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| Metro Apple Express (345388) | |
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Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by Spider-Pig on Sun May 1 15:26:40 2022, in response to Metro Apple Express, posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 14:54:08 2022. They didn’t take them over. |
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Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 16:16:39 2022, in response to Metro Apple Express, posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 14:54:08 2022. Why should it have? Would it have increased profits for the shareholders? |
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Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 16:27:01 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 16:16:39 2022. I was looking for information on the background of what happened around Metro Apple’s demise. |
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| (345392) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 18:53:07 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 16:27:01 2022. There had been a joining of Metro Apple Express and Erin Tours. But the venture did not work out well, and that seemingly led to the demise of both operations. The principal behind Metro Apple Express remains involved in the bus industry, but not in an operating capacity, while the principal behind Erin Tours recently passed. |
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| (345393) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 19:41:58 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 18:53:07 2022. Thanks for the info! It’s interesting to hear that the principal behind Metro Apple is still involved in the bus business. I heard that Metro Apple didn’t receive a subsidy. Was there ever any thought of giving them a subsidy? Did DOT hold onto the franchises after Metro Apple closed the doors for good? |
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| (345394) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 20:39:37 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 19:41:58 2022. The matter of receiving city subsidies was based on politics rather than on substantive and objective criteria. So while Liberty Lines Express, New York Bus Service, and Command Bus Company were politically connected, Metro Apple Express was not. The thoughts were always how to keep Metro Apple Express from receiving subsidy, rather than thoughts on how to facilitate subsidy.The manner in which subsidies, and more importantly, profit, was allocated to franchisees provided no incentive for the franchisees to operate more efficiently, or to operate more service. If anything, the manner encouraged franchises to operate less service because the subsidy was limited by a fixed dollar amount. Command would not have sought to operate more service because doing so increased the risk that the operating expense dollar limitation would be exceeded, but no additional profit would be made from operating more service. As it stands now, the ultimate corporate parent of Command, now known as GTJ REIT, makes just as much money from leasing its bus garages to the City of New York (which, in turn, subleases them to MTABC) as it did when operating buses . . . but with much less risk of exceeding an operating expense limitation or the general headaches of operating useful bus service. All of these factors spelled doom for Metro Apple Express, not because the transportation was not desired, but because the ultimate goal were the playing of politics, maximizing subsidy, minimizing risk, all in the environment of a city administration incapable of devising good public policy. Now we are stuck with MTABC, but even it continues to operate without any definable mission. Franchises granted by the city are to individual franchisees, not transferable but upon consent of the city. Nor are franchises exclusive. So need for the city to "hold onto" a franchise, as if it were a bankable asset. Should there have been a desire for replacement franchises, new ones could have been granted. No one wanted the franchises. |
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| (345395) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by WayneJay on Sun May 1 20:45:09 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 19:41:58 2022. The subsidy part seems to make sense as Metro Apple Express used only a bunch of new look buses. |
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| (345396) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 21:02:31 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by BusMgr on Sun May 1 20:39:37 2022. I also thought I heard of Command buses outfitted with rollsign readings for the BM10, BM11 and BM15. The QM22, QM24 and QM24W originally operated without a subsidy starting in 1988 but Triboro Coach won a subsidy in 1990. Queens Surface also took back the QM1 Wall Street and QM3 in 1990 without a subsidy and I’m assuming they got subsidies back at some point, I know someone online once mentioned that Bob Burke had a “good rabbi” (as in NYPD term and not the Jewish religious leader). I know this is all politics. But it’s fascinating.This is all insightful information. |
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| (345397) | |
Re: Metro Apple Express |
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Posted by Allen45 on Sun May 1 21:16:25 2022, in response to Re: Metro Apple Express, posted by WayneJay on Sun May 1 20:45:09 2022. And ex-Blitz fishbowls at the end. Politicians were happy Metro Apple started up again as they wanted it to be financially healthy so it can step in and takeover the x27 and x28 if need be. There’s an NY Daily News article from 1995 to that effect. |
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