When I missed my stop on the 1^st Ave M15 bus yesterday, I knew it was time to figure out what was going on. It all has to do with the new MetroCard Fare Collector boxes on the sidewalk at the M15 Limited Bus Stops on 1^st & 2^nd Aves and the buses labeled 'Select Bus Service' (they have flashing blue lights at the front).

The new M15 Select Bus Service (instead of the M15 Limited) is supposed to give us a 20% increase in speed during rush hour. What's different?

You now need to pay before boarding at the machine, get a receipt, and show it if you're asked. You can't buy or refill your MetroCard at the machine, but you can use the smallest machine to buy a ticket with coins. If you need to transfer, you'll use your MetroCard as usual on the second bus.

What do we think of this new process? So far, we're not sure.

It's faster because you can board at any door and there are dedicate bus lanes.

But it's not so 'green' once you consider all the paper that is being used for the receipts.

Will people be honest and actually get the receipt before boarding?

The driver won't wait, so you need to be at the stop when the bus arrives.

We also noticed the 72^nd St on 1^st Ave has been eliminated. We know there are more eliminated stops, but we can't find the information anywhere on the MTA site. If you know, let us know.

Read the full story at our blog.

Think You Can Plan Traffic Lights Better?

How many times have you sat at a traffic light and complained that the red is too long, or the green is too short? Well here's your chance to do a better job than the pros. We heard about this totally cool game and had to pass it on to all of you. It's called Gridlock Buster and was developed by the University of Minnesota.

Be careful, it's addictive!

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