Interesting Rumors from Staten Island

[JA]

There are a series of interesting rumors coming out of Staten Island. I thought that one of you might know something about these things.

1) There is a rumor that Academy now has a 2 year deal to run the X23 and X24.

2) There is a rumor that the New Jersey service will not be run by the MTA, but by Academy or Atlantic Express.

(1) seems farfetched. First of all, NYSDOT wouldn't hand the contract to Academy for 2 years without a public bid. Second, Atlantic Express would have rights of first refusal because they have all of the equipment. Lastly, Academy has left a bad taste over the events of June 2001. I don't think such a deal could or would take place without Atlantic getting a check.

(2) is very doable. Atlantic has MetroCard boxes and Academy can get buses from NJT to run the 144 if they had to. Still, Atlantic would have to buy more buses or take from the AE7.

Any information?

[Hudson]

I doubt Academy coming back. Staten Islanders hate that company. As far as I know, NYCT will begin service to the light rail in January, 2007. I have been told by sources at Yukon that this is a done deal.

[Misc320]

Those rumors seem to be taken off the SILIVE transit board.
The 23,24 I think was posted by USBUST who guaranteed the people that he had SEEN the Jan schedule and the TA was running the Bayonne service. WRONG.
Most of what gets posted on that board is pure nonsense.
The SI drivers who post on there just post the scuttlebut they hear around the depot, some of which is false information started by the dissidents to make the SI
Executive Board look bad.
Actually one posters stated that their inside person told them that it was going to be either an express route or a local route!! The inside information these people get is amazing!
As a driver the whole idea is to keep your name off that board since all it is, is  a place for people to complain about drivers.

2) There is a rumor that the New Jersey service will not be run by the MTA, but by Academy or Atlantic Express.

I posted that on here a few months ago. I stated that the Bayonne work would not be on the Jan. pick since the MTA wanted to give it out to the privates.
Jan. pick is up, no Bayonne work, no more gripes from the R&T passengers, no reason for the MTA to put out the service.
If the politicians don't make it an issue and the passengers don't the MTA will not put the service out.

[Driver@BTN]

Please ignore everything that's posted to the SILive forums unless verified elsewhere first. The SI Live forums are full of people who know absolutely nothing about bus service, bus operation and/or bus technology but will complain about every aspect and facet of buses (including, but not limited to fingernail clippers, cell-phone users, bus driver groupies, slow, fast and awful bus service they seem to mistake for their personal car service to and from Manhattan) until they're blue in the face.

These are people who complain about the above while doing the same themselves. It's a joke, nothing to be taken seriously and hardly anyone there to be held as knowledgeable (with the exception of any employees who attempt to educate, explain and reason with them, of course).

Remember, they're not there to learn anything. They already know it all and have all the answers. They congregate there because misery loves company and nobody else gives a damn or wants to hear their annoying nonsense on a daily basis. Well, nobody but those who participate in the nonsense, anyway :-)

[MTAZeregaDisp]

The X23 and X24, will not go private, and will stay as is now temporarily assigned to Atlantic Express until the end of their contract, which I believe is mid 08, or late 07. These runs will go to he Charleston Depot at some time, until then if need the TA would run 23,24 for a few months in 07 or 08, until Charleston depot is complete. The MTA does not want to contract any runs at all. As for the Jan pick, many ops are picking within the next few weeks, and no Bayonne run as of yet, probably plan on seeing it also the the new Charleston garage, or at the earliest the system pick for 08.

[JA]

We know that there is a lot of garbage on the site. I won't name individual posters, but I think a certain person bounces around some discussion groups and has a familiar MO. However, you do occasionally get useful information there. Atlantic Express has been accused of missing runs on a constant basis for months on the X23 and X24. Those complaints have been coming since day 1. Scuttlebut also can indicate a thought process which is why I like to hear about what's going on. Granted, it's like going through the garbage for valuable documents, but I wouldn't have found out that the 144 appears to be in phaseout mode unless I went there. It is now a cash only line and they have had their second fare bump in a year.

