Random Thoughts Thread - Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE)

[Tom Meadow]

libru's new slogan were not working for u.Why does news 12 give these idiots air time with all miss information.Libru is giving wrong information and news 12/newsday to riders of nice bus.I mean 25 cents not like its gonna be 95 dollars to ride a bus libru stop crying get a job an stop going on tv giving out false information.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Tom Meadow

[Burrstone]

Which is not what one calls a protest, that's just unnecessary noise....

 

Right...either that or they probably laughed.

 

LOL

 

I would like to know who they "hand delivered" the letter to?  If it was security they didn't "hand deliver the letter to NICE" they delivered it to a third part security company contracted by NICE...

[RtrainBlues]

One rider in the video pretty much summed up how most people feel about the service NICE provides:  "It's not for better service at all.  It's for the same crappy service . . . late to work . . . .risking losing their job(s)."  Since she's from Valley Stream, perhaps she's talking about the horrendous service on the N4 and other lines.  Buses keep leaving their terminals 20 minutes late, arriving in packs of two, and then you don't see any bus for up to an hour on weekends on the busiest lines.  And they wonder why ridership is way down.  People wouldn't mind paying the extra quarter if they had reliable service, but sadly this is not the case.

[FamousNYLover]

He needs to start hanging out with a better crowd...  

 

Hand delivering a list of demands to NICE... Are you kidding me!?!  I wish I could see how fast that sttel door at MF closed when they saw them enter the lobby. lol

Only shut door to Channel 12 because Jack Khouz welcome us.

 

Back to NICE, sometimes n6/6X bus stop at 169th St or 179th St lined up all the way around the corner.

 

Few days ago, I saw people line up all the way around corner for 169th St Subway Station (by 89th Av/170th Place for n22/24 bus.

[qjtransitmaster]

One rider in the video pretty much summed up how most people feel about the service NICE provides:  "It's not for better service at all.  It's for the same crappy service . . . late to work . . . .risking losing their job(s)."  Since she's from Valley Stream, perhaps she's talking about the horrendous service on the N4 and other lines.  Buses keep leaving their terminals 20 minutes late, arriving in packs of two, and then you don't see any bus for up to an hour on weekends on the busiest lines.  And they wonder why ridership is way down.  People wouldn't mind paying the extra quarter if they had reliable service, but sadly this is not the case.

This is why they need to drop lines like N47,73/74 & 51 the 2/8 are a lost cause.

[Joel Up Front]

One rider in the video pretty much summed up how most people feel about the service NICE provides:  "It's not for better service at all.  It's for the same crappy service . . . late to work . . . .risking losing their job(s)."  Since she's from Valley Stream, perhaps she's talking about the horrendous service on the N4 and other lines.  Buses keep leaving their terminals 20 minutes late, arriving in packs of two, and then you don't see any bus for up to an hour on weekends on the busiest lines.  And they wonder why ridership is way down.  People wouldn't mind paying the extra quarter if they had reliable service, but sadly this is not the case.

It's going to be the same for a long time coming... this is what happens when you can't drive.

[PinePower]

Reliable it sure aint, but I stepped off this bus just in time, westbound n20 from Hicksville left Greenvale in a big cloud of smoke.

Smelled like burning oil. Buses cant even handle highway speeds for long w/o breaking down!

[PinePower]

 

 

1)  News 12 made NO mention of the $400,000 contribution Veolia made of THEIR money that they didn't have to, the service cuts that would need to be made if there wasn't this minor increase, or the fact that this was just a cash increase inline with the metro card and MTA increases earlier in the year...

 

21) At around 1 minute I wish they kept rolling to see these idiots and their list of demands be thrown out by security...

 

3) What an idiot this Anits Halasz (LI Jobs with Justice) seems to be...  Because of her stupid and either uninformed comment or comment neglecting the facts "demanding" NICE  to issue the riders a public thank you for "bailing 'them' out, because that's this is...  ...when there's no service increase with this fare increase w're bailing them out..."  I DEMAND this idiot issue a public apology and thank you to NICE to contributing $400,000 of their money to the system and not cutting service instead...

 

4) Seriously, can I get a tip off of when sh!t like this is happening so I can can make fools like this look even dumber.... Oh yea, I forgot, this was already a one sided story by News12....

 

Well for once we can agree. While I'm not pleased with NICE one bit, they are NOT the bad guy, it is Nassau County and their lack of funding, which once again, wouldn't be at this point in the 1st place if Mangano didn't balk at paying the MTA.

The lower cash fare was done as a "favor" to please these crybabies and now they are whining because its over. News 12 runs this stuff on purpose to make bus riders look greedy & to show they don't deserve better service. Just like Mocker did when he interviewed me back in 2011 and specifically picked empty buses even when I told him where to find crowds to interview. Jobs With Justice & LIBRU dont represent bus riders, thats why hardly anyone is involved with them.

Most bus passengers will vote with their feet and switch to driving, the LIRR, or cabs (which makes Mangano happy for his cabbie friends). Nowhere in the story is it mentioned how ridership has declined to almost half of what it was with Long Island Bus, or all the breakdowns and poor conditions of the buses. Most riders dont care about paying 25 cents more, most already use Metrocard anyway, and most care more if their bus shows up on time or at all. I already contacted News 12 about all the breakdowns, they could care less and run this garbage instead!

