nostalgia

Today, I took 9:30 N20 Hicksville #1821 at Flushing-Main St and it got extreme crush loaded from all the way from rear to end. One Chinese lady caused chain reaction forcing this B/O to be very late. Chain reactions continue on most along Sanford Av-Northern Blvd until Clearview Expressway. It was very insane and it properly going to miss time transfer with N27 Glen Clove and Glen Clove passengers have to wait another 1-hour.

He was very late for his next run N79 to Walt Whitman Mall.

I'm extremely skeptical that the N20 interlines with the N79. I posted the Saturday schedules for N20, N73, N79, and N24 and showed that the best interline combination was N73 and N79.

Here in NYC, they have variances, so if your walk to the local bus stop is too far, or if it's dangerous (either because of crime or because of a lack of sidewalks or something), they're supposed to give you variances. They could give variances to the 90% of kids who don't live near the N73/N74, and then make the 10% that live near those routes take the bus.

 

But then again, those routes only run once an hour (once every 30 minutes combined), so it might not be worth the hassle of trying to accomodate the students because the bus doesn't fit the school schedule.

 

It wouldn't help me if I lived in Seaford. I'd have to take the N54/N55 to Wantagh Avenue and wait for the N73/N74. I haven't checked the schedules but I don't see making a connection between the lines a priority.

There are no business by the N73 except by Division ave, McAurthur high schools village green and not good business on hempstead turnpike. and the N74 passes by nassau mall there is more need for the 74 then 73 in my opinion. Why can't Levittown schools make kids take the 73 if they need to go to Mcaurthur high school and vise versa for sports and other activities?

 

Every student who goes to MacArthur HS and Salk JHS doesn't live on the N73 route. I certainly didn't when I went to MacArthur. (I lived near Jerusalem Avenue.) I know the city has reduced transportation metrocards for students. But Levittown has a fleet of school buses to accomodate different school schedules and athletic events.

N21/N23/N27/N24/N78/N79 routes, purely ridiculous changes done by Veolia and Nassau County.

 

There's no loss of service on Old Country Road by extending the N24 to Hicksville and cutting back N78/N79. N23 and N27 are seen as duplicative north/south service so one was cut during the non rush.

NICE had to cut $7M. N73/N74 were cut back during the non rush to one bus per hour in each direction.

They fixed the Southern Nassau services well and logically (except N73/80/81 which should be cut to peak only). However, the Northern Nassau service is horrible, I don't seem to enjoy the reliable service anymore and all the fixes doesn't make sense. In my opinion, still Mangano and Schmitt is running the changes...

 

It would be helpful if you were more specific about what is not reliable anymore.

I found some interlining done. N73 is with the 79. 79 and 50 interline. 50 and 46. 46 and 6 interline. I saw one driver Paddle that said this.

To specify 79 and 50 might only be one run but I gotta check.

 

I posted an analysis last Sunday that the N73 and N79 interline in both directions at Hicksville, at least on Saturdays. 50 and 46 have interlined at Bellmore for some time.

The n16x makes two stops:Hempstead and NCC. N16X can pick up in NCC but after student union it goes express to Hempstead. I wanted to take it but the driver was looking for NCC ID. Since the bus only goes to NCC, students with proper NCC ID can board. Not even NCC staff can go on the n16x , which is retarded. Everyone else has to take n43 during those times

 

I just checked the schedule. There's no mention that only students can ride the N16X.

Claims of ignorance remind me of the expression Ignorance is bliss. County residents who are forum members would be chewing out the county and Veolia if they felt these changes were kept a secret. Members have posted newspaper articles. NICE couldn't make clearer on the website about the changes.

I live in Westchester County. It's ridiculous to think I know more about the changes than passengers who regularly use the bus. Were the new timetables available at transit hubs on April 4? The same people who didn't know about the changes probably haven't started to prepare their income taxes.

I saw the 8:51am N6 Express to Hempstead (Last Express of the AM rush). There was one person on board. There were two Locals after it a few mins later, within 2 mins of each other, but neither was packed.

 

This evening will be interesting with most N6 Expresses leaving from 179th street when virtually everyone trying to catch the N6 gets off at 169th street. Can we say packed locals , light expresses?

