An EVG reader, working from home like many other residents, noted just how often the M14A is running in recent days — especially in the morning. The reader's desk is against a window overlooking Avenue A, where she has a prime view of the buses on its northbound and southbound routes.
Yesterday morning between 10 and 11, she noted the bus going in each direction 14 to 16 times — so, doing the math, roughly less than four minutes apart. In several instances, the buses were 1 minute from each other during the hour.
With the aerial view, however, the reader could not ascertain how many passengers might be on each bus. (As Curbed reported Monday, bus ridership is down more than 70 percent compared to the same time last year.)
According to the MTA, "buses are operating on a reduced schedule because of decreased crew availability [and are] strategically supplementing some bus service to help prevent overcrowding."
Given the frequency along Avenue A, overcrowding won't be an issue.
The MTA previously initiated a new rear-door boarding policy to keep riders and operators at a safe distance during the COVID-19 crisis.
