Septa_kid

Oct 16 2009, 11:44 AM

I ain't kiddin' those buses be packed! They're comming from the ghetto of Trenton so the might have been saving up for that lol

philabob1

Oct 16 2009, 11:58 AM

Keep in mind the rationale SEPTA has used with artics - the lines that got them got additional capacity but over time headways were widened so the number of seats/capacity stayed the same (case in point for 9, 27 and 48 when the Volvos were first purchased in '85). Thus, artics don't necessarily mean better service, and very often the perception is that service is worse as headways are longer. With 27's return to mixed operation (and the same thing can be said for 9), better service has resulted - packed buses are no longer the norm (a big problem on 27 given the many delay points it has)

Artics work best on routes that are high-demand all the time, thus 33 and 48 (and to some degree 54) are good candidates. 52 could be as well. 17 could work. Maybe 18. For the most part, other routes don't need them, and a real service improvement would be a combination of more buses and better on-street supervision. Neither is in the cards, thus the greater capacity of the artic makes up for poor route management.

The problem on 9 and 27 when boths routes were 100% artic was that this was great for peaks and midday but too much bus for nights and weekends. In my infrequent trips on 27 on Sundays back then, I would always wonder why an artic was needed for the dozen or so people aboard.

I hope the suggestion of artics on 35 was a joke, but if not, if you took everyone who rode the route in one day and had them all ride one trip, you still would not fill an artic. I'd also like to meet the operator who can make either the turn from Silverwood to Cresson or from Cresson to Green Lane (around the railroad el's column) with an artic. Good luck!

Tritransit Area

Oct 17 2009, 07:55 AM

I wonder if policies changed over time in regards to the on-the-fly detours/local routing/reassigning trips. Actually, as a matter of fact, I believe drivers have to contact the control center now in regards to doing stuff like that, rather than on-street supervision/depot supervisor. I'm not sure why they changed that to be the case, though.

As you have noted, it has changed the way service operates, and I guess you won't find your 27 going up the Parkway or by the Zoo as much anymore :(.

Jayayess1190

Oct 16 2009, 08:16 PM

The 18 in the mornings does run kind of often. I used to catch it from Michner and Mt. Airy to Olney and then connect to the BSL to school downtown. I would be hustling down the street leaving the house at 7 am to catch the bus that came at like 7:02 or 7:04 Express. After that the next one was a little while later and if I caught it or a local, then I was cutting it close for being on time to school. The afternoons is crazy fun. Loved seeing a line of 26/18's down Olney Ave. :D

buswizard

Oct 17 2009, 09:21 AM

I rode the 56 full length this summer and I listened as the GPS announcer said the landmarks. I counted over 6 HIGH SCHOOLS!! The 56 needs them bad. I mean (exaggerating) high schoolers take up 95% of the AM/PM rush while the remaining 4% are commuters from work and 1% are tourists from other cities. This includes bus and BSL/MFL. the rest of the commuters take Regional Rail and travel in cars. I am glad to be outta high school but I go to school amongst 3 high schools (my sister going to one of them) and the BSL and the 43 get packed to the point of aerosol-can pressure.

PhillyBadBoy09

Oct 17 2009, 01:22 AM

philabob1

Oct 16 2009, 11:58 AM

Keep in mind the rationale SEPTA has used with artics - the lines that got them got additional capacity but over time headways were widened so the number of seats/capacity stayed the same (case in point for 9, 27 and 48 when the Volvos were first purchased in '85). Thus, artics don't necessarily mean better service, and very often the perception is that service is worse as headways are longer. With 27's return to mixed operation (and the same thing can be said for 9), better service has resulted - packed buses are no longer the norm (a big problem on 27 given the many delay points it has)

Artics work best on routes that are high-demand all the time, thus 33 and 48 (and to some degree 54) are good candidates. 52 could be as well. 17 could work. Maybe 18. For the most part, other routes don't need them, and a real service improvement would be a combination of more buses and better on-street supervision. Neither is in the cards, thus the greater capacity of the artic makes up for poor route management.

The problem on 9 and 27 when boths routes were 100% artic was that this was great for peaks and midday but too much bus for nights and weekends. In my infrequent trips on 27 on Sundays back then, I would always wonder why an artic was needed for the dozen or so people aboard.

I hope the suggestion of artics on 35 was a joke, but if not, if you took everyone who rode the route in one day and had them all ride one trip, you still would not fill an artic. I'd also like to meet the operator who can make either the turn from Silverwood to Cresson or from Cresson to Green Lane (around the railroad el's column) with an artic. Good luck!

I agree a lot of problems would go away if supervisions did there jobs better. I remember a good 3-5 years ago there was a good allegheny supervision. We all know how the 27 can get caught up n delays sometimes even a hour late, he would pulls buses from the 33 put them on the 27. He would do it right there at 15th & jfk 2 33's would pull up n the last one would b empty n just tell the driver to change to the 27. The 23 needs better supervision. When that line was a trolley route if a block got to far behind schedule they would use one of the cut backs and turn around and go the other direction, if they could do this with trolleys you would think it would be easier with buses.

Septa_kid

Oct 16 2009, 12:03 PM

According to that, neither 18 or the 9 should be artic since they don't run often at all

NeoArtic7101

Oct 19 2009, 12:13 PM

Septa_kid

Oct 16 2009, 12:03 PM

According to that, neither 18 or the 9 should be artic since they don't run often at all

You were joking about taking artics off the 18, right?

Tritransit Area

Oct 19 2009, 08:45 AM

With all of the delays on the 27, I still must wonder why that proposal to change the route to run down the Parkway and terminate at Broad and Spruce was shot down.