One thing I notice we don't have anywhere are BUS LANES this would make it easier and quicker for buses to pick up and drop off passengers and make it a smoother ride for both bus and auto drivers if they follow the rules of these lanes.

Another thing that really needs to be fixed (been bugging me for years) is the Customer Care Hotline....It's a joke. Not very helpful and when you try to reach an actual person, seems like they delibertly hang up on you as soon as you press 0 and when you do get someone, they are always in a very bad mood and seem to care less that your bus never showed up or that your stranded and late for work now because they can't run on time or have a back up bus for the one that broke down. These are reasons I wish I could afford to drive.

The system is adequate for many but certainly does have a very steep learning curve. I have posted before here and other places that there are several people I know that would love to take the bus but can't figure out the system. Or the system doesn't give you enough reliable information to actually know with any level of confidence you will get somewhere on time.

Major Issues as they appear to me (a user of the system since 7th grade) 1. Maps are totally out of scale and confusing. Either make then to a constant scale or abstract them like many other places.

2. The number of stops listed in schedules is horribly inadequate. Take the Hertel-Fillmore Bus for instance... There are TWO stops for ALL of Hertel. Waterfront Apts and Parkside.. think about the logic behind those two stops. There is none. What if I don't know where the waterfront apts are. That is useless and Parkside is such an inconsequential street for the system that you need to with blind faith jump on the bus as some point you think it might be showing up and hope it gets you someplace on time. What about Niagara, Elmwood, Military, Delaware Main Street.. you know ALL the streets that actually have transfer times and connects someplace. Its is almost like they leave all those stops off on purpose so you don't realize you can never make a transfer on time.

3. Destinations. It is fine to use places like waterfront apts.. for many but anyone new to the system has NO IDEA where these tiny useless points are. What the hell is Orchard that the Delaware bus out of the city is running to.. Why not just name it where it is going (Tonawanda) not some tiny side street it happens to stop at. Someone walking up to a Delaware bus that sees what isn't going to have any clue where this is going. They need to make these things Obvious. (downtown, airport, UB, Mall, Townships, etc. Not things like Orchard, Southpark, big tree with ATAK painted on it, etc..

4. Zones need to go or be consolidated. No one can do everything in the city anymore and people from the burbs who are going to take the system want to come into the city. Confusing people about zones charges is the easiest thing to get someone to say.. screw it. Consolidate 1,2 together and 3,4 if you want to keep them to a point but the inner ring burbs are where many many many destinations that people who take transit would like to go. UB North, Airport, A bazillion office parks, Gallaria and Boulevard Malls. + many many more! These should be seamlessly integrated into single routes. No need to worry if I pay all before i enter or when I get off because it changes depending on which direction you go.. ridiculous.

5. Similar issue with the passes... get rid of the Zone 1 pass and make ALL passes ALL Zone... It makes the system easier to use and accessible when you don't need to worry about transfer money, zone fees or exact change. Get these passes our there and watch people change their habits. It was the best move I ever did was to get a pass. Made every bus and instant access point not just something that costs 1.50 to get on.

6. Eliminate the 8 main.. improve subway hours.. lets use it and stop wasting money and time with a bus that follows the same route. Take the money and put it into longer hours for the night. Once an hours between 12 and 5 would be fine just to give people and option to get home from the bars etc.. If people knew that at 2, 3, 4 there was a train even in a drunken state they could time to catch it. They miss it.. they go back to the bars for a while and catch the next. No one is left stranded. They can go drive drunk in the burbs but at least it would help keep them off city streets.

I guess that is enough for now. I could go on... Maybe this should be an article itself ;)

@GraphicRage I think this could be done with most suburbs in Buffalo. The Orchard Park Train Station runs into the same rail line that goes directly downtown. Then you just need a line to Tonawanda and you have the making of a European style transportation system.

We have alot of un-used tracks in this region as far out as N.Tonawanda and beyond that are just being covered by grass and new concrete. A Park and Ride from Depew would make a lot of scense, since people who purchase tickets either online or at the ticket booth at Amtrak, you are never offered an option 'Depew?" or "Downtown Exchange?" NEVER, they only give you tickets for Depew Station and I'm sure if it's a first time experience in Buffalo , your going to wonder where downtown is? how do I get there from here? "You mean I Could have just stayed on the train and got off at the next station?" etc. But anyway, a park and ride makes scense here.

Proposed Light Rail Expansion Along Existing Rail Lines

There is a more detailed and manageable version on this in Google Earth. I could give the KMZ file to anyone who wants it but I through since people brought it up we could see just how accessible our system could be if we used almost exclusively rail lines as a cheap effective way to expand light rail or create BRT or ANYTHING.

another interesting Metro Rail Discussion

I agree with sbrof on CONSOLIDATING the system. I remember my first experience riding from downtown to Tonawanda and the driver wanted to yell at me for change before getting off. I was like "What?" and not hint of information about the Extra charge on the bus's or the stations. If your new to the system, it's confusing and annoyes the locals who are used to riding when holding the bus up to get info from the driver. And most of the scheduals are confusing (for starters, Bus's should FOLLOW THE SCHEDUAL) and transfer bus's should be made mentioned on those maps that NFTA prints out every other month. Why not have the same schedual ALL YEAR LONG? Make it so much more easy not only to NFTA (Save money on printing) but to the riders like myself who wonder, "what happend to that 4:30pm bus that used to come here" as it's now 5pm.

