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I've never seen such a switch, nor ridden on a bus that was stopped by people outside.
Methings THE POST is just being THE POST...a sully tabloid that is usually devoid of content.
"Vote for Mitt Romney and stop bus disabings" kind of thing.
And yeah, a $200 lock is going to hobble the finances of the MTA that spends $200 per microsecond.
I'm with you Kefir. I can't imagine there being a giant sign on the switch door that reads, "KILL SWITCH LOCATED HERE." The comment in the article by one rider seemed kinda fishy to me. They were stopped 3 times?! I know there's a box by the backdoor with various switches. Drivers often keep that box open for wheelchair lifts. I guess it's too much work to cover the box and keep the switches protected but seriously, when they designed these buses and the switch box, why would they not have thought, "Hey, maybe we should put a lock on this thing, huh? Just in case some punks want to flip the switch."
I'm with you Kefir. I can't imagine there being a giant sign on the switch door that reads, "KILL SWITCH LOCATED HERE." The comment in the article by one rider seemed kinda fishy to me. They were stopped 3 times?! I know there's a box by the backdoor with various switches. Drivers often keep that box open for wheelchair lifts. I guess it's too much work to cover the box and keep the switches protected but seriously, when they designed these buses and the switch box, why would they not have thought, "Hey, maybe we should put a lock on this thing, huh? Just in case some punks want to flip the switch."
I think that's a different box. It sounds like the kill switch is located on the outside of the bus, since it mentions that kids ran up alongside the bus and pulled the switch.
On a side note, that's one of the routes I take regularly (S46).
I'm with you Kefir. I can't imagine there being a giant sign on the switch door that reads, "KILL SWITCH LOCATED HERE." The comment in the article by one rider seemed kinda fishy to me. They were stopped 3 times?! I know there's a box by the backdoor with various switches. Drivers often keep that box open for wheelchair lifts. I guess it's too much work to cover the box and keep the switches protected but seriously, when they designed these buses and the switch box, why would they not have thought, "Hey, maybe we should put a lock on this thing, huh? Just in case some punks want to flip the switch."
Agreed! There was a case in Chicago I believe where punks shut down the bus and then beat and robbed the passengers. Incredible how a group can shut down a large bus in public and lay siege to the passengers like that!
The MTA guess overlooked the fact someone would eventually learn this. They did, And no doubt can spread the word to the other folks who find amusement in preventing people from getting to their destination and putting folks in potential danger. maybe they should put a spring loaded taser there for unauthorized tampering. Give em a shock! Wait, can't do that. The criminal might sue and claim how his/her broken home drove them to do bad things...Jeez.
I think that's a different box. It sounds like the kill switch is located on the outside of the bus, since it mentions that kids ran up alongside the bus and pulled the switch.
On a side note, that's one of the routes I take regularly (S46).
Yes, it's different. I was just pointing out how they leave that open all the time and no one messes with it. I find it odd that something on the outside that is accessible to anyone can just pull the switch. Goes to show the lack of common sense in whoever designed the bus.
Agreed! There was a case in Chicago I believe where punks shut down the bus and then beat and robbed the passengers. Incredible how a group can shut down a large bus in public and lay siege to the passengers like that!
The MTA guess overlooked the fact someone would eventually learn this. They did, And no doubt can spread the word to the other folks who find amusement in preventing people from getting to their destination and putting folks in potential danger. maybe they should put a spring loaded taser there for unauthorized tampering. Give em a shock! Wait, can't do that. The criminal might sue and claim how his/her broken home drove them to do bad things...Jeez.
Harm the criminal? For shame! LOL. It's the same on the train. Anyone can pull the emergency brake. Happened a few years ago to me. Some "punks" thought it would be funny to pull the brake. Twice. The conductor got so annoyed that they stopped the train and yanked the kids off. Not sure how they knew but they found the kids.
The kill switch has been located in the same spot on those buses since the late 80's. They used to be located underneath the dashboard by the steering wheel. It used to be that back in the day the kill switch was needed in case of fire or if the bus lost it's airbrakes. The driver would hit the switch & the bus would stop.
But than the bus wan't able to be re-staretd by the operator. As the story goes was that drivers that would hit the switch on purpose if they did not feel like working that day & claim it was an accident, so they would have to tow the bus back in & do whatever they had to do to get it going again & by the time that was done the drivers shoft would be almost over & they would sent him home.
To prevent this the MTA relocated the switch to the rear of the bus, from what I remember it was on the driver side.
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but seriously, when they designed these buses and the switch box, why would they not have thought, "Hey, maybe we should put a lock on this thing, huh? Just in case some punks want to flip the switch." 
Wait, can't do that. The criminal might sue and claim how his/her broken home drove them to do bad things...Jeez.
The conductor got so annoyed that they stopped the train and yanked the kids off. Not sure how they knew but they found the kids.
