate change to it.
On the other hand, since the first breath of discussion about the N8 on this board, Barry has been saying that it is a replacement for the N3 (though I don't remember anyone saying anything about it using the Hook Creek Blvd / Dutch Broadway routing) -- and for the things I follow, Barry's track record for accurate information has been quite good.
CG
The information i was told about a year ago was that Long Island Bus was to start two new routes which were the N-8 and the N-43
The N-8 was suppose to replace the current N-3 service between Green Acres and Franklin Square with the N-8 terminating in Hempstead. The N-3 Green Acres to Franklin Square service was to be discontinued but the peak hour service between Jamaica and Malverne was to be retained.
The N-8 is suppose to be operated by full time drivers with the route being assigned to Rockville Centre weekdays and Mitchell Field weekends.
The N-43 route between Freeport and Rooservelt Field was supposed to be operated by the part timers only. This and Sunday service on either the N-27 or N-35 i do not remember which was to use part timers.
If i mislead any one please accept my apologies.
Thank You
There is absolutely no reason to run the N3 to Jamaica at all times, as a transfer in Franklin Square to the N6 is available. I tend to think the N8 would replace the N3, although having the N3 and the N8 together on the brand new bus map has me wondering. Guess we'll have to wait and see when the official announcement about the N8 comes out.
Also for the record, Hook Creek Boulevard lies entirely in Queens between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Blvd. However, north of Merrick Blvd, the roadway is bisected by the Queens/Nassau border, with the Queens side retaining the Hook Creek Blvd name, while the Nassau County side is called Ocean Avenue.
Another for the record item--Hook Creek Blvd does have a traffic signal at 136th Avenue.
Once again if you plan on cathing the N8 at Hempstead Terminal, you're going to have a VERY long wait.
Mark
I have a question for you. Remember when I posted the MTA Long Island Bus Routes and I had the N7 on Sunrise Hwy. You said that it does not make any sense to have a bus route on the Sunrise Hwy because it would stop traffic on one lane (mainly the right lane). So, here's my question...what about the N4 at Sunrise Hwy before getting back on Merrick Rd? What about the N54, N55, N62, N80 and N81 along the Sunrise Hwy between Seaford and Massapequa Park (except for the N62 which has about two stops on the Sunrise Hwy.) That's why I posted the N7 to run on the Sunrise Hwy..I did not think it was a problem. However, as you explained to me before the reason why...I was just curious about the other routes I mentioned. Thanks in advance.
Vince
As I said on my introductory post, I come with real information. Not specualation or supposition.
THis is another request to you====
With all the discussions regarding LI Bus,,,recently,.I can see there are numerous people in LI Bus Routes,,etc
I am still looking for the route descriptions of the LI Bus Routes--to include short turns,,,,end of line turnarounds,,etc.
I will pay for this info
And,,please note,,,I live in Westchester County..so getting to and around the Nassau Cty area for me ,is almost impossible!!!!
--when I did this originally. in 1988 or so,,I lived in Queens
Also,,I work for the Fire Department,,in Brooklyn,,so again,,time is hard to adjust..to do this kind of project
Thanks
Steve
FDNY
I do know there are employees ,here,,who do work for these agencies/companies
thanks,,again,,,
Steve
Do you have a website for these desintination signs? I'm pretty curious.
Vince
Effective last fall ,,,I started REAL computer stuff,,but have not entered anything on this or any other site.
I have ALL The signs,,NEW stuff,,for CT Transit ,Bee Line,NYC DOT,,NJT .
I have the routing ,,for the same (stuff) . As far as NYCT ,I will not be submitting anything, due to the request of my sources.
I will be updating the N J Independants,,due to the aquisition by Coach US A
Steve
It shouldn't have been a surprise that there was community opposition to using Brookside, and I wouldn't expect it to change any time soon. What was surprising to me was that LI Bus even proposed using the street. It makes much more sense to me the way it is now -- taking some of the pressure off of the N40/41 (which, if I remember correctly, on a combined basis is the busiest route in the system) by putting passengers travelling between Freeport/Roosevelt and Uniondale/Nassau CC/Roosevelt Field on a direct bus rather than transferring at Hempstead.
CG
The N7 ran in pre-MSBA days as a Bee Line route between Freeport and Green Acres. Basically, it duplicated the N4 route from Freeport to Central Avenue in Valley Stream, then took today's N1 routing from that spot to Green Acres. (The N1 routing back then took a slight detour to Valley Stream LIRR Station.)
Little?HA!The N4 get's nearly as much ridership as the N6 does and the N43 is ALREADY running,has been since 1/5/03,it's the N8 that's prepping up for service.BTW,I asked this already and I still don't have a true answer,why was the N43 not allowed to run on Brookside Av?
Sorry, aboslutely NO Long Island Bus has as much ridership as the N6. Its chronicly crowded. Only a few N4 buses are full; Eastbound to 5 corners in the morning(7:45-8.15am)and Westbound From 5 corners in 5:00pm-5:30pm range
Yes I have, and the N6 still has it beat, somtimes people are practically spilling out the bus. Also take alook at the messages i pasted the links to, other people commenting on the N6.
http://talk.nycsubway.org/cgi-bin/bustalk.cgi?read=74783
http://talk.nycsubway.org/cgi-bin/bustalk.cgi?read=74792
http://talk.nycsubway.org/cgi-bin/bustalk.cgi?read=74795
The N43 is already in service
Ridiculous. Operation on Sunrise Highway is impractical, especially safety-wise. Most buses would have to make their passenger stops in a traffic running lane, not only badly tying up traffic by reducing the speed of one lane each way but also by causing a very serious potential for rear-end accidents on a high speed road. In addition, there is no great potential for passenger traffic on Sunrise; it is mostly commercial. Last, the N4 operates just a short distance away; it is one of the heaviest routes on the LI Bus system.
>>N7 - was there an N7 before? Anyway, have the N7 from Far Rockaway to Lynbrook via Penninsula Blvd.
Not a good idea either. Another high speed road with potential safety hazards for bus operation. In addition, who really goes from Far Rockaway to Lynbrook? That route would not pass through any towns, eliminating most potential passenger traffic. It also would unnecessarily parallel the N31/32.
>>N9 - Hicksville (more like the LIRR Station) to Mineola via Jericho Tpke (NYS 25) passing the LIE at exit 40 and up to the QUAD to connect with the N48 and N49.
A third poor idea for putting buses on a high speed road with no passenger traffic potential between Mineola and the Quad. However, an extension of the N35 from Westbury via Brush Hollow Road to the Quad and then on to at least SUNY Old Westbury and possibly NYIT in Greenvale might hold potential.
>>N10 - Plainview to Mineola via Old Country Rd. No buses run on Old Country Rd (at least between Mineola to about Roosevelt Field).
At least as of just a few minutes ago, and for decades beforehand, the N15, 22, 24, 78 and 79 buses routes ran from Mineola to Roosevelt Field via Old Country Road. And, check this one out, the N78 continues from Roosevelt Field right to Plainview via Old Country Road serving the large industrial park in Plainview. However, between Newbridge Road and Old South Road, the N80/81 routes operate on Old Country, with the 78/79 operating a few blocks north for about a mile.
Thanks very much for your comments. I always thought the N35 would be extended someday. You do not think it is necessary to run a route along Old Country Rd west of Mineola? Thanks again for your comments.
Vince
Wayne
Remember the anti-flame retardant CNG El Dorados they had. At the right time, BAM!!! instant bus bar-b-que, throw on some hot dogs and hamburgers and you won't need lighter fluid.
We couldn't do that with BWI Gilligs because they've already fallen apart.
THE BUS might fare a little better, unless it is the Chumpions or the gas powered vanbuses, those might just disintergrate into thin air.
Here is a real tug of war. On one side, a THE BUS vehicle and on the other side a BWI Airport Gillig and in the middle an Orion II.
And as sad as THE BUS is they used to use school buses to run the 20 and 21. What is even worse, they still have them, although they are not in transit service, just the court shuttles, upper marlboro. Well school buses in THE BUS paint scheme.
Wayne
We take all these insults and print them on t-shrts. Then we sell them at the roadeo. We also make t-shirts with Ride-On/DASH/FC insults for those loyal to The Bus.
Have you ever heard of supply and demand? There is no demand for that so you might as well not make it.
I didn't know this was a bus I thought that I got a package from this same vehicle yesterday.
Is that our bus, nevermind I will walk.
Look coming up the hill, it's a van, no it's pickup truck, no it's THE BUS being towed by the tow truck.
Wow mom, this is better than the van you drive us in.
Sounds like a soap opera. Will he awake on time? Tune in tomorrow for the shocking conclusion!!!!;-)
Will "the WMATA rat" sabotage the roadeo?
Will The Bus win it all?
I wouldn't have cared much if the B/O had turned on the a/c at my request, but the HVAC system was off.
So lately the NY Post seems to show up all over the place around here as if air dropped. The funny thing was one article talking about local area gangs from this "hood" now operating in Long Island, etc.
So to the point.
Todays post (As found by my Mom) carries a small article on LA's upcoming light rail "Gold Line", yet has no mention of the massive bus system cuts that will be made to keep this line funded. Its onl taken them over 10 years to complete.
The second is a quirky article on the Green Tortoise Bus line. I had rode it activley from LA to San Fran but they
seemed to have fallen into obscurity.
What a ride it was on the Seattle 5303's, and former Greyhound TDM 5303 I one rode.
Has anyone else rode the GT?
Sean in LA
This is the first time I've seen one of these, any reason why the 61X is now running ElDorados, certainly doesn't say much for the ridership of the line. Or was this a one-off kind of event, where the ElDorado was just stuck in for an OOS bus?
Link (3.98 MB)
47 GROSVENOR/PARKSIDE
but on the side,
47 BETHESDA
47 MONTG.(?) MALL
819 does the same thing on the side. Click here to see it.
Also, 619 (as of May 2) if you put in the PR code for GOOD MORNING or GOOD AFTERNOON, it would display the right sign on the side but ROAD TEST on the front.
1) I want to ride the WMATA Neoplan and NABI artics (preferably Neoplan-i'm not a big fan of NABIs). I'd also like to ride the New Flyer low floors. I'd also enjoy riding a Flxible Metro D (I think I rode that bus only once quite a few years ago, when they were generally new). I'd also like to catch one of the pre-D Flxible Metros (or the Metro Bs for short, heh heh).
2) For Ride-On I'd like to ride any CNG bus (of course, they are all Orions anyway). I'd REALLY like to ride the Orion I (then I could compare how bouncy they are to the SEPTA El Dorados...a really contest, lol - it's been years since I've ridden one, when they were generally new as well). I wouldn't mind riding a 30ft Gillig as well, before they are retired.
That's generally it for buses that I really want to ride. I wouldn't mind riding an Orion VI or a 30ft Orion V , but that's not what I'm looking for, at least not this trip. I kinda want to avoid riding other systems, like THE BUS or DASH, at least for right now because I don't really know how they work, but if there are any good DASH routes down there, make your suggestions. I'd be interested in riding the Fairfax Connecter too (I could see the "WMATA rejects")...what is the website for that company anyway? By good I mean interesting to ride, interesting scenes, and such and such. About catching the buses I've listed above, I'd really like to know of routes that operate those buses almost exclusively, or where I have a VERY good chance of catching them - if you know what runs they operate on that would be even better (schedule runs, not by number/letter - saying run 348 means nothing to me, hehe, even for SEPTA). I'm only there for a little while, anyway, and I don't want to waste money trying to catch a bus. Hit and misses are never fun if you don't live near the route.
Sorry to make this so long, but the DC area is so diverse in public, transit with noticeable transit agencies, unlike the Philly area where there are tiny little van systems running about.
Ride-On CNG's are usually seen on the bus routes out of Shady Grove Station. (Mostly on the 46, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62).
A good spot for Faifax Connector buses are Huntington (Yellow Line), or West Falls Church (Orange Line). The buses out of WFC run to the Reston-Herndon area, running mostly express on the Dulles Toll Road, so the rides tend to be short. The buses out of Huntington run towards Springfield, and south along Richmond Highway.
If you want to ride Flxibles, ride them on a weekday. Most weekends WMATA tends to run mostly Orions, with a few Flxs D's and E's mixed in.
And you can find the CAF cars on the Green Line., although you might get lucky and catch one on the Blue Line.
Recommended Routes:
WMATA - 70 (Neoplan Artics), 80, D4, D6 (Flyer CNG).
Ride-On - 46 (this line parallels the Red Line from Medical Center to Shady Grove but you`re most likely to find 40 footers on this line, either the CNG Orions or even the rare Flxible Metro D's)
55 or 59 (ride these lines between Shady Grove and Lakeforest Mall. You also could find the CNG's on these lines.
Fairfax Connector - 105 (Richmond Hwy), 110 (Huntington to Franconia- Springfield), 401 (Springfield to Tysons Corner), 905, 950 (West Falls Church to Reston-Herndon) Mostly the "reject" Orions and RTS's on the 905/950 lines.
DASH (Alexandria) - AT8 (King St Sta to Van Dorn St Sta.) Gilligs and Orions dominate the route.
WMATA Metrorail - Green Line - this line has most of the CAF cars, and its a nice ride despite the fact that it is underground throughout most of its run. The most scenic ride on Metrorail is the Yellow Line. The crossing over the Potomac is priceless, as well as the ride from National Airport to Huntington. Speaking of Huntington, the station is built into a hill, check out the station design.
Neoplans are normally found on the 70 but can be found on the S2, S4, 52, and 54. Best place to wait for one is Silver Spring.
The last time I saw anything other than an Orion on a local Stengel route was about a year ago when a 1998 Nova did a guest shot on the Q20A. The Nova probably came out of JAM, which is close to the 20A's terminus.
But unlike other CS routes (the 12, 13, 20s, 26, 27, 28, 44, 74 and 76), the 14 runs nowhere near QV territory or any QV routes. So to put a QV bus on the 14 was a curious choice. Was there some severe CS shortage yesterday? Or did the heavy rains prevent buses from leaving the depot? That area IS very flood-prone.
I can't recall exactly when CS routes became all-Orion. Other than the Q44 (which split CS with JAM until late '98 or early '99), September '95 was the last time I remember seeing an RTS on a local CS route- in this case, the Q76. I concede I didn't pay much attention to buses until July '97, when the Metrocard free transfer kicked in. I only started paying CLOSE attention to buses in '98 with the advent of the weekly unlimited.
In any case, it was very strange to see an RTS bus pulling up. From a distance I thought it was a Q17 slightly off its turnaround route. Other people looked puzzled as well, especially those getting on at stops further up the line.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
JAM (Queens Division): Q56
FB: 2, 7, 14, 17, 31, 41, 42, 44, 46, 49, 78
JG: 8, 9, 11, 12, 16, 35, 37, 43, 45, 51, 61, 63, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 77
UP: 1, 3, 4, 6, 36, 64, 74, 82
FP: 13, 15, 18, 20, 24, 26, 38, 40, 48, 52, 57, 60, Q54, Q55, Q58, Q59
If someone in the know knows how the ENY routes were split up, let me know.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
It evidently slept over; it was still there this morning. There was a yellow cone by the farebox, if that means anything.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace,
ANDEE
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Incidentally, Transit Windsor has THE COOLEST bus fleet anywhere. Ready for this?
401-410 1984 Orion I 01.508 (six active)
411-412 1991 Orion V 05.501
413-418 1998 Orion VI 06.501 (rear door behind rear axle)
419-424 1999 Orion VI 06.501 (rear door behind rear axle)
425-430 2002 Orion VII 07.501 (I have yet to see these)
499 1989 Orion V 05.501 (NYCTA demo)
501-510 1986 GMDD TC40102N Classic
511-518 1987 GMDD TC40102N Classic
519-526 1988 MCI TC40102N Classic
527-534 1989 MCI TC40102N Classic
535-542 1990 MCI TC40102N Classic
543-548 1992 MCI TC40102A Classic
549-553 1998 NovaBUS LFS 1TD40L
905-913 1979 GMDD T6H5307N
914-916 1980 GMDD T6H5307N
917-921 1982 GMDD T6H5307N
...PLUS some older surplus 35-foot New Looks used occasionally for tripper service, a few cutaways for casino shuttle service, at least one Orion II hanging around, and recently acquired GMDD Classics from Detroit. Also, Transit Windsor has had Grumman 870s in service as hand-me-downs in the past.