[NY1635]

Most bus passengers will vote with their feet and switch to driving, the LIRR, or cabs (which makes Mangano happy for his cabbie friends). Nowhere in the story is it mentioned how ridership has declined to almost half of what it was with Long Island Bus, or all the breakdowns and poor conditions of the buses. Most riders dont care about paying 25 cents more, most already use Metrocard anyway, and most care more if their bus shows up on time or at all. I already contacted News 12 about all the breakdowns, they could care less and run this garbage instead!

 

I really don't see people stop taking the bus to start driving, especially when the county is going really crazy with the red light cameras.

[Burrstone]

One rider in the video pretty much summed up how most people feel about the service NICE provides:  "It's not for better service at all.  It's for the same crappy service . . . late to work . . . .risking losing their job(s)."  

 

I really don't understand this assumption and it needs correction.  It is the same service...   a cash fare increase as well as a $400,000 contribution from Veolia was needed to maintain current service levels because of rising costs including rising CNG (fuel costs), employee health benefits (contracted with the union) and rising able ride costs.  NICE basically has one pot of money, they are legally required to honor ALL qualified able-ride requests and that money comes out of the pot before it is allowed to go to transit.

 

So, in other words, costs went up, it created a budget gap and this cash increase along with a $400,000 contribution from Veolia will allow for service levels to stay the same.  If it were not for cash increase service would have to be cut.

 

Whether people like the board or not but this system has been set up so one authority cannot do something like arbitrarily raise fares, the CEO of the company has to go in front of the board, ask, give reasoning, and answer questions. The board then decides whether to raise the fare or not...

 

I would suggest that riders like the lady attend or at least read the community meeting minutes...

 

 

 People wouldn't mind paying the extra quarter if they had reliable service, but sadly this is not the case.

 

An extra quarter isn't going to do it. lol  Nassau needs to open their piggy bank...

 

 

Since she's from Valley Stream, perhaps she's talking about the horrendous service on the N4 and other lines.

 

I've been riding the n4 for years before NICE came to town and it's always been a mess even during the golden LIB days!

 

 

Only shut door to Channel 12 because Jack Khouz welcome us.

 

If I were NICE I'd shut the door to the false one sided story tellers known as "News"12...

 

 

Reliable it sure aint, but I stepped off this bus just in time, westbound n20 from Hicksville left Greenvale in a big cloud of smoke.

Smelled like burning oil. Buses cant even handle highway speeds for long w/o breaking down!

 

You're actually right about something transit buses are not built to handle highway speeds.  Even governed at 55mph when transit buses are delivered they require frequent stops for fluid/tire checks and fluid/tire cool down periods...

 

You might be on to something, I never thought about this in service but there are several routes where buses near 50-55mph on NICE and SCT and and NICE and SCT Orion's (in particular) are dropping like flies...  ...and these buses are run all day long without much downtime.

 

News 12 runs this stuff on purpose to make bus riders look greedy & to show they don't deserve better service.

 

That's an interesting take on it...  I think these reports are to make NICE look bad, get riders and tax payers to tune in...  Riders will be scared, I don't remember the reporter saying 25cents a lot, but she dropped $130 a year   a lot, and get riders riled up over a fare increase without better service  .  They also get taxpayers going "well darling, why are we paying our tax dollars if this company keeps increasing the fare?"

 

The News12 untruths have been going on since Veolia first contracted with the county! 

[N6 Limited]

I really don't see people stop taking the bus to start driving, especially when the county is going really crazy with the red light cameras.

I've seen lots of buses with empty seats, now, it wasn't like that before, you can literally see that ridership dropped.  As for the red light cameras, all you have to do is watch when the light turns yellow and wait 3 seconds before making a right on red... or avoid those intersections if possible. People are learning, the county's revenue from the cameras is dropping. So now they're trying the speed cameras in school zones.

[qjtransitmaster]

I've seen lots of buses with empty seats, now, it wasn't like that before, you can literally see that ridership dropped.  As for the red light cameras, all you have to do is watch when the light turns yellow and wait 3 seconds before making a right on red... or avoid those intersections if possible. People are learning, the county's revenue from the cameras is dropping. So now they're trying the speed cameras in school zones.

To be honest NICE should start getting MCI buses for their fastest routes to reduce the breakdowns. And do away with the most useless routes or integration of segments from them into heavier routes. And breakup the stupidly long routes to boost OTP.

[FamousNYLover]

People who rides NICE are:

1. Aaron the Long Island Job with Justice- He rides both NICE and SCT because his office in Happague and meeting in Ethanical Humanisty Society for you-know-what. He also use LIRR.

2. Kimberly . She lives near n4 bus.

3. Regular lady who takes NICE regularly.

4. Another member who rides NICE (He lives in Hicksville)- he came late to protest. He is also Able-RIde

5. Another member who rides NICE (He lives in Hicksville and works at Jones Beach's East Bathhouse. He is also able-Ride.

6. Mother and disabled son (They both ride NICE Bus)

7. Anita- morely car, she only ride NICE when we ride with County Legislature.

8. Professor Sapile: She lives in Woodside, Queens and works at NCC, She rides LIRR, n6, n22/n24 to RFM for