Friday, October 15, 2010
☞ INTRODUCING: Riders' Reaction to Faster Bus
UPDATE: THE KIOSK DO TAKE METROCARDS AND THE VIDEO IS REFERENCING NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY INSIDE THE NEW BUS. The above video clip from the Wall Street Journal pretty much sums up the reaction in the city anytime a major change comes around. The new "subway on the street" buses were designed for a quicker commute since they make riders pay for tickets in advance (no time wasted on entering the bus) and have special bus-only lanes as described in the earlier article this week: LINK. The video mentions that Metrocards are not accepted on the new line (as it pans in on the ticket machines) which had us confused for a moment since the reporter means that one can not swipe their cards inside the bus. Otherwise, as someone mentioned before, lots of rider education will be needed if this will become the model for quicker transportation above ground.
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One would have thought that the MTA and Mr. Bloomberg in all of their collective widom would have figured this out. How can it NOT accept Metro Cards? This is really bizarre.
ReplyDeleteDoes the Bronx run take MetroCards I wonder?
ReplyDeleteThe question has to be asked of the MTA, why all this effort into something that has questionable benefit at a time of service cuts and fare hikes? Methinks this is for creating employment for engineers at the MTA.
ReplyDeleteStill don't get it. So unlimited Metrocard users get shafted once again? Or is there a way to still use them? What is their (the MTA) problem? It could be so bloody simple. In London they have the Oyster card. Simple, refillable online, weekly, monthly, pay-per-ride, whatever you want to do. Buses, underground and trains are all equipped with the same readers and it is usable across the board. But in NYC you have weird key fob instant pay turnstiles that nobody uses (again, no use if you have an unlimited card) and now this. I give up.
ReplyDeleteI'm almost certain the kiosks DO accept Metrocards. Admittedly I haven't used the ones on the east side yet, but I have used the Bronx run and received a ticket with my unlimited Metrocard.
ReplyDeleteLet's be real here...this is just typical over-the-top complaining by bitter, angry, and impossible-to-please New Yorkers.
I took the M15 select bus this week. There was an MTA official telling riders what to do. The kiosks DO take Metrocards and issue a receipt that you can show the driver (similar, I think, to European transit systems. It actually worked well, though it will take a lot of MTA manpower to train riders.
ReplyDeleteListening more closely to this clip, the reporter mentions Metrocards are not accepted on the new line but the following rider complaint is about not being able to use the card again for the local bus if it appears first.
ReplyDeleteWhat the reporter is trying to convey is that the Metrocards can not be swiped inside the bus (the new line) but is not refering to the kiosk.
Some riders feel the need to present their receipts to the driver, when all they have to do is simply get on the bus and take a seat. It will be an adjustment for riders to get used to the service.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to see if service is faster on 1st avenue than it is on 2nd avenue with all the construction hassles.
Fair enough...so it looks like unlimited metro cards are accepted. In that case, let's get this system rolled out on the M102 & M10! Still stand behind proper enforcement of bus lane infringements and blasted double parking.
ReplyDeleteI can attest that the new M15 limited does take metro cards for curbside ticket purchase, I did a curbside ticket purchase myself with an unlimited metro card recently. The flaw I see in the system is that a curbside ticket purchase is only good for the new M15 limited bus and will not allow access to the M15 local bus. Also the limited and local bus stops are about 50 feet apart. So when an M15 bus approaches, you have to figure out if it is limited or local and make a curbside ticket purchase for the limited as it is racing through the computer controlled green lights in its dedicated bus lane. Multiply this last minute curbside ticket purchase by 20 riders and you have a problem. I presented this scenario to one of the MTA M15 bus helpers, he agreed it is a problem.
ReplyDeleteAfter a week of riding the system, I've come to like it. In my opinion, the hang up is the lack of communication. Outside of going to their website, you had no way of knowing about this change. The news didn't cover it until a couple of days later. I found out by standing at the old limited stop the day it started. There was no honk and point, the bus just drove on by. Luckily me & the other extremely confused rider was able to run to the next stop. The MTA agent just barked instructions on getting a ticket, and the driver refused to answer questions. Once in my seat, I was able to pull up the MTA's site from my phone to get the details. In short, it's a great initiative. But to get this thing running like planned the MTA should :
ReplyDelete1)Post clear signs (not the paper temp signs, clear signs).
2)Nix the process of stopping at the Bus stop, when no one is there.
3)Not waste time by stopping to converse with the agents at the stops. *nothing like waiting for that.