Random Thoughts Thread - Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE)

[N6 Limited]

Anyone who's interested, Mocker said he'll have a report on the privatization of Long Island Bus on tonight at 10 on PIX 11. Can only wonder what information we already know he'll point out.

 

Lame, he asked Mangano if "Privitization is working for the bus Contract?".

Mangano said its going well or something like that.

Then Mocker says "The riders are already upset about the service adjustments".

Mangano then says: "There are actually less adjustments then were required contractually by law". The report was about Parking Meters, and Nassau outsourcing some services.

 

What Mangano said was true, the contract gave Veolia to cut a certain amount of routes in the first 6 months (or something?) I think this is it: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/documents/584-11pt1.pdf

 

It appears that everyone who says that 'this and that said that there will be no service changes for a year" is talking out of their arse. The contract clearly states :

 

"Veolia shal begin to operate and maintain the Transit System on January 1, 2012 and by April 1, 2012 implement a route and service network adjusted to the available Federal, State, and County resources budgeted for the Transit System"

 

Oh and here is the thing I mentioned above:

"during the first two quarters after the Commencement Date, up to six routes may be eliminated if such service is duplicative in that the majority of passengers on such route have access to another route within one mile."

 

Hmm, no routes were "FULLY" eliminated .but under those terms

1-the N22/N24/N78/N79 are duplicative between Mineola and RFM.

2-The N21/N23/N27 are "duplicative".

3-N48 on Sat

4-N51 on Sat

5-N45 on sat

6-N74 on sat

 

And, since they have the first two quaters and those aren't full eliminations, they probably have more room to work with for early July service adjustments. Every quarter and annually they have to view the budget and make sure service is inline with the budget.

 

The budget year starts April 1st and ends March 31'st. So basically look out for adjustments Early April, July, October and January, if necessary. Which is not too different from any agencies "new picks". LIB's adjustments tended to be End March, June, September and Early Jan/end Dec.

 

But the problem is that it's at the expense of the local passengers.

 

Instead of having a local every 8-10 minutes and an express every 10 minutes, what they should've done was have a local every 15 minutes, a limited every 15 minutes, and an express every 15 minutes. At least the problem of crushloaded locals vs. relatively empty expresses wouldn't occur, and it would cost roughly the same amount of money.

They're doing something like that with the N22.

 

Most of the crowding on the N6 are from those going from the Subway to Hempstead. In between those points there are passengers that get on and off but not enough to fill a bus to the crush loads that are present today. (side anecdote:The N6 was not packed during the NYCT strike.)

 

If the majority of those thru-riders are on their "own bus" out of the way, the locals then have room to pick everyone up and handle the turn over of passengers, and because the buses shouldn't be crush loaded, dwell times should decrease. Now, because there are no stops between 179th and Westminster Road, that speeds up the trip and entices riders to choose the Express It's going to attract riders from other routes and the N31.N32, N15 etc that could take the N4 or N22 instead (the N22X is reverse peak direction). so that may increase ridership. And so, with those people out of the way, the bus Local can pick up riders all the way through to the Queens Border going west and all the way through Hempstead going east. Much less flagging (during rush hour). I mean, I've seen people at Springfield Blvd get flagged, by multiple buses!

 

Also, by going only as far as 179th street, the bus can swing around and do another trip to Hempstead rather quickly. It's basically a money-saving quick people mover. Less running time, no time wasted going to the Terminal, moving large amounts of people quickly, while improving service, making passengers happy (perhaps not some Limited customers), and speeding up their commutes.

 

Initially I didn't like the idea of the Limited being replaced, but I can respect the premise. Having each service (N6/L/X)every 15 mins with it's known bunching problems would not bode well.

 

I see from the N6 and N70/N1/72 schedules they time their buses smartly. With the N6 they time the N6X to come first after a gap. So the waiting passengers build up then the first choice they get is the Express. then a few mins later the Local comes.

 

With he N70/1/2 they're evenly spaced along the trunk. But westbound, they're timed at Route 110 for there to be a gap in service, with the first westbound bus being a N70 followed a lil bit later by a 72. This way the most empty bus will arrive and pick up the waiting passengers and those along the way, then the N72 behind it with passengers already on from Babylon can pick up the residuals.