I remember the first time I saw an Orion V.....it was 93004, and it was on the X1 in Manhattan. Man, did my jaw drop! I was stopped at a red light, eastbound on 36th Street, and it went by going south on Fifth Avenue. I was like, "What the F***?" I was heading for the Midtown Tunnel, but I made the right turn to follow and catch up to it so I could get a good look....lol
The rumor that was cirulating back in 1993 was that someone in NYCT got the bright idea of numbering the buses by year of manufacture (or delivery), as so many transit authorities were starting to do back then. Given the number of buses delivered each year to NYCT, five digits rather than four digits had to be used.
Sometime after the five digit numbering started, someone in NYCT realized that, while passengers might appreciate knowing their buses are fairly new, after a number of years passengers would recognize buses as being old. Therefore, it was decided to do away with numbering by year. (As we all know, many transit systems continue to use numbering by year systems, even if they have old buses.)
Just got back from Disney. Saw buses. Rode a free MCI shuttle bus from my hotel to Disney. It was white. Saw other buses in Florida. Disney buses say Disney in red. Most are RTS. Some look like LF somethingorothers. The 56 driver said he didn't stop at my hotel. Nobody had a bus map, except the driver of the 56 who needed to look at it to answer my question. I didn't bother the 50 driver.
[/bus report]
Sounds like Town & Country. Did it have doors? (You laugh, but one of thier buses, the doors are falling off something fierce) They run mostly beat up old Coach USA & NJT buses. (MC9 & a few A's)
I personally wouldn't set foot on some of the coaches that operate down here. Florida DOT is very very very LAX... they don't enforce squat, which is how Skytran and Town & Country manage to run the unsafe heaps they do. *sigh*
-Tyler-
It was 95 degrees and 100% humidity on Monday. We left early, which is why I had the need to ask a "LYNX" driver if he went to my hotel. I had an hour to wait for the first shuttle back to the hotel and didn't want to wait in that scorching heat. Aside from being extra miserable, he was also incorrect. I checked the Fla DOT/LYNX website and found that the LYNX 56 _did_ stop at my hotel. Do me a favor Tyler, if you see the older, graying, balding 56 driver in the WDW lot around 2:50 PM, SLAP HIM for me, will you? Thanks :-)
Article from the Washington Post:
washingtonpost.com
Integrated Use Of SmarTrip Delayed a Year
By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 5, 2003; Page B01
A groundbreaking system that would allow passengers to use a single SmarTrip card to board Metrorail, Metrobus and 16 other transit systems from Fredericksburg to Ocean City has run into technical trouble, delaying its debut by more than a year.
Officials at Metro, the lead agency in the $110 million regional project, said this week that the SmarTrip fareboxes won't be installed on all 1,500 Metrobuses until late this year or early 2004. Original plans called for installation to begin in summer 2002.
Metro officials said the roadblocks stem from software problems. "This is really a first -- we're pushing the state of the art," said Murray Bond, Metro's director of SmarTrip operations. "Part of the reason why the software development is so laborious is because it's so complex."
Bus, commuter rail and subway systems across Maryland, Virginia and the District have agreed to install fareboxes that will accept the SmarTrip card -- the broadest application of a smart card for any regional transportation, according to SmarTrip's manufacturer, Cubic Transportation Systems Inc.
The plan would allow a particularly energetic passenger, for example, to use a SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector to the Virginia Railway Express to the District, switch to the Metro, then board a Montgomery County Ride On bus before taking a MARC train to Baltimore's subway and light rail system, then getting back on the MARC to New Carrollton to board an Annapolis Transit bus.
The idea, officials say, is to make public transportation so easy and seamless that more people will want to ride.
Metro is paying $24 million for fareboxes for its bus system.
SmarTrip is the reusable, rechargeable plastic card that automatically deducts fares or parking fees when waved over sensors at fare gates or parking lot gates at Metro stations.
Since its introduction in 1999, the computer chip card has become wildly popular among regular Metro riders. About 340,000 of the SmarTrip cards, which cost $5 each, are in circulation.
Installing SmarTrip fareboxes on Metrobuses would speed boarding, would give riders who make 500,000 daily trips on Metrobus the same convenience enjoyed by subway riders and would end one hassle of riding the bus: the need for exact change.
The fareboxes would still accept cash but not the magnetic-strip paper Farecard used on the trains.
The SmarTrip fareboxes would enable Metro to retrieve valuable information about ridership patterns not captured by the mechanical fareboxes, which have 1980s technology.
"We'll be able to track every transaction performed on the bus -- what time riders got on, how many, if they were elderly customers or students using a discount fare, if it was a rail-to-bus transfer," Bond said. "That's very helpful in terms of helping us plan better."
Metro began testing the SmarTrip fareboxes in November on 83 buses based in Arlington. The test was to last 90 days, after which the fareboxes would be installed in the rest of the 1,500-bus fleet. But software problems have slowed the schedule, said Tom Rampe, Metro's senior project engineer for technology products
"Every time you solve one problem, it reveals another problem that you didn't know about," Rampe said. Since testing began, Metro has identified 100 software problems. Cubic has fixed all but about 20, Rampe said.
On occasion, the SmarTrip fareboxes being tested aren't accurately recording the amount of cash received, Rampe said. At other times, the farebox transactions on a particular bus are not transmitted correctly to a central computer at Metro headquarters, he said.
Bond said that the problems are not significant but that Metro will not move forward with SmarTrip until they're resolved.
Richard Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Cubic Transportation Systems Inc., said the delays had more to do with the fact that the project evolved from installing the fareboxes on Metrobus to 17 transit systems across two states and a city.
"There was huge growth in the scope of the contract -- no one has a system like this," Johnson said.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
B1-#4778-TMCRTS
B68-#7582-Orion VII
If you do - can you make note of the buses that Jef-Away Transport is using from the parking lots to the grandstand. Most of them are ex-NYCTA RTS's. But they did run a Slope-Back RTS (ex-Port Authority #52). Wonder if it still in service.
Please report back on Sat or Sunday.
The slope-back is my favorite shaped bus. Based on Jet-Away's maintenance record I wonder what the odds are of the bus still being in service
http://htmlgear.tripod.com/guest/control.guest?u=ctrabs74
Check out my comment on SEPTA management, and while you`re there check out the rest of Ctrabs74 excellent site.
http://htmlgear.tripod.com/guest/control.guest?u=ctrabs74&j=3&a=view
http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/septapix
go to "view my guestbook"
click on the link, look for my name "Mark De Loatch" and read my comment on SEPTA's management. Tell me what you think., then check out the rest of Ctrabs74 wonderful site.
Wayne
You’re right I should have mentioned that it appeared at the end of the show during the closing credits.
-Larry
Robert
TDH-5303AC 8001-8202, 8301-8780 - renumbered to 5000 series
T6H-5305A 4300-4499, 8800-8929 - renumbered to 51/5200 series
T6H-5309A/10A 4500-4505, 4800-4919, 6000-6349, 6901-6948 - Renumbered into 53/54/5500 series.
Wayne
The building is now over run with illegal ecudorians. They pee all over the place
There you go again with your bias towards immigrants.
Peace,
ANDEE
So here's my question. In which divisions did the side signs show destinations, and in which divisions did they show route names? And did that policy change in any division(s) at any time? Thanks in advance for any info.
Wayne
Wayne
LACMTA (Los Angeles) is NABI's choice of buses. They have already gotten an order for 200 of there very first ever articulateds, but these are the special ones. They are BRT(Bus Rapid Transit) articulated low-floors from NABI on their future new Metro Rapid lines they have planned. Also, they have on order from NABI about 20 or so 45C-Compo buses. These buses are low-floor, two axle, 45 feet long and the frame is a light weight composite shell. Those are from NABI as well.
Ronnie
NJT Flxibles: 3223, 3580 & 3791
Who said that the NYCTA is getting the Neoplan AN460's ?? and if that is true does anyone know what year they plan on getting them in?
Ronnie said he heard that Neoplan is their second choice for artics, that doesn't necessarily mean they will actually ORDER the things...it's just an option they have if they want more articulated buses and they can't get any more high-floor ones from New Flyer, so they would HAVE to go for Neoplan (or NABI, even though it may not be likely, though it would be nice)...
Incognito
Ronnie
Tuesday, September 16th, 2003.
This IS official.
Peace,
ANDEE
JD
I hope not ... Sept. 16th is a Tuesday this year.
JD
Hopefully, the Fishbowl and the RTS fronts will still be there, and if we're lucky maybe there'll be an Orion or an MCI!
Sometimes I take NJ Transit bus #171 to G.W.B bus station from Paterson where I'm from. The majority of the time I catch the M5 and travel down to 42nd St. I really dig the TMCs and Novas with the DDC series 50 and the looks. They need to get rid of the majority of MV's late GMCers. Although, I like the DDC S50 sound I wouldn't mind some silver92ers. I too like variety, but that S50 sound brightens my day up gooder next to NJ Transit's METRO "B" silver 92ers!
Ronnie
NJ Transit Flxibles: 3223, 3580 & 3791
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
Peace
David
PS: I have 3 Days & i will be working in Gun Hill Depot on Bx26 Monday, Wednesday Gun Hill Depot again on Bx28 & Thursday @ Casey Stengel Depot on Q32 also have you read the memo about the 2003 Summer Pick?
Peace
David
Peace
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Other than that here are some reasons:
1-Speed the train is faster than an express bus. Look at the Long Island Expressway now its wall to wall traffic. A half hour train ride will take at leat an hour and a half on the bus
2-It's cheaper by train because a monthly train ticket greately reduces the cost than any fare that an express bus will charge.
3-Insufficent ridership. How would you pick up a bus. If you got to drive to a train station at least you can park. Where would you park if you have to drive to a bus route.
Please note that i was an LIRR passenger for 17 years. There is no way a express bus service can survive from mid and eastern Nassau County.
Thank You
David
Wayne
Q30 SUTPHI
Q30 JAMAI
Does that mean it only goes halfway to its destination? lol
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Q30 MERRIC
Q30 JAMAIC
The last time I rode this bus, it didn't have this problem.
And I prefer orange better than flipdot green because the orange is more visible. Even with the backlight on some of the flipdots, it's hard to read.
By the way, do some RTS buses have Green LEDs? Or is it a flipdot that has green illuminators behind each "flipdot" panel?
Actually, it's a mix of both. The green LED's are the illuminators. All the newer NYCB buses have them.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I believe all of the routes start at the Visitor's Center. Last time I was there, most of the buses were Thomases or Blue Birds, so I am very happy to hear New Flyer Low Floors have made it to the Williamsburg fleet.
I can't say that I'm in a rush to go back down there again, but it was a nice change of pace.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
P.S. Down with DASH!;-) I gotta represent Ride-On and the MC (Montgomery County that is.)
How's that for being an impartial judge?;-)
Nah, I'm just kidding. I'll be a fair judge.
*A sly grin appears on New Look Terrapin's face*
No really, I will be partial. Ooops I meant impartial.
Wayne
Anyway, I think this shuttle bus is going to be interesting but why 1 direction only; unless trains are running express.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Thank You
I then got about an hour later, 2077 on the 13A to the Pentagon. On 7th Street we passed by 2210 on the 34 packed to the gill. Looks like some were tourists, just guessing. We got to the Pentagon, nothing really of note here, but as I was on the 9A, Orion V 2019 with camera, we passed by 2083 with a flag decal in the last full window on the left side. I took this bus to Huntington and got FFX Connector Orion V 7855(WMATA reject) on the 110 and took it to Springfield Mall where I ate lunch, Arby's Big Montana-ummmm, good.
After lunch, I got my first ride on FFX connector's now semi-new 35' Orion Vs getting 7896 on the 311 going to the station, and then getting FFX Connector 7793 on the 401 to Tyson's One. I then got 5155 on the 28T to the Tyson's Transitpark and was trying to get the 14C to Lakeforest, but the 14C never showed so I took the 14A to the Bethesda Station, with that bus being 4407, the first time I ever got a 4400 series Orion V. I then got 9382 on the J4 as I got to Bethesda. As we got to Silver Spring, saw a new repower, that being 9639, unsure of route and saw 9437 about to do an S4 route broken down. Remember a couple of weeks ago, I thought I saw a CNG on the K6, well today I saw it in the flesh. 2369 was doing a White Oak bound K6 and it had a bike on it too. This one is a little off topic but it is sort of on topic. As we were getting to the U of MD we passed by a cop car accident crash. One car was badly damaged in the front and the other was flipped on its side. They actually had to close off westbound University Boulevard right after Adelphi Road, so the J4s going to Bethesda had to turn onto Adelphi road and no telling where the F8 had to turn since it was coming from Adelhi Road. Also one lane in the direction we were going was blocked off. I hope noone was badly injured badly. It seemed like they were chasing a car when it happened. We got to College Park and after a bit got the F6 Orion VI 2033 to New Carrollton. As I was leaving the Amtrak restroom to catch the F14 home, saw another repower, that being 9647 doing a C28 run. I got 4261 on the F14 going home. This bus and later 4263 had non-working destination signs, both were blank.
As we were leaving the station, the stop request bell and sign kept coming on for no reason and at around the UPS plant, the problem stopped. One last note, it looks like THE BUS SLF 63020 was in a accident as the right side behind the rear wheel well was heavily damaged, around the skirting.
That was my trip in a nutshell, hope you enjoyed it.
Now it was while doing the trip on the 21 to New Milford that everything started getting interesting.Trev said that he'd have to take the bus we were on,number 8502,to the garage because the bus was leaning on one side,namely on his side that's why I barely felt it and once in the garage,I sat on 8502 for about 10mins till he finally pulled up next to the bus with 8479.He was gonna get one of the newer 45 foot buses,8784 but then the dispatcher told him to get 8479,hehehehehe,BIG MISTAKE!LOL!He then pulls out of the garage really fast since he was already late for his 84 trip to the bridge but as we were heading to the bus shelter in Westwood,he ran an intersection he was supposed to stop before proceeding because the break's were too long!LMAO!This has to be a new record!2 breakdown's in 20mins!We sat at the bus shelter for like 15-20mins before they finally brought 8492 to us which was suprising since he was expecting,and I was praying for, an old MCI 9 bus with how long they took to get there.Seeing as how there was only a short time left till he had to be at the bridge he just deadheaded straight over there and that conclude's this story.We both got a good laugh off with today's event's.Oh yeah,he got good laugh too when I showed him my work for next week,run on the Bx28 at 10pm at night and a run on the Q32 in the peak of the rush hour. >.< Ya scumbag!laughing at my expense,I'll get ya back for that one!Heh.
That record has to go to me actually, since that has happened a few times since I've been riding Long Island Bus.
I remember how pissed that driver was to have the 2nd bus they gave him stall out on the hill. He was so mad he couldn't even speak!
Now, if we could go for 3 in a row. I bet its happened, especially at LIB.
What do you think of that?
I will however say this, give it about 6 months, I'll be shaving with them.
-F.
Unfortunately we must come to the realization is that Flxible is dead and it won't come back, much to the shigrin to myself and other Flxible fans.
-f.
-F.
Wayne
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
Laddie, I must say that is a great-looking 6200 Fishbowl that you got from WMATA. How well does it run?
-F.
The url is this:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BUS-O-RAMA
Just copy and paste the address, and you're right there!
-F.
It was either Rasputin or Freddy Kruger and they ain't ugly like good old Freddy.
-F.
For worst engine... I'd have to say the Series 40. Horrible piece of junk... blows turbos left and right, always overheating, coolant system is junk. More stop & check engine lights than you can shake a stick at. They just can't take the heat.
-Tyler-
-T-
The Kitty is coming.
The new Cat C9 will see duty in the NJT Neoplan artics, and the Cat C12 (which will be enlarged slightly to become the C13 later this year) has infiltrated MCI big time - Burlington Trailways just bought J4500s with the Cat C12 and the ZF ASTronic 10-speed. The C12/ZF combo weighs a full 1000 pounds less than the Detroit 60/Allison B500 powertrain, and that translates directly to extra passengers and package express in a motorcoach application.
Cats are known for incredible torque and throttle response. The Cat C9 is the same size class as the Detroit 50 (8.5L) and Cummins ISL (8.7L), while the C12/13 takes on the 12.7L Detroit 60. All Cats are straight-6 designs, turbocharged and aftercooled.
-F.
Chris G registered the judges in a 2002 35' Orion V #025604, which was also one of two buses used in the roadeo. We also recieved complementary rain ponchos and a free gift of binocluars. Chris said all the Ride-On drivers were gathered in the other bus for the roadeo, 025601. So I made the joke about how they are having a mini pep rally inside pumping each other up to beat the crap out of DASH and Shuttle-UM.