 

Yeah there are new timetables for the routes. Go to nicebus.com or call and complain, It sucks being flagged by a bus that is not full only for the next bus to be packed.

 

 

nice didn't mention any bay changes with their service change announcements. We found out because "Q23 Central Term" had a System Map with the diagram on the back. But then again, they should have seen the new signs.

 

The system map on NICE's website doesn't show specific Hempstead bay assignments; just the routes that service the Transit Center.

So according to the article, the N6 and N22 now go to Flushing. Thats news to me!

 

They point out that the new N6 and N22 express routes, to and from Jamaica and Flushing, respectively, could cut travel time up to 20 minutes each way.

I just found this article about the state budget providing a little extra funding to Nassau and Suffolk's transit systems: http://blog.tstc.org...ransit-systems/

 

I wonder what cuts would be restored if the money went to Nassau (as in, which ones are a priority). Or maybe they think SCT needs it more, and they could use it to help fund Sunday service.

 

BTW, was that you who posted the comment N6 LTD?

 

Article states Nassau gets $4M. Cuts are supposed to close $7M shortage. I'd hold onto all of it and see if cuts will realize $7M in savings. $4M should go to cover any shortage in saving $7M. With so many comments about broken down buses, perhaps the funds should go for maintenance. It makes no sense to restore cuts. That's only putting off the inevitable.

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Below is my SATURDAY analysis.

N79 arrives Hicksville at :00 and leaves at :40

N24 arrives Hicksville at :30 and leaves at :53

N22 arrives Hicksville at :15, leaves at :30; arrives at :45. leaves at :00

N73 arrives HIcksville at :30 and leaves at :10

N20 arrives Hicksville at :47 and leaves at :01

The running times on N20, N22, and N24 average 75 minutes. Recovery time is usually 10% of running time which would be about 8 minutes for each. I SPECULATE that N22 turns on itself. Yes, the layover is 15 minutes with recovery of 8 minutes. However, it's easier to remember a departure time if it's clockface, which in this case is :30 and :00. N24 and N73 BOTH arrive at :30. Either N24 OR N73 turns to the next N79 which leaves at :40. However, even with 8 minutes recovery time on the N24, if anything goes wrong, it will leave late on the N79. I SPECULATE that the N24 turns on itself. I also SPECULATE that the N20 turns on itself. I SPECULATE that the arriving N73 goes out on the next N79 at :40. Running time is 35 minutes so recovery time would be 4 minutes, enough time for a 10 minute interline. I SPECULATE that the arriving N79 goes out on the next N73. N79 running time is about 40 minutes for recovery time of 4 minutes, enough time for a 10 minute interline.

Bottom line: N79 and N73 interline at Hicksville.

(I'm really sticking my neck out on this.) Back to proofing my state income tax return which isn't as exciting.

Easy way to find the interlinings: make a chart!

 

Saturdays

 

:00 N79 Hicksville

:00 N22 Jamaica

:01 N20 Flushing

:10 N73 Wantagh

:15 N22 Hicksville

:30 N24 Hicksville

:30 N22 Jamaica

:30 N73 Hicksville

:40 N79 Huntington

:45 N22 Hicksville

:47 N20 Hicksville

:53 N24 Jamaica

 

Sundays:

 

:00 N22 Jamaica

:09 N22 Hicksville

:14 N20 Flushing

:28 N24 Hicksville

:30 N22 Jamaica

:38 N20 Hicksville

:39 N22 Hicksville

:45 N79 Huntington

:53 N24 Jamaica

:55 N79 Hicksville

 

Note that N49/80/81 can't be factored in because they have different terminal locations.

 

I was busy working on my state tax return and didn't have time to prepare a chart. I have to modify your good work by showing the arrival and departure times of the buses at Hicksville. If an departing N79 leaves before an arriving N79, the departing N79 has to come from somewhere else.

Does anyone know if the n20 will interlink with the 79. What I have to say is that my cousin sometimes exaggerates about stuff. (Man I wish my Cousin didn't share the same name as me) I saw schedules inside a building full of schedules all over. N6 that I was on BTW was packed that It flagged from Queens to Herricks Road. Man that was nice.

