Re: Private Buses Need Permits To Drive Into New York City

On May 3, 3:34 pm, Jimmy <JimmyGeldb...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

And it's not just about me.  Having a robust intercity bus network
helps everyone.

Whether or not the network is truly "robust" is subject to debate when
it comes to modern inter city bus operations.

The impact to pedestrian traffic and local storeowners by intercity
bus boarding is quite different than local bus boarding. It is often
a nuisance.

One might argue having a robust food pushcart and truck business might
be in the public interest. However, conventional restaurants, who pay
high real estate taxes and rents and subject to more inspections and
requirements (like providing restrooms), might see the mobile vendors
as a getting an unfair free ride.

In NYC (and other cities), curb space is at a premium. To facilitate
traffic, long ago NYC had the PABT (and GW BT) built to take buses off
the streets. Those buses today using street corners as terminals are
unfairly competing with other carriers who must pay rent for terminal
space.

Nearby businesses might not appreciate having their doors blocked or
side alleys used as bathrooms by bus passengers.

Historically, intercity bus companies had off street terminals in city
stops. Indeed, even in small towns sometimes arrangements were made
at a local restaurant or gas station for bus passengers to use.


Before the recent growth, we only had Greyhound and a
few collaborating companies, gradually raising prices and cutting
service every few years.  Now it's much easier and more affordable to
get around without a car.

We could do lots of things to make it easier and cheaper to get around
wtihout a car. But long ago it has been determined to be in the
public interest to do such things which add to the cost to travel.

We can save a ton of money by building highways to 1940 standards.
Non reflectorized signs and paint are cheaper, and cable or wood side
barriers are cheaper than steel. A single painted white line for a
median strip is cheaper than what we use today. Let's eliminate
mandatory car insurance. I don't think the public would like any of
those things despite the cost savings.


If there are safety problems, there should be safety regulations to
deal with them.  But I fail to see how NYC banishing intercity buses
to locations west of 11th Avenue will accomplish that goal.

The NYT and other newspapers have had a long series of articles on the
safety problems of many newcomer bus carriers, as well as the
nuisances they create in the streets.

As a motorist, I do not want to be the car that gets walloped because
some bus driver fell asleep behind the wheel on I-95.

Many taxpyaing property owners resent someone conducting business on a
public sidewalk without paying their share of taxes and fees and being
subject to the same regulations (that's expenses) they must submit to.
.

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