So then we were told which stations we would stand at while judging. Ray, Perry, and me were assigned to ride on bus 604. Nick was assigned to ride 601, while Chris G had to stand in the pouring rain and judge the distance btw the bus and a makeshift curb.
As we were waiting to board 604 (the higher-ups were evaluating the attire of the drivers), a driver boarding 604 saw us staring at a grab handle and the bike rack. He says to us "What are you doing?" in a surprised tone. I was about to take points off of him right there;-)
Onboard the bus, we were told our jobs. I had to check the driver for safety hazards such as failure to use blinkers, opening the door when the bus is in motion, failure to back up without blaring the horn and such. Ray timed the drivers while Perry evaluated the smootheness of the ride.
There were 22 drivers even split to 11 per bus. 4 drivers failed to show up, and one of them was Shuttle-UM's lone rep.
The course was really hard. They first had to manuver through some tight S curves bordered by cones. Then they had to slip the bus's front tires between a line of tennis balls. After this, the bus pulled into a makeshift bus stop and call out the stop name. He was scored on how well he lined up with the curb and whether he announced the stop. After that, the bus had to back up into a bay w/o knocking cones over. Then he turned left out of the bay and backed into another bay. After that, the bus manuvered through tight lanes bordered by cones. The bus then turned right and repeated the bus stop drill again. It then made a tight left turn and sped down a straightaway. It had to get above like 35 mph in a certain zone and then brake in time to avoid hitting a cone. MC Police had radar guns to ensure they were at the right speed.
We saw tons of problems with the drivers. Many failed to use the turn signals. Many failed to anounce stops. Many made sudden, unneccesary, avoidable stops. Some crawled through the fast straightaway. One driver completely missed both of the bus stops. One driver backed into the wrong bay and asked the judges which way to turn on the last turn of the course. Many started cussing while manuvering the course;-)
While we waited for the results to be tabulated, we ate lunch in the pouring rain and watched Ride-On employees "attempt" to manuver the course. Chris G took one of the buses down a straightaway even tnough he has no CDL license. Also, someone managed to crash one of the roadeo buses into a lamp post.
Then came the judging results. The drivers would place from 1st to 4th place for the final results. When the results came back, only one of the drivers we evaluated placed at all. The only driver that we evaluated and placed was Brian Robey of DASH, who placed 1st among DASH drivers and 4th overall. None of the Ride-On drivers who placed were from our bus.
And then there was DASH driver Roscoe Shell (Tristan's boy). He crawled at a snail's pace through the S curves and the 1st bus stop and back up drill. He only placed 3rd out of the 4 DASH drivers recognized at the end of the roadeo. And no, he was not on our bus, he was on bus 601, which I am convinced has soft judges;-)
After the roadeo, Chris G, Perry, Wayne, Ray, Nick, and me headed to Shady grove station to catch a bus to catch a CNG powered bus. Ray had to meet his g/f at Lakeforest Mall so he decided we should go to Lakeforest then find a CNG bus up there. Me and Ray ran after a 12:30 pm route 62 (2001 35' Orion V #015623) to Lakeforest and told the rest of the group to follow us. I guess we ran too fast b/c they were nowhere to be found.
So then me, Ray, and his g/f roamed around Lakeforest looking at hand-me-down playing cards in dollar stores and going through a store that sells stuff "Seen on TV" until around 2-ish when out of nowhere, the rest of the group shows up at Lakeforest in the food court.
After Bick and Chris G did a little shopping, we headed back to Shady Grvove and called it a day b/c we were wet and tired. On the way to the bus bay we had a funny conversation about working at places such as Express and Bebe, places which sells somewhat provocative women's clothing for like upper teens and 20-something crowds.
We boarded a 55 to Rockville but got off at Shady Grove (2000 40' Orion V CNG #005806). On the bus, Nick talked about how he used to drive the last bus out of a bar in Colorado which he nicknamed the "Vomit Comet". We all returned to our cars at Shady Grove, and this idiot parked like 2 inches away from the driver's side door.
For the record, it was you and Ray playing around with the bike rack when the driver was asking you what you were doing.
It was very enjoyable and many thanks to Chris G. and his superiors for letting us take part of the judging. It was interesting to actually be on the bus while they were maneuvering through that very difficult course. The heavy rain didn't help an already tense situation. All the drivers that participated should be proud that they qualified. I felt bad for the other judges that had to stay out in the torrential rains and judge the rest of the competition. As happy as I was to be inside during all of that, I wished that the others didn't get soaked!
1st : Ride On Driver
2nd : Ride On Driver
3rd : Ride On Driver
4th : DASH Driver
5th : DASH Driver
What happened to your boy Roscoe, Tristan? ;-)
Wayne
Great day to get our CNG rides, too! Everytime I think I'm done catching up on things buswise here, another one comes up. I guess my next adventure would have to be to catch a Flx Metro D on the Ride On 70 from Bethesda to Germantown and a trip on the WMATA J8/9.
I think the next Bus-fun trip, as I like to call it, will be WES' baby. We'll see what kind of havoc we can cause then! We crazy kids, who knows what trouble we can get into! : )
John Deere 2460-64
That Hybrid GEORGE BUS(unlikely, but could wish)
The Fuel Cell bus WMATA was supposed to be testing (again unlikely)
DASH's Orion Ones
A new Fairfax Connector bus(again unlikely, although if they did have one most likely it would be an Orion V, with orange destination signs and a DD50 engine.
A unrehabbed 8700
and
A L10 WMATA Flxible 9300-9400
and who knows, maybe around that time some of Arlington's 9600s will be repowered, but of course who's to say they will stay at Arlington.
Wayne
There is only two chances to ride Gilligs and both with DASH.
I will be out of town for all but 2 of the next 22 days. My website, www.orenstransitpage.com will not be updated during that time, nor will I be posting here or will I be able to read e-mails except possibly on the two days I will be at home. In the event that you send me an e-mail and it is bounced back to you, please save it and resend it again in July, or send it to my AOL address if you know it.
Talk to you all in a few weeks, hopefully with new pictures and stories to tell.
Sincerely,
Oren H.
P.S. My website (link above) was just updated this past week with photos of the WMATA bus and rail rodeos as well as other DC area pictures. Check it out! You have awhile before the next update which should be big!
The bus also had a Orange destination sign.. Unfortunitly could not get the bus number
Green bis is the worst
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I can live with them if that is the case.
You will live with it because that is the case, its whole purpose is to provide easier reading of the signs.
I think my not liking the sign is more of a case of being used to the older color. Things tend to grow on you at times, especially when they make life easier
The tail pipe was clearly out of it's socket
How do they let a bus out of the depot in such condition
I have spent the last four months completing this "Make Believe" roster depot by depot and I think SOME OF YOU might agree with my suggestions. Of course, this is NOT REAL so these are NOT REAL changes. I did not include the 3469, 3474, 3800-4218, 4300-4599 and 4600-4899 series due to them being retired soon. So, here is the list and pay attention to the way I'm doing this:
NOTE: I've included Amsterdam, West Farms and 100th St. I also left out Hudson due to its future closing BUT watch how I took care of that! Also, some of these movements I did not change...you'll see!
Amsterdam Bus Depot:
1995 Orion 05.501 #426-470
1999 Orion 05.501 #6040-6119
Casey Stengel Bus Depot:
1993 Orion 05.501 #101-125 (LOCAL)
1995 Orion 05.501 #561-580 and #611-630
1999 Orion 05.501 #6120-6145
1999 New Flyer D45SHF Viking #996-998
2002 MCI D4501 #2896-2907
2003-2004 New Flyer D60HF #5742-5769 (I think CS may get more)
Castleton Bus Depot:
1995 Orion 05.501 #471-472 and #474-504
1998 MCI D4500 (or 102-DLW3SSS) #1990-1997 and #1999-2039
1999 MCI D4500 #2040-2139
1999 Orion 05.501 #6146-6329
East New York Bus Depot: This should eliminate the 4400-4600s
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8090-8097 and #8100-8130
1994 TMC RTS-06 #8671-8703
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #8899-8938 and #9120-9169
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #4951-5024
Flatbush Bus Depot: This should eliminate the 4000s
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8000-8039
1993 TMC RTS-06 #8401-8460
1996-1998 GMC RTS-04 Remanufactured #7000-7049
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9386-9449
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5075-5124 (I figured I should keep these together due to their engines)
Fresh Pond Bus Depot: This should eliminate the 3900s and SOME 4000s
1993 TMC RTS-06 #8518-8566
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9000-9050 and #9150-9199
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9570-9618
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5050-5074
Gun Hill Bus Depot: Some of these buses may go to West Farms (AFAIK)
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8040-8089
1995 Orion 05.501 #400-425
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9450-9499
1999-2000 New Flyer D60HF #5250-5425
Jackie Gleason Bus Depot: No more RTS!
1993 Orion 05.501 CNG #317
1995 Orion 05.501 CNG #581-610
2002 Orion 07.701 CNG #7560
2003 Orion 07.501 CNG #7561-7699 (assuming that MV does not go CNG)
Jamaica Bus Depot: This should eliminate #3469 and the 4000s
1996 NovaBus Rts-06 #8939-8999, #9051-9069, #9250-9281 and #9345-9349 (LOCAL - these were Jamaica's first Nova express buses..could not get rid of them)
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9530-9569
2002 MCI D4501 #2850-2878
Kingsbridge Bus Depot: This should knock out the 4000s
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #8807-8898
1997 New Flyer D60HF #1072-1109
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9660-9699
1999-2000 New Flyer D60HF #5426-5509
**NOTE: KB splts with GH during rush hours so that's why I gave KB fewer buses**
Manhattanville Bus Depot: This should knock out #3893, #3965, 4000s
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8210-8290
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #8750-8806
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5025-5049 and #5125-5189
Michael J. Quill Bus Depot: This will knock out #3906, #4163 and 4000s
1993 Orion 05.501 #160-172 (LOCAL)
1994 TMC RTS-06 #8600-8670
1997 New Flyer D60HF #1000-1071
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9500-9529 and #9619-9659
2003-2004 New Flyer D60HF #5597-5638
Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot:
1993 Orion 05.501 #173-255
1999 Orion 05.501 #6000-6039
1998-2000 Orion 06.501 #6350-6359
2002 Orion 07.501 Hybrid #6365
2003-2004 Orion 07.501 Hybrid #6366-6424
Queens Village Bus Depot: This should knock out the 4000s
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8355-8396
1995 Orion 05.501 #505-542 and #544-560
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9282-9299 (LOCAL)
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9350-9385
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #4900-4950
2002 MCI D4501 #2879-2895
2003-2004 Orion 07.501 Hybrid #6425-6489
Ulmer Park Bus Depot: This should knock out the 4000s, Not bad, HUH?
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8161-8209 and #8340-8354
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9070-9119 and #9300-9344 (LOCAL)
1997-1998 GMC RTS-04 Remanufactured #7500-7529 and #7531-7559
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #5190-5249
2000 MCI D4500 #2755-2804
2001 MCI D4500 #2165-2209
2002 MCI D4501 #2908-2924
West Farms Bus Depot:
2003-2004 Orion 07.501 CNG #7700-7809 (assuming MV does not go CNG)
Also some buses from GH will come here as well except for the artics!
Yukon Bus Depot: This should knock out the 3900s and 4000s
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8291-8339
1993 Orion 05.501 #126-159 (LOCAL)
1997 102-DLW3SSS #1861
1998 102-DLW3SSS #1860 and #1862-1989
1999 Orion 05.501 #6330-6349
2000 MCI D4500 #2705-2754
2001 MCI D4500 #2805-2824
2002 MCI D4501 #2825-2849
100th St Bus Depot:
1997 New Flyer D60HF #1060-1071 (ONLY for the M86 if needed. I tend to think not. Otherwise.....see below)
2003-2004 New Flyer D60HF #5639-5741
126th St Bus Depot:
1993 TMC RTS-06 #8461-8517
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9200-9249
2003-2004 New Flyer D60HF #5510-5596
Well, that's about it. Tell me what you guys think. Please be gentle. I know that some buses are already there and some buses have really been moved.
Vince
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
If you read the roster carefully, I MADE THIS UP! I placed the remans at another depot. Read it again and you'll see. Also, I already explained about the 3000s and 4000s.
Vince
QueensVillDepotQ36 needs to learn how to post to the right post because a few time he responded to my posts where I didn't even know what he was talking and then I looked back and it was "Supposed" to be a response to someone else.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
The 1998-2000 New Flyer C40LFs will still be at JG. I just forgot them.
Vince
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
East New York
1991 RTS: 8090-8129 (28)
1994 RTS: 8654-8703 (50)
1996 RTS: 8899-8938, 9030-9069 (80)
1999 RTS: 4945-5024, 5205-5249 (125)
Flatbush
Remans: 7000-7023, 7500-7510 (35)
1991 RTS: 8130-8179 (50)
1993 RTS: 8401-8460 (60)
1997 RTS: 9382-9451 (70)
1999 RTS: 5075-5124 (50)
Fresh Pond
1991 RTS: 8000-8044 (45)
1993 RTS: 8518-8566 (49)
1996 RTS: 9140-9189 (40)
1997 RTS: 9569-9618 (50)
1999 RTS: 5055-5074, 5190-5204 (35)
Jackie Gleason
1994 Orion V: 317 (1)
1995 Orion V: 581-610 (30)
1999 New Flyer C40LF: 800-856 (57)
2000 New Flyer C40LF: 857-989 (133)
2003 Orion VII: 7561-76?? (?)
Ulmer Park
Remans: 7511-7540 (30)
1991 RTS: 8317-8356 (40)
1996 RTS: 9070-9110, 9295-9344 (94)
2000 MCI: 2755-2804 (50)
2001 MCI: 2165-2209 (45)
2002 MCI: 2908-2924 (17)
I might continue later on with other divisions.
Queens Village:
2003-2004 New Flyer D60HF 5700-5742(43)
1995-96 Orion V 505-539,611-630(55)
1998 NovaBus RTS 9350-9399(50)
1990 TMC RTS 8350-8396(47)
1986 GMC RTS 4333-4336,4429,4484,4499,4501(Because QV can maintain them better then Jamaica)(8)
1999 NovaBus RTS 4900-4944 (45)
2002 MCID4500 2879-2895.(17)
Jamaica:
1997 RTS REMANS 7001-7016,7018-7037(35)
1986 GMC RTS 4554-4555, 4558-4561, 4564, 4568-4571, 4575-4577, 4579-4582, 4584-4585, 4587, 4589-4590, 4594-4596(23)
2003-2004 Orion HEV 6425-6489(65)
2002 MCID4500 2850-2879 (29)
1996/98 RTS 9250-9291,9535-9568(74)
Casey Stengel:
1997 New Flyer D60HF 1072-1109(28)
2004 New Flyer D60HF 5742-5769(28)
1996 Orion V 631-632,634-680(48)
1995 Orion V 404,425,452-456,540-542,544-580(47)
2002 MCID4500 2896-2907 (12)
1997 New Flyer Vikings 996-998 (3)
1993 Orion V 101-119, 122, 138, 144, 146, 154, 227-232, 256-316,(92)
1999 Orion V 6120-6141(22)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
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AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
First off...
The Orion 07.501 Hybrid order, as far as I know, is supposed to be increased from 125 buses to 325 buses...these buses are to go to Mother Clara Hale Depot FIRST...now, they are also slated for service out of Queens Village, Fresh Pond, East New York, and I think Jamaica, but don't quote me on that...and don't know what order they will receive the buses...
Secondly...
West Farms will only have RTS's from either Gun Hill or Kingsbridge, or both, and Orion VII CNGs, 124 buses (not 125, as I was told Gleason is to receive 126 of the Orion VIIs, not 125, WF getting the rest) and THAT'S IT...NO ARTICS FOR THAT GARAGE, as I understand it...they would be ideal for the Bx19, but since West Farms is no longer slated as an artic garage, the Bx19 and Bx36 will not see artics...(the Bx36 has issues with negotiating certain turns along its route, so forget about that)
Finally...
100th Street garage, which IIRC is slated to open in September due to current design issues, is receiving artics for the M101/102/103 and the M86, and THAT'S ABOUT IT...unless the TA decides to additionally place some suburbans from Quill there, for service on the X90/X92...NO HYBRIDS, NO CNGs, though IIRC they should have a CNG fueling station inside...
Got it? GOOD!
DON'T ASK AGAIN...
Incognito
I'm sorry but the Orion 7.501 will NOT be going to Fresh Pond Depot or East New York Depot, reasons follow:
1)They cannot fit in Fresh Pond Depot, due to clearance.