Edited March 20, 2012 by N6 Limited

[User]

Yea I expected a little more information, but can't really rely on Mangano, can we?

 

http://www.wpix.com/videogallery/68916131/News/mocker:-getting-the-boot-in-nassau#pl-62885206

[KeystoneRegional]

Yea I expected a little more information, but can't really rely on Mangano, can we?

 

http://www.wpix.com/videogallery/68916131/News/mocker:-getting-the-boot-in-nassau#pl-62885206

 

Mangano knows nothing, Veolia knows nothing, or they both know something but ran the cuts due to politics because of dysfunctional Mangano and Schmitt, SMH!!!

[Marctalky1]

mangano knows nothing, veolia knows nothing, or they both know something but ran the cuts due to politics because of dysfunctional mangano and schmitt, smh!!!

 

 

we us bus riders know the most!!!!!

[Joel Up Front]

I'm still baffled as to why I don't get transfers from the N31 when I get them from the N32 just fine and why they reduced the headways. I always end up in Hempstead just minutes after that N32 leaves at 2:40 PM, and I'm forced to either take the N6 or wait 30 minutes in the middle of the ghetto, with few places to sit. Before, the headways went to 20 minutes after 2:12 so there was a 2:32 bus and a 2:52 bus. As I've said before, I wish a swift ****kick to the geniuses who thought of that.

 

 

I tried taking the N6 again. While the Orion V I got on had an empty seat and the bus operator got to NHP Road on time, I had to wait another 25 minutes for the N25.

[N6 Limited]

Mangano knows nothing, Veolia knows nothing, or they both know something but ran the cuts due to politics because of dysfunctional Mangano and Schmitt, SMH!!!

 

It's simple, running light buses is not conducive to maintaining the budget.

 

I'm still baffled as to why I don't get transfers from the N31 when I get them from the N32 just fine and why they reduced the headways. I always end up in Hempstead just minutes after that N32 leaves at 2:40 PM, and I'm forced to either take the N6 or wait 30 minutes in the middle of the ghetto, with few places to sit. Before, the headways went to 20 minutes after 2:12 so there was a 2:32 bus and a 2:52 bus. As I've said before, I wish a swift ****kick to the geniuses who thought of that.

 

 

I tried taking the N6 again. While the Orion V I got on had an empty seat and the bus operator got to NHP Road on time, I had to wait another 25 minutes for the N25.

 

When the buses were on 20 min headways how full were they? Also, do you reverse engineer your trips? Use the schedules to plan your trips out and and see which routes have you wait the least amount of time, etc.

[Burrstone]

Scofflaw patrol? Are you kidding me I thought that was a joke at first when I saw the truck. I wonder who was fortunate enough to get that contract and the $166 boot fee.

 

When I forst saw mocker, I liked him, yea standing up against the ridiculous crap. & more importantly questioning it and not just accepting the answers we are force fed.

 

But now he just seems to pick petty shit arguments or "points" just to get people to watch.

 

"People are already complaining that service will be cut, or adjusted..." Really Mocker? Maybe a private company is supposed to foot the bill to keep service as it is, that the County, State, or Federal governments will not pay for! How about informing the "upset" public that they are still better off than the "skeleton system" the wanted to run for more money!

 

This is Journalism!?! Mocker could have asked any question BUT instead asked an objective question (not even on topic) to stir the pot and hope to get "upset" viewers to tune in!

[petabread]

I'm coming on here to tell ya'll about my very fun experience today! This was my third time taking NICE bus and it was by far the worst but the others weren't that great. The first time was the first week of January, the N6 was missing a trip or two, all I remember was waiting for thirty minutes at Jamaica for one bus to show up and pick us up. Next up was last month same thing happened on the N6. Today however, was something else. I took the N22 from Jamaica to Roosevelt Field and took it back when I was done there. The N22 left on time from Jamaica but we quickly fell behind schedule, lots of people and lots of stops. I was looking at the timetable for the next pick and I see they are cutting the running time of the N22 at the time I took it today, dear lord I don't want to know what that is going to look like. We got to Roosevelt Field 20 minutes late and as I'm exiting the parking lot I see the other N22 right behind us.

