Burrstone Posted February 19, 2012 Share #1 Posted February 19, 2012 So I'm driving westbound on Merrick Rd in Massapequa (Park?) and see a NICE Bus taking a right off Shore Dr (where the Fire Dept. is)... At first I thought maybe he was on break and took his break at home instead of at the Mall. Nope, the bus said N19 Babylon when it passed me. WTF??? Why was a N19 on Shore Dr.? I expected to see a detour as I went further up Merrick Rd, routing traffic down the side streets, nope. What in the world was he doing off Merrick Rd on the side streets south of Merrick Rd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM5 via Woodhaven Posted February 19, 2012 Share #2 Posted February 19, 2012 Wrong Turn. One time the N19 bus I was on turned unto Country Line RD. so I told the driver to go down RT.110. I noticed we were somewhere off the route after we got to the Southern State Pkwy. We went down 110 and then back on Route at Montauk Hwy. Instead of at Jamaica transferring to the N4 and then the N19, now at Jamaica I take the N6 to the N72. The N19 drivers are known to do that a lot, since they put many new drivers on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted February 19, 2012 I didn't know many new drivers are on the 19, I assumed it was a senior route considering I've seen the same drivers out of RVC on it for years. I personally think it's an easy route straight up and down Merrick/Montauk. I guess the routing to/from the mall is kinda screwy, I never really thought of that cause the area is kinda familiar to me. A thing that would suck about driving that route is that Merrick Rd and Montauk HWY frequently has accidents that causes traffic to be detoured off onto the side streets. These streets are not fun, narrow, and some wind around and can easily turn you around get you lost and not know if you to go left or right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted February 19, 2012 Share #4 Posted February 19, 2012 I remember one time I was on N20 Flushing with male B/O with Sun and properly new female B/O on seat, she got confuse on Sanford Av and asked passenger how to get to Roosevelt, and no one replied. When she made wrong turn, passenger reacted and she were able to come up to Roosevelt Av. I wonder if passenger rides LIB/NICE often, why didn't they help her in first place? Little off-topic, when my friend who was used to be MHV B/O when I took ride on EXP Shuttle Bus bet. Church Av & Jay St-Borough Hall (now MetroTech). He got confuse when he got to Prospect Expressway North and wasn't sure he could fit through overpass, so he asked passenger for assistants and Brooklynites help little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Posted February 20, 2012 Share #5 Posted February 20, 2012 The N19 is a new drivers route? Hmmm, interesting, and that does kinda make sense, considering the two times I've taken the N19, a young driver was on the route. Looked like he was definitely younger than 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted February 20, 2012 I've had a B/O tell me once that no one wants the 19 in the early morning, he said it's BORING as hell from Babylon down Montauk then there is no traffic on Montauk and on Merrick so you have to go really slow or stop for a few minutes on the side of the road every now and then or you will get into Freeport too early and get bitched at by the supervisor. I've also had senior operator who does the 19 evenings tell me she couldn't believe how many people were getting on the 19 at the Freeport RR during the AM rush when she was filling in for someone. I wonder if it's a mix of people on the 19? BC I know of many senior people on the 19. Maybe certain times are more desirable? Maybe the new people are new part time people? Interestingly enough I've noticed it seems like more people I have not seen before doing the 19 since Veolia took over? Then again I don't know everyone who did/does the 19, just see them every once and a while when they pass by me, or occasionally when I take the 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted February 20, 2012 Share #7 Posted February 20, 2012 I've had a B/O tell me once that no one wants the 19 in the early morning, he said it's BORING as hell from Babylon down Montauk then there is no traffic on Montauk and on Merrick so you have to go really slow or stop for a few minutes on the side of the road every now and then or you will get into Freeport too early and get bitched at by the supervisor. I've also had senior operator who does the 19 evenings tell me she couldn't believe how many people were getting on the 19 at the Freeport RR during the AM rush when she was filling in for someone. I wonder if it's a mix of people on the 19? BC I know of many senior people on the 19. Maybe certain times are more desirable? Maybe the new people are new part time people? Interestingly enough I've noticed it seems like more people I have not seen before doing the 19 since Veolia took over? Then again I don't know everyone who did/does the 19, just see them every once and a while when they pass by me, or occasionally when I take the 19. I remember when I took N19 day of MTA Public Hearing at Hofras University, because of rain, N19 roundtrip was not very busy due to little poor weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marctalky1 Posted February 20, 2012 Share #8 Posted February 20, 2012 I've had a B/O tell me once that no one wants the 19 in the early morning, he said it's BORING as hell from Babylon down Montauk then there is no traffic on Montauk and on Merrick so you have to go really slow or stop for a few minutes on the side of the road every now and then or you will get into Freeport too early and get bitched at by the supervisor. I've also had senior operator who does the 19 evenings tell me she couldn't believe how many people were getting on the 19 at the Freeport RR during the AM rush when she was filling in for someone. I wonder if it's a mix of people on the 19? BC I know of many senior people on the 19. Maybe certain times are more desirable? Maybe the new people are new part time people? Interestingly enough I've noticed it seems like more people I have not seen before doing the 19 since Veolia took over? Then again I don't know everyone who did/does the 19, just see them every once and a while when they pass by me, or occasionally when I take the 19. I was told different most senior are on 20 22 24. I feel also there is race involved in route they pick like a black guy won't