2)They will not be going to East New York because of Heavy Lines they have and they will not suit their lines.
Source: MTA Bus Department
Hey Big AL do you have anything to add on this?
Got it? GOOD!
DON'T ASK AGAIN...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
You're correct 5075-5099 went to UP [then to FB in early 2002] & 5100-5124 came to FB when GH got Artics 5250-5402. However those buses were needed to replace the departing 1983 [3023-3067] & 1984 [3400-3432] GM's so it worked out. BTW, they got the 1986 GM's & early TMC's a short time later to balance the fleet.
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Remember this thread is based on a all POST 1990 roster, all the GM's and early TMC's are retired already. BTW that would put Jamaica at nearly 230 buses which might be too much buses for the depot, currently they have 196 buses so you have to make your roster as close as possible to the actual # it could hold, try it, I know its kind of challenging ;-).
Lets see prior to 505-534 going to QV:
1993: 101-119, 138, 144, 146, 154, 227-232, 256-316 (91)
1995: 400, 401, 404, 425, 452-456, 505-542, 544-580, 631-680 (133)
1999: 6120-6141 (22)
I counted 245 buses not including the express buses, now minus 505-534 (30) and now they only have about 210 buses with the express buses about 225-230 total. Remember 173-226 was shipped to MCH when 631-680 came from YUK to CS.
I would leave them in Yukon. I can not believe I forgot that.
Vince
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Let nme try the Queens Division [I'll skip Manhattan & the Bronx for now].
Casey Stengel
1993 Orion: 101-125, 257-316 (85)
1995 Orion: 535-542, 544-580 (44)
1996 Orion: 631-680 (50)
1999 Orion: 6122-6141 (20)
2000 New Flyer Vikings: 996-998 (3)
2002 MCI: 2896-2907 (12)
2003 New Flyer D60LF: 5740-5769 (30)
Queens Village
1991 RTS: 8352-8396 (45)
1995 Orion: 505-534, 611-630 (50)
1996 RTS: 9265-9294 (30)
1997/1998 RTS: 9350-9381 (32)
1999 RTS: 4900-4944 (45)
2002 MCI: 2879-2895 (17)
2003 Orion VII Hybrid: 64xx-6xxx (?)
Jamaica
1993 RTS: 8493-8517 (35)
1996 RTS: 8939-8988, 9250-9264, 9345-9349 (70)
1997/1998 RTS: 9509-9568 (60)
1999 RTS: 5145-5179 (35)
2002 MCI: 2850-2878 (29)
Staten Island division
Yukon
1991 RTS: 8291-8315 (25)
1993 Orion: 126-140, 247-256 (25)
1997 MCI: 1861 (1)
1998 MCI: 1860, 1862-1989 (130)
1999 Orion: 6330-6349 (20)
2000 MCI: 2705-2754 (50)
2001 MCI: 2805-2824 (20)
2002 MCI: 2825-2849 (30)
Castleton
1995 Orion: 475-504 (30)
1998 MCI: 1990-2039 (50)
1999 Orion: 6142-6329 (180)
1999 MCI: 2040-2139 (100)
Mark
In MA RTA's (except for the MBTA, which I think is grandfathered) are prohibited by law (the act passed in 1974 allowing formation of RTA's in the state) are prohibited from directly operating transit service, they can only own the buses and facilities needed to operate. First Transit operates the buses for 4 RTA's that I know of in MA: Worcester RTA, the Springfield division of the Pioneer Valley TA (U Mass Transit operates the Amherst area division), Merrimack Valley RTA in Haverhill and Berkshire RTA in Pittsfield. I'm not sure if CT has the same law however.
Mark
I believe the operating company for CT Transit in Hartford, New Haven and Stamford is HNS (the initials of those three cities!). It is a subsidiary of one of the big national transit operating companies - based on other posts, I assume this is First Transit.
-F.
Norwalk Transit has one or two Flxbles and mostly RTS
Bridgeport uses mostly RTS but I think they have some old Orions
-F.
http://cleanairbus.tripod.com/ctp/id42.html
The Hartford Division has many New Flyer High Floor buses (1993 and 1994 models), including 25 with suburban/high back seating. That Divsion was also supposed to receive two New Flyer Low Floor hybrid electric buses a few weeks back, supposedly in a special wrap scheme informing patrons that they are test buses.
Probably... OMOT's delivery list says "Tidewater Regional Transit Authority" or "Tidewater RTA."
-Fred
Thus, if NYBS were to be taken over, then what would have to happen is that its Classics would be transferred to another operator. However, it is not possible to get diesel express buses from any other operator other than Green Bus Lines.
Thus, I see Command or Queens Surface as being the first operator to be taken over. The Classics from one could be transferred to the other in exchange for a sufficient amount of Orion V CNG express buses. Besides, the garages are city-owned.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
NOT A SINGLE ONE
1) The City does not want to put money in the pot. The MTA cannot afford to absorb $98 million. The City wants to throw costs at other people and it won't happen.
2) It would take a minimum of two years to replace the 1985-1986 RTS and the 1988-1989 Classic models. The operating costs are going to go sky high because of the higher maintenance needed for those buses. Plus, replacing 500-700 buses, even at a local match of $35,000-$50,000 per bus is not cheap.
3) There is no budget money built in for a severance package for the private bus companies. If you think they are going to go quietly, I've got a bridge to sell you. Other than NYBS, the others will be expecting a golden parachute.
4) The MTA is in the political doghouse right now.
5) The MTA is reorganizing. It must put its house in order before it can deal with anyone else's house.
Therefore, it is not going to happen anytime soon. It's so far away that we may as well not speculate about it.
Local match to what? NYCT doesn't use federal funds to purchase buses.
David
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BTW-These buses were 6 of the 8 new buses that were ever purchased by the Command Bus Company.
I believe that Command also purchased the original 1988 Orion CNG's 901 and 902
I passed the old Command depot on Fountain Ave last week and all 8 buses have been retired and are at the back of the yard
Thank You
As for the cost of the MTA taking over the privates, simple route consolidationa and other effreceiencies could reduce the $98 million figure dramatically. the MTA needs to clean it's own operating practices first and their would be plenty of money to take the privates over and save money for all.
When we talk about the potential takeover, we must speak in CURRENT MTA terms. The ideas that you are advocating is under the Regional Bus concept, and let's just say that there isn't much love for Regional Bus.
As for cost savings and effeciencies that would reduce the cost of operating the new routes, a Board of Ed type top to bottom reorganization of NYCT bus operations is in order. Such items that are not that apparent to the public at the B of E such as duplicate construction units, teachers sitting at distict offices in do nothing jobs exist at the MTA as well. Such cuts do not effect the riding public. Plus lets not foget the economies of scale and the reduction of executive salaries at the privates. The MTA can buy parts for far cheaper than the smaller private operators
There is millions is savings through the use of better proccesses that can be had fairly quickly. At least a hundred millions more that could be achieved by merging the private routes with MTA routes, relocating routes to closer depots(commands express runs deadhead 8 miles two and from their depot every day), using articulated buses on crowded routes eliminating duplicate feild dispatchers(command has a guy that hangs out all day near kings highway station)
The B2/B100 is an example of a route that could be consolidated without a wimper overnight. If the MTA uses articualted buses during the peak 5:30 -7pm peiod, the total number of runs could be cut by 1/2.
Savings will not come overnight, but in such a large ineffecient operation as the MTA, it is childs play to find TONS of savings.
Outside the whole regional bus concept, thier is plenty of low hanging fruit. A 5 year phase out of city funding for the privates along with cost savings would more then cover the tab of the merger
The creation of regional bus does not save much for NYCT.
Audit is a feild that I am well versed in. I see $500 million in savings across NYCT buses and subway operations without even getting into the nitty gritty of all the finacial data. NYCT proceedures just do not make sense.
NYCT Bus operations has tens of millions of dollars in cost savings to be had alone by reworking proceedures.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The reason I ask (beside that *I* don't know.....) is that I was out near Barstow, California yesterday, and stopped for a cold soda (sheesh was it HOT!!!). And a brand-new Gillig Phantom 40' single-door bus went east, it was ALL BLACK with a 4-inch gold stripe from front-to-back under the windows, and white lettering on the lower side panels "Southwest Metro Transit" on it. Chrome wheels, the bright LED headsigns (NOT IN SERVICE)...looked sharp. couldn't catch it to photograph it.
But Inever heard of Southwest Metro Transit anywhere....
Mark
www.swtransit.org
The Gillig was very sharp looking in the all-black and gold-stripes livery.
The reason it's set to go off when the door closes is to reduce glare for the driver.
David
-Tyler-
Have anyone drove a b us with one?
Gillig Phantom
Regards,
Trevor Logan
I like these pads instead of the new ones because the shifting can be easily seen...:)
I could be wrong myself, but I beleive it's the top gear. From there, you can use the arrows to select a top gear. (For example, if you want to limit the bus to 2nd gear)
It could very well be user definable.
For the Nabis it has two LCD in green 4 4 the first 4 is the max number of gears and the second 4 is the currrent gear that the transmission is in i like the septa NABi Allsion keypad better than the new flyers one.
-Tyler-
-F.
-F.
NOTE:This is unofficial, this is my mock up if anyone wants to their own that is their choice!
Brooklyn Division
East New York: B7,12,14,15,25,42,45,47,60,65,82,83,Q24,56
Ulmer Park: B1,3,4,6,26,64,68,74,X25,28/38,29
Jackie Gleason: B8,9,11,16,23,35,37,43,51,61,63,67,69,70,71,75,77,X27
Fresh Pond: B13,20,24,26,38,39,48,52,54,57,Q54,55,58,59
Flatbush: B2,17,31,41,44,46,49
Manhattan Division
100 St: M86,101,102,103
126 St: M15,27/50,31,35,66
Manhattanville: M2,3,4,5,10,11,18,30,57,72
Michael J Quill: M6,8,9,14,16/34,20,21,22,23,42,79,96/106,Q32(s),X26,90/92
Queens Division
Jamaica: Q3,4,5,17,42,77,84,85,X63,64
Queens Village: Q1,2,30,31,43,46,75,83,88,X68
Casey Stengel: Q12,13,14,15,16,20,26,27,28,32(s),44,74,76,X51
Bronx Division
Mother Clara Hale: M1,7,60,Bx21,33
Amsterdam: M100,104,Bx15
West Farms: Bx5,6,11,13,19,27,35,36
Kingsbridge: Bx1/2,3,7,9,10,16,18,20,32,41,55
Gun Hill: Bx4,8,12,14,17,22,25/26,28,29,30,31,34,39,40/42
Staten Island Division
Castleton: S40/90,42,46/96,48/98,51/81,52,53/93,54,57,60,62/92,66/67,74/84,76,78,79,x10,11,12/42,13,14,16,18,20,30
Yukon: S44/94,55/56,61/91,79,x1-9,15,17/19,22,31
Let me know what you guys think. Don't be so harsh after all its just a mock up roster :-).
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Put #9090 On Lane 3
(oh ,by the way, i think you meant 36 instead of 26 at ulmer park's route assignment)
My fingers must of slipped on the keyboard.
B65#881
B47#5124
B17#9040
So I see 667 approaching the bus stop on Cross Bay Blvd/Liberty Av and then we wait 10-12 minutes for some reason while 3 buses would leave before us. Then we finally departed after another B/O honked at him to leave and the passengers gave a sarcastic clap :-P. Anyway the driver does good but the bus is capped at 40mph and 8974 passed us and we were racing each other to Beach 98 St but 8974 would just beat us b/c we missed a light :-(. So I get off buy some snacks and then I wait for the bus heading north so I get on 9377 and this is the best ride of the day. Driver was very good but we had some slow cars in front of us so at first we got up to 40mph but then when we passed some slow moving cars we hit 60mph [I had the front seat] :-D then we average 35-45mph on the entire ride.
Then I decide to do a second round trip to the Rockaways so I cross Liberty Av and I hop on 4905 and the A/C was excellent :-D, so the driver was doing good going 50mph at one point in the trip. Man I felt like staying on that bus b/c it was so comfortable and then the driver turned on a red light at Beach 98 St [it was about to turn green though but hey a few seconds saved]. So I let 4914 & 640 since it was crowded and felt like riding a RTS; I was hoping to get the GM but didn't :-(. So I get 9559 and it felt like the heat was on and we wait a few minutes before we depart B 98. So the bus is a dud, good starter but stalled at 20-25mph for a good minute then after its "freeze period" it goes to 40mph fast but it is capped and it felt slower than traveling at 40mph [wish I had 9377 again!]. So the bus kept freezing each time it hit 25mph and the driver had to slam his foot on the gas at one point since it was being stubborn. Then I arrive at RB once again.
I was thinking whether I should hop on the train or do a 3rd trip so I decide to ride the Howard Beach shuttle bus so I get on 638 and I take the short trek to JFK station [shorter than I thought, first time I rode that branch since 2000 whenever this GO occurs]. Anyway takes a while for the next bus to come so I sit in one of the Airport shuttle buses [LOL], New Flyer D40LF 122. Then I see two buses arriving at the station so I see 9351 and I experience riding this oddball for the first time :-). Fast starter and we do 45mph via South Conduit Av and make a few turns until reaching Cross Bay Blvd and head up to Rockaway Blvd and go to catch the A.
So I wait about 5 minutes until a R44 A comes and I take that via Fulton express to Nostrand Av and I wait a few minutes on the lower level [man it was so smelly :-\] until the C came and I took it one stop to Franklin Av. So then I have to run up all those stairs to catch the train which was getting ready to leave Frankiln Av. So then I take it to Prospect Park and I wait for the Q then I hop on it and take it home.
The buses I saw. Enjoy!:
QV:4905,4911,4914,4927,4932,8352,8357,8359,8367,8390,9351,9358,9359,9370,9377
CS:229,455,540,556,572,638,640,667
JAM:4555,4594,5168,5169,8953,8954,8958,8965,8969,8974,9055,9065,9072,9539,9559
If anyone else went on this trip, tell your story & all opinions welcome.
R68 2889 (Q)
R68 2917 Franklin Shuttle
R32 3894 (C)
R32 3669 (A)
Orion 667 A SHUTTLE
RTS 9377 A SHUTTLE
RTS 4905 A SHUTTLE
RTS 9559 A SHUTTLE
Orion 638 A SHUTTLE [JFK]
RTS 9351 A SHUTTLE [JFK]
R44 5399 (A)
R38 4016 (C)
R68 2920 Franklin Shuttle
R68 2826 (Q)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Robert
b1-#7522-REMAN RTS
B8-#7575-Orion VII
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Looks like you're really getting around this weekend:-). I haven't seen Frederick Transit, but I guess we'll make up there one day.
Wayne
I went into Manhattan today to help my grandfather. Here's what I observed:
Casey Stengel Bus Depot:
1993 Orion 05.501 #293 - Q44
1996 Orion 05.501 #657 - Q20A
Jamaica Bus Depot:
1986 GMC RTS-06 #4335 - Q5
1998 NovaBus RTS-06 #9568 - Q84
Manhattanville Bus Depot:
1990 TMC RTS-06 #8289 - M101 (unrepowered)
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5129 - M60
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5171 - M60 (the right side was repainted)
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5182 - M60
Michael J. Quill Bus Depot:
1994 TMC RTS-06 #8620 - M10
1994 TMC RTS-06 #8651 - M10
1994 TMC RTS-06 #8668 - M10
2003 New Flyer D60HF #5546 - M102
Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot: I went by the depot! I was on W 145th St and I saw the back of the depot on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. That's where I saw the bus #5546 making a left turn onto W 146th St. I also saw 1993 Orion 05.501 #247 with the Orange Balios Destination Sign..."NOT IN SERVICE"
1993 Orion 05.501 #176 - M1 or M7
1993 Orion 05.501 #210 - Bx19
1999 Orion 05.501 #6020 - Bx19
1999 Orion 05.501 #6022 - Bx19
Queens Village Bus Depot:
1995 Orion 05.501 #516 - Q46
1995 Orion 05.501 #529 - Q30
1995 Orion 05.501 #613 - Q46
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9251 - Q46
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #4935 - Q30
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #4937 - Q30 or Q31
Queens Surface Corporation:
1999 Orion 05.501 CNG #526 - QM1A
MTA Long Island Bus:
1996 Orion 05.501 CNG #133 - N32
2000 Orion 05.501 CNG #367 - N19
2000 Orion 05.501 CNG #375 - N6 (This bus sounded like it has a Cummins engine - similiar to #133-287 series with the roof top exhaustion)
ATTENTION: The N8 must be getting ready to run! There is a bus stop with the N8 sticker on the stop at Hook Creek Blvd and 130th Av (On the Queens side going Green Acres bound). This is a regular NYC Transit bus stop with a N8 sticker on it. Also on Hook Creek Blvd, every Q5 bus stop has the N91 sticker explaining why the N91 is no longer in service.
