BlackBerry Bus
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Printed Date: 23 Nov 2024 at 4:51pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: BlackBerry Bus
Posted By: kajal
Subject: BlackBerry Bus
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2013 at 12:44pm
There is a mini-bus (25-30 passenger capacity) sponsored by BlackBerry that is picking up passengers at Bob's. This morning I was behind the bus. It picked up everyone who was in line (about 10-12 persons) except for one guy who decided on principle that he was not going to ride with them and came with me (THANK YOU!). this means that at least 5-6 cars behind the bus had to wait extra time to find passengers. The bus did the same thing for a long time at the Rolling Valley slug line. It wreaked havoc for the drivers who had to wait long periods of time to find passengers. Sometimes the bus will even wait until it is full before leaving!
Is there a way to stop them? Can the authorities (who??) intervene?
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Replies:
Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2013 at 4:52pm
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Sorry, I have to object. The bus has its pluses and minuses. I recall once when the bus stopped at the 19th and F pickup line. That day the line was VERY long. Thanks to the bus, I got home at my usual time, vs 30-45 mins later. I've ridden it 4 times. Another time it was a very long line at Bob's on the 18th St line. It was great to go from 25th in line to getting a ride. They will only be running the bus for a few more days (according to them) so you won't have to put up with it much longer. I, for one, will miss it.
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Posted By: billybaru
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2013 at 8:48am
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I feel that this taints the whole "slug" system. Although blackberry may end this promotion who is next ? The Clorox bus ? The Tide express ? If this continues drivers will be discouraged to pick up slugs because .....well there aren't any in line. The system is based on people donating a seat in their car and in return the slugs get a free ride into DC. Simple and it works, why disrupt something that works. just my two cents respectfully
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2013 at 9:46am
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I didn't find it to be a disruption. In the afternoon at 19th and F, there were still PLENTY of people in line when they came and picked up. At Bob's in the morning, there was only one car behind them, and 2 people from the back of the line got in. Perhaps the bus is more of a disruption at other lines, however I found it to be great for the lines I use.
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Posted By: RetiredMarine
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2013 at 3:07pm
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I think this is great for the slugs and reduces the amount of cars on the road!!
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2013 at 8:08am
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Rode it the other day. They are extending it thru Sept. I told them we could really use them in Dec/Jan/Feb :-)
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Posted By: jonmalay
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2013 at 7:27am
The Blackberry busses (and others which may follow) are a serious disruption to a very good system. There's an inherent "contract" between riders and drivers. The riders offer themselves as HOV passengers and drivers offer a free ride. If riders willingly get on the BB bus, they're breaking the contract. Drivers, who of course pay for gas and parking, are left with fewer riders and have every right to be angry. I'm not a lawyer, just a ticked off driver who is asking riders to step onto the bus, tell its driver to leave, get off, and then get into one of the cars waiting to give them a FREE ride. Just saying...
Jon
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2013 at 8:40am
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I'd love to see you try that argument when it's 20 degrees and snowing.
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Posted By: ETC
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2013 at 10:00am
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Have to agree that the BB Bus ruins slugging for drivers. This is supposed to be symbiotic relationship
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Posted By: colossus911
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2013 at 11:49am
I convinced my partners to change away from blackberry's products directly because of this bus. There are 25 employees in our firm and we all changed last year after I ranted about this in a principals meeting.
Whole process has easy solution, if we can cost blackberry more customers then they get from the promotion we win.
See thing I don't get is why Blackberry thinks it is a winning process. I am guessing most riding slugs don't control the purchasing authority for their firms/offices, while I would bet there are more than a few drivers who do.
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Posted By: Jody
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2013 at 7:36pm
I haven't ridden this bus yet. However, . . .
Because there are less drivers during the summer months, I don't have a problem with this bus operating during that time. During the summer, riders wait twice as long for rides (both morning and evening). This system was built on patience and flexibility. And that worked when it was HOV 4 in the 70s. When it is hot and the line is long, it does test every riders' patience. .
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2013 at 9:43am
quote:
Originally posted by colossus911
I convinced my partners to change away from blackberry's products directly because of this bus. There are 25 employees in our firm and we all changed last year after I ranted about this in a principals meeting.
Whole process has easy solution, if we can cost blackberry more customers then they get from the promotion we win.
See thing I don't get is why Blackberry thinks it is a winning process. I am guessing most riding slugs don't control the purchasing authority for their firms/offices, while I would bet there are more than a few drivers who do.
If anyone (running a business) made a decision to switch their mobile platform based SOLELY on a bus picking people up, then I have to laugh.
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2013 at 9:47am
quote:
Originally posted by ETC
Have to agree that the BB Bus ruins slugging for drivers. This is supposed to be symbiotic relationship
Where do you draw the line? People who pick up 3 instead of 2? What about a mini van who decides to fill every seat (to the cheers of the people getting in)?
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Posted By: mpatoka
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2013 at 1:14pm
The BB bus is not deliberately ruining slugging. They were pulling up to the 610 lot in the morning last week and there have been 60+ people waiting for 30 minutes for a ride. As soon as the bus pulled up, people flocked each day with no impact to the few cars that were showing up. It's like anything, some days lots of slug, few cars and vice versa.
