November is here.

Yes November is here and it's that time of year. Thanksgiving is around the corner. Major cities are having parades across the United States. The weather is becoming quite colder nowadays, since the sun goes down earlier. Oh right, Daylight Savings Time has just ended November 7th, a week before this past Sunday. The World Series ended in November with the Giants beating the Rangers four games to one.

That is all I can think of now, sorry if this entry was short.

Hopefully I'll have time for a longer post.

Sorry it's been so long

Sorry it's been so long since I last blogged but here it goes...

It's been a week since my 23rd birthday just passed and I took five new baseball caps, two from the Twins, one each from the Nationals, Brewers, and Reds. I'll say they are very pricey, over $33 each, but it was worth it.

In other transit related news, two subway routes have been sliced and also 25 bus routes. About 50 of other routes have been altered, some cut on weekends, some diverted into outer roads, and some routes cut short.

The new subway map of NYC looks rather interesting, with a shadow underneath each line. You can see it right here.

I live in southern Brooklyn. This is my bus services in Southwestern Brooklyn.

I live in southern Brooklyn. This is my bus services in Southwestern Brooklyn.

B1 and B64 swapped routes north of 13^th Avenue

B2 is only a weekday only route

B3 doesn’t stop south of Avenue U and East 71 Street.

B4 terminates at Avenue Z and Coney Island Avenue with peak hour service extended to Knapp Street in Sheepshead Bay, no service via Neptune Aveune anymore.

B8 to Bay Ridge 95^th Street, nightime hours only, all other times only to VA Hospital in Bay Ridge.

B23 is discontiued entirely.

B37 is gone entirely, partially replaced by B70.

B64 terminates at Bensonhurst and Harway Avenue, no longer serving Coney Island.

X29 via Coney Island Avenue and X38, super express to the X28 are discontinued entirely!

Treat transit personnel with respect.

Please don't engage in an argument with transit personnel, it's not a good idea. This includes bus operators, train operators, railroad engineers, etc. In most cases, it is against state law (it already is in New York State.)

My question goes: Why do you have to take out your frustrations at a transit personnel for? Is it really worth it to go take out your anger at them? I understand the many reasons why passengers can become agitated and angry, such as traffic, reroutes, etc. Don't put the blame on the transit workers because they are doing their best to help you go around the city, despite the reroutes and sometimes cancellations of services. They are there to help you. Do not act rude to them. I can see why some people don't want to be bus/train operators/conductors. Some of the public treat them like garbage. I find that disgusting and the most absurd thing that can ever happen. I know it does happen, but I find it quite unbelievable that they are under appreciated and disrespected frequently.

I have heard stories about bus operators being spit at/bitten by passengers and even passengers thrown beverage containers at them. Subway conductors and train operators have been subject to it too, for example a passenger would hide behind a column and throw a beer bottle at the conductor or train operator as the train is leaving. I mean, how low can these passengers go? I'm glad there's a rule that if you assault a train/bus operator/conductor then the person gets 7 years in prison, which is basically the same punishment as if you attacked a police officer.

The fare is there, pay it and don't argue with the bus operator. Bus operators I hear are discouraged to engage in heated conversations with passengers for not paying their fare. The sad part was this was the exact same reason Edwin Thomas of Flatbush Depot was killed because Horace Moore didn't pay his fare, asked for a transfer and when Thomas denied the request, Moore stabbed him. Despite the fact that attacking transit personnel is a felony, some people just continue to show disrespect towards those who move them. In the subways, don't jump or crawl under the turnstile. New York City Transit is losing millions of dollars per year due to fare beaters, please pay the proper fare, all the time, every time. Station Agents try their best to ensure that passengers are paying their fare on time every time, but they can't stop all fare beaters. Even heated arguments happen because of that.

I honestly think that bus operators, train operators, train conductors, and other personnel do not get enough respect, nor are they paid enough these days for the jobs they do. Let alone, they get verbally abused by passengers on a daily basis, they have to deal with unsanitary conditions, (which can make them ill), and work long hour shifts.

Transit personnel go through so much stress in one day, please don't make their jobs any more stressful. Be thankful for the services they give you 24/7. They need it and they deserve it.

Time to unite the MTA New York Companies, Now!

For the past two months as I rode buses and subways, I've noticed the fine print between New York City Bus, MTA Bus, and Long Island Bus. Three different entities doing similar operations with their bus service. You probably can't tell them apart, if you don't look closely, surely enough, you will see the difference. You might be asking, why are MTA Bus, NYC Transit Bus, and LI Bus not united yet? Here's a sample list:

1. Different unions, (varies by depot)
2. MTA bus operators make slightly less money than NYC Transit's operators.
   
3. MTA Bus depots, the operators have different salaries.
4. The route program doesn't allow one bus to switch displays between MTA Bus and NYC Transit and LI Bus.

So it seems that bus prospects are better off working for NYC Transit's bus because they have the highest pay (about $22 per hour) MTA New York really needs to wake up and negotiate contracts to help out MTA Bus and give them a fair share of the pie. It's not fair that they're earning as much as $9 less than what NYC Transit's making. Since the inception of MTA Bus Company in 2004, they have taken over these following bus companies.

1. Liberty Lines (Yonkers Depot)
2. New York Bus Service (Eastchester Depot)
3. Command Bus (Spring Creek Depot)
4. Green Bus Lines (Far Rockaway and JFK Depots)
5. Jamaica Buses (Baisley Park Depot)
6. Triboro Coach (LaGuardia Depot)
7. Queens Surface Corporation (College Point Depot)

Each of these depots still has old contracts from their now defunct private operators. MTA New York has yet to set a new contract for these bus operators working with these depots. They need it right now.

