Roosevelt Island Red Bus Service - How Are They Doing?

It has been over a month since the new Roosevelt Island Red Bus schedule, resulting from a collaboration between RIRA and RIOC, has been in place. The changes, as reported in the Main Street Wire, involved using the cross island road south of the Sportspark as a bus turnaround instead of the circle by the Tram Station thereby returning the north bound subway bus stop. In addition, the Parking Garage/Gristedes bus stop was eliminated during the morning rush hours. There is also the continuing designation of certain bus routes as Octagon Express, Octagon Local and Firehouse Local as well.

Since moving from Manhattan Park to Southtown, I do not often have a reason to ride the Red Bus. While at Manhattan Park, I was annoyed and frustrated by the overcrowding and bunching of buses that occurred during the morning and evening rush hours and usually walked to and from the Tram or Subway. Have the changes helped at all?

Rooseveltisland360 takes us on a typical Red Bus ride from the Tram via video.