I'm not sure how effective this type of advertising is because I know many people were just taking the ride and not using the the BB gadgets during that time, as was the intent.
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Posted By: RetiredMarine
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2013 at 7:35am
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I wish more companies would do this, this doesn't hurt slugging!!!
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Posted By: colossus911
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2013 at 4:49pm
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Bus stopped and picked up every rider going to Rolling Valley one night. Sitting in traffic behind the #$%@#54 bus and watched rider after rider get in ignoring the guy behind waiting for riders....doesn't hurt slugging...sure.
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2013 at 8:07am
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Oh my gosh, you had to wait.....in your fully air conditioned car, while seated comfortably. Whereas I have waited: in 100+ degree heat, in 20 degree cold, in pouring rain, in blinding snow. All while standing, sometimes as long as an hour. So I think you waiting comfortably for a bit until two more people show up is quite alright.
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Posted By: ETC
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2013 at 11:04am
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Problem with the BB bus is that slugging is a two way street. Drivers give you FREE rides into the city in exchange for a faster trip. Drivers in turn should expect to be able to pick up riders leaving the city. Riders basically are paying the drivers by allowing access to HOV and a faster transport. Win-Win. BB bus throws a wrench in the system.
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2013 at 11:12am
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Again, as I mentioned. What about the guy who picks up 3 people? The Minivan that picks up 6? To quote Jean-Lic Picard, "How many does it take before it becomes wrong?"
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Posted By: ETC
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2013 at 2:48pm
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Actually, if the line of drivers is long, I only pick up two. Only when the line of riders is long do I pick up more than two. Have to look out for each other. So yes a BUS that has the capacity to pick up 20+ is undermining the system. (I mean, if you are the rider, it's great! But don't get angry at me if I never pick up more than two and leave someone standing waiting for a ride.)
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 8:08am
I never get angry at a driver for picking up just 2. It's your car, if you only want 3 people that's perfectly fine. So a minvan picking up 6 is ok, is a 15 passenger van ok? It falls under your 20+ statement. I'll ask again. Where is the line between right and wrong? Hint, it's a rhetorical question.
I don't mean to come off as a jerk in this. It's mentioned that slugging is a two way street. It is, however, it's not equal. As I mentioned, you are in your comfy car. I'm not. If the opportunity arises, and I (and 20 of my fellow slugs) can get a ride, I'll take it. However, if I'm at the end of the line, and I see other cars waiting, I will speak up and have some slugs (along with myself) get into the other cars.
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Posted By: ETC
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 9:07am
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The slug hog that cleans the line of all riders is breaking the system. It means that the drivers who arrive after have to wait longer than normal, which means time is ticking before the bewitching hour when HOV is moot.
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Posted By: DriverForHire
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 8:24am
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The answer is simple. Get together $4B and buy Blackberry and put an end to the madness
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Posted By: snlfam
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2013 at 2:08pm
As a rider, I don't have any problem with it. As a driver, I can see how this would be annoying.
There is no contract where a rider says "I will ride in a car from this line between X:XX and X:XX 5 days a week." just as there is no reverse contract for drivers. The whole system is voluntary and based on economic principles and maximizing utility (I think I just gave away my background) [:)].
However, it does change the system.
Unless I am mistaken, there is only 1 BlackBerry Bus (BBB), and it only serves 1 of the pick-up locations each day each way. My belief is that it is solely advertising. They extend the contract of "get a ride to where your going, allow us to advertise to you". (Disclaimer- I have never used the BBB even though I had the opportunity, so it may be different than I believe.)
I have always believed that there is a balance of "always drivers", "always riders", and "sometimes one, sometimes the other". Having a bus encourages that balance to shift to more riders and fewer drivers. If the bus is consistent, the equilibrium will adjust given enough time. If it is more random (as it seems to be), it will "throw a wrench in the system" by creating more unpredictability.
However, I am not aware of any law prohibiting this... so everyone is free to make their own choice on any given day. My fear is that when the bus stops, the rider lines will take a long time to adjust to the new equilibrium... which will be just the opposite of the current situation... good for drivers, bad for riders.
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Posted By: GetMeOffOLine
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2013 at 3:21pm
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I can understand the frustration for the drivers. For the riders, it can seem like a heaven-sent opportunity especially when it's really hot, or cold, or raining. Or a Friday and it feels like nobody's going to come. But, I do see where the drivers are coming from. I don't know that it needs to get to the point of trying to take down the company or anything, but I do get the frustration. And heck, the Kent Street line at Rosslyn sometimes has drivers that will clear the line and riders or drivers have to wait sometimes. That's the nature of the game. I don't get angry about that, it's just what it is, and it's a heck of a lot better than riding the Metro.
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Posted By: scottt
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2013 at 8:49am
Snifam,
There is ZERO predictability in the slug lines. I get to the afternoon slug line each day at almost exactly the same time. One day there could be 60-70 people in line, the next day 6-7. For example. Wed this week when I got to the line there were at least 55 people in line. Yesterday there were two cars waiting for slugs. The only thing predictable about the slug lines is that you can't predict them.
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