NYC Transit buses are affiliated with Transit Workers Union Local 100. These following depots are: (1-6 from Brooklyn, 7-10 in Manhattan, 11-14 in Bronx)

1. Ulmer Park (Bensonhurst)
   
2. East New York
   
3. Flatbush (in Flatlands)
   
4. Jackie Gleason (Sunset Park)
   
5. Fresh Pond (actually located in Queens)
   
6. Grand Avenue (Maspeth,Queens)
   
7. Michael J Quill
   
8. 126 Street Depot
9. 100 Street Depot
10. Manhattanville
11. West Farms
12. Gun Hill
13. Amsterdam
14. Kingsbridge

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726 of Staten Island holds these depots

1. Yukon (New Springville)
2. Castleton (Port Richmond)

Queens has another union, which I'm not sure off but I believe it's the TWU too.

1. Queens Village
2. Casey Stengel (Flushing)
3. Jamaica
   

All of the NYC Transit Subways are under TWU Local 100. All of the yards are under here too.

1. Uniport Yard
2. 238 Street Yard
3. 240 Street Yard
4. Concourse Yard
5. Westchester Yard
6. 207 Street Yard
7. Lenox Avenue Yard
8. Jamaica
9. East New York
   
10. Livonia Avenue
11. Fresh Pond
12. Canarsie
13. Coney Island
14. 36 Street

There are probably more yards out there that I didn't mention.

Let's get to the point:

These bus operators, and train crews do almost the same role, operate buses and subways and other rail lines. These companies, depots and yards are under different unions and contracts which means different benefits and different pay. Not all bus operators are being paid their fare share and that needs to change right now. we need to find a way ti unite all of these companies rail and bus and put them under one union where everyone gets a fair share of the pie in terms of their earnings.

I hope that MTA New York can find a way to unite all of these companies for real.

Here is what I am hoping will be the result of this unity:

1. MTA Bus Company operators can easily switch between the current NYCTA and MTABC depots easily and vice versa. They currently have long processes to do so, but with this unity it'll be quick and easy.
2. MTA Bus Company operators can sign up for promotion to rapid transit train operator if they wish. Currently only New York City Transit bus operators are only offered this promotion and not MTABC.
3. All MTA New York Bus Companies can have all of their buses under quality control. Only the newest fleet of MTA Bus, all NYCT and LI Buses are under Quality Control. Some MTA Bus Companies' buses are not under quality control.
4. All bus/subway operators earn the same salary regardless of their depot/yard they are assigned to providing that a big union or all the small unions follow salary guidelines.

I had some bus operators from MTA Bus Company say that they almost the same type of roles as that of New York City Transit Authority's bus operators. I do agree, there's hardly anything different between the roles that these two companies play in moving commuters, let along the fine print on the bus labels. If MTA New York is to unite the bus entities, then they might make serious attempts to unite MTA Bus Company and NYCTA buses as well as the LI bus into one entity so that everyone has a fair share of the salary pie. I hope that if I decide to become a bus operator or train operator, then these entities are united.

My General reroute posters

Here are some of my general reroute maps from April. Just click on the images to see the bigger version.

MTA Bus Company

MTA Bus Company is a bus corporation that provides bus service. All of the bus services were once separate private bus companies.

The companies were:

1. Green Bus Lines
   
2. Triboro Coach
3. Queens Surface Corporation
4. Command Bus Lines
5. Liberty Lines Express
6. Jamaica Buses
7. New York Bus Service

All of them are part of MTA Bus Company. Here are the depots;

1. Green Bus Lines' routes are based out of Far Rockaway and JFK Depots in Queens.
   
2. Triboro Coach Corporation's routes are based out of LaGuardia Depot in Queens.
   
3. Queens Surface Corporation's routes are based out of College Point Depot in Queens.
   
4. Command Bus' routes are based in Spring Creek Depot, in Brooklyn.
   
5. Liberty Lines' routes are now in Yonkers Depot, in the Bronx.
   
6. Jamaica Buses' routes are now in Baisley Park Depot, in Queens.
   
7. New York Bus Service' routes are now in Eastchester, Depot in the Bronx.

The only private bus company still standing is Atlantic Express.

So far bus operators are earning a bit less than that of New York City Transit's operators due to their contracts being based out of the former bus companies. A new contract is in the works for the MTA Bus Company operators to be paid about the same level as New York City Transit, but for now, this is the way it is, MTA Bus operators earning less for almost the same exact role as that of New York City Transit.

The growing problem with fare evasion

Fare evasion has been a problem with MTA New York, maybe other cities around the United States, and around the world too. However fare evasion has been rampant in New York City over the past few days.

Fare evasions in subways occur by:

1. Jumping the turnstile
2. Two people entering through the high entrance high exit turnstile with only one fare
3. People entering through the service exit door (used by disabled)

Fare evasions in buses occur by:

1. Not paying the exact change, when required.
2. Entering through the rear door of a local bus when not authorized
3. A person has money, just not on the card or in coins.
   

I will discuss the bus issue first.

Pay your fare on time. I've seen bus operators go ballistic over the fact that a passenger didn't pay his/her fare promptly. Some bus operators would stop the bus from running when the person sitting did not pay his/her fare. I've had a bus operator call the police because of the fare evasion. Students who have their student pass with half-fare aren't even paying their fair share either. I know that bus operators sometimes let passengers slide without paying their fare, but it's not fair to other paying customers and the transportation agency.

