PinePower

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.

Whoever was driving 1709 on the N20 Limited to Flushing today had no idea what he was doing. I was behind him and he was stopping short,kept braking and speeding up, and almost hit another car at Douglaston Pkwy.

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

Ha, my 139s have been hauling ass as usual. 

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. 

Some of these Academy Middlesex drivers need to speed the hell up when they drive. Some of them are running like 15 minutes late because they drive too slow.

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

N27 should just go back to Roosevelt field period otherwise it shouldn't bother running on weekends. People use it for Roosevelt field take it away from there and the ridership goes byebye. As proven this past year.

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.

Yes, just like how those buses have an older CD/announcement system in general.

 

Older buses have the IVN2, the 3Gs have the IVN3 which is GPS enabled, has the more "human" voice, color touchscreen and so on. We could see the IVN3 installed in the remaining fleet once BusTime is purchased unless they do upgrades adding GPS equipment and BusTime capability/software to the IVN2s.

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 uses 15-passenger blue Ford vans with no lifts, you see them in Manhattan everywhere. They're a shared-ride airport van service.

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

Geez I was on the N74 today and it was empty I took the 5 53 from Wantagh LIRR to Hicksville EMPTY 13 passengers including myself for the whole trip. The N79 I went on after had even less with 7 people at 6 45.

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

More specifically, weren't they only looking for NCC students?  Or is this open to all students?  What is the compensation?  I know they get to ride the bus for free, any other compensation?

 

 

It never hurts to ask!

 

 

I swear, you'll find anything to complain about.  You say it's nice that NICE is taking an interest in peoples opinions, within the same breath you bitch that they didn't bring a clipboard for you to write on.     How many people were filling out the comment form?  Imagine how many clipboards these people would have to carry for everyone on the bus to use?  

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. 

Well you can't wonder why Toms River park & ride stays filled with cars, that's for sure.....

 

pfft, oceanride is basically an extended shuttle bus network....

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. 

wanna see oceanride's LBI schedule? SPOILER WARNING: IT's complete shit!!!!!!!

http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/transportation/TransportationRouteLinkPage.aspx

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.

Too bad the buses don't move as fast as the points whizzing over your head. 

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!

NO!!!  What will NICE do you bitch about?

 

 

 

 

Actually the jokes on you, I don't know what Mangano drives but unlike I don't think the only transportation he owns is his sneakers.   

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.

"This was right after it passed 1823 which had broken down and required a dispatcher to come, and all this was going on while an N25 waiting to get onto Community Drive saw all this.  

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 1700s were the original NGs and were built in such a way that when they go over the bumps and are on roads that aren't paved so well, you really feel it. Most of us like that in a bus, but some people just complain needlessly about it. But hey, you wanna be on a V that breaks down in the middle of your trip, be my guest.

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.

"Why don't I see an Orion V anymore?"

 

I took an N20L home rather than taking the shuttle, just for the sake of doing so, and got off for the N25.  Orion V 1624 pulled up not even 5 minutes after I got to the stop.  Right before the LIE underpass, the bus started beeping and the engine stalled.  This was right after it passed 1823 which had broken down and required a dispatcher to come, and all this was going on while an N25 waiting to get onto Community Drive saw all this.  The bus operator started the bus back up and was able to get to at least the first stop on Union Turnpike before stalling again.  I heard the starter but the engine didn't turn over, so the B/O tried again and started it up.  This time it was able to limp downhill and towards Hillside Avenue and down the rest of the line.  Then again, it was a 13 year old bus and the transmission sounded like it wanted to give while I haven't seen any issues with any NG I've been on since last November.

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

Maybe you can just ask them to turn/off the heat?  If they have their own heat maybe they don't realize that the passeneger area has gotten uncomfortable?

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.

The added running time is what leads to buses running early as you saw.

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

Within the past few months, they have added running time to routes such as the N22 and N24.  Running times now vary by time of day to reflect realistic traffic conditions, which has helped greatly to keep the buses on schedule.

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. 

Really? You're really gonna make this another vs Veolia conversation. Understand that if Nassau isn't going to spend the money, you're not gonna get the back. Also understand that Solages has no power over Mangano to completely change the system. For now, Veolia is doing more than the did. You can't blame them if they're low on drivers and nobody applies. However, your precious LIBRU and their little campaigns find every little thing to bitch about.

Reliability is worse than with the MTA. Has Veolia done more with less? Yes they have. But it comes at the expense of quality. Sure Veolia can schedule more service than , but there's a bigger chance that bus will show up late or not at all. I've seen stuff with NICE I never saw with LIB. Like today, n20 nearly 10 minutes early at Greenvale, guy just left without even looking at the schedule. And since it's a Sunday, anyone who didn't arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time would have to wait an hour for the next bus. And they are hardly cleaned, the floors are covered with garbage and cans rolling all over the place. Thursday I arrived at Hicksville LIRR 2:24pm for the 2:29pm n20, but it never showed or left early. Then later on the n35 the driver "didn't feel" like stopping at NCC by the Tower, and made a left instead of a right. Then another winner tonight on the n35, talking to someone on a phone and running a steady red light on Post Ave. Sure if one reads the website and all the news blurbs it sounds hunky dory. But as a regular rider I've seen service that is less reliable than with the MTA. Of course the real blame lies with Nassau County, if had been properly funding bus service, would've been part of a regional bus network with the MTA. Veolia isn't bad per say, but they are able to provide more service with lower budgets by cutting labor and maintanance costs and this affects reliability. And that's a fact. Many of these new drivers would be more fit driving a cab or dollar van. Seriously how hard is it to remember to check your schedule??? And you're right, the BRU is useless because they haven't addressed the real serious issues that affect the majority of riders and instead nitpick small stuff. If they were serious about organizing, they'd update their FB, have a YT channel, and reach out to the riders at major transfer points and colleges (RF,NCC). Instead they're just a small group of people ranting about stuff instead of trying to form a movement. Are riders better off with Veolia/NICE than with under the given budget? Yes, most certainly. But, we'd have been truly better off had the County coughed up the reasonable amount of money the MTA wanted. We would've still had more service hours and better service quality. And don't say we don't have the money. If I were in Mangano's shoes I would've found the money. Certainly it's there among all the Range Rovers, X5s, and Escalade's I see daily.