NEW Traffic Lights: (NEW meaning NEW to me!)
- Francis Lewis Blvd and 120th Av (Q84) I knew there should always be a light there!
- 114th St and the Grand Central Pkwy (between Roosevelt Av and Northern Blvd)
- Francis Lewis Blvd and 100th Av (Q77)
- 71st Av and Park Drive East (I think I got the right area)
* Oh, I saw the NEW light at Hook Creek Blvd and 135th Av*
Enjoy!
Vince
BIG AL
BIG AL
And also, is 3951 gonna join 4711 on the scrap line of buses awaiting transfer to Nimco for scrapping? Thanks in advance.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
Robert
I got about two things:
Amsterdam Bus Depot:
1995 Orion 05.501 #429 - M100
126th St Bus Depot:
1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #9226 - M15 (This bus was repaited again BUT the destination sign was very small. You need glasses to read it!) Also, I saw the 126th St Bus Depot as I was getting on the Triborough Bridge going back to Queens, that's where I saw the 5100s from MV.
Manhattanville Bus Depot: I tried my best but I think I got this number..I could be wrong!
1999 NovaBus RTS-06 #5170 - M60 (Which means that MV has #5170-5189!)
Suffolk Transit:
I saw a bus depot on Montauk Hwy on Center Moriches going into East Moriches, can anyone explain this? I saw a Suffolk Gillig 35096TB in the depot with School Buses surrounding it.
Enjoy!
Vince
-F.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2418777770&category=6728
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2418748160&category=6728
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2418062091&category=6728
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2417904934&category=6728
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6728&item=2417973411
If you`re REALLY lucky, you can go downtown, and attempt to see the NJT buses decked out in the SUPERMAN wrap from Great Adventure. The buses are Flxible Metro D 1869 and 1870. They run on any of these lines: 404/405/407/413/419. That`s much cooler than the putrid crap on 5173.
-Fred Donaher
"The Coach Potato"
Peace
David
4141 B9
4141 B20 very old school
3969 B1
3969 Q44 very old school
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam, Xaverian Class of 1999
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Sunday on my 59 run, I originally had a 1988 Orion 01.508 #RC-113, but she broke down on me on my first trip (Anti-Freeze Leak), so I deadheaded to the Mahwah Garage (I'm out of Westwood) and snatched up a 1998 Gillig Phantom #RC-154. 154 is a decent bus, does 70 and has whistles like a Bee Line Flxible.
(Taken on Broadway in Nyack while I was laying over before my last trip to Spring Valley)
Then today, though my day off, I came in and covered a sweet run which included 1 trip on the 48, 2 trips on the 45 and 1 trip on the 9. I was blessed to take out a brand new MCI D4000, #8555, which has only been in the garage two days and had just got the decals right before I took it out.
(Taken on Route 304 in New City while deadheading back to the garage from Haverstraw/Stony Point)
Enjoy!
Trevor Logan
Coach USA/Rockland
Regards,
Trevor
-F.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
It's a TOTALLY differnt 9 that the 9A From the Bridge. The 9T ONLY runs on Weekday rush.
Trevor
I first got F14 Orion VI 2039 and took it to New Carrolton. This bus was crowded, there were about 5-6 standees. Before i got 2039, a The Bus Thomas TL960 63035 pass by and I realized why, it was replacing the bus that never showed up, probably broken down somewhere. I knew they were using an oversized delivery truck bus on that run, so the fact that it might have been the one that broke down is no surprise.
At New Carrolton and spotted 5175 without a bike rack. It was odd since it was the first of Landover's buses to get one with the others getting them a month later. I then got Flxible Metro B 8877 on the F6, a crowded F6, mostly with students going to Parkdale(my alma mater). I noticed something odd about this bus. If you look closely at the number you would see a second number behind it that looks like 7788, but mostly covered over by paint and new number. I took this bus College Park and got the metrorail to Greenbelt to get my B30 bus on time. I got lead car 5076 and was the only person on 5104 to Greenbelt. The only times I have gotten a CAF car, I was standing or was trying to target one. I got my B30, that being 4392? (not 100% sue) and took it to BWI Airport. I wanted to take some pics of the BWI airport buses, but saw a cop there and decided not to.
I got the first of many NABIs by getting 9956 on the 17 going towards Pataspco and then got another NABI 9933 on the 51 going to Rogers Avenue Station. As we were heading from Mondawmin enroute to Roger's Avenue station, around Liberty Heights Road, a car wound up somehow in the lake, lots of emergency vehicles around the lake. The next part is something that rarely happens to me, I took the wrong route. I was trying to take the M6 to Security Square Mall, but thought that the M8 went there instead of the M6, so I hopped on M8 NABI 9836 and took it to... Taco Bell. I knew about 15 minutes into the trip that I was on the wrong bus, but my stomach was telling me FEED ME so it did, the gorditas were good and so was the code red. Afterwards, got the same bus, same route back to Roger's Avenue and got the right bus M6, again another NABI, this one being 9934, going to Security Square Mall, where a couple of minutes later finally got a Flxible, that being 9211 on the 20 going downtown. Before anyone boarded the wheelchair lift had to be fixed/adjusted as it had just let out a wheelchair bound person. I got downtown, waited for the 7 and I'd be damn if it wasn't another NABI that being 9838. I took this bus to Mondawmin and this bus had problems with its wheelchair lift, much so that a wheelchair bound person had to wait for the next bus. I got to Mondawmin and THANK GOD a Flxible arrived that being Metro B 8967 on the 16 going to Pataspco. I was trying to catch the 17 back to BWI, but just missed another NABI 0057, so I took light rail instead to BWI. I got there and about 30 minutes later up pops NABI ooops, Orion V 4392 on the B30 back to Greenbelt. As for my other two out of three metrobus trips this bus was crowded, with a couple of people standing. I got some good news though, one I wasn't standing and two I got to ride free and so did everyone else, as the farebox wasn't working(jammed).
I got back to Greenbelt and waited for the 15X to come and as I got it and left Greenbelt I saw rehabbed 8700, 8791 on the T16 about to do a run to New Carrolton. Later saw western 8861 on either a F13 or B24 route. I did get The Bus 35' SLF 63032 on the 15X, with speed racer. Last but not least got Orion VI on the F14 going home.
Other notes:
I did see some Neoplan low floors, but not one in non rush hour service.
Baltimore MTA 8676 was having mechinical problems at Mondawmin.
While waiting for the 17 to go to Pataspco, some middle age woman was asking me alot of question and asked to use my phone. She was kind of annoying me, until some one else came along and she started to talk to him and later got a ride with him and another person.
I want to go up there again Thursday, for one to do the route I wanted to take and take some pics, unless a certain Ride On bus is running that Thursday.
Regards,
Trevor
Wayne
I understand! That's the way I felt when the new looks started their mass exodus.
Wayne
I'm going on a trip to Baltimore for my Uncle's Wedding in September! I'm posting this now because I might forget after Labor Day to post this. I can not wait until I see the MTA Flxible Metro-B buses. They should sound the same as the NJT Flxible Metro-Bs, right? My cousin Ray (you guys know him....OrionV107) is coming with me as well but he is coming from Canada (He's been up there ever since he graduated college. Has not been on BT since then.) Anyways, what should we look for and where are the best places for taking pics? Thanks in advance!
Vince!
Also you could go to Mondawmin subway station, they have some interesting buses up there, including their shuttlebus Thomas SLFs, painted in both the new MTA paint scheme and some in the shuttlebug cricket wrap. Pratt Street and Baltimore Street are also good busspotting spots.
Wayne
JD
B68-#954-Flyer LF
B64-#9327-NOVABUS
B6LTD-#9105-NOVABUS(#9109 was the highest new bus running on the b6 today).
L-#8136-R143
B20-#4660-TMCRTS
Q54-#8009-TMC
Q29-#1183-TMC
Q11-#5522-Orion V
Q21-#647-GMCRTSII-04
Q35-#603-GMCRTSII-04
B100-#364-GMCRTSII-04
#1183 looked inside like a ex Green Bus-but the outside was definately Triboro Roach Corp.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-Fred
-Fred
John
-F.
EX WMATA buses????? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
www.regionaltransitservice.com
Here something you may not know, Many of the busses used in the movie "Speed" were WMATA surplus.
John
-F.
On another note, former Pentran Flxible New Look no. 612 is sitting under a nearby bridge at what appears to be a lot full of cars bought from an auction. I have tried numerous attepts to locate the owner...I called the number on the side of the building and even left a note on the windshield. No dice so far.
This bus was running perfectly two years ago and was bought by a bike shop owner to use as a motorcycle transporter (they were going to cut up the side to make a ramp), but they went out of business and his partner backed out of the deal. He wanted $3700 for it at the time (claimed he paid $3000 for the bus and a grand for tires), but it just isn't warth that much money. It was a strong runner when I went around in it, but now it is just sitting to rot.
On a better note, our museum has fully restored coach no. 621 from that fleet. Unfortunately, we are worried about the transmission. :(
-F.
-F.
-F.
Kinda Orion VII vs D40LF windshield case....
Back in the day, it used to be 4-2 for me;-). I remember the days of standing up on the bus because of overcrowding. I can still remember which MCPS buses I use to ride alot (69, 1166, 4495, 5545, and 9054). Thank goodness I rarely rode MCPS conventionals;-) God they were awful.
I have seen their newer school buses, see them everyday. They sort of make THE BUS look like a used car dealership, and I don't mean Car Max. It is about time they got rid of the bicycle type wheels and got some real ones. PGs school buses are in better shape than The Bus, of course they are buying WAY better equipment nowadays than THE BUS.
I'd drive the shit outta that bus!
Trevor
Peace,
ANDEE
GP
PS.
-F.
-F.
-F.
Enjoy,
GP
Also, it's too bad people here seem to think Gillig Phantoms are trash. I like that design alot. That Phantom pic is awesome.
Thanks, finally found someone who likes Phantom..:p
The bus is actually a suburban bus with a signle door. I just read another thread on this board that Southwest Metro Transit in Minneapolis, MN has ordered these buses too. As far as I know when I was taking the pics, the sound from the idling engine is like Cummins and the transmission pad is an Allison. Best guess would be Cummins ISL and Allison B500R.
BTW, I'm using a Canon Digital Camera.
PS. The rear/side pic of 4076
Jim D.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
---Chapter 11 Choo Choo
Seen on the Sprain Pkway about 2 weeks ago...
Do they have business partners in Westchester?
David
Peace
David
Well... it depends. TwinVision has an LED/Flipdot combo sign that can be read in direct sunlight, as well as at night from a distance. I've found that our orange LED signs appear washed out in direct sunlight, and it can be hard to read.
Anyone know what brand they are? We have TwinVision LED signs on our Nova's and a ton of RTS's... At least 50% have experienced problems... ugh...
-Tyler-
BTW The sign, IMO, looks great!
BX12 LIMITED
BAY PLAZA via
FORDHAM RD and PELHAM PKY
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.coM)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The B39 is interlined with the B46 and Q54, but only overnight. Otherwise, a Fresh Pond bus might have broken down and been replaced with a spare out of Flatbush.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B26 Local - #9572
B65 Local - #970
4747-Q59
1183-Q33
5128-M60
5026-M4
So then we got off the bus at a stupid development, Kings Farm, where the little brats lived. We then walked down to Rockville Pike and caught American Ikarus 436 artic #5221 on the Q2. It was like 85 degrees outside and the A/C did not work and some of the windows did not open. We then met up with Ray's g/f and headed to Twinbrook station on Ride-On 46, which was running a 1998 35' Orion V, #985570.
From there we rode Rohr 1160 to Shady grove Station to catch one of Ride-On's rare 1996 35' Orion V CNG's. We found one on the 61 to Montgomery College, Germantown campus. The engine idle was messed up because it would constantly go from regular engine idle speed to almost dying throughout the entire trip. We saw plenty of stupid developments up in Germantown. All they are are giant wooden boxes which contribute a large population of gridlock to our state's highways.
After riding this we got on a 70 which ran ex-Maryland MTA 1993 Flx Metro-D's. We got on 935702 and rode it down to Bethesda.
At Bethesda Ray spotted 025610 on the 30, the only bus in Ride-On's fleet with Clever Devices installed on it. I believe it is to be installed on Ride-On's upcoming fleet of god awful Orion VII's.
It did not call out any stops because the software is only programmed for routes 15 and 17 (Correct me if I'm wrong).
We rode the bus two block out of Bethesda b/c it wasn't a bus we planned to ride. Luckily, the 34 to Wheaton was behind it so we got off and boarded it. Ray got off the 34 at Medical center to board a 46 to go home while I rode it to Wheaton where I parked and I went home. So I will close this bus trip with a special message to all those developments with a writing on the window of that route 34 (A 1999 40' Orion V #5708):
And No, I did not write that. Honest.
You can blame the developments for this...
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
If I didn't read the text, I could mistakenly thought 610 is a Gillig. It seems everyone is installing that kind of "Stop Requested" sign...
The funny thing is, there are still passengers asking me for the time when the time is already shown on board....lol
DART First State has the "Talking Bus" system (I don't know who builds it) which absolutely sucks, but they also have an Orbital radio system.
Tell that to the drivers at the "DC's Best" Roadeo;-)
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
I have also a tow pic of Nova LFS from Columbus, OH. Maybe some boardmates here have seen this...
GP
Got any pics of their mighty Flxibles? :)
Enjoy,
GP
-F.
If they kept the same tranny then it will remain as the ZF ECOMAT HP-590 Tranny.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.org
Here is #609 just towed from the rear of the lot to the front for final work.
Enjoy
Trevor Logan
Why switch the engines to DD50 Engines? Why not just leave them like the MTA Long Island Bus Orions? That does not make any sense....I think the Cummins are faster engines! Do you agree?
Vince
Trevor
Like Trevor said, there are many TAs that are using Cummins elsewhere, like NJ Transit, Maryland MTA, WMATA, CTA, and even LACMTA, who is using L10G on their 1996 Neoplan AN440....
Personally, I like Cummins ISM/M11/L10/C8.3 on Flxible, Gillig, and Neoplan, Detroit Diesel Series 50/Series 50G on NABI, New Flyer, Orion.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Trevor
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B44 Limited NovaBus #5088
The problem is that LI never tuned there Cummins correctly. Go to placed like Maryland and other stated that use Cummins engines. WHOA those buses fly. Even the 10 Nova RTS's (#9140-9149) have the Cummins M11Es and those puppies move!
Also to Detroit Diesel seems to be notorious for handing out kickbacks to win engine contracts, so these Authorities better watch it.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Its all in the maintenance, if you have the right guys behind that bus, then it'll run the way it's supposed to!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Okay, so only five buses so far have the new Orange LED Destination Signs (#5378, #5387, #5419, #5430 and #5508) which are from GH and KB (#5508)? Will this be a trend OR a trial test or something like that?
Vince
Okay, so about 8 buses have the Orange LED Destination Signs (#5374, #5378, #5387, #5408, #5419?, #5430, #5458, #5508) and now there are more. I got to get a shot of this! Thanks guys for answering my questions!
Vince
5359 Bx39
3965 Bx28
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
Okay so now we got the following:
#5359, #5374, #5378, #5387, #5408, #5419, #5430, #5458, #5466, #5508. This could be a start of something new!!!
Vince
Incognito
New Sign Destintion from Bx41
BX41 LIMITED
Top The Hub/146St
Bot. via Webster
Also
BX55 LIMITED
Top The Hub/149st
Bot. via 3 Av
Peace
David
#5358
#5430
Ladies and Gentlemen, your computer has been invaded by a CTP exclusive photo post...have a nice day!
Incognito
GP
I think the bi-level signs just look better than one larger line, with different pages.
Those TwinVision signs have plenty of memory to be able to handle the one lined signs... in fact, according to the website:
"You can display up to 99 different screens in each presentation, and you can enter up to 9,999 different destinations in either decimal or hexadecimal format."