Now for subways and railroads:

Jumping turnstiles used to be a problem for the subways/rapid transit systems. It still is, just that it's not heard too much because it doesn't make the news. The service gate is a problem now, because when people use the gates to exit the subway, other riders sneak in through those gates (providing that it's still opened) With station booth clerks disappearing these days, fare evasion by the gates will present a much bigger problem.

Tickets please! People board the railroads sometimes without even paying a ticket first, and sometimes there are stories that conductors do not check everyone's ticket. I don't think it's too much of a problem, but that might be the case sometimes.

According to the NY Daily News, bus fare evasions are costing MTA New York about $8,100,000 a year!

As for the subways in New York, it costs New York City Transit about $27 million dollars a year!

So remember, folks, pay your fare on time, every time!

MTA Bus Service Changes

Attention all MTA Bus Company customers!

Brooklyn

BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

To align service closer with ridership, the times of the first and last trips on the BM1, BM2, BM3 and BM4 will be adjusted.

Weekday Adjustments

BM2: The first Weekday PM Downtown trip from Church Street
to Spring Creek will depart 20 minutes later at 4:05 PM.

BM4: An 8:45 PM "All Stops" trip will be added from 57th
Street/2nd Avenue to Gerritsen Beach.

No time changes to the first and last Weekday BM1 and BM3 trips, or the first and last Weekday trips on other BM2 and BM4 services.

Saturdays - New Hours of Service (Bold denotes change)

BM1: To Midtown/Downtown: 6:00 AM - 9:30 PM
To Mill Basin: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Midnight

BM2: To Midtown/Downtown: 6:00 AM - 9:40 PM
To Canarsie: 9:10 AM - 12:10 AM

BM3: To Midtown/Downtown: 6:20 AM - 9:20 PM
To Sheepshead Bay: 8:50 AM - 11:50 PM

BM4: No Changes

BM5 and QM15 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

To provide increased travel options for express bus customers on the Woodhaven Boulevard / Cross Bay Boulevard corridor, the following BM5 bus stops will be added:

• Woodhaven Blvd & Metropolitan Av
• Woodhaven Blvd & Forest Park Dr
• Cross Bay Blvd & Pitkin Av

These bus stops are also served by the QM15. There will be no changes to the current BM5 travel path. All current bus stops in Midtown Manhattan and bus stops between Lindenwood and Spring Creek will remain unchanged.

In Midtown, the BM5 will continue to operate via Madison Avenue (drop-off) and Fifth Avenue (pick-up) between 34th Street and 57th Street/1st Avenue. The BM5 will continue to operate Monday-Saturday.

B103 LIMITED CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2009

To provide more reliable service and to address a traffic constraint at 4th Avenue and 9th Street, the non-stop travel path of the westbound B103, to Downtown Brooklyn, will be revised.

After exiting the Prospect Expressway, the westbound B103 will use Prospect Avenue to travel directly to 3rd Avenue instead of transitioning to 3rd Avenue via 4th Avenue and 9th Street.

The first stop after the Prospect Expressway will continue to be on 3rd Avenue at State Street.

The eastbound B103, to Canarsie, will remain unchanged, using 4th Avenue.

B103 LIMITED CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2009

In a response to increased ridership, the weekend hours of service of the B103 Limited will be expanded, including the introduction of Sunday service.

Weekend B103 service will be expanded to provide the following hours of service:
Saturdays

• Canarsie to Downtown Brooklyn: 6:00 AM-10:00 PM
• Downtown Brooklyn to Canarsie: 7:15 AM-11:15 PM

Sundays

• Canarsie to Downtown Brooklyn: 6:30 AM-7:00 PM
• Downtown Brooklyn to Canarsie: 7:45 AM-8:15 PM

All weekend B103 trips will operate between Canarsie and Downtown Brooklyn, and there will be no changes to the travel path or bus stops.

BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4
Buses rerouted at Park Place
Mon, Oct 13, 2008 until Further Notice

Because of reconstruction on Park Place between Church St and Broadway, BM1, BM2, BM3 and BM4 buses are rerouted over Warren St.

Northbound
BM1, BM2, BM3 and BM4 buses leave their regular routeson Church St at Warren St, travel on Warren St to Broadway, then return to their regular routes along Broadway.

Southbound
No service change.
New temporary bus stops
On Church St at:
• Murray St
Buses no longer stop on Park Place.

Queens

Q6 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

In order to provide faster service and respond to growing ridership on the Q6 between Jamaica, South Jamaica, Springfield Gardens and the North Boundary Road Cargo Area in JFK Airport, a new Q6 limited-stop service will be provided. The Q6 Limited will operate Weekdays only, northbound approximately 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM and southbound approximately 3:20 PM to 7:00 PM, and will operate along the same route as the Q6 local service, stopping only at:

• 165th Street Bus Terminal;
• 168 St & Jamaica Av (Northbound Only)
• Jamaica Av & 160 St (SB)/153 St (NB)
• Sutphin Blvd & 91 Av (SB)/Archer Av (NB) (, LIRR & Air Train);
• Sutphin Blvd & Arlington Terrace (SB)/109 Av (NB)
• Sutphin Blvd & Linden Blvd
• Sutphin Blvd & Foch Blvd
• Sutphin Blvd & Rockaway Blvd

Then all other local stops to/from JFK Airport/N Boundary Rd Q6 local service will continue to operate at all times in both directions serving all local Q6 bus stops.

Q60 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

To provide more reliable service and to provide service closer with ridership needs, alternate Weekday daytime and evening Q60 trips will operate only between East Midtown and Jamaica (Archer Avenue at Sutphin Boulevard).

