Bus drama on 9th Street

Earlier this evening, a USPS truck broke down on Ninth Street just west of Avenue A (top photo).

Meanwhile, a westbound M8 made the the turn onto Ninth Street... the bus driver determined that she couldn't make it through the space without hitting either the postal truck or the parked cars...



This was despite the fact that bystanders figured there was plenty of space to squeeze through... and so the bus sat there while the bus driver waited for someone from the MTA to show up to assist...



Some 45 minutes later, the MTA employee who arrived on the scene successfully navigated the tight space... and everyone was on their way again...



All the while, a resident who lives on the block directed traffic ... to keep vehicles from turning onto Ninth Street and getting stuck behind the bus.

Thanks to Steven for the photos and background!

Public hearing tomorrow night on making the M8 bus weekend service permanent

[Photo by Fallopia Tuba]

The M8 weekend service to and from the West Village returned on April 6 ... apparently it's not a permanent thing just yet. The M8 is one of the routes up for discussion tomorrow night.

Per the MTA:

MTA New York City Transit invites you to comment on the following proposed changes ...

M8 Weekend Service
To make permanent Saturday and Sunday service on the M8, operating between the West Village and East Village. Weekend service operates every 30 minutes between 7 am and 1 am on Saturdays and Sundays. This service was introduced on an experimental basis on April 6.

Meeting details:
Wednesday, May 14
Start Time: 5:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Headquarters
347 Madison Avenue
Board Room, 5th Floor

So, you have two ways of speaking out about this. You may register online to speak at this hearing. Or, for those residents who are unable to attend, you may submit a comment online. Go HERE for more info on the meeting and to submit a comment.

Anyway, if the city would just widen these narrow side streets so that we can fit more cars on them, then we wouldn't need stupid buses. Right? Right??? (Heh.)

The weekend service was discontinued in June 2010 to help ease the MTA's $400 million financial shortfall. This route and others came back via NYC Transit's "2013-14 Service Enhancements Program."

Reminders: The M8 weekend service resumes TODAY

[EVG file photo from May 2009]

It's true! The M8 will now run from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Starting today. Right now!

The weekend service was discontinued in June 2010 to help ease the MTA's $400 million financial shortfall. This route and others came back via NYC Transit's "2013-14 Service Enhancements Program."

Here is the M8 route...



Previously on EV Grieve:
M8 weekend service resumes next Sunday (13 comments)

M8 weekend service resumes next Sunday

Some good news for people who need to travel from the East Village to the West Village (or the other way around!) on weekends. Starting next Sunday, the bus will once again operate on a weekend schedule. As you can see on the sign, the M8 will now run from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

It's part of something called NYC Transit's "2013-14 Service Enhancements Program."

Of course, the bad news is that the MTA has discontinued the M8's weekday service. KIDDING! KIDDING!

Here is the M8 route...



The weekend service was discontinued in June 2010 to help ease the MTA's $400 quintillion million financial shortfall.

Anyway! Welcome back!

MTA doomsday service cuts include the M8

"Nearly every bus, subway and commuter rail rider in New York stands to be affected by a punishing slate of service cuts that was approved on Wednesday by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is struggling to fill a sudden financial shortfall of more than $400 million." The M8, which connects the East Village to the West Village, is one again on the chopping block. According to the Times, none of the cuts would take effect until June at the earliest.

Dumb question of the day

[Uh, nevermind...the M8 has been spared...see the comments...carry on...]

If the MTA is cutting the M8 route starting June 28, then why have they recently introduced new hybrid buses on the line? (Like the one seen here on 10th Street and Avenue A?)

"I wouldn't be able to do any of these things without the bus"

The Daily News has a brief on the M8 protest yesterday. Anyone go to the event?

More than 100 bus riders urged the MTA Saturday to keep the crosstown M8 rolling, calling it the "lifeline" of Greenwich Village.

"I take it to my senior center, I take it to go shopping, I take it to the theater," said Teresa Hommel, a 64-year-old East Villager who has trouble walking. "I wouldn't be able to do any of these things without the bus."

The MTA plans to scrap service on the M8 and several other bus routes in order to help plug a $1.2 billion budget deficit. It links the East Village to the West Village.