Going Crosstown in Midtown? You Might Want to Walk

Think you can walk faster than a crosstown bus can take you to your destination?
You’re right.
The Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives group announced their Pokey, Trekkie, and Schleppie Awards yesterday for New York’s worst bus rides--the slowest, longest, and most unreliable bus service in the city.
The winner (loser?) of the Pokey Award went to the M42, which goes (slowly) across 42nd Street. It now carries the notoriety of being the slowest bus in New York: At noon on a weekday, it traveled a majestic 3.7 miles an hour. Yes, you can walk that fast, if not faster.
Why does it take so long?
Mix midtown congestion (read: traffic) with a healthy helping of many riders, all of whom have to put their metro cards into the slot, and bingo! A recipe for a two-book, three-newspaper, 12-phone-call, 50-songs-on-the-ipod journey.
This year’s Trekkie (longest scheduled running time) goes to the M4, which runs between Penn Station and Fort Tryon in Manhattan, clocking in at a grueling, mind-numbing, one hour and 50 minutes.
You could be in another state--several other states—by then. (Not counting despair, agony, and downright frustration).
The Schleppie (least reliable bus route) went to the B44 in Brooklyn.
The MTA says it hopes to improve bus speed and reliability. Plans for new payment methods, a system that should let riders know when their bus is coming, and better enforcement of bus lanes is also in the offing.
In the meantime, buy a pair of sneakers.

Free Crosstown Buses? Maybe, if Mayor Bloomberg Has His Way

Tired of paying $2.25 for bus fare? We certainly are. But if New York’s Mayor Mike Bloomberg has his way, transit riders on crosstown buses will get a break--the mayor has proposed that all crosstown buses be free.
The plan makes sense: It would both encourage ridership (fewer cars; good for the environment) and ease people's financial burden (good for people’s wallets and psyches.) Bloomberg explained that by drivers not having to collect fares, they would be able to load and unload passengers much more quickly. Many crosstown bus riders are already using the subway, so not much revenue would be lost. (Crosstown buses are also arguably among the slowest in the city.)
Any lost revenue, Bloomberg argued, would be made up by faster travel times, which would allow fewer buses on those routes.
Bloomberg has proposed a number of transportation-related incentives in recent weeks as part of his re-election campaign, but the MTA, oddly enough, is not subject to much control by the mayor (he controls 4 of the 14 votes on the board.) The proposed incentives have included reopening several Long Island railroad stations in Queens and extending the V line from the lower east side into Brooklyn.
Whether the mayor actually has the power to put any of these initiatives into effect remains to be seen--but using the word "free” to lure voters in an election year is often a good ploy.

Miracle on 34th Street? Real-Time Bus Info Arrives

A pilot program for a “real-time” bus arrival information system is being tested on 34th Street as part of an effort to upgrade New York City’s bus service. The announcement was made by Mayor Mike Bloomberg; MTA officials; and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The routes carry 17,000 passengers every day.
The program launches at eight New York bus shelters that serve two 34th Street lines; they include eastbound bus stops at Park, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Avenues, as well as westbound stops at First, Second, Third and Lexington Avenues. The information signs are updated every 30 seconds and announce the waiting time, in minutes, until the next bus arrives. The program uses computer-generated GPS satellite technology installed on the M3 and M16 routes.
The program will be evaluated over a six-month period with the goal of expanding the routes and stops; sadly, no plans seem to be in process for a similar program on the subway system, where it’s sorely needed. (Other cities already have such programs in place.)
NYC Transit is also exploring whether real-time arrival information could be made accessible to the public on cell phones or the internet.
On the upside, the pilot program will not cost the city (or the MTA) anything, since GPS technolgy is provided by Clever Devices (real name, honest); and panel space for the LED signs by Cemusa.

New Funding for Ferry Transportation is in the Offing

Mayor Bloomberg and several other elected officials recently announced that more than $46 million in Transit Capital Assistance Grant funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be put towards the renovation and maintenance of ferry boats and piers in New York City. Money will also be used to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
In addition to money from stimulus funding, previous city and federal funding will bring the total amount allocated to the projects to more than $139 million; the projects will help create and keep more than 1600 jobs.
Among other benefits,upgrading the ferry system should help encourage commuters to leave their cars at home in an effort to reduce air pollution.
Projects include maintenance and repair of six Staten Island ferryboats; accessibility upgrades for several public ferry landings, including those at East 90th Street, East 34th Street, and Pier 79 at West 39th Street; and the rehabilitation of Pier 11 (South Street between Wall Street and Pine Street).
Oh yes—never think that the everyday needs of the weary traveler have been overlooked: Among the many structural changes to Pier 11, ferry riders will be glad to hear that canopies to protect passengers from inclement weather are on the agenda as well.