BusTalk

[Dieseljim]

Before the merger with the NFT in 1963, from another group I am affiliated with, I learned that Buffalo Transit's route structure was a radial type set up with the Lafayette Square terminal forming the hub, while the BTC routes were the spokes. Contrast this to the basically grid type system NFT had. One interesting fact that Learned is that BTC buses inbound to downtown Buffalo basically ran "closed doors", except to discharge passengers, once they crossed the city line, since the NFT had the franchise for service within Buffalo city limits. However, a BTC bus, say on the Main Street WILLIAMSVILLE route was allowed to pick up passengers provided they were riding beyond Buffalo city limits. I am not sure how much of a help the Thruway 190,90, and Youngmann Highway (290) were to Buffalo Transit other than allowing for express bus service. It seems to me that the Buffalo Transit Company would have been better off operating express to downtown Buffalo on all its routes than running closed doors on local streets. I cannot help but wonder if transfers could be made between buses of the two companies using each other's transfers.

[HwyHaulier]

Dieseljim -

BTCo didn't need much reliance on Thruway or Youngmann to get it done? Yes, you recall an accurate report in how BTCo held no authority
(NY PUC) on carriage of riders between points in City of Buffalo.

In the named example of WILLIAMSVILLE via Main Street (NYS 5), it effectively ran closed door express, inbound, once into Buffalo. As "rush
hour" in Buffalo played out in, what, fifteen minutes, it was not a problem.

Had the schedules made a convoluted move to route via NYTWY, a result would have been drastic changes in the stops served. Nor was
there any time to be saved in such a change. They knew what they were doing, and were a competent operator...

Greyhound Trivia: Consider the three line, pool schedules, on BUF - WAS service. Service operated, BUF- Batavia via NYS-5, not via NYTWY!

.........HTH...........Vern...................

[Dieseljim]

When I first rode that Greyhound Buffalo-Batavia-Elmira-Washington run with my destination of Mt. Morris. The 4:45 departure was never called and Greyhound was good enough to put together a make up trip using MC5 NO.3787, which happened to be handy and we DID run Thruway Express to Batavia to make up time. I was the only one aboard besides the driver leaving Buffalo and several folks got on at Batavia. I didn't reach Mt. Morris until wel after 7:30 but my very first trip on Greyhound, which was in 1969, was most interesting.