There are definitely things going on in the background. New Jersey Transit will not give the buses assigned to 144 duty to any other operator unless they are already a private carrier (they have told me so directly). That means that the only carrier that can get those buses is Academy for this work. Of course, the MTA can also cut a deal for another carrier to get those buses, but that will never be announced publicly.

[Misc320]

Atlantic Express has been accused of missing runs on a constant basis for months on the X23 and X24.

AE has a dispatcher at the last stop. They share the stop with the 22X. If their bus shows up with only a small load the bus "suddenly" develops mechanical problems and the passengers are dumped. Onto another AE bus? Of course not. They are dumped onto the next 22X and the AE bus disappears. This is a daily complaint from the 22 drivers. If a TA dispatcher happens to be there, which is a rarity, AE makes all their trips.
The AE dispatchers have told their passengers that they don't have to dip their metrocards since they have already paid but the 22X drivers have been told to make sure everyone dips their cards. Everyday there is an argument because one of the AE passengers needs the transfer for the subway and now will have to pay another fare.

[Hudson]

hanlry would never have put up with that crap. blame your current union leader. my info is not from si live but sources at yukom. take a look at charleston. nothing was done your leader tells you all different.

[RJM]

(2) is very doable. Atlantic has MetroCard boxes and Academy can get buses from NJT to run the 144 if they had to. Still, Atlantic would have to buy more buses or take from the AE7.

What exactly is the AE7? I've heard of it occasionally but have never seen it on a map or bus stop sign.

[AMoreira81]

(2) is very doable. Atlantic has MetroCard boxes and Academy can get buses from NJT to run the 144 if they had to. Still, Atlantic would have to buy more buses or take from the AE7.

What exactly is the AE7? I've heard of it occasionally but have never seen it on a map or bus stop sign.

The AE7 is an express line running from a park-ride near the Outerbridge to Manhattan. It takes Metrocard as well.

As for AE, not only do they have authority to run in New Jersey...most of their buses are registered in New Jersey too.

[Beeline Flx789]

I doubt Academy coming back. Staten Islanders hate that company. As far as I know, NYCT will begin service to the light rail in January, 2007. I have been told by sources at Yukon that this is a done deal.

Well guess what,I've seen the winter pick which is currently posted at Yukon and I didn't see ANYTHING in there regarding a route to NJ.So it looks like its NOT a done deal after all.

[RJM]

Perhaps it's operated out of Castleton? That makes slightly more sense anyway, as Castleton's closer to the proposed route.

[AMoreira81]

Perhaps it's operated out of Castleton? That makes slightly more sense anyway, as Castleton's closer to the proposed route.

However, Staten Island may have a pick between both garages...although I am not sure how the 726 contract works.

[JA]

The AE7 is not a MetroCard route AFAIK.

[Hudson]

The route was to be called the S68 or S69. It was to run from Richmond Av / Hylan Blvd, same as the S59. Thence it would travel across the Bayonne Bridge to the HBLR.

I suggest you consult ATU 726 about this. It would be rush-hour limited-stop, same as S93. Nothing is preventing the MTA from implementing except possibly their own stubbornness.

[JA]

The route was to be called the S68 or S69. It was to run from Richmond Av / Hylan Blvd, same as the S59. Thence it would travel across the Bayonne Bridge to the HBLR.

I suggest you consult ATU 726 about this. It would be rush-hour limited-stop, same as S93. Nothing is preventing the MTA from implementing except possibly their own stubbornness.

And possibly Coach USA. My understanding was that they wanted to avoid competing with them.

[Beeline Flx789]

Perhaps it's operated out of Castleton? That makes slightly more sense anyway, as Castleton's closer to the proposed route.

The Castleton pick is also up at Yukon and there is nothing on there either.Only thing different with it is that yet again they have MORE MISC runs than they did the last pick.The winter pick will have up to 566 MISC runs for Castleton.Last pick was around 543 or so.At the rate its going,none of the routes will have regular runs anymore if they keep chopping full runs up into pieces.