Here's a sample of a Disney bi-level sign:
In direct sunlight, the signs appear washed out. This is where the flipdots would shine, as they are reflective:
Here's a fine example of how they can be crappy:
And my all time FAVORITE bus... a '94 RTS with a Series 50 engine. It's also the only bus that was programmed with a Mickey face :)
I bought a 512 mb pc133 memory module for $5 after rebat last month. Hard drives are down to under 50 cents a gigabyte
I'm guessing money. The front LED sign alone costs over $5,000... I imagine the flipdots would be cheaper, and viewing distance isn't needed for side or rear signs.
Perhaps its part of a package deal? *shrug*
It really is shocking to find out how much stuff really costs. Like, for example, who ever thought a Wheelchair Lift would cost $25,000?
That's most likely the main reason Houston didn't remanufacture the RTS buses we had. I was told the RTS had so many miles on them that the wheelchair lifts they'd need to be compliant were worth more than most of the buses together. And that was ONE lift.
I can assure you if such a lift was to be used in a consumer vehicle where the public is price concious, the manufacturer would find away to reduce the cost of the product
The manufacturer knows that transit agencies are stuck between a rock and a hard place. they need the lift t be ADA complient. If opertors had a choice to choose not to buy the lift. The price of these lifts would drop big time
$25k is alot of money. It is the cost of a fully loaded honda accord. A much more complex machine
Gun Hill Depot (8 buses): #5358-5359, 5374, 5378, 5387, 5400, 5408, 5419
Kingsbridge Depot (7 buses): #5428, 5430, 5458-5459, 5463, 5466, 5508
Any more, please feel free to add to this list...
Incognito
I know that DHF60 does this but I thought I'll post it first. I saw 2003 New Flyer D60HF #5583 on 2nd Av. I'm positive. However, wait for DHF60 to confirmed it. I was on E 123rd St wen I saw it.
Vince
Okay, you need some help....I do not think UP will get buses from QV. That's like UP taking buses from MV. Nope. I see UP taking buses from ENY and OR HUD!
Vince
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
typical NYCT mismangement
What will be needed and is very costly is
1)training for both drivers and mechanics.
2)addtional part supplies kept for the new buses as well as buses currently housed at the depot
Airline's have been consolidating around fewer model planes to reduce such costs
The only way NYCT could save a few dollars is to run the hybrids as much as possible.
They are about 25% more effecient then a standard desiel bus and nearly 50% more effecient then an orion VII equipted with CNG. If NYCT was smart they would convet the remaining order for Orion VII CNG to Hybrids. The price of CNG has doubled this year and is expected to rise even further to a shortage in supply
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/17/business/17GAS.html
The city should get into the energy business capturing and reseling methane currently burned off at sewage treatment plants. Penn state has developed a process of adding special microbs to increase the methan production at waste water proccessing facilities
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The hybrid orion VII will be 60% more fuel effecient then the CNG Orion VII. COncidering that CNG wholesale prices have increased 300% this year and the outlook is not good on the supply side, the MTA should concider converting some of the CNG order to hybrid
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
In the past I was in favor of more CNG buses but in light of the recent technolgical improvements in hybrid technology and the fact that the federal law will require low sulfer desiel fuel starting next year, the clean air advantage of CNG has been narrowed to virtually nothing.
FedEX expects to recover the cost of Hybrid delivery trucks vs standard delivery trucks in 12 years. If the MTA plays it's cards right and runs the hybrids as much as possible in service vs the standard desiels, the cost premuim of the hybrid will be offset by the increased fuel savings.
If the maintance advantages that BAE boasts about are true, these buses should be able to run longer between maintance and thier drivetrains should last longer overall
From Orions web site
Seating capacity: up to 44 passengers
Length: 30’, 35’, 40’
Width: 102'
Height: 118.5” over roof hatch (Diesel); 135” (CNG); 132” (Hybrid)
Wheelbase: 190” (30’), 226” (35’), 286” (40’)
Step height (f/r): 14.5” from ground, 11” kneeled
Overhang (f/r): 86,5” front, 118” rear (incl. bumper)
Floor height (aisle): 15.5”
Door width: Front (Slide Glide) 36,5”;Rear (Slide Glide) 36,5 “
Turning radius: 29’-8” - 43’-3”
Tire size: 305/70 R 22.5
Electrical system: Solid State Multiplex 24 V
Engine: DDC S50, S 50G, Cummins, ISL C8.3G ISB (Hybrid)
Transmission: Allison B 400 R, ZF HP592, Voith D864
Axles: Front Meritor FH946 16,500 lb;
Rear Meritor 61163 28,600 lb
Suspension: Full air ride
Brakes: “S” Cam Drum, Auto Slack Adjusters
Fuel tank capacity: 125 US Gallons (Diesel); 100 US Gallons (Hybrid)
GVWR (pounds): 42,540
HVAC: Thermo King (rear mount); AC 120.000 BTU, Heat 95.000 BTU, Defroster 59.000 BTU
Ramp: Front entrance 32” x 44”, flip out
2003 New Flyer D60HF #5523-5524 and #5551-5552 are at Michael J. Quill Depot. 2003 New Flyer D60HF #5510 and #5576 are not here....yet! Bus #5510 is in New Jersey I believe. Hope that helps!
Vince
Ronnie
I guess I'm going to have to make a rare venture into Mercer County territory to try and track down that hybrid bus (I hope it has a bike rack like the other Mercer buses).
The converted school buses are no longer on regular revenue duty they stopped that when the TLs came along. A lot of the routes you'll have to ask the driver what route it is if they don't have the route number in the window below the sign.
Other routes of interest are:
20-goes from Addison Road to Upper Marlboro, so does the 21 to New Carrolton. This route also uses TL 40 footers, Gilligs and there might a new Thomas SLF(one of two that came this year), or 30' SLFs
22-goes from Addison Road to what is left of Landover mall. Mostly SLFs 30', and ODVs with some CGVs(crappy gas vehicles). It also goes past my house(for better or for worse,lol)
12-goes from Mt Rainier I think to West Hyattsville.
I hope you have fun, try not to laugh to hard and if you do ride the afternoon 15X, HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE
"Hey wait a minute, why are you wearing a bus driver's uniform?"
"Mehh, I'm on layover right now so I might as well deliver a few of my packages while I have some free time."
The definition of SLF!!
"Buses generally operate Monday through Friday from 6:00 am - 7:00 pm"
LOL, generally run....That's pretty much like Baltimore MTA just putting out buses and telling the drivers to just drive around for a few hours and pick up some people. : )
Any opinions, comments, suggestions?
B49-#8408-TMC
David
I do remember seeing those buses on the B9 and B46 to Riis Park. I was at Kings Plaza and a lot of people with beach gaearhopped on the B46 and travelled to Riis Park. I believe that service ended in 1988. It was listed in the 1985 Queens Bus Map. I think it was sometime between 1985-1988 (how about that, LOL!)
Vince
Here they are:
7101 - Neoplan Artic - LED signs, and Stop bell goes "ding" as on the older buses.
3414 - 1990 Neoplan with Series 50 engine.
5601H-5612H, and unknown numbers for the 20 more Hybrids - Cummins engines, on a system dominated by Detroit Diesel.
Eldorados - Cummins 4 cylinder engines.
Got any more oddities in the SEPTA fleet?
New Flyers 5404, 5405, 5408, and 5409 all have the yellow "CAUTION: FREQUENT STOPS AND WIDE TURNS" stickers on them; all of the other Flyers - and the Neo artics - have the arrows on either side of the bus that say "VEHICLE MAKES WIDE TURNS".
Neoplans 3122-3131 with the (non-functioning) rear destination signs, the only SEPTA buses to have such signs until the New Flyers arrived (this was only after pushing SEPTA to install such signs at Capital Budget hearings for several years).
Come to think of it, at times I just think the whole damn system is an oddity...
N22-#303-Orion V-CNG
N27-#190-Orion V-CNG
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Today, saw 8718 on the 1B, 8796 and 9216 on the 23A and 886x on the 28A or B, not sure which one. Also saw 8749 at some point the other day.
Tuesday, had a nice no air conditioned ride on Orion V unrepowered 9615 on the 1C. Of course, it took forever for us to get home so it made the ride even more enjoyable (add sarcastic tone to anywhere in this sentence).
On my MD bustrip with Ray on Wednesday, four of the buses we rode had no A/C:
02028: The MCPS Thomas HDX;-)
5221: American Ikarus 436 artic on the Q2
965568: The 35' Ride-On CNG on the 61
935702: The ex-MTA Maryland Metro-D now operated by Ride-On on the 70
-F.
-F.
-F.
-Fred
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
Wayne
Wayne
I also saw 4524 (in sorry shape, I may add), still with Yukon stickers still on it. What exactly is stored inside that bus anyway?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Wayne
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Regards,
Trevor Logan
I am currently restoring no. 179 at CC&T, which is the only one from that order known to be in its original livery from 1976.
-Fred
On a related note, did the Q44 ever have some runs out of Coliseum?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Wayne
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Peace
David
BIG AL
Sighs
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
MAT is accepting donations to help fund the project.
Jim D.
-F.
I respectfully disagree. $150,000 per bus is a bargain if the work was done right. By comparison, the Kenosha trolley system cost $5 million to get started and that's as about a bare-bones light rail system as you'll find these days.
Here's a jaw-dropper - I did a quick Google search to see how much one of those "replica trolleys" costs to buy. DART First State in Delaware just bought three of them from Chance Coach for $312,751 apiece.
http://www.dartfirststate.com/news/02/12/trolley.shtml
Bring on the restored 'real' buses!
Jim D.
We also have a GM 3302 "Baby Fishbowl" circa 1973 that is a crowd-pleaser; its small 30-foot size and bright orange color with silver sides has become well-received by the public as well. And most of the ladies think it's very cute! :)
-Fred
http://www.livelyomaha.org/whatsnew/retro_transit.htm
KAT in Knoxville, TN has been providing "Retro Bus" service with a 1972 Fishbowl for the past few years; from what I understand, it even plays period tunes and disco music for the riders.
-F.
Put #9099 On LAne #3
Will keep everyone posted.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.org
At BWI got the 17, NABI 9958, to Pataspco. Approaching Patapsco, I saw what could be my next ride, a new Neoplan low floor 0264 on the 51. This bus smells like it just went into service because it had that new bus smell. I then got another NABI,9934, on the M6 to Security Square and there I ate lunch. Before we got to the Securtiy square, I saw a police chase, I think they were chasing a motorcycle.
After I ate lunch, got Flxible 9413 on the 15 going downtown where I took a couple of pics (a more detail baltimore pic session will come next tuesday), including one a Bush Neoplan low floor. I missed a Flxible Metro on the 11(had non working signs and no paper in the window saying what it was-BELIEVE), so I grabbed the next one that being NABI 9864 going to outside of the MTA Bush garage. when I got there, I not only missed one but two flxibles working the 51 line going back to Patapsco. That was something that would lead to this.
It got cloudy, it started to rain and rain and rain and rain and rain, get the hint. I got to a bus shelter, but that didn't help, as now it got windy so the rain got into the bus shelter, soaking us. After it rained, I ventured across the street back to the bus stop only to get splashed by incompotent drivers wanting some fun. I then ventured across the street where I got the 51, Flxible B 8814, back to Patapsco. It started raining again and rained most of the trip to home. I got back to Patapsco and got Flxible Metro B 8955 on the way back to BWI, hoping to catch the 6:10 B30 to Greenbelt, and I barely did with some running and BWI traffic, got 4390 back to Greenbelt. On the way to Greenbelt, a traffic jam began at route 198 and last until we came upon a downed tree about 45 minutes later. With that not only did I miss the last 15X to New Carrolton, I missed an R12 to New Carrolton(or so I thought for the R12). I also saw 4241 heading north on the B-W Parkway, don't know if it was doing an 87 route or for some other reason didn't get to get a good look at the destination sign to be sure. I waited until 8pm when up came repowered 9650 on the R12. The driver said that the two buses that came before him had to detour, because under the bridge at eastern avenue was flooded, right after Deanwood station, going towards Cheverly. I got to NewCarrolton, where I got a very leaky Orion VI on the F14 going home. Most of the seats were wet so finding one was a chore.
So that was my trip in a nutshell, do plan to Baltimore again next Tuesday, hopefully I will ride more Flxis and Neos and less NABIs, I am riding too many of those things. Also hope that I stay dry the whole trip.
1996 Nova RTS's as of 6/12/03; 9044-9049, 9206, 9207, 9209, 9211-9220, 9222, 9224-9228.
1999 Nova RTS's as of 6/12/03; 5030-5054.
So, I'm assuming that all your 1990 TMC RTS-06 buses are gone? Also, buses #7535, #7541, #7551 (should be at KB) and #7555-7556 are scrapped? I guess Quill has the rest of your 9200s, huh? Thanks for your update!
Vince
Peace
David
I just missed one of the 7500's on the M15 on Wednesday, but I got off at 57th and caught a 7000-series on the M31 instead.
I was surprised to see the normal (half-height) rear door handles. The one 7500-series bus I rode in the past, a few years ago on the M86 (just before the artics came along), had full-height 1981/82-style handles, facing the wrong way.
I just checked the MTA website and the X90 is replacing the X92 at the World Finanical Center? Where will the X92 terminate? I though the X92 went to the South Street Seaport. Also, will the Bx55 end at Fordham Plaza? That's is a hell of a walk to the Bx41 for a transfer especially late at night. Also, the expanding of limited service on the Bx41? I guess when you got more artics, anything is possible but why run 24 hour limited service. Is there a lot of ridership between 12-5 AM? Thanks in advance!
Vince
The X90 used to go down to the WTC via Park Row and Barclay Street. The X92 used to run to the Financial District via Water Street.
Post 9/11, the routes have duplicated due to the security concerns and street closures. Both bus routes are exactly the same, with the exception that the X90 goes to WFC via Water, State, West Streets, while the X92 terminates by Broad Street and Water Street.
My guess is that they will have one route now - the X90 which will continue to serve the WFC.
Also, shuttle buses replace 7 trains between Willets Point and Main St/Flushing & buses replace L trains from Broadway Junction to Rockaway Parkway.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Fred
But I'm sure Brooklyn will get something new soon.
6359 M5
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Which TA is worse? MTA Maryland, or The Bus?
The Ten Things you won't see on THE BUS
1)Real Buses-the Gilligs are really pushing it but at least another major transit authority has them.
2)Weekend service-They do know that there is saturday and sunday in also in the calendar don't they.
3)Late night service-I guess they don't want their buses looking like swiss cheese
4)CNG buses-Do you really want THE BUS handling these things
5)Artics-Same as for #4
6)Good routes-Why is the 18 basically the same as the F8, except for different diversions and The Bus uses crappy vehicles.
7)Competition for Ride On and DASH in the bus rodeo-Roscoe could drive like Roscoe P Coltrane and still blow away any the bus driver.
8)Respect from other TAs, passengers, bus fans, animals, insane cross dressing aliens name it and they won't respect the bus
9)Programmed destination signs-It is not they aren't working apparently they don't know how to program them, unlike BALT MTA in that THEY DON'T WORK.
10)Some routes that run every 15 minutes or less. The only route that does so is the 21 and they sometimes use ODVs. You will never see a frequency like some other TAs have.
-F.
Now what I DON'T like is that cheezoid "racing flag" scheme....it is very tacky and looks more at home in NASCAR than it does at MTA. And it leaves a stark, plain white bus..but at least they left black around the windows. And what is up with "ghosting" the back of their Flxible Metro Ds and Es on some models? That is AWFUL...and it makes dirt show up a lot more. VERY unsightly to see an all-white back with no stripe or imagination. Ugh.
-F.
-F.
I was recently at Virginia Beach and rode HRT's Flxible Metro fleet; they have a Baltimore MTA mimic to their scheme, except for the following; the blue stripes starts immediately under the window framing instead of leaving a fine white line, and the logo is abruptly placed in a white box over the front wheelwells, therefore interrupting the flow of the stripe. And I thought the all-white rear of some MTA Flxes was bad? Heh...at least they let the black continue around the top side panel behind the rearmost windows. At HRT, it is all white past those windows, leaving a stark appearance.
Other than that, they were pretty good-looking buses.
-F.
Now on to Subtalk to post a VERY INTERESTING sighting at 59St-CC.All you train fan's that post here,go check it out.
That is a 126 St Original bus. That may soon be going to Quill though, where the 1996 Novas from 126 are going. Many are already there, especially the 9000s, 9100s, and some of the 9200s.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Is this message available on other buses besides the New Flyers (i'm sure they can be programmed. Is each depot responsible for programming the signs of their buses for the routes that the depot serves, as well as others? If so, Midvale is a little bit cooler in my book, and I'm liking the New Flyers a little more as time progresses.
