The reason it is valid for only one hour is likely because the time expected to be on the bus for one trip isn’t expected to be more than one hour. Now, in the rare event of a severe delay that could cause tickets to expire before the destination is reached, the B/O should let enforcement know that the bus is severely delayed.

If the point is, indeed, to speed up boarding, why is the ticket void after only ONE HOUR? Wouldn’t it be just as fast if the boarding pass expired after a more reasonable time period, like a year?

Some more fuel for the centre-lane fodder:

Montreal used to run BRT in the centre lanes IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION on a street that had a median. Rather clever, since it allowed them to use regular right-side-door buses and central stations. However, it was confusing for pedestrians and there were fatal accidents, so service was stopped.

Another parallel is the Toronto streetcar system. Most routes run in completely normal traffic and the busier lines use proof-of-payment. (Not exactly the same as prepaid, but close enough). All tracks are in the middle of the road. A few shelters are on narrow medians where possible, but in most cases the stops are at the curb and traffic halts while people walk to the streetcar. There are still problems on narrow streets at times (especially during big snowfalls) and it does cause delays due to left-turning cars, but there is some logic to avoiding the impossible-to-enforce curb.

False. In Paris, for example, the BRT/bike lanes are curbside. You might be thinking of something like Bogota or Curitiba, but their busways are in the middle of huge boulevards, and you don’t exactly have a Queens Blvd available in Inwood.

Anonymouse,

Actually, you are incorrect. Significant portions of Paris’s BRT system, Le Mobilien, runs through the middle of the street rather than running along the curb. In fact, there’s a photo of one such BRT lane here on Streetsblog and you’ll notice that this isn’t a “huge boulevard,” either:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/22/paris-is-the-new-london-will-new-york-be-the-new-paris/

The people who run Le Mobilien say that these segments of BRT running down the middle of the boulevard are the fastest and most efficient and better than the curbside bus lanes.

The double parking culture of upper Manhattan will not change overnight. Massive, sustained enforcement (with lots of cops to control burly, angry drivers) will be needed.

Here is 5765 at Pelham Parkway and Boston Road, and 5735 eastbound at Fordham Plaza. You can use either of them here as long as my name (Adam Moreira) is credited.

ItsME, the pic was taken near the end of morning rush. The lanes were basically full all the way down 207. The attendant I talked to said it had been a problem all morning. Maybe Inwood got the brunt of the enforcement in the afternoon.

As for the cars in the bus lanes…NYPD were out like never before. Their cars were patrolling Fordham Road and issued tons of tickets. There were lots of tow trucks driving around ready to tow any cars parked in the bus lane. As I was walking around later I heard people talking about all of the cars in the bus lanes getting tickets. Great job for the NYPD today. I hope they keep it up.

As for the initial problems, people will learn rather quickly this new (to NYC) concept.

P.S. I have pictures that can be used here if needed of +SBS buses 5735 and 5765, as well as a stop picture.

Yes, most of the new (well, several years old by now) bus lanes in Paris are physically separated. There is a rounded concrete curb to make it an obvious separation, but it’s a curb that can be driven over if need be.

Enforcement is generally good and overall drivers in Paris have gotten the message. Keep in mind that many of these lanes are actually tri-purpose: bus, taxi, bike, and I think that works well.

(As a cyclist who lived in Paris for several years, I was just as happy, or happier, riding in the bus/taxi/bike lane as I was the bike-only separated lanes, since those are narrow and more easily blocked/full of crap.)

Paris does have a few central bus lanes but most are curbside. There are advance greens for buses/bikes at some signals too. The definition of BRT is rather diluted these days. What’s in Paris would qualify although it’s not a full-blown system of BRT elements everywhere you go in the city.

The BEST part of your plan is that it doesn’t involve the City imposing “fines”, Just the fee to the private tow company.

Since the city’s not imposing a “fine”, we should be able to implement the change without asking “Mother May I?” from Albany.

Again, DOT are you listning???

It is quite pathetic when the MTA’s own employees are breaking the law by parking in the bus only lane. What a great way to send a message to the “cars matter & everything else doesn’t” mentality that exists with the majority of drivers.

How quickly they forget where they came from when they depended on mass transit such as city buses to get from Point A to Point B.

it’s hastily thought out, but still.