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Mayor Michael Bloomberg was up early on Tuesday to greet Bronx commuters on their way to the train in Spuyten Duyvil, where even he admitted to being a little out of practice.

"It's been a while since I shook hands at a railroad stop. I forgot, four years ago," Bloomberg said.

The mayor didn't spend too much time getting back up to speed. He left the platform after a brief visit and headed for campaign stops in Brooklyn and Queens, where he sat down with supporters.

The official purpose behind the tour was to talk up his latest plans for mass transit -- proposals that call for free crosstown buses and countdown clocks for subway and bus riders.

"None of these things are things that people don't know about or haven't talked about before or done elsewhere," Bloomberg said. "It's pulling them all together and actually doing something."

But the campaign stops were noteworthy for what they lacked -- the extensive meet-and-greets that are a staple for other politicians. Politicians like the mayor's chief Democratic rival, Comptroller Bill Thompson, who is still trying to introduce himself to voters.

As a two-term incumbent mayor, Bloomberg doesn't have to worry about getting his name out there in the same way.

And there's another reason the mayor may feel he can get away with shaking a few less hands -- the millions he's spent on advertising. It's allowed him to reach a much larger audience with his carefully crafted messages.

Of course, Thompson will probably still be hitting those street corners all the way until election day.