I have long hated the B61. One Sunday morning I waited over 45 minutes in Williamsburg for one to take me to Long Island City. It never did. However, one did fly past me which said “Not in Service.” I saw it stop a few blocks up ahead and let people off.

I was so annoyed I called 311. They informed me the MTA does not take complaints on the weekends. Fitting.

I did call on Monday. I guess if you call and complain enough you can get results. I’ve had pretty good luck recently with it sticking to its schedule.

i know that. but i guarantee you that the city doesn’t care about how long minorities have to wait for the bus. and they’re not going to call the MTA and complain. bobby yuppie who just bought a condo in w’burg is going to get in a huff if he has to wait for a bus (although you could argue that he probably has a car, or he’d take car service…)

i realize the store serves all new yorkers. but the administration tends to not notice until white people yell.

That day, the first three of those buses came back and passed my stop (with a growing number of people waiting) without stopping. By that time the fourth bus stopped, two more had gone the other way.

Now my plan is to create a log: time I arrive at the stop, when the most recent bus was scheduled, when the next bus is scheduled, what time a bus actually stops, and how many passed by without stopping in the meantime.

But… one thing I think we all should know. That commenter in the linked Gowanus Lounge post mentioned that he carries the direct number to MTA in his wallet. However, he didn’t pass it on. Anyone have it?

Seems like something everyone along the B61 route should have at hand.

(Interestingly, by the way, I was on Long Island last weekend and noticed that both LI Bus in Nassau County and Suffolk County Transit have their respective agency numbers posted at each bus stop. A rider can actually call to get schedule and route information.)