I'm guessing that they do that when the Philadelphia sports teams are doing absolutely nothing (like getting beat 1-15 in Baseball!), it's just something to display to make it all the more harder to tell what bus is coming on market st.
CG
There is a bus stop on Hook Creek Blvd and 130th Av going towards Green Acres! It's in the NYC DOT form (It's not the Nassau County type bus stop). Just so you know.
Vince
NABI 40LFW CNG
NABI 40LFW LNG
New Flyer D40LF Diesel
New Flyer C40LF CNG
Orion V Diesel
Orion V CNG
Enjoy,
GP
The question I have is that one seat at the last row seems to be removed, does this conclude that the low floors are using Detroit Diesel Series 50 and Allison B400? If yes, this will be my first time to see a Series 50 powered GLF....:p
-F.
"[The Series 40] is a lightweight, 4-cycle, inline, six cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine spanning a horsepower range of 160 to 330 horsepower. Comprised of 7.6 and 8.7 liter displacements, the Series 40 engine family is available in turbocharged and turbocharged air-to-air charge cooled models."
(From the DD website)
The Series 40 is actually a Navistar DT466, licensed to Detroit Diesel. There are times if you close your eyes, where it sounds just like a school bus (UGH). It's a peppy engine... definetly no power complaints. Actually, it might be too peppy. I rode one the other day, and when the driver accelerated, I got thrown back.
The only problem with the Series 40, is that it overheats very easily. Now, I'm not sure if this is more the Nova LFS's fault, but since the engine has been a proven workhorse for Navistar, the blame probably lies in the bus plagued with so many other design problems.
-Tyler-
Speaking of school buses, the Cummins ISB sounds very much like one in a Thomas SLF. It kind of gives it personality that way. :)
-F.
I beleive that would be correct...
When the advantage first introduced in 1998, Cummins ISC/C8.3/M11 and DDEC Series 40 were the engines the manufacturer recommended. Until now, S40 remains while Cummins ISL is now added to the list.
I know all about the ISL addition to manufacturer specs; our most recent Phantom order (2001) came with these, mated to an ISL. They are very quiet, smooth, and sound AWESOME at idle, upshift, and ESPECIALLY downshift. I LOVE the big whistle it makes when the retarder kicks in...it's like something from outer space!
-F.
IMO, ISL/B500R sounds best on D60LF where ISL/D864.3 sounds best on a Gillig. I would hope NABI will install a Voith tranny on their buses...I also look forward to listening Orion VII with ISL/D864.3 from my friend in Toronto when these buses are delivered...:)
Where are Flxibles that feature M-11 or ISM engines? I heard WMATA has a few in DC. I want to hear what they sound like! And what a shame to hear that D40LFs are not as pronounced; a neighboring TA just got some and I was hoping to hear them scream. Who knows, maybe I'l hear something exciting out of it after all. But I'll bet an Orion would sound AWESOME with ISL/Voith setup...I know it sounds pretty tight with a 6v92 and a B400 (found that out at HRT).
-F.
VTA has these buses. I believe that Tri Met in Portland, OR has also M11/Voith Metros.
M11
ISM
Here are some Metro sounds, open the link and right-click on the logo
1992 Cummins L10
1993 Cummins M11
2002 Cummins ISM
Not a Flxible though...but it Does sound like a 1990 Metro with L10/Voith
And a Gillig Low Floor with ISL/Voith
GP
Look at item #34, 46, 50, 54, 57, 61, 64, 65, and 66.
Could anyone clarify this?..
Thanks in advance..:p
PS. There are also Series 50 and 6V92TA powered buses...
-F.
Trevor
Other properties with Series 60s in thier transit buses.
PACE Nova Classic #2400
Bee Line's Neoplan AN460s
WMATA Neoplan AN460s
The TA tested a 5400 with a Series 60 also, IIRC it was #5418. But was later refitted with a Series 50.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.org
-F.
-F.
I asked myself the same question... then I saw one.
VISIBILITY is the key. LED's appear washed out in direct sunlight whereas Flipdots are visible. At nighttime, Flipdots are less visible, whereas LEDs can be seen from a distance. By combining these technologies, you get the best of both worlds. Signs that can be seen in direct sunlight and from far away.
-Tyler-
So, who makes all of LEDDots? TwinVision? Balios?
I beleive TwinVision came up with the concept, with thier LEDots... however, I'm sure Balios, Vultron, and Luminator have come up with similar concepts.
-Tyler-
NJT is also in a Financial Bind!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Since you work at NJT, what buses were rehabbed? Do they have Orange LED Destination Signs or something? Thanks in advance!
Vince
My e-mail is NYCTMCID4500@aol.com Please send me as many as you can. I'm very interested in this! Thanks in advance!
Vince
A rant from a bitter South Jersey Rider!
-F.
This is Q46 Nova RTS#9288 live with the shuttle bus update. Back to Bustalk we go!
http://www.geocities.com/derekinn1996/E_Ftrainbus1.jpg
I would put more pictures of the shuttle buses up later
Started out by taking the B8 to East 16 St then caught the Q at Newkirk Av so I took the Q on the Brighton through the Montague tunnel all the way to 34 St where I would transfer to the F heading to Queens [rather than taking the E at Times Square]. Man this weekend was full of GO's all over the system. So I have to wait about 10 minutes for the F to come and the platform was packed and when the R46 F came, the train got full; luckily I got a seat :-). So we were moving fine but after 21 St, we had to switch over to the local track since there was no G and R service. So its still a smooth ride until after leaving 46 St where we slow down considerably stopping in btw stations and took 10 minutes to get to Northern Blvd then another 20 to Roosevelt Av. Then we went express via express track to 71 Av and the crowd was huge and there were buses lined up ready to take passengers on Queens Blvd.
So there was awhole bunch of cops at 71 Av due to the crowds and I had to let 9067 & 4918 go so I waited for the next bus 553 and I ride it to Briarwood where I decide to bus spot for about 15-20 minutes taking bus numbers down [BTW, the shuttle bus ran in 1 direction while they ran empty back to 71 Av]. So then I was observing and the sight of the day was 4568 with LED's, that's right LED's on the blinkers & taillights :-0! Anyway I wait until Q20A 6128 comes and I hop on and the driver was very good on my brief ride to Jamaica Av where I get off to catch the J train [the E would of been a BAD move]. Had to wait 10 minutes before the J came so I grab the RF window and I enjoy the sights of the outdoors and a aerial view of the ENY bus depot at Alabama Av then I got off at B'way Junction where I got off to catch the A. So I get a R38 RF that took it to Jay St where I JUST missed the F and I had to wait 20 minutes [this is around 10:15pm]. It came and was packed like it was the rush hour so I take that to 18 Av then took the B8 home.
The buses I saw. Enjoy!
ENY: 4971,5238,8129,9067
CS: 278,301,303,553,574,666,671,6125,6133
JAM: 4568,4582,4587,5151,5153,5166,8942,8944
QV: 534,4916,4918,4931,8377,8393,9369,9381
NF 871 B8
R68 2908 (Q)
R36 5730 (F)
Orion 553 E/F SHUTTLE
Orion 6128 Q20A
R42 4942 (J)
R38 4121 (A)
R46 5585 (F)
NF 822 B8
I know it's a school bus company that's closing, which seems slightly off topic, but from my seat here in MA I find the transit bus connection here too: Green Bus the parent company, closing Varsity at the end of June, which is also when the MTA takeover of the private bus operators is supposed to take place. Is this closing timed to coincide with the MTA takeover? Did the school bus operation drain $$$ from Green's transit bus operations? Will Green Bus close the transit bus operations down if there's no takeover, or pressure the MTA to bail them out? And will New York Bus Service end up with some of Varsity's school bus work? Will Atlantic Express get some of them as well, despite still being in Chapter 11( does anyone know if they've emerged from Chapter 11 yet?)
One last question: Do Queens Surface or Command own or have any stake in any school bus operations in NYC?
Mark
To answer your question Queens Surfice has no interest in school bus operations whatso ever.
Command Bus is owned by Green Lines.
For your information unless the companies reorganized to take advantage of tax breaks the structure is as follows
Green Bus Lines Inc. is owned by various stockholders most of them were either Green Bus Line workers or are relatives of same. The Cooper family has controlling interest in Green Bus Lines.
Command Bus Company Inc. is a wholly owned subsidary of Green Bus Lines. Inc.
Triboro Coach Corporation is a privately held corporation owned by the Cooper Family with some other partners
Jamaica Buses Inc. is a privately held corporation owned by the Cooper Family with different partners than Triboro Coach.
Varsity Transit Inc. is a privately held corpoartion which i believe is owned by the Cooper family only. Varsity Coach Inc. is a wholly owned subsidary of Varsity Transit.
I believe that the Cooper family own several other companies. If you check the Varsity Transit web site you can link to them.
Since the Green Bus stock is not traded on the stock market the company does not have to follow guidelines that other public owned companies have to follow.
I understand that New York Bus Service Inc does indeed want to expand its school bus operations and as far as i know Atlantic Express Inc. is still operating under Chapter XI protection.
Hope this helps
Thank You
That's pretty much irrelevant. Any losses from transit operations are simply charged back to DOT and reimbursed in full. The companies' contracts with DOT guarantee all expenses (including wages, executive salaries, liability settlements, campaign contributions, and even "penalties" for lousy service) plus a fixed "management fee" (i.e. profit) that's paid regardless of performance.
Wayne
Easy, just buy a few City Council members.
- - - - -
Not much of an incentive to provide good service.
Actually, it's a great incentive to not care at all.
1-As of now no additonal changes will be made to extend bus service to Gateway Mall
2- Should the MTA take over the DOT routes expect several local and express route consolidations. The TA has a tenative idea on what routes will be changed SHOULD A TAKEOVER TAKE PLACE. They know as much about the proposed takeover as the public knows. If such a takeover does indeed happen then expect the B-2 and B-100 to be consolidated into one route with the B-2 being extended from Kings Plaza to 56 Dr/Strickland Ave via Ave U,East 66th Street,National Drive,Strickland Ave,56th Drive and stand. Return via 56th Drive, East 66th Street,Ave U,Flatbush Ave and current B-2 route.(This was the way the B-2 operated to Mill Basin after Pioneer Bus ceased operations aand before Command Bus started in 1979).
Other possible consolidations Q-21/Q-53,Q-19/Q-103 but this is my own speculation.
3-Since i live in Canarsie i was asked my opinion about the B-82 and told these gentlemen that they should consider a limited/local operation such as the Q-20/Q-44. It can greatly improve the service.
Hope this helps
Thank You
Are you willing to state your reputation on this? Are these the REAL facts because I've read this before on BT about these route combinations. It seems like you posted this before. Im not saying that you are not helpful but I'm saying if I was to tell a friend...can I tell him this or this is speculation on your part. Thanks in advance!
Vince
I would not have posted it if it was not true.
Some of the consolidations are speculation on my part as i stated in the original post.
As Imus says " You can bet the house" on the B-2/B-100 consolidation.
Thank You
This consolidation just makes sense and there will not be a wimper of complaints in the areas these lines serve
More then 50% of the riders of the B2/B100 take whichever bus line is leaving first or has room for them.
Barry as for the issue of school crowds walking down to ave R along bedford if the combined line is run on R vs QR near madison HS. There was an article in one of the comminity newsletters concerning this issues. Just as I suspected, there is concern about crowds of teenagers making a mess on the narrow sidwalks. The article also talked about stagering the release times of the JHS near the Kings Highway station to reduce the crowds walking to the subway train
The combined line will have to operate via QR for the above reason
The B-2 already makes stops on Ave R
The B-100 doesnot make any stops on Quientin Rd except at Bedford Ave
Thank You
As per our previous discusions. The B31 already provides more then adequate coverage along AVE R. Both buses run virtulaly back to back as they are timed to coincide with the subway not to provide service along the Ave R corridor between Nostrand and Ocean ave.
Riders from marine park and Mill Basin take the bus to the train because of parking issues. There is no parking issues between ocean ave and nostrand therefore they drive to thier destinattion.
The TA may face some community oposition if it fail to realize the issues related to the school release time at madison and to a lesser extent IS 278. I drove by madison at about 1 PM and it was a mad house at the command bus stop. Force a thousand kids onto bedford at one time and you will have tons of community opposition to the merged line. Opposition that the MTA could easily avoid by running the B2 along QR. The fact that it does not make stops make not difference. The riders along QR already are accustomed to the B100 not making stops and thus is no big deal
Lets be resonable the B-2/B-100 will result in better service at reduced costs. It does not make sense to operate buses that do not stop.
It seems that you are the only one against this change. Look at all sided and you will see that the TA is 100% right on this one
Thank You
Once again less then 10% of the ridership of the B2 either gets on or off along Ave R from Nostrand to Ocean ave and the B2 and B31 currently piggy back down the ave.
" It does not make sense to operate buses that do not stop."
The bus almost never stops anyway from nostrand to ocean ave except at bedford to let madison HS students off
Email me offline and I'll ride the line with you.
The MTA will get more complaints from home owners along bedford ave when they come home to garbage all over thier lawn. The end result will be school specials which will negate the cost saving s of combining the route
Almost no one in this area ddepends on public transit to get around. 100% of the housholds own at least one more. Most more then one
Thank You
I am probably the only one on the board that understands the issues involved in this line merger.
This line although it passes through the neighborhood is not used by many neighborhood riders except a few during rush hour. The 50% reduction in service you mention althought technicaly accurate does result in longer wait time for riders wishing to take the bus to the train as during rush hour the B2 and B31 run back to back and belly to belly.
Both the B2, B31 and B100 are empty other all weekend.
This behavior was develped prior to the free bus transfer.
Let remember this is a middle class to upper middle class area along this stretch. These people do not waiste thier time with mass transit for thier daily tasks.
although I am a transit buff, I drive to take care of my errands. The only time I take the bus is when I am heading into the city(take either the b2/B100 or B3 to the brighon line ave U or Kings Highway) or doing some bus/rail fanning. It just does not make sense to take the bus unless parking is an issue.
It took my dad 90 min to get to the doctor today on 74th street and 5th ave in brooklyn. It took me 20 min to get down there to pick him up.
I put my due in traveling around brooklyn by bus before I got my drivers licence.
It's pretty safe to say that...
- nothing is written in stone (after all, this is New York, where anything can happen and minds can change with no notice), and
- no route restructurings are likely to happen on Day One, since there wouldn't be enough time to coordinate everything.
For example most command express runs should be moved to UP. Not to sure how command drivers would feel having to choose from more local runs
R32 - Sea Beach Express
Out of curiosity, what are considered the plum "picks" on LI Bus? Does being close to the top 100 get you what you want?
CG
I'm not talking about the routes like Jamaica Avenue that went from B to Q. I mean some of the really old routes that changed their B number, like Kings Highway (an original BBC route) from 5 to 82 (now there is no 5--82 used to be Bergen Beach maybe 50 years ago).
New Lots was 10, now is 15. 15 was Manhattan Bridge, which now is 51. Now there is no 10.
I don't see rhyme or reason. Is there?
* The current B51 doesn't exactly follow the old B15 route, so it didn't get the same number (digits, yes; number, no).
It is not Pleasant at all to travel to and from 179th st Jamaica on local trains.
Started out by taking the Q train from Newkirk Av rode that via Brighton, tunnel and Broadway express so I take the Q to 34 St where I get off to catch the F. So I see the R32 F pull into the station and these people won't walk down the escalator and I end up missing the train >:-(. So I have to wait about 10 minutes before the next F arrives and I get on the R46. So its a much better ride than yesterday and again after Roosevelt Av we switch onto the express tracks to 71 Av. We pass a E in the process then I go up to wait for the bus.
So no I'm outside and there's a HUGE crowd and the lines go around the corner on 108 St literally. I say this shuttle bus operation was POORLY STRUCTURED! Anyway due to the big crowds there were cops and barricades to keep people in order [just imagine if there was no cops there :-0]. So there weren't as many buses to begin with and were iregularly scheduled and the Q60 wasn't of much relief since the 3 buses I saw had no seats, standing room only. So 4582 pulls in and the people were acting like animals pushing one another and this lady nearly fell with a baby; all this to get seats my goodness what a bunch of asses. So its a nice ride via Queens Blvd and we was right behind 8389 the whole time and when we get to Briarwood, I bus spot once again. I saw 7 buses arrive at Van Wyck in a 90 second-2minute span, unbelievable. They should of just replaced E service completely up to Jamaica Center.
