New York City now has a film highlighting its very own bus rapid transit program, the Select Bus Service (SBS) in the Bronx. TSTC’s associate director, Veronica Vanterpool, took Nick Whitaker from Streetfilms on a tour of the BX12 Select, a new route linking the West and East Bronx in a one-seat ride that connects to about seven subway lines and 14 other bus routes.
The SBS route, a joint collaboration between NYCDOT and NYC Transit, is getting rave reviews from bus riders (and bus operators) who enjoy the speedier and easier commute along the Pelham Parkway-Fordham Road corridor. The new service, which began June 2008, shaves 11 minutes of a previous 58 minute ride largely due to key BRT elements such as pre-boarding fare collection, entry through multiple doors, and exclusive bus lanes that are in effect during the busy 12-hour weekday period when streets are most congested with vehicular and commercial traffic. In surveys, the service received a 98% approval rating from riders, many of whom are interviewed here.
After seeing this video, anyone familiar with a New York City bus — including elected officials and community boards — should be able to see how inexpensive innovations can improve service throughout the five boroughs and in communities with limited transit options.
Images: Stills from Streetfilms video.
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Over all i think the service still sucks!!!
Story 1
My wife who was 8 moths pregnant got a 100 ticket while ridding the service with me last spring.. even though both of us were paid riders we used our metro cards to obtain the select riding ticket. The bus was stopped and when everyone was asked for there tickets we could not find hers, we were then asked to both get off and questioned i explained what had happened, one of our metro cards was an unlimited ride card and the other was a normal ride card. they said that they could only check one of the cards to verify if we used the machine to get a ticket. When i explained further that both of us showed the driver our tickets to get on the bus so maybe if they checked the camera from the bus they would see we both had tickets and showed them. The officer said that it could not be done and to take the ticket but if we wanted to discuss it further we would both be arrested for fair evasion. And we could settle it with the judge in bookings….. we took the ticket and she refused to fight it….
never wanted to ride the 12 bus again which i have been riding my whole life almost everyday being that my mom lives an Parkchester and my dad in Riverdale.
Story 2
While shopping on Fordham Rd my dad called for my help. I figured the fastest way was to take the 12 bus to get to 184 st and broadway. The select ticket machine took my unlimited card but did not print me a ticket… I proceeded to get on the bus that had arrived and explained what had happened to the bus driver…. he made me get off at the next stop and told me to try the next machine… the next one said just used.. after already getting frustrated in the windy 16 degree weather i tried a few more times and got an out of service error… i ended up riding three 12 select buses that day… and not one local service bus passed.. So while i was calling to make a complaint and state my story to the mta the third busdriver said for me to get on and that he would vouch for me if there was a problem…
These are 2 issues that maybe need looking into. but i will never take the 12 bus ever again i would rather take a longer rout or pay for a cab rather then risk getting a 100 ticket or have to get off the bus in the freezing cold.
also no N or R service to 59th street after 11 O’clock is horrible too along with the L train never working.
[…] has big plans for speeding up buses, seeking to build on the success of the Select Bus Service on Fordham Road in the Bronx with new projects on 34th Street and First and Second Avenues in Manhattan, Nostrand […]
[…] to about seven subway lines and 14 other bus routes, the program has received high marks from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign for illustrating “how inexpensive innovations can improve service throughout the five […]
[…] a test run on the Bx12 Select, which runs on Fordham Road in the Bronx, Sullivan seems particularly impressed by the prepaid […]
[…] Christie administration) and the use of bus-only lanes, pay-before-you-board fare collection, and other BRT improvements would make life easier for bus riders concerned with on-time performance and weekday evening […]
[…] to speed up the city’s bus system so it better compliments the subway. The B44 will follow the Bx12 on Fordham Road in the Bronx and the M15 along First and Second Avenues in Manhattan, the first […]