The destination sign on these short eastbound trips will read:

Q60 JAMAICA ARCHER AV via QUEENS BL

Eastbound Q60 trips with the following destination signs continue to operate the full length to South Jamaica on 109 Av:

Q60 S. JAMAICA 109 AV via QUEENS BL

Q102 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010

In order to provide more consistent and uniform service on Roosevelt Island, all Q102 service will travel through Roosevelt Island in the same direction.

Upon entering the island at the Roosevelt Island Bridge, all buses will first travel north on Main Street to Coler Hospital, then south to Goldwater Hospital, and then exit the island at the bridge.

In addition, the following closely-spaced bus stops on the island will be discontinued: (1) 568 Main St, (2) 579 Main St, (3) P.S./I.S. 270, and (4) The Octagon on Northbound Main St. Please use a nearby alternate bus stop.

All service in Long Island City and Astoria will remain unchanged.

QM18 CUSTOMERS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

Due to low ridership, the hours of service will be adjusted. The last trip to Midtown will now depart South Ozone Park at 8:58 AM, instead of 9:58 AM. The first trip to South Ozone Park will now depart 34th Street/3rd Avenue at 3:35 PM instead of 2:55 PM, and the last trip will now depart at 6:35 PM instead of 7:00 PM.

Bold denotes change.

New Hours of Service

To Midtown:
Weekdays: 6:28 AM - 8:58 AM

To South Ozone Park:
Weekdays: 3:35 PM - 6:35 PM

Q53 LIMITED CUSTOMERS
EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2010

In an effort to provide faster, more reliable service, the non-stop travel path of the northbound Q53 Limited will be revised in Jackson Heights and Woodside.

The northbound Q53 will use a shorter travel path via Roosevelt Avenue and 39th Avenue instead of via Broadway to travel from 75th Street in Jackson Heights to its current terminus on 61st Street at Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside.

There are no bus stops along this segment of the northbound Q53 travel path, and therefore, no bus stops will be affected by this revision.

The southbound Q53 travel path (to Rockaway Park) will remain unchanged.

STARTING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2009 TO 2012
Reconstruction of Sewer System
108th Street to 62nd Drive to the Horace Harding Expressway

Northbound
Q23

• Bus Stop on 108th street at 62 Drive will be made on 62 Drive west of 108th street.

Southbound
Q38

• Bus Stop on 63 Road near side of 108th street will be made on 108th street between 63 Road and 63 Avenue.
• Bus Stop on 62 Drive east of 108th Street will be made on 62 Drive west of 108th Street.

Westbound
QM10 - QM11

• Bus Stop on 63 Road near side of 108th street will be made on 108th street between 63 Road and 63 Avenue.
• Bus Stop on 62 Drive east of 108th Street will be made on 62 Drive west of 108th Street.

Starting December 31 2008 Until Further Notice.

Construction Closure:
Borden Avenue Bridge

Eastbound
Westbound
Q67

The Bus Stop on 27th Avenue at 49th Street will not be made.

QM1A, QM11, QM24
Buses rerouted at Park Place
Mon, Oct 13, 2008 until Further Notice

Because of reconstruction on Park Place between Church St and Broadway, QM1A, QM11 and QM24 buses are rerouted over Warren St.

Northbound
QM1A, QM11 and QM24 buses leave their regular routes on Church St at Warren St, travel on Warren St to Broadway, then return to their regular routes along Broadway.

Southbound
No service change.
New temporary bus stops
On Warren St at:
• Church St (QM1A)
• Mid-block between Church St and Broadway(QM11, QM24)
Buses no longer stop on Park Place.

Bronx

BxM3 CUSTOMERS
EFFECTIVE MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2010

In an effort to provide faster, more reliable service on a more direct path, the BxM3 travel path will be revised only on the current southbound, AM peak period, BxM3 trips that bypass the southerly Bronx pick-up bus stops on Sedgwick Avenue. These trips will directly access the Major Deegan Expressway using the Van Cortlandt Park South entrance ramp, instead of traveling non-stop on Bailey Avenue to the West 230th Street entrance ramp.

These trips will make all regular pick-up stops from Getty Square to Broadway at West 244th Street, but will no longer stop at the pick-up bus stop on Van Cortlandt Park South at Bailey Avenue. During this period, customers using this bus stop may continue to use the southbound BxM3 trips that start at the bus stop on Van Cortlandt Park South at Bailey Avenue for service to Manhattan

All other BxM3 service will remain unchanged.

June 21st, 2008
BxM 6, 7, 7A, 7B, 9, 10

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, THE NORTH BOUND PICK UP ON THIRD AVENUE AT EAST 120TH STREET IS DISCONTINUED DUE TO SCHEDULED CONSTRUCTION. CUSTOMERS DESIRING TO BOARD THE NORTH BOUND BxM 6, 7, 7A, 7B, 9, OR 10, MAY DO SO IN THE M101, M103 BUS STOP, LOCATED ON THIRD AVENUE BETWEEN EAST 122nd STREET AND EAST 123rd STREET.

taken from mta.info.

Attention Brooklyn customers on the X29

If you are boarding the X29 bus, your route will be cut entirely. The X29 runs from Coney Island Stillwell Avenue via Coney Island Avenue, goes to/from Manhattan via the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and via Church Street-6/Madison Avenues (mornings) and 5th Avenue/Broadway(Afternoons) to Midtown 57th Street (between 5 and Madison Avenues)

This service change will take effect on June 28,2010, barring any miracles from the MTA board.

Here's some alternatives.