 

We should be able to figure it out from looking at the schedule. If the N79 and N24 have long layovers in Hicksville, it's a good bet they interline.

Does anyone know if the n20 will interlink with the 79. What I have to say is that my cousin sometimes exaggerates about stuff. (Man I wish my Cousin didn't share the same name as me) I saw schedules inside a building full of schedules all over. N6 that I was on BTW was packed that It flagged from Queens to Herricks Road. Man that was nice.

 

Not on Sunday

 

There's no N21 on Saturday as well.

-There is a NICE bus map that says "Effective April 2012" towards the "Front" of the terminal, but it must have been printed before the approved PDF on the site. It shows the N23 Continuing from Mineola Intermodal Center along Old Country Road and Continuing to Hicksville via East Gate Blvd & Old Country Road in the Nassau Hub Inset. Hmm, Original Plan not removed from map, or just a mistake?

 

I hope this doesn't mean that the printed system maps have the same error.

I wonder how will N27 turns around at Roslyn Station and how will N24/N78/N79 will turn around?

Click on the schedules and look at the maps though it's not clear how the N27 turns around. From what I remember. Railroad Avenue is probably wide enough to turn the N27 around.

N46 and N51 both travel on Merrick Avenue. N46 turns left onto Front to Hempstead and N51 continues straight. There's service on Front (N47 in the rush and N48 and N49 during the day.)

I understand that the N23 and N27 schedules might be coordinated for passengers to continue in the SAME direction. However, there's a minimal wait to reverse direction on the other days of the week. I'm only talking about adjusting the Saturday schedule by two minutes. It seems easier to change the N27 schedule to always arrive ahead of the N23 since the Roslyn Station is the most important time point on the route for N27. I don't know if N27 interlines with N21 in Glen Cove. If it does, it could make the schedule adjustment more difficult.

 

I look forward to NICE's response and will post it here.

 

Here's NICE's repsonse:

All the April 8^th timetables are currently on our website. The new April 8^th schedules will be available at Hempstead and Mineola by Wed. April 4^th. Regarding typo correction, all corrections will be aplyed to the next timetables printed.

Right, they don't mention any timed connections between the N20 and N27 at all, though they're scheduled to connect.

 

Looking at the schedules, during the hours that the currently N21 runs on they have eastbound N20's scheduled to arrive at Glen Cove Road about 10 mins before the N27 to Glen Cove on Weekdays and Saturdays. On Sunday's it's 5 mins.

 

South-westbound on Saturdays they have Roslyn LIRR Bound N27s' Scheduled to get to Northern Blvd 6 mins before the N20 to Flushing, Sundays and weekdays its 4 mins.

 

I don't know if the N21/27 connection is planned or is a coincidence.

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.

N47 who uses it why does it run its mostly empty. N46 should just get powered up then rerouted to roosevelt field via nassau hub and eisenhower park.

The N21 would be cut to run during rush hours only, so there wouldn't be any interlining on Saturday.

 

I'm too lazy to check. Do they have the N27-N20 connection on the timetable as well (for N21 riders)?

The only connecting service on the N27 timetable is with N23 because N23 is a continuation of former N27 service.

N47 who uses it why does it run its mostly empty. N46 should just get powered up then rerouted to roosevelt field via nassau hub and eisenhower park.

A rerouted N46 looks like N51 at Merrick Avenue.

Which typos are you referring to? Also, I don't see a missing connection to or from the N23 on Saturday.

Ah I see some of those issues now.

I don't believe there is supposed to be an intentional connection between the southbound N27 and northbound N23, only in the same direction.

 

Is anyone going to try the N23/N27 hybrid route just to see how it works?

I understand that the N23 and N27 schedules might be coordinated for passengers to continue in the SAME direction. However, there's a minimal wait to reverse direction on the other days of the week. I'm only talking about adjusting the Saturday schedule by two minutes. It seems easier to change the N27 schedule to always arrive ahead of the N23 since the Roslyn Station is the most important time point on the route for N27. I don't know if N27 interlines with N21 in Glen Cove. If it does, it could make the schedule adjustment more difficult.

I look forward to NICE's response and will post it here.