 

This my friends is the least of my problems today. I took the N22 back later on and our bus stops in the middle of the road. Some how the driver manages to get us to Mineola where the bus starts smoking. We are now waiting for the next bus to show up. A while later the driver tells us that the bus behind us broke down too. A little while later another bus shows up, somewhat full but we all squeeze in. We get to Hillside Ave and Marcus and guess what?! Another N22 broke down and waiting for his people to be picked up, didn't manage to get all of them in.

 

Oh, it's not over. The A/C starts dripping every where in the bus, people sitting can't go anywhere, driver alerted still is going. Then we get to Jamaica bus terminal and as the bus is turning in the engine shuts off, we don't make it to the bay. I couldn't help but laugh inside, this everybody is NICE.

 

I recently heard Mangano or somebody say that their pullouts were at 100% but what is their MDBF? I asked the driver today who dropped us off at Jamaica about her reactions to NICE Bus. She said that there are about 30 buses sitting in MF that are broke down and everyday her bus or the buses around her are breaking down. She said that since Veolia has taken over, there hasn't been very many days where she has had a leader and follower for her entire shift. This is sad. Oh well, I guess it was expected.

[N6 Limited]

Well of course you know it's because they're using the old Orion V's with the orange and blue stripes, they have always had breakdown problems. I heard it was because of LIB's maintenance and that the more break-downs they got, the more grant money they received.

 

With the new bus delivery they'll retire the O5's.

 

When I forst saw mocker, I liked him, yea standing up against the ridiculous crap. & more importantly questioning it and not just accepting the answers we are force fed.

 

But now he just seems to pick petty shit arguments or "points" just to get people to watch.

 

"People are already complaining that service will be cut, or adjusted..." Really Mocker? Maybe a private company is supposed to foot the bill to keep service as it is, that the County, State, or Federal governments will not pay for! How about informing the "upset" public that they are still better off than the "skeleton system" the wanted to run for more money!

 

This is Journalism!?! Mocker could have asked any question BUT instead asked an objective question (not even on topic) to stir the pot and hope to get "upset" viewers to tune in!

 

 

I agree with your thoughts on Mocker. As for the section I bolded, why is it that the Media doesn't actually inform the public with facts such as that? Would they not seem "neutral", would it sound "opinionated"?

[petabread]

The first N22 I was on that broke down was an Orion V, the one we saw at Hillside and Marcus was a wrapped Orion VII and the bus I was on when it broke down at Jamaica was also an Orion VII, both 18xx, I don't remember exact numbers.

[Burrstone]

True they may sound biased, but I don't think I've seen a Mocker segment that has not been biased against the .

 

All I'm saying is these journalists see people are upset about cuts/adjustments and stir the pot so people tune in to watch them, they continue the hysteria so they can be sure they have a segment on the air every night.

 

What about informing the public who is upset about these servic cuts that there is no money to keep service as it is, and they are actually going to be getting more with less from NICE over the . I wonder how much of the general public know that, because it seems the news we here is "omg NICE cutting/changing service, tune in at 11 so I still have a job." lol

[Joel Up Front]

It's simple, running light buses is not conducive to maintaining the budget.

 

*coughN8081cough*

 

 

 

When the buses were on 20 min headways how full were they? Also, do you reverse engineer your trips? Use the schedules to plan your trips out and and see which routes have you wait the least amount of time, etc.

 

I've thought of every alternative and more likely than not tried it, and I found that the 31/32 and 6 take a similar amount of time to reach their transfer points to the 25, but the wait for the 25 coming down (as opposed to going up) is godawful. The N43 and anything involving Freeport are out of the question because that's another 20-30 minutes to a trip which takes an hour and a half as is. At least before, if I had missed the 2:32, the 2:52 was always there. Now if I miss the 2:40 I have to fight just to stay awake and their smart idea to reduce the afternoon headways to 20 minutes from 15 will only create more crowded buses.