1. Take the (B) along the Brighton Line to/from Manhattan, The (B) runs parallel to the X29 morning route, except Lower Manhattan. For Lower Manhattan stops between West 4th Street, and Battery Park, you must transfer to the (R) at DeKalb Avenue.
2. Take the (Q) along the Brighton Line to/from Manhattan. The (Q) runs parallel to the X29 afternoon route except Lower Manhattan. For Lower Manhattan stops between Canal Street and Battery Park, you must transfer to the (R) at either DeKalb Avenue or Canal street to any stop between those two stations.
   
3. Take the (F) along the Culver Line to/from Manhattan. The (F) doesn't run to Lower Manhattan, you should transfer to the (A)(C) between West 4 Street in Manhattan or Jay Street Boro-Hall in Brooklyn.

If you can't use the subway, here's the bus alternative.

1. Take the B68 bus to/from Beverley Road from along the X29 route, (if you are between Neptune Avenue and Beverley Road). Transfer to the BM3 or BM4 Bus to Manhattan.
2. X29 customers between Coney Island and West 5th Street: Take the B36 bus to Avenue X and Nostrand Avenue for the BM3 bus to Manhattan.
3. BM3 and BM4 bus are under MTA Bus Company (former Command Bus) Please note that the BM3 and BM4 buses do not stop along Broadway and 6th Avenues in Manhattan between Park Row and 23rd street. You should use the M6 bus between these areas.

Some extra info

1. X29, and B36 are based out of Ulmer Park Depot in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
2. B4 and B68 are based out of Jackie Gleason Depot in Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
3. BM3 and BM4 are based out of Spring Creek Depot in Brooklyn, (MTA Bus)
   

That is all for now.

Transport Workers Union

Transport Workers Union of America is a union that represents transportation personnel in airlines, railroads, buses, rapid transit subways, sea travel. They represent all transportation workers of the United States.

In New York City, our TWU Union is Local 100.

The bus depots the TWU represent are as follows:
The Transit Authority Surface

1. Ulmer Park
   
2. Jackie Gleason
   
3. East New York
4. Flatbush
5. Grand Avenue
6. Fresh Pond
7. 126th Street Depot

The Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Authority

1. Michael J Quill
2. Manhattanville
3. 100th Street
4. West Farms
5. Amsterdam
6. Gun Hill
7. Kingsbridge

You can find more of this by going to this link.

Subway timeables from 2000-2003 with the B D and Q.

I will let the images do the talking. I have the Brighton/6 Avenue (D)(Q) service from 2000, the West End/6av (B) from 2000, the (Q) Brighton/Broadway Service. I do apologize if the timetables aren't shown in their entire form, however I think you will understand. To see the larger versions, click on the images. I hope you find this a fun ride through memory lane.

Let's begin with the (Q) services.










Here is the old Brighton timetable from the (D) and (Q).








And finally the (B) service when it used to run via the West End Line in Brooklyn.






This is all I have for now. I hope you enjoyed.

Here's a (W) train timetable from September 2002

To see the full size of these, go to this link.

My thoughts about the service cuts by MTA New York

I understand that people are unhappy about the service cuts by New York City Transit, MTA Bus Company, Long Island Railroad, and Metro North Railroad. I understand that some of you will have harder commutes. Here's my take.

The Media always points MTA New York as the bad guys. Transit workers are condemned every day. They are portrayed as the bad guys. I have something to say to the Media. You are wrong for saying that the workers are not giving enough efforts in providing bus/subway/railroad service. Come on now, are you kidding me?! I'm not hurt too much by the cuts, however if you are, please do us a favor:

1. Do not take your anger on the bus operators, subway train operator/conductor, and railroad engineer/conductor, and station booth clerks. They don't like the cuts either, and some of you aren't thinking that way. They don't want to lose their jobs too.
2. Station booth clerks are vital to the subway/railroad systems. They are portrayed as the lazy bums that do nothing. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG! They help customers go to their destinations by providing maps, timetables, and directions.
3. Bus Operators do their best to take you from one place to the next. Please pay your fare on time, in coins or with a transfer or your transit card.
4. Please don't talk too loud, especially if you are near the bus operator, subway train operator/conductor, or railroad engineer/conductor. You are interfering their operations and their duties. In some cases the train and bus operators can give you a warning.
   

I will agree on one thing, MTA New York's management isn't as organized as they should be, does that mean they stink at what they do, absolutely not. It's not fair that transit workers are feeling the wrath of the customers, the customers should be expressing their anger and frustration at the management, not the operators, conductors, engineers, and station booth clerks.

Now about the cuts, New York City Transit is removing services that fit the following criteria:

1. Bus service that duplicates the subway.
2. Subway routes that have easier alternatives.
3. Bus routes that have low ridership
4. Bus routes that do not perform like they should be.

MTA New York did not want to cut service at all (believe me, they have tried several ways to preserve all services, but they can't, due to a budget shortfall.)


Here are the leading causes of the MTA New York's revenue loses

1. Emergency exit gate illegal entries into the subway
2. Passengers entering the rear door of the bus when not allowed.
3. Passengers jumping the turnstile (costs MTA $27 million a year)
4. MetroCard Scams
5. Select Bus Service's infrequent fare checks has allowed people to ride Bus Rapid Transit buses in the Bronx for "free". These riders didn't even pay the fare.
   

The slashing of station booth clerks will lead to the following:

1. Robbery
2. Metro Card Scams
3. Fare beating
4. Less help in how to get around
5. Reduced changes for seeking help when a crime starts

Station Booth Clerks are a necessity to help keep these crimes down. If they are as lazy as you make them to be, then you are OUT OF YOUR MIND!

