Frustrated NYC Commuters Green with Envy

In the wake of this horrible (and to me quite funny) transit strike, I can't help but laugh at all the shitheads that moved out of my section of Queens to places like Williamsburg and Park Slope, never mind the feeble attempt made by many to "trendicize" my original home neighborhood, a now vapid Astoria.

Of course it's cool to live in a cool neighborhood. Everyone knows that, and I won't contest that fact. Having a view of the city's skyline is a nice benefit, but it only goes so far.

You know how I've been getting around these past 2 days?
One benefit of where I live is the fact that the private company Green Bus Lines is still in operation during this strike, including (and this is the best part), no less than five express routes traveling from Queens to midtown Manhattan.

I actually saw an ex-girlfriend on the local news this morning, as she froze her ass off waiting at the LIRR Jamaica Station. I chuckled to myself as I bundled up, debilitated back and all, and went outside to catch my express bus which stops just down the block. No folks, none of that walking across the Brooklyn Bridge bullshit for me or traveling all the way from my fancy apartment with a city view to Jamaica, which is actually in the opposite direction of Manhattan, just to come back to the city anyway. It's all the Midtown Tunnel, cute Wall Street girls, ipods and potato chips for me.

Yeah, the Long Island Rail Road is offering temporary shuttle train prices of $4.00 each way, but I'm fine paying the usual $3.00 for a half-hour ride to 34th St and 3rd Ave. I'm fine staying warm on a bus instead of waiting outdoors to buy a "ticket". I'm especially fine relaxing in an actual (gasp) seat. Imagine that!

If you live along Queens Blvd in the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Woodside or Long Island City, you can also catch another bus, the Q60. It's not express, but goes to Manhattan anyway, ending up on 60st and 2nd Ave. With off peak prices of $1.00, you can't go wrong.

Why this isn't being covered more extensively in the media, especially on local stations like NY1, is a mystery to me.
While two other private bus lines in Queens were the first TWU members to strike back on Monday, the Green Bus Line has still been running, virtually unaffected.


As of last Thursday, union president John Longo had this to say:

"We're not going to be on strike"

The reason for this is because employees of this company belong to a completely different union, the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1179(ATU). The only other private line who's workers are represented by the ATU is the Brooklyn based Command Bus line. They were absorbed by the MTA earlier in December. The Green Bus Line will eventually also be absorbed into the MTA, with ownership planned to change over in January.


Today's musical selection: The Decemberists : "The Mariner's Revenge Song"







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