really choose the 20 because its a mostly white route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted February 20, 2012 I wasn't saying the 19 was THE senior route, just that I know of senior drivers on it, thus surprising me when I heard there were a lot of new drivers on it. I do know under the LIB days the only color senior drivers saw when picking a route was green. Regardless of the route they would pick what had the most hours. There were 10 hour days out there on some of the picks! At top pay, $26.92 an hour is $1,076.80 for 40 hours, over time at time and a half ($40.38/hr) is $403.80 for 10 hours of over time. That's $1,480.60 a week, or $76,991.20 a year just for your regular route! I don't care what route it is, or if the people riding bus have purple skin, I'm picking what has 10, 11 hour days! Wouldn't you? Now that's $77k for their regular work, and then overtime on top of that, such as RR work! Keep in mind their were drivers pulling in over 100 grand a year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted February 20, 2012 Share #10 Posted February 20, 2012 I wasn't saying the 19 was THE senior route, just that I know of senior drivers on it, thus surprising me when I heard there were a lot of new drivers on it. I do know under the LIB days the only color senior drivers saw when picking a route was green. Regardless of the route they would pick what had the most hours. There were 10 hour days out there on some of the picks! At top pay, $26.92 an hour is $1,076.80 for 40 hours, over time at time and a half ($40.38/hr) is $403.80 for 10 hours of over time. That's $1,480.60 a week, or $76,991.20 a year just for your regular route! I don't care what route it is, or if the people riding bus have purple skin, I'm picking what has 10, 11 hour days! Wouldn't you? Now that's $77k for their regular work, and then overtime on top of that, such as RR work! Keep in mind their were drivers pulling in over 100 grand a year! Hence the budget crisis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted February 21, 2012 Look at how much money Veolia is saving just by not allowing these golden picks with 10-11 hour days and trying to keep drivers at 40 hours per week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BZGuy Posted February 21, 2012 Share #12 Posted February 21, 2012 Hence the budget crisis. Don't even go there. I am tired of people trying to put the budget crisis on the front line employees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted February 22, 2012 Share #13 Posted February 22, 2012 Don't even go there. I am tired of people trying to put the budget crisis on the front line employees. No, I'm not blaming front line employees. It's LIB's fault because they allowed runs and things like that, and instead of trying to control costs, they cried for bailouts and threatened fare hikes and mindless route cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted February 22, 2012 Amen! This was not only with drivers, the salines in the office in Garden City was said to be crazy! I heard many "top" people in the office were offered pretty sweet deals with the LIRR and other operations. The should stop waisting money on ridiculous salaries and put the money into what the organization is here for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BZGuy Posted February 22, 2012 Share #15 Posted February 22, 2012 No, I'm not blaming front line employees. It's LIB's fault because they allowed runs and things like that, and instead of trying to control costs, they cried for bailouts and threatened fare hikes and mindless route cuts. Sometimes it's not about "allowing" runs to be written like that. In order for them to cut all the runs down to 8hrs they would have to hire alot more drivers and maybe not even get 8hrs or work out of them. In the long run it's cheaper to write 10-12 hour runs and pay the OT. And don't give me the "Well NJT has part timers" line, because that's not working out all that well for them. They are consistently hiring and training because people can't work they hours that NJT wants and make a living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share #16 Posted February 22, 2012 Veolia has hired part time LIB LABO drivers fulltime and from what I hear many new Veolia drivers who had been hired by Veolia before the 1st have been brought up to full time. I bet these drivers and their families are glad the wealth has been redistributed giving them 40 hours instead of part time (while guys making $70k a year got over time bumping them up to 80k, 90k, 100k a year)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share #17 Posted June 22, 2012 Can anyone give me an update on whether the N19 is a Senior route? Can new drivers get on it? I've seen a lot of ads hiring new drivers, and I see a lot of new faces on the N19, but that could because they've come from other lines...??? Are there still any drivers that post here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM5 via Woodhaven Posted July 3, 2012 Share #18 Posted July 3, 2012 Can anyone give me an update on whether the N19 is a Senior route? Can new drivers get on it? I've seen a lot of ads hiring new drivers, and I see a lot of new faces on the N19, but that could because they've come from other lines...??? Are there still any drivers that post here? It's a new drivers route. However some senior drivers are put thereVeolia is kind of dumb with the way they put the driver's on the road. The reason why so many newbies are on the n19 is because most of the route is straight and most of the turns arent difficult to do. However, the route around Sunrise Mall is confusing. Before you see it, you try to go to Babylon, and youll probably end running all the way to Bay shore before realizing Babylon was 15+ miles back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrstone Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share #19 Posted July 4, 2012 LOL I know that area and know Massapequa pretty well and I've gotten turned around there going to and from the mall. lol I've seen a mix of drivers on the 19 new and old. I thought for sure senior guys would want bc it's so easy (maybe too boring) and maybe they were putting part time newbies on there as well. Louden at County Line RD tight corner coming back from the mall going Eastbound on the N19, I wonder if any newbies have clipped that telephone poll making that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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