Here's a list of the cuts, beginning with the NYC Subway:

1. Reduce Weekend Train Frequencies to Accommodate Construction Work

2. Revise Off-Peak Service Levels – Change Maximum Loading Guideline from No Standees
Per Car to 10-18 Standees per Car (from 100% of a Seated Load to 125% of a Seated
Load)

3. Operate (G) Between Court Square and Church Avenue at All Times

4. Extend (Q) to Astoria and Operate (N) Local North of Canal Street to Replace the (W)

5. Extend (M) to Replace the (V) Between Broadway-Lafayette Street and Forest Hills-71st
Avenue, Discontinue M Between Essex Street and Bay Parkway (Note: route letter
designation changed from 1/27/10 proposal).

6. Discontinue Staten Island Railway Baseball Special Service

These buses will be cut completely:
First the Express ones

1. X25 service between Grand Central and Lower Manhattan
2. X32 service between Queens and the Bronx High School of Science
3. X20 service between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan
4. X18 service between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan
5. X16 service between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan
6. X29 service between Brooklyn and both Lower and Midtown Manhattan
7. X51 service between Queens and Midtown Manhattan
8. X90 service between the Upper East Side and Lower Manhattan

The Local ones:

1. Discontinue all B23 service
2. B39 service
3. B51 service
4. M18 service
5. M27 service
6. M30 service
7. M50 service
8. Q26 service
9. Q31 service
10. Q42
11. Q74
12. Q75
13. Q79
14. S67 service

For more info please go to this proposal.


That is my post for now.

Select Bus Service

Select bus service (a form of bus rapid transit) is a bus service that has the characteristics of a bus service that is similar to the subways and the railroads. Here are some interesting characteristics of this bus service

1. You must pay before you board the bus, via the fare machine at the bus station.
2. You can board via the front and rear doors.
3. There will be dedicated bus lanes to speed up the bus service.
4. Buses will receive special priority with traffic signals.
5. Free transfers can be made (only if you board the front of the bus and request a transfer from the bus operator)
6. You must board at the stop within one hour.
7. All receipts obtained from the machine must be displayed to fare inspectors, or face a $100 fine.

There is currently one such service in the Bronx, the Bx12, running along Fordham Road and Pelham Parkway between Inwood in Manhattan and Pelham Bay Park or Bay Plaza in the Bronx.

Two other routes, the M15 in Manhattan and the B44 will get this service later this year.

For more information go here.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy your ride with New York City Transit and MTA Bus Company.

My message to those who choose to trash talk about transit workers.

Bus operators, rapid transit train operators/conductors, and railroad engineers and conductors work around the clock to take you from one place to another. For you to say that they are half-assed, that is just wrong! You should be ashamed of yourselves! I am a loyal customer to MTA New York, usually riding the services of New York City Transit and MTA Bus Company and I have to say that they have the best transit services you can ever ask. Those of you who trash-talk about transportation workers, you have absolutely no idea the hard work these people put into everyday in making subways, buses, and railroads work and run efficiently every day. You have to bear in mind that things cause them not to run normally, and you should be forgiving to those subway/bus/railroad operators and engineers who can't take you to your destination in time due to unforeseen circumstances.

To be quite honest with you, the bus operators who move buses, the subway train operators and conductors who move the subways, and the railroad engineers and conductors who are moving the railroads are seriously underpaid to do their jobs. I don't think they get enough respect they deserve. I think it's time to say thank you to what I call them "the driving forces of the city." Without them, we wouldn't be going to our destinations, in big numbers. I do have friends who operate buses and subway trains every day and just wondering the hardships these workers have to go through. I think about the subway train crew every time I ride their subway train, I think of the bus operator every time I ride his or her bus, because I want him or her to be in good spirits and I want them to know they have supporters from their commuters.

These workers are human beings just like us and it's unfair and shameful that some of us don't even this way. We only think about where we want to go. Why not think of those transit personnel moving you instead. Try stepping onto their shoes and see how you would feel if you were operating a subway train, engineering a railroad train, or operating a bus. How would you feel if you weren't getting enough respect? You'd be angry too. Some bus and subway train operators and railroad engineers recently had nightmarish experiences too.

For Example:

1. A bus operator accidentally kills a bicycle rider in the Bronx after the biker avoids a car opening up close, unfortunately into the path of the bus. The Bus operator has to live with this experience with a long time. Horrible
2. A train operator on the 6 line tries desperately to decelerate his train in time to avoid hitting a woman in the tracks. She dies in the impact. Train operator is off three days and is having sleepless nights!
   

I honestly think it's the commuters' fault that the MTA New York is messed up these days. Some of them lack common-sense these days with their daredevil stunts, their decision to jump the turnstile or hop on back of the bus when they are not supposed to, or not paying enough money on the bus. Give me a break! Who are you kidding!? For you to say that MTA New York is half assed, that's your fault, not the transit operators, and conductors!

I am sick and tired of hearing people that the MTA New York is corrupt. If you don't like their services, go drive your own car to your destination or hop on a taxi. Remember in a city like New York, you have several options of getting around the city. If the MTA New York isn't one of them go find other ways. Go have your friends or family drive you around. Go get yourself a skateboard or bicycle and move around with it. At least when you are biking you won't be sharing your rides with anyone else.