Too bad there's no Artics in Queens, would of helped BIG time. So I wait a couple of minutes before a Q44 arrives so I hop on it and the B/O does good in my bried ride to Jamaica Av where I grab something to eat and then its time to continue my trip. So I just miss a Q56 & Q54 so it takes about 15 minutes before any of the Brooklyn-Queens buses came. I decide to let the Q56 go when it came & ride the Q24 so it takes another 5 minutes before it came so it finally shows up and I hop on it and its standing room only but I get a seat. So we hardly make any stops via Jamaica Av and we turn on Van Wyck Blvd and we do good then makes the light and turns onto Atlantic Av and we do nicely. We don't make too many stops until we get a few people who board at Woodhaven Blvd which it is standing room only again. So we're appraching the city line and we got into Brooklyn in about 20-25 minutes and we still don't make too many stops then we miss the light at Penn Av.
So then the light changes and we turn onto Penn Av and when we reach Jamaica Av I see the same Q56 that I saw at Sutphin Blvd so it was about the same time. Then we go to Broadway Junction where I get off to take the A/C. So the C comes up on the express track and I hop on it, switches to the local track and its a nice, cool quick ride to Franklin Av where I get off to ctch either the B48 or B49 whichever comes first so the B48 comes up and I get on 8147 and its a cool ride via Franklin Av and I take it to the last stop to catch the Q. I wait a couple of minutes until a R68 Q arrives on the platform so I get on it and get off at my stop then I take the B8 home.
The buses I saw. Enjoy!
QV: 4910,4913,8379,8389
JAM: 4019,4582,8943
CS: 267,275,400,455,563,647,658,661,6126
R68 2866 (Q)
R46 6050 (F)
RTS 4582 E/F SHUTTLE
Orion 292 Q44
RTS 8910 Q24
R32 3644 (C)
RTS 8147 B48
R68 2764 (Q)
NF 905 B8
So there was a bunching problem but it didn't seem terrible. When I saw the line, I expected much worse.
Ensure that all R32 trainsets in service have all end doors locked, allow the trains IN PASSENGER SERVICE to go through JAM yard from 71/FH and return to VY Blvd, with an announcement that the train must be rerouted through the yard B/C of trackwork. Have station supervisors monitor crowds at Van Wyck Blvd to go to opposite platform for those customers needing 75th Ave or Union Turnpike.
Or just have the shuttle bus one way to serve 75th/Puritan and Union Tpke/Kew Gardens while all other customers stay on the train bia. yard and enroute to their Jamaica destinations.
Now the crowds will be MUCH easier to manage at Forest Hills. But as usual, NYCT makes things so difficult for the weekend customer.
Question on the Broadway Junction transfer, why don't you take the B12 at the little island near the tunnel? That bus would've taken you you to Parkside. Sometime in August, I will pull off a REAL bus trip that might need 3 postings on this. HA HA.
I just missed the B12 and I didn't feel like waiting for the next one ;-). I was going to take the B83 to the B82 then ride that to Kings Highway/E 16 then take the Q but it was getting late so I did the B48 ride.
B26, 38, 52, 54 (all except B38 start and end at same places.)
B43, 48
B46, 47
B69, 75
B37, 63
B44, 49
B6, 82
Towards Dwtwn Bklyn: R on Flatbush, left on Tillary, and then follow the B57 to 130 Livinston. Opposite on the return.
B54#8555
OSC has had a press release on their website for awhile, but this is the first appearance of the product on a bus -- however, during the week of the Chili Cookoff downtown, I saw one in a supervisor "buggy".
Also seen in the picture is the headset for the new radio system mentioned in the press release.
I mean look where the radio is
And changing a destination is hell
Now the OSC is right next to the Clever....
Oh well...so much for ergonomics.
The light turns green, and we both floor it. The race is on... we're neck and neck... his engine is racing, my bus spewing more smoke than a mill factory. He starts to edge up on me, but finally my bus shifts into 2nd gear, and I pull away. He stood no chance against my 6v92... As my friend Jim says... "Smoke = Power" LOL
It's such a nice day when I can actually beat someone out of a light... okay, granted, I had turned the A/C off... lol... but still, that counts! :)
But anyhoo... on the topic of "fast engines" and whatnot... I don't get it. Sure, in your car, its nice to have a zippy engine. And even in a coach, it's good to have. But with a transit bus... you're stop and go... and you have standee passengers. Too much power, and you're throwing them back. We have that problem with the Series 40 in our LFS... If you floor it, everyone standing gets thrown back... not really that fun.
Just my 2¢
-Tyler-
Actually... no... it was just a beat up blue Neon. The tricked out ones around here are the Civics... Why on earth someone would want to go and ruin a perfectly decent economy car is beyond me. Tacky ass body panels, and a coffee can exhaust that sounds like sh!t... takes what little value the car had, and makes it worthless. *shrug*
Wayne
And the way they drive them -- hiphop music blasting from every pore and subwoofers loud enough to wake the dead, doing 60 in the goddamn parking deck;; SLOW THE F@*! down!!!
But that's okay - let em puttputt around in their souped-up japcrap mobiles.
I'll cruise around in my great big American pimpdaddy mobile (a beige 1997 Grand Marquis ;-)
Yes it's not a pink 72 Caddy, but it works... at least I have whitewalls!!!! ;-)
Chuck Greene
And boy, it was fun beating cars across an intersection when the light turned green!
My employer finally realized the buses were getting about 1.2 miles per gallon and going through transmissions, so something was up. They changed the computer settings and spoiled all the fun.
Funny part is our 2003 Ford V10 gas buses are not as quick off the mark because the engine is more of a lugger than a runner. Pulls much better with a full passenger load. As for fast engines, the DD Series 50 four and six cylinder engines gets my vote.
Enjoy!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.org
incognito
http://www.goodcowfilms.com/temp/mta/mta1.avi
http://www.goodcowfilms.com/temp/mta/mta2.avi
Copy and Paste the Links to see the videos, you need Divx 5.05 to be able to see or RealOne Player, the latest version. Thanks to GoodCow (Straphangers Campaign) for shoothing this video.
I would've turned that bus off and just sat there until people got off, no words no nothing!
See post 76318
1. Too many bus dispatchers just sit in their cars at the bus layover area, with no concept of what's happening at the loading stop.
2. Too many bus dispatchers follow the written schedule religiously and make no allowances for missing runs, problems with train service, etc.
3. Some runs, once assigned to a given depot, don't get covered and can't be reassigned to another depot.
4. Larger-than-expected surges. For example, as my northbound E left 67th Avenue, an F passed on the express track. As a result, both trains emptied at Continental simultaneously and the buses were totally overwhelmed. (Naturally, I walked the rest of the way to Union Turnpike!)
5. Unexpected occurrences. (In the early 1990's, during a similar shuttle operation, Queens Blvd was completely shut down by President Clinton's motorcade - with the buses stuck at the wrong end of the route!)
What was up with that? The whole Queens Blvd line was replaced by shuttle buses in the early 90's like that, if so I'm sure it took about 100 buses [WHOA!].
Were there Express Shuttles for the E and F and Local shuttles for the R and G?
Nope. It was identical to this weekend's service, right down to the one-way shuttle. The Presidential motorcade didn't actually use Queens Blvd; it stayed on the Van Wyck Expressway. The problem was that all streets passing over or intersecting the motorcade route were closed, from before the first car left the airport to after the last car arrived at wherever Bill was going. That pretty much shut down all of eastern Queens for well over an hour.
I agree with you up to a point. When I'm driving, though, and I get stuck in 30 minutes of traffic with 3 lanes going down to 2 or even 1 to go around an accident I'll be darn sure to take my 5 second lookover to see what happened once I get up there. After all, I invested 30 minutes in that traffic jam -- I'm not entitled to a 5 second look? When I show up late somewhere, people are going to ask why -- I like to have a good story to share with them.
CG
There sure are:
TCC 621
Peace,
ANDEE
:-)
http://mta.info/nyct/service/bus/bussrvnobx.htm
Bx55 may NOT be running on weekends at all, they may just use 'Extra Bx15 service' like they do at night
from 1995 service reduction proposals
------------------
Bx55
Shorten route on north end between 1 A.M.-5 A.M. every day. During
the late night hours only, Bx55 service (which currently operates
between 149th Street and Gun Hill Road) will terminate at Fordham
Road.
Alternate service: none.
---------------
or why not just short turn both Bx15 AND Bx55 from 149 St to Fordham Plaza, that way the MTA can say they are providing better service by cutting service to 125 St and Gun Hill Road
the Bx41 will be packed because of this and that pitiful overnight service doesn't come close to making up for all of the screwjobs that the Bronx has went through
the TA is actually adding night service, at least they didn't cut the Bx15's service
the Bx39 really needs the night service MORE than the Bx41(seeing as though that part of the Bronx does NOT have any trains running by it(most of the way), but what does the MTA care
why doesn't the TA cut the Bx55 altogether, now that the MTA wants people to do numerous transfers, so maybe we should all get unlimited cards and take AS MANY buses as possible just to make them so happy. Some replacement bus, this bus isn't even reliable 1/2 of the time
I guess this may be the end of Sunday LIMITED bus service in the Bronx, unless they keep the bus as a weekend shuttle, bus knowing their past actions(1995) that seems unlikely, so they may just cut come Bx15 buses from Harlem to 'add' some Bx15 shuttle to the Bronx
This stupid change would make many people's trips longer, because there won't be any LIMITED service north of Fordham Road, you think the Bx41 will make up for it, riders on weekends will be stranded with less service, which is why it is always better to take your extra trips during the weekdays if you can(unless you have an unlimited and have to use it up) If you have to go somewhere, do it after work during the PM rush, because that is the only time you can get decent service on some bus and train lines. The (2) train can take long on weekends to show up, the (6) <6> is better on weekdays, weekends sucks, unless they are doing shuttle bus service, at least the service is FREE
#5 gets cut from E 241 Street because of some 'terminal problems', please, that was just another service cut. And that 1995 cutting on many Bronx routes
Bx17 AND Bx33 lose night service, how can a whole area just lose 2 WHOLE buses between 1 AM and 5 AM just like that, surely at least 1 of the buses could stay intact, but no.
At least the Bx39 slightly improved, before it was hard to get on that from coming from school and the Bx21 wasn't that much better
School kids help the Bx8 on weekdasy as it actually runs decent with 15 and 17 minute headways on evenings and weekends 30 minute headways, good thing I don't have to take that bus
the people at E 177 St [not Locust Point Drive, damn NYC always trying to screw E 177 St over with E Tremont Avenue, Cross Bronx Expressway (Extension), Throg's Neck Expressway, now Locust Point Drive?] have cars(hopefully), but the people at Bronxwood are just screwed if they don't have cars
Broken Promises with the 3rd Avenue Elevated and the 2nd Avenue Subway to the Bronx and unreliable buses that run every 50-60 minutes at night(even 80 minutes in some cases...Bx9), while only lucky people get the 'luxury' of only having to wait 20 minutes at most for a train (in some other places they get 10 minute night waits)
You Brooklyn and Queens people had better be lucky that the (G) is underground, otherwise that would have been replaced with a bus which would lose it's nite service, then get cut back(again) as well.
[/RANT]
M9 34St-1Av.
If only I had a camera.I would've taken those picture's with those sign's already and have them ready for say....Transitalk!
Peace
David
That was an allowance for renumbering the Bx16 (Mundy Lane branch) and extending it at both ends. The other terminal would have been at the Mount Vernon railroad station. Never happened, probably won't.
[M9 34St-1Av.]
That was another allowance. Never happened, probably won't.
- - - - -
I've seen other "allowance" readings, such as "Bx7 Limited to Yonkers" and the like. Some of them were purged a while back.
I would bring back the (8), then put the Bx55 somewhere else, like Yankee Stadium again, Park Avenue, or even Boston Road(not with Bx21, with W60, W61 and Bx30)
Uh, no, I said that the TA wan't people to make more transfers and why didn't they cut it to jam more people on the Bx41
This was a GENERAL rant at how the Bronx gets screwed over, the train stuff was extra stuff that I added in there, with the exception of the <5>, I was making a point that traveling on WEEKDAYS is BETTER than WEEKENDS in many cases. Of course I DONT think the Bx55 should be cut at all (not until 'improvements' are made to 3rd Avenue Bronx, Manhattan NIMBYs can keep their traffic problems since they brought it on themselves)
---
Yes he ranted on the 2,5 & 6 trains more [why he did that here at BT I do not know :-\]
---
Most of it is about buses, only one section deals with trains and that is the weekend stuff. Oh and the (G) comment was just what might happen if it weren't underground, a bus that could end up getting CUT at night.
The MTA wanted to close the Intervale Avenue-163rd Street station and switch the 2/5 express service WITHOUT consulting the Bronx riders, so the MTA has a BAD history in the Bronx(and other boroughs).
One more thing about the trains the #5 still causes problems to the #2 service(at 238), I guess you didn't see what the #3 and #5 trains did on WPR last year, huh, oh and #2 weekend service sucks, more #3s even show up during the weekdays as well, but I have said enough regarding trains.
Anyway, so you think that everything is fine the way it is, the buses of course get the short end of the stick, even worse in areas that have nothing but buses(or nothing at all).
In regards to the Bx55, this is going to make the Bx41 worse, Webster Avenue is already slow enough with all the NIMBY/politician created traffic, now the ride will be even more with all of those stops
of course Bx41 buses(which also can be MIA) will not be increased that much except during rush hours, so off peak riders get screwed again.
B12#5241
B13#9141
I ended up seeing almost all Flxibles this AM. Here is the list that I could remember since I didn't have a pen and paper on me:
Metro B 9396-1C Fair Oaks Mall(my bus : ))
Metro B 9395-25A Ballston
Metro B 9483-4A Culmore
Metro B 94xx-4A Rosslyn
Metro D 9781-4B Rosslyn
Metro D 9777-1E Ballston
Metro B 9406-28A King Street
Metro B 9442-28B Tysons Corner
Metro B 8718-1B Ballston
Metro B 9497-1C Ballston
Most of them I saw in a matter of minutes. Others saw along the way. Oh what a beautiful morning!! Thanks to Orion V 7883 on the Fairfax Connector 401 for bringing that to a crashing halt!
-F.
-F.
-F.
I have GOT to get up there and ride some more Flxibles. And does Ride-On still have some 93-9400 Metros? Do say yes!
-F.
I am looking forward to seeing CNG buses in VA. Hopefully, they go with New Flyer again. It will be nice to ride those speedy buses on the long stretches of roads here.
-F.
I haven't ridden M11/D863.3 1993 Metros for months....
I recently rode ex-VTA no. 8684 (retired spring 2002) when it came through the East Coast for a concert; the people were very cool hippie-types who amazingly use no alcohol or drugs. They now live in it and travel cross-country; the bus is outfitted with an L-10/Voith combo. Was this original to the bus, or a retrofit? Detroit 2-strokes were the norm back then. Also, it featured hard seats with cloth inserts that looked like they came from a brand new bus. Is it possible that the 8600s at VTA were rehabbed?
-F.
Only thing is, it was found out just a few years later that the L-10 wasn't quite the clean engine (by California standard) it was originally thought to be, so most properties that had L-1o engines either re-engined with something else (we went to DD Series 50's) or if the buses were already "past their prime" (12 years according to FTA/UMTA), they were retired.
On the other hand, that will still remain good news that they will be kept longer as I hope. VTA's last Detroit 2'stroke order was in 1988 on their RTS. Since then, they have been buying Cummins.
Because I wasn't early yet in mid-90s, I wasn't sure if they did any rehab on the 86' coaches. But they did on the 88' RTS and 90' including with a new Luminator Horizon sign in the late 90s.
It looked quite cozy in there. lol I wonder if the drivers prefer them over the traditional poles.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The best thing about Phoenix is they have a ready supply of RTS. The worst thing is they have almost 400 crappy NABI's. They are the most boring buses I've ever ridden. Well, almost. Finding RTS buses was like pulling teeth. The results were worth the effort. I managed to ride four of them; 3506, 4420, 4434, and 4466. Very nice buses indeed, but 3506 was slow as hell.
Phoenx also had a crapload of New Flyers, 1994 and 1996 models. Very nice, especially when the driver unloaded the speed. The bus I used to get around, the 106-Peoria/Shea, was filled with New Flyers and the occasional RTS. All in all a good trip.
On the way back I rose three Greyhound model buses. The G-Cruiser, very nice. The Americruiser, old but nice. And the boring old D-Cruiser. Still, a nice getaway from home.
Next month, both of my cousins are going to NYC. I want to go but mon