Dear Transit Sam,
Having waited somewhat impatiently these many months for an M21 bus stop to be set up at the entrance to the subway station on the north side of Houston Street at Broadway (heading towards West Street), I noted with some dismay the other day that a new bus stop was set up on the south side of Houston Street at Broadway (heading towards the FDR Drive), despite our plea.
The distance between the bus stops at Mott and Greene Streets seems sufficient enough to warrant a bus stop at the Broadway-Lafayette B, D, F, V subway entrance, which is almost at the midway point between the stops at Mott and Greene streets.
Establishing the stop on the south side of Houston Street at Broadway serves no useful purpose at all whereas the requested stop on the north side towards West Street would be a great convenience for all passengers, especially the elderly.
Hopefully, what’s been done can be undone and corrected with your support. Please follow up on our behalf.
Mel, Lower East Side
Dear Mel, I have great news, Mel. There’s nothing that needs to be undone or corrected. There are new stops on both sides of Houston Street as of this writing (see photo) between Crosby Street and Broadway. The sign on the south side was installed first, followed by the north side shortly after (I’m told both signs were installed on the same day on December 18). Enjoy the new stop and Happy New Year!
Transit Sam
Dear Transit Sam, I bought an $89 TransitChek Credit Card before December 30. However, I didn’t purchase my unlimited MetroCard until January 2. When I went to purchase my MetroCard from the vending machine,
I was charged $104. Shouldn’t I have been charged only $89?
Tiff, Soho
Dear Tiff, Afraid not! The TransitChek Credit Card is a pre-paid card that allows you to buy your MetroCard tax-free. It is not (I repeat, not) the actual MetroCard. So, if you had purchased the actual MetroCard prior to December 30, you would’ve been charged only $89. But because you needed to use the pre-paid credit card to purchase the actual Metrocard, you needed to buy it by 11:59 p.m. December 29 to save the $15. Now you know for the next time fares go up.
Transit Sam
Happy New Year! Have a question about a parking ticket, traffic rules, public transportation, ASP or more? Want to know how to get a copy of my 2011 Parking Calendar? If so, send me an e-mail at TransitSam@downtownexpress.com or write to Transit Sam, 611 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, NY 10012.