Station Booth Clerks don't get enough respect these days either. They have to deal with the wildness of these commuters, who bark at them for being lazy and rude. Do you want to know why transit workers are rude, it's because of you passengers. You are giving them the hard time. How, you may ask? You take your frustrations at them and you talk with a bad attitude. I don't give a thing what you are frustrated with (missing your train, running late, your fare card not working properly, etc) Stop being rude to them, they are human beings. Same thing with bus, subway, and railroad personnel.

Stop treating the buses and subways like they are your personal space and keep it clean, Don't bring in food and drinks and start making a mess. This is why train cars and buses are dirty, because the commuters make such a big mess. The station cleaners and bus maintainers are not your maids, so you should be cleaning up after yourselves. You shouldn't be eating in the subway or railroad or buses anyways, they are not your personal RVs!

Please understand that bus and subway/railroad personnel have a lot of things to go through when they operate and conduct buses, subways and railroads.

For the buses:

1. Traffic Jams
   
2. Construction detours
3. Pedestrians
4. Selfish driving, (for example double parked cars or cars constantly moving from one lane to the next and back)
5. Traffic lights
6. Running under elevated bridges
7. Difficulties in making bus stops due to parked cars.
8. Wheelchair lift use

For the Subway/Railroad:

1. Train traffic
2. Construction reroutes
3. Track switches
4. Rail Conditions
5. Acceleration,deceleration
6. People blocking the doors
7. Making station announcements

Some commuters are guilty of making commutes more difficult for everyone by:

1. Loud Cell phone talk
2. Radio playing
3. Playing music instruments or singing when not allowed
4. Begging for money
5. Eating food and drinking beverages
6. Not giving a seat to others such as elderly, disabled, and or pregnant woman.
7. Holding bus and train doors
8. Not paying the bus fare in time in the bus.
9. Jumping the turnstile in the subway, entering the railroad train without a ticket, and hoping on the back of the bus when unauthorized.
10. Beating the fare on the subway through the emergency exit gates

At the end of the day, if you think MTA New York is bad, think again. I see this as the fault of the commuters. Do us a favor and stop whining about how slow your buses and subways and railroads are okay.

You know what you should be doing?

1. When you are boarding a bus, say hello to the bus operator. He or she will respond politely. Say thank you and good bye when you leave his or her bus. Better yet, make friends with the bus operators. I currently have seven bus operators as friends.
2. When you board the subway train in the first car, say hello to the train operator, (especially when you are entering at the first station of the line) When you board the middle car, say hello to the conductor. Make friends with the train crew. (you do not have to but it would be nice) Say thank you and good bye when you leave their train.
   
3. Same rule in number 2 applies to railroads except that conductors walk through trains. Say thank you when they punched your ticket as proof of purchase. Make friends with them too.
   
4. Say hello to the station booth clerks before making a transaction with them. When you leave, say your farewells to them. Be polite. When you are having a bad day or in a hurry, be patient and don't take your frustrations at the station booth clerks. Same goes with other transit personnel.
5. Please be understanding and patient if transit employees take their frustrations and act rude toward you. Do not take it personally. Lots of times, people have this wrong impression that transit employees are rude. That is wrong. They are just having some hard days just like you are. Forgive them and move on.
6. Mass Transit employees can be your best friends or your worst enemies. It's up to you on how you treat them.

In conclusion, stop:

1. Accusing transit personnel of being lazy. They work hard around the clock 24/7!
2. Making excuses on not paying your fare in full on time on the bus.
3. Beating the fare and pay your fair share!
4. Taking your frustrations at transit personnel.
5. Blaming Mass Transit on being late to school, work etc. That is all on you!

I am done with this post. This doesn't just apply to New York City, this applies all over the world with mass transit and transportation services.

The Ugly Truths of the USA

While the United States of America is one of the most advanced nations of the world, they are however have some ugly truths to them.

1. The US academic performance in education is amongst the lowest in the world. Some students usually get their science and history facts wrong. About 1.2 million high school children are dropping out of school. Another 1 million are left back each year.
   
2. The US has the most deaths by gun violence. About 10,000 people each year die from gun shot wounds.
   
3. The United States is the leader in releasing toxic gases and contributing to the pollution of the environment.
4. The United States government in recent years has been rocked by corruption, leading to removal or resignations of politicians.
5. The wealth gap between the rich and poor has continued to rise over the last several years. About only 1% of Americans actually make over one million dollars or more a year.
   
6. The "Middle Class" has shrunk over the last few years.
7. Most products are imported from other nations, and less products are made in the USA, meaning less jobs in the US.
8. Gang violence is rampant in the United States.
   
9. Jobs are hard to come these days, as the unemployment rate is around 10%
   
10. The United States has no official language.
11. The United States lead a war in Iraq that seems never ending.
12. The United States dropped the most explosives at other nations, for example, dropping two atomic bombs in Japan to end World War Two.
13. The US leads the world in rape and sexual assaults.
14. The United States has a problem with obesity.
15. The US gives the least products to other nations, because they get theirs from others.
16. The US' problems with racism and discrimination continue to this day.
17. The United States is having problems with homelessness.
18. About 15% of the USA Population are living in poverty.
19. Domestic violence is another big issue in the United States.
20. Police Brutality is a problem with the US Law Enforcement.
21. The American Army has been accused of inhumane treatment of prisoners.
22. The United States rule of the Death Penalty has killed the most prisoners.
23. The Meat packing industry is amongst the worst jobs in the US.
24. The Prison system is the worst in the world.
25. Obtaining Health Insurance is amongst the hardest tasks by American Citizens (right before a recent change in Congress was made)
    

These are the ugly truths of the USA, I know this sounds like I am not a proud American, I am, but we have to realize the truths sooner or later, and learn to fix them.

