PinePower

I came within a foot of being hit by an SUV in Bellmore last week crossing Sunrise Highway at Bellmore Ave. I was on the E side of the intersection crossing south. I had the walk sign, but the left turning cars kept going despite the green arrow going off, and some woman in an SUV went thru and cursed at me, and came within a foot of hitting me. She drove off and I couldn't get a clear photo of the license plate. Later that week I noticed the same problem, once the left turn arrow goes off, the cars turning from s/b Bellmore to e/b Sunrise keep going, resulting in alot of honking from n/b traffic. The motorists here are the worst, and they are getting even more worse. Almost everyday there are near misses on the bus. Motorists often like to pull out in front of the bus at driveways, or cut off the buses as they pull out of bus stops. As far as that turn with the n22, it's dangerous because the n22 has to get all the way over to the left and impatient motorists try to cut it off, then there's the left turn onto W.John which has alot of s/b traffic to contend with and a short green arrow. The n22 stop could be moved farther south under the tracks (where the n24 & n79 stop) to give more time for the bus to get over. But the combination of dangerous motorists and some of the worst traffic signals in the nation make things bad for buses. I see the red light cameras going up everywhere but they dont address the other issues with motorists. Also messed up traffic lights make motorists even more impatient. The traffic lights and cameras should be controlled from a central location, to help with traffic flow and spot dangerous motorists before they cause an accident.

Another accident? Sure seems to be alot lately, heard of one on the n19 and in Manhasset last week. The roads seem to be getting more dangerous lately.

I wonder if he drives the n24 because that sounds just like a driver I've had on the n24, same driving style.

the 319's are just creeping on the GSP, all the cars pass us like we're standing still, esp on and around the Driscoll. Wonder if it had to with the NJSP incident. And when I was on the 319 on Sunday with 7185 I had a scare the driver pulled over on the NJTP around the airport, was worried it was breaking down (knowing the history of that bus), but he forgot to set the Clever Devices, once he did we were on our way.

Been noticing an across the board slowdown on NJT buses, no more speedy rides on the GSP anymore.

Yeah ridership on the n27 weekends took a huge hit, the "Shuttle to Nowhere" is rarely more than 25% full! I have a feeling alot of ppl from Glen Cove switched to the LIRR, or had friends drive them to Roslyn for the n23.

Aren't there already GPS in the NG's and the V's? It was used for tracking purposes, but failed under the MTA, Veolia says they were trying to fix it. I think the devices were labeled Orbital?

Can't really fault a driver for running less than 5 min early. The problem with LIBRU is focus, they simply don't have any. They need to pick a major problem and stick with it. The problem with Glen Cove service on weekends with the n27 should've been their main cause, but instead they branch into all these other little issues and also don't try and work with NICE to resolve them. While drivers running early, wheelchair lifts, and announcements are issues, they are not issues I would make a priority. I would reach out to riders who have been affected by the April changes last year, such as those on the n27, who now often have to add an hour to their trip thanks to frequent missed connections in Roslyn. The solution is simple, have the n27 run to RF on weekends, and on Saturdays have the n20 Roslyn trips go to CW Post like they do on Sunday so they have to only wait 30 in case of a missed Flushing connection. All NICE has to do is add one bus to the n27, and 2 buses should cover the weekend service between RF and Glen Cove (60 min headways). But LIBRU doesn't do these things and is just like a whining baby (sorry Yuki). I just dont think NICE is aware of how some of their changes have had negative impacts. Sure they've pissed me off numerous times, but not everything they have done is bad. They are doing a better job marketing bus service (like to Jones Beach) and are communicating better with riders via social media. And yes they are doing more with less, even if I haven't been crazy about some of their drivers.

Supershuttle is doing work for NICE Able Ride. Photo I took today in Greenvale.

Sounds like a typical n74 trip, lol. Now the N79 I'm surprised about, perhaps the bus before it was running late.

It didn't bother me they didn't have a clipboard, I just suck at writing without one. They were only having a few ppl at a time fill one out.

That whole area is makes Long Island look very mass transit friendly.

Saw surveyers on the n22 today, it was good to see NICE taking an interest in rider opinions, thats more than County or State officials (none of which returned my phone calls about bus problems). Of course I took the survey and filled it out and handed it to them, but they didn't have clipboards so it wasn't easy to write neatly.

Tuesdays only, geesh! How do they get away with such crappy service, especially considering how built up the whole Stafford/Ocean Acres/LBI area is...???

I was researching Long Beach Island which seems to be a popular summer hotspot, but am quite surprised NJ Transit doesn't have any buses going there. You'd have to get off the 559 and walk down 72 a long ways across 2 bridges and through the middle of nowhere. Surprising, considering these buses would be well patronized if they ran summer weekends.

Today I had a bus driver that got pulled over and had no license on him. 2 hour 20 min delay. But wait, that was NJ Transit! I guess I deserve it for dissin' NICE so much!

Well thanks to Mangano my sneakers are more dependable than Nassau Buses.

SATURDAY FUN: The last n73 from Wantagh to Hicksville, to depart at 6:40pm, never showed up. I saw it pass heading south around 6:35pm, but it never came back by the train station. Took the LIRR to Baldwin for the n35. Its getting to the point where I feel like boycotting NICE. What a joke. Mangano can go back to the hole he crawled out of.

1823 must be having problems because I saw it broken down at Roosevelt Field tonight with a maintanance truck behind it. Could this bus be cursed?

The engines in the 1700s are better than in the V's, but you're totally right about the suspension (and the seats) the main reason I dont like the 1700s. But I'll admit, come summer I'd rather have a 17 than a V.

NICE maintenance right there! I can't wait for summer!

I shouldn't have to. It wasnt that unbearable so I didn't. I just dont understand what the big deal is with climate control, they seem to have it mastered elsewhere but in Nassau its like riding a school bus. And it's only gotten worse, these new drivers they have out there are just bad. Most of 'em dont even know how to stop the bus properly, slamming on the brakes so everyone had to hold on to their seats (as cans and bottles roll on the floor). Maybe the climate control is turned off to save fuel, I wouldn't put it past 'em. I'm sorry man I'm just not seeing any improvement, if anything everytime I set foot on NICE it feels like a ghetto on wheels.

Despite the 40 degree temps today, only 1 bus out of 4 I took had the heat on (and they were all 1800s). These new guys just put the driver's heat on and that's it. This was a problem under too but worse with NICE. Nothing more annoying than waiting out in the raw cold only to get on a cool, damp bus with fogged up windows. These stupid b/o's that shut off the HVAC need to be reported.

Any driver with a brain should check their schedule at major timepoints.

Which brings up another point or idea. Much time is lost in schedules by traffic lights. Installing a system for the buses to give green lights for them would save running time. Which in turn reduces labor and fuel costs. I bet such a system would pay for itself fairly quickly. I've been timing the time spent at red lights on the n20, just between Hicksville and Greenvale and the average is 6-7 minutes. It could be as much as 15 or 20 for the whole trip. That's a significant amount of time that could be saved. It sure would be nice to see such a system implemented, but I think the county is too in love with motorists to do it.