Great stuff sbrof! I've been in contact with Councilmember LoCurto and he said he forwarded my ideas to the UB Regional Institute. LoCurto also said they were forming a Transportation Committee of the Common Council. People like everyone on this page with all the ideas in the world still can't actually bring the NFTA to the table. But our elected officials can and UB surely can. I think folks like us need to get together offline and really get our ducks in a row. Groups like the CRTC have shown they can't quite get it together enough to get an audience. It's time for new blood to tackle this. It's OUR generation and our kids that will suffer because the 1950's minded authorities and planning are not acting on this stuff now. Maybe BRO can host a transportation forum?

Definately agree with dumping the 8main bus and amping up subway times - every 8 minutes and later hours...

For those of you using the "trip planner" sometimes it works pretty screwy... if i input my address --- (summer st.) and work (n. bailey in amherst) it makes me transfer like 4 times and takes an hour and a half. If i just assume I'm walking to Summer/Best Subway it works better. You're almost better off trying to figure your own route out... I walk to summer/best, train it up to UB and then take the 34 to work, i then have less than a 1/2 mile walk to my building.

As to the other comment about the 34 --- yes - it is a tough route in the winter- much of the blvd. is very un pedestrian friendly --- esp. when there's piles of snow where you should be wiating for the bus.

I just started trying to take the nfta to work again... to save gas and pollution.

Another thing - w/ the "day passes" --- they should adopt what the CTA does...

You can buy them ahead of time and they don't start 'ticking' (24 hours, 3 days, 5 days, 30 days) until the FIRST USE.

I also noticed today, as commented, the lack of bike racks on them. 1 in 3 maybe had them...

critt, From the NFTA website:

Bikes On The Rail Program

• Take your bike on Metro Rail, as long as you observe the following rules:

• Riding bicycles in Metro Rail Stations or on Station property is strictly prohibited. Please walk your bike in and around the stations.

• Station elevators must be used for getting your bike to and from train platforms. Do not carry your bike up or down the stairs or on the escalators.

• When boarding a train in an underground station, enter the front door of any car. If you are going downtown you should board the first car in order to take advantage of the elevated platform when exiting.

• When boarding a train downtown in Buffalo Place, enter the front door only of the first car using the elevated platform.

• Enter the rail car only after all other passengers have entered or exited the car.

• Only two bikes are permitted in each rail car, both at the forward end of the car, in the area designated for wheelchairs. If this area is occupied, please move to the next car or wait for the next train. If someone in a wheelchair boards, please give up your space.

• Stand with your bike and do not leave it unattended for any reason; securely hold your bike at all times; do not use the kick stand; and do not leave your bike in the aisle.

• Riders 15 years of age and under must be accompanied by an adult.

• Above all, please be considerate of your fellow passengers

• As always, proof of fare payment is required.

• Bikes are allowed on Metro Rail at any time.

yeah bikes on the trains are easy but like everything it has to be overly litigated and rules. No swimming. no competative sports, no carrying your bike yourself. Ugh. It functions much easier than the commandments above would seem. Just put your bike in either end of the train where there is space. Usually the ones away from the direction of travel are ideal because anyone needed the handicap seat will get on in the front of the first train.

As always I would expect that if a handicapped person would need the space I would give it up. But besides that the rules are stupid and just be cordial and things will be fine. I find it stupid when a train driver will hold a a whole train up to tell someone to put their bike in the front of the train car, wont move while doing this. So the person struggles gets it into place. just to have to go back and bump people and knees to get it out in one or two stops. I HATE all these dumb rules.

I took my bike on the train pretty much daily for about two years without any hassle. Just play nice and things will be easy.

Start by equiping bus's with bike racks. While I realize some NFTA bus’s are currently equipped with bike racks and the existing bike racks are underutilized. The reason for this, is due to the fact no one knows when (times) or where (routes), the few bike rack equipped bus’s will be at any given time. If a person does manage to find and take one of these random bus’s, they could be left stranded. As there may not be a bus with a bike rack to return on. Many people simply choose not to ride the bus’s because of this fact and drive to their destination, then drive home afterwards. If people were given the opportunity to ride their bikes in conjunction with NFTA equipped bus’s, many more people would take in an visit the smaller shops, spend the money saved by not having to drive and take in the unique opportunities that they would miss out on by driving, parking, etc… In the interim designated bike friendly bus routes could be created utilizing the very few existing bike rack equipped bus’s.

the best solution that I have ever experienced talking about bikes and buses was in Germany. Almost ALL of the buses are designed to allow people to bring their bikes right into the buses. They have fewer seats and opt for open areas in the bus. This doesn't just make it easier for bikers but people with strollers, wheelchairs or just about anyone who might have stuff with them.

If buses allowed bikes onto them and were designed so that wasn't a problem the whole system is much more accessible for a lot more people than just a rack on the front. Because in the end anyone with a stroller, two people in a wheelchairs Max out the scape capacity in a bus even when 50% of the seats are empty.

Poor Design = half of our problems.