My first ride on a LI Bus NG

[Forest Glen]

Today I was bored so I headed to Roosevelt Field. I got on the N22A at 165st. It was a NG. The buses have pros and cons. The ride is very smooth, especially for a low floor bus. I nearly fell asleep. However, there isn't enough legroom (especially on the upper level seats). Anyone 6'0"+ will have to squeeze into a seat. The seats also have these ridges (I don't know why. They definitely don't make the seat any more comfortable). After picking up people at 182nd (near the ) there were about 25 people on the bus. However, half the people got off at the first Nassau stop. The bus flew down Hillside Avenue but it was sluggish between East Williston and Roosevelt Field.

 

Roosevelt Field mall improved from the last time I went there (Columbus Day 2008). There's a new Lego store and a store that sells miscellaneous gadgets (not Spencer, it's a less racy store). The Palisades is still infinitely better but Roosevelt Field is definitely the 2nd best mall in the tri-state area.

 

The return trip was miserable. The N15, usually one of the most reliable routes, took 20 minutes to come. The N35 was already at the stop when I arrived but I didn't know that the N35 also went to Hempstead. While on the N15 I overheard a guy (late teens/early 20's, you can guess the skin color) asking for directions to the probation office. That tells you the type of people who ride the N15. At HTC I picked up some schedules. I proceeded to board the N6. As we left, nearly every seat was filled (even though it was 7:30ish and reverse peak). It was smooth sailing until we arrived at New Hyde Park Road. The bus stalled for 5 minutes (there was no way it was running hot). LI Bus sucks as much as it did when I last used it in 2008.

[FamousNYLover]

N6 will be more terrible with rush hour cut on Rush Hour N2/N3, etc.

N6 cannot handle anymore crowd because it's already beyond maxium with about 3-4 peoples behind the white line.

[PATCOman]

I have been on a LIB NG back on busfest in October. I agree, the seats don't have enough legroom.

 

Question: is the stop request indicator a bell as in the older buses or the newer "beep"? If it is the latter, these are the first LIBs not to have the bell.

[LRG]

The LI NG buses have a suburban seating pattern...what I found real stupid was that they made the seats face forward in the rear section and have the seats over the wheel...except they're higher up.

 

I rode those buses three times and the first time I sat down, I said to myself, "never again am I sitting on this piece of crap". The seating is uncomfortable as f***!!

 

On a side note, I'm not surprised you overheard a guy who was heading to the probation office. Hempstead and Freeport in are just some of the most slum-infested neighborhoods in Nassau County. I volunteered at a soccer program in Hempstead and I was surrounded by nothing but ghetto people and what not. Ugh! :tdown:

[SoSpectacular]

 

 

Yeah the NG CNGs aren't all that great... they need to rework the seats, especially in the rear section. When the bus gets packed and you're sitting in one of the rear corner seats its a ***** to get off. BTW, they are starting to sound better! This is my first video onboard 1751 on the N6, it's like the only line with headways shorter than 10 minutes on a weekday!

[JohnQPine]

Yeah not that much has improved since the management change. As long as LI Bus exists in name, I still see problems. MTA should drop the LI Bus name and just call it MTA Bus and repaint the Orion V buses in blue and white. I'd also have some routes that go into Queens operate out of NYC depots.

Its been taking too long to fix things around here.

As for as the NG's, I like the seating layout in the NYC ones much better. We should be getting the exact layout and style as the city does. Aren't we supposed to be ONE COMPANY now or what?

[JohnQPine]

The LI NG buses have a suburban seating pattern...what I found real stupid was that they made the seats face forward in the rear section and have the seats over the wheel...except they're higher up.

 

I rode those buses three times and the first time I sat down, I said to myself, "never again am I sitting on this piece of crap". The seating is uncomfortable as f***!!

 

On a side note, I'm not surprised you overheard a guy who was heading to the probation office. Hempstead and Freeport in are just some of the most slum-infested neighborhoods in Nassau County. I volunteered at a soccer program in Hempstead and I was surrounded by nothing but ghetto people and what not. Ugh! :tdown:

 

And thats what gets me, why the MTA chose a suburban style seating if LI Bus is part of MTA Bus now. Most LI Bus routes get crowded just like any other MTA Bus route. The rear section is horrible. I really wish they'd change the layout in the back, its so freakin cramped. I hate sitting in the back of the new buses. As far as Hempstead and Freeport, I try to avoid going thru there as much as possible. I think some pockets in there can easily rival NYC's ghettos.

[BJC]

I'm not really a fan of the Orion NG cng,because of the lack of leg room.If you want more leg room,you need to sit in the last row of seats.

[B35 via Church]

try being 6'3" squeezing into one of those damned things, riding from Hicksville to Flushing!

I had to sit at about a 30 degree angle....

 

like LRG, I too will never sit on those POS's again....

 

yeah, freeport, roosevelt, uniondale, hempstead... are long island's impoverished areas... nothin new... but the creed & type of ppl. that ride the N15, aren't that of what you speak of, at all... Riding the N15 a couple mos. back out of Long beach, I got stares from people like "wtf is this spook doing on this bus"...

[BJC]

I never get a WTF look when I'm out in Long Beach...

[B35 via Church]

^ that's a good thing...

[R32 3348]

At least when we get NG CNG's the seating won't be as cramped as it is on the LI units. That way you can enjoy yourself on an NG CNG (if you're into them) without busting your ass from sitting.

[LRG]

At least when we get NG CNG's the seating won't be as cramped as it is on the LI units. That way you can enjoy yourself on an NG CNG (if you're into them) without busting your ass from sitting.

 

But I won't be able to hear that sexy CNG release sound!!!

 

 

 

LI's NGs don't make it. Neither will the ones we'll be getting most likely.

[BJC]

^^I know....

 

 

[RokuSix]

Love the buses, hate the seats. They fee like sitting on a series of too-tight rubberbands, if that makes sense.

[LRG]

^^I know....

 

 

 

I LOVE that sound!