[N6 Limited]

True they may sound biased, but I don't think I've seen a Mocker segment that has not been biased against the .

 

All I'm saying is these journalists see people are upset about cuts/adjustments and stir the pot so people tune in to watch them, they continue the hysteria so they can be sure they have a segment on the air every night.

 

What about informing the public who is upset about these servic cuts that there is no money to keep service as it is, and they are actually going to be getting more with less from NICE over the . I wonder how much of the general public know that, because it seems the news we here is "omg NICE cutting/changing service, tune in at 11 so I still have a job." lol

 

Precisely! This is why NICE said "we'll tell you the details at the Community Meeting"

 

The first N22 I was on that broke down was an Orion V, the one we saw at Hillside and Marcus was a wrapped Orion VII and the bus I was on when it broke down at Jamaica was also an Orion VII, both 18xx, I don't remember exact numbers.

Are Orion's crap?

 

*coughN8081cough*

 

 

 

 

 

I've thought of every alternative and more likely than not tried it, and I found that the 31/32 and 6 take a similar amount of time to reach their transfer points to the 25, but the wait for the 25 coming down (as opposed to going up) is godawful. The N43 and anything involving Freeport are out of the question because that's another 20-30 minutes to a trip which takes an hour and a half as is. At least before, if I had missed the 2:32, the 2:52 was always there. Now if I miss the 2:40 I have to fight just to stay awake and their smart idea to reduce the afternoon headways to 20 minutes from 15 will only create more crowded buses.

 

We all know that Veolia had "problems" when trying to make changes to the N80/N81 and we all know why. We also know that if more adjustments need to be made the N81/N81 will not be spared/omitted.

 

I've been on the N32 many times between Lynbrook and Hempstead, it was RARE that I had to stand on the bus. The public must realize that filled seat's are not a "problem" nor is it "crowded".

 

Have you tried the N22/N24 to the N25?

[Joel Up Front]

Then you must be lucky. Once 2:00 passes, those things will end up SRO. This is already on top of a 30 minute wait because I just missed the last bus.

[N6 Limited]

Have you checked the new schedules and how to get home using the N43/16/35? and which one gets you to a N32 in a reasonable time?

[N6 Limited]

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/documents/584-11pt1.pdf

 

There it is.

[User]

I remember downloading that when it was first released at the beginning of the year.

[N6 Limited]

I think it should be sticky'ed for reference. Its actually not a tedious contract to read and it's interesting.

[KeystoneRegional]

we us bus riders know the most!!!!!

 

It's simple, running light buses is not conducive to maintaining the budget.

 

 

That is why I heard rumors which could be news that Veolia is trying to quit Nassau after just 60-90 days in Nassau. Mangano and Schmitt is running everything, they are corrupt, dysfunctional, too powerful and d-bags who should be audited.

[nostalgia]

I think it should be sticky'ed for reference. Its actually not a tedious contract to read and it's interesting.

 

The most interesting part is where the county calculated the MTA vehicle cost/hour $41 higher than Veolia.

[N6 Limited]

I hear Nassau is having another Fiscal emergency

[User]

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE: 10 mins ago, I saw 1802 (which has NOT been repainted yet) going down Douglaston Pkwy towards the L.I.E. I can guess he came from Northern Blvd, but I didn't know some NICE drivers take Douglaston Pkwy as means of travel!

[KeystoneRegional]

@Brett: Perhaps the bus is running light.

 

@N6L: It's all caused by the bs school system, despite being good in quality, the whole school board and system should get a salary cut or face closures, elimination of programs or staff being fired.

[User]

@Brett: Perhaps the bus is running light.

 

@N6L: It's all caused by the bs school system, despite being good in quality, the whole school board and system should get a salary cut or face closures, elimination of programs or staff being fired.

 

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the bus was not in service.

[User]

Also, looks like the N79 stop at Walt Whitman Mall is being moved:

 

Starting Monday, April 2nd, the bus stop for the n79, along with the stops for Suffolk Transit, and HART transit buses will be moved from the west side of the Walt Whitman Shops to the south side of the mall. These new bus stops will be located near Legal Seafood.