Profanity Filter Part Two

I think now is the time that a profanity filter should be implemented. After all, some social networking sites do not allow these objects to be posted.

1. Nude or racy photos of people
2. Obscene gestures and or images
3. Links to sexually explicit websites
4. Links to sites that look suspicious

Now this is why I am calling for a profanity filter. I've written a post about it just two days earlier. My reasons.

1. I feel that profanity is used excessively in general here.
2. I feel that users tend to be more intimidating with those terms.
3. I do think that the websites are becoming more dangerous in general if these terms are allowed to fly around chat rooms and social networking sites.
4. When "flame wars" and cyber-bullying happen, the vulgarity becomes worse and this even leads to real-life criminal activity.
   
5. I think it's not fair for the users who are usually polite to have them subjected to vulgarity, especially if it's not warranted.
   
6. Profanity filters are necessary because there are young users on sites who look for information, they don't need to be reading all these vulgar words and learning them. I know, it's in movies and TV shows though.
7. The title of your blog or photo album has a swear word, really? That's just insane.
8. It tells that the person is just not a polite one, period.
9. Some people become offended, everyday. I don't think they need to be offended anymore online.
10. Swear words can be used as insults too.

Now how shall the profanity filter be implemented?

1. Considering free speech, I think it's up to the user if he or she wants the swear words to be censored or not.
2. The level of which the profanity becomes bleeped can be divided into these categories, light, moderate, or frequent, or all times.
   
3. Profanity Filter can be controlled by a user and he can enter terms or words that he/she does not want to see.
4. This profanity filter will be mandatory and by default all profanity will be bleeped out unless he or she changes the profanity filter options.

Like all proposals, there will be drawbacks. Here are some:

1. Certain words such as glass, molasses, assassination, embarrass may have their world altered because they contain the sequence "ass"
2. Users may find ways to go around the filters and enter the word twice with no space. The Filters can not pick up on this, though.
3. The word may be split into separate letters separated by space. This can still go through.
4. Profanity Filters may bleep out other terms such as "manuscript" because it has the word "anus" on it.
5. How the terms are bleeped may not be as consistent.

At the end of the day, I think it will work. I think it's up to the administrators of these sites to implement them with little or no problem at all. I hope it goes through, just for the sake for the ones who use little-or no profanity at all.

If you agree with me, thanks, if not, then go ahead and tell me why.

Profanity Filter

$%^#%#$%@


I'll admit it. I do have moments where one swear word slips out here and there. But hearing it and seeing it knowing how polite I am, it's really annoying. I hear in people's conversations, I hear it in commutes, I see it in internet chat rooms. It's really annoying. I think it is the time that social networking sites activate profanity filters so that offensive words don't come across the windows and forms. I would really like chatting with people where profanity doesn't fly around, like people taking like frustrated sailors.

I like to keep conversations polite. Swear words just break it all up. You know, would you talk to your young children and have them say your swear words!? No, that's impolite. I used to cuss when I was young and I got in trouble in school just for that. In 2nd Grade.

While we can't completely eliminate swearing from the internet, not like that is going to happen because of our 1st amendment rights, we can do something about it.

If facebook.com and AIM and other social networking websites would like to be more kid-friendly, profanity filters are a must.

How would profanity filters work?

1. Turning the swear words into #$%^&^%&%^
2. Turning them into *******
3. Or just eliminating them completely

Facebook and other sites shall try other things:

1. Penalize users for using swear words by counting each instance
2. If they use too many profanity words and images they'll have their profiles restricted.
3. Their abilities to post will be limited
4. Their profiles will be disabled.
5. Finally if profanity continues they'll be banned.

Swear words I understand can be used when a person is angry, but there are better terms.

1. Replace the word with a polite one.
2. Don't use the word.
3. Don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.

That is all I can think of now.

Funny Friday and school

Today is a funny Friday. Yes it sure is. Thanks a bunch for those of you blog posters who choose to follow my blog entries. I try to be as entertaining as possible. In the meantime, I am also attending school, halfway done with my undergraduate degree, but as of right now I am in academic shambles. I am trying really hard this time around and trying to get my grades back up. I know. A person like me should not be struggling with school but I am. I know my blog posts have not been really that frequent with my last writing coming three days ago with the buses.

I urge you not to fall in the same problem as me and do your studies efficiently. Make sure you are taking the right courses. If your grades are too low, fix them. There are penalties for low grades. I have written a blog entry about that just last week. You can go to the link for academic success!

I am not kidding about academic success, it's critical for your degree. Think about, a degree is worth nothing or very little with grades that are failures or too below standards.

Group work in school can be fun and hectic. For me, it's been hectic. I've either been zoning out, falling far off topic, or my classmates not doing work. This is what stinks about group work in school, however you are working in groups in the workforce.

My group members were reading "The trial and Death of Socrates" I had fun reading the book. I had trouble sharing my ideas. Maybe I didn't understand the book really well. They got it more than I do. Looks like I need catching up. This is what frustrates me sometimes, when you're not keeping up with the readings, you go to class and you don't know what's going on. I have lots of readings ahead as well as doing a lot of math problems.

I am usually a very good math student. I used to get As on it from elementary to high school. Now in college, it's my worst. How can that possibly be? I haven't taken math in three years so yes, I can be rusty with it. I just failed pre-calculus last semester so I am taking it again. I am doing much better at it, finally passing my first test. Let's see how it goes with the rest.

It's also a funny Friday because it's raining outside. Just two days ago it was nice, warm and sunny. Now it's raining. Interesting. My umbrella broke on my way to class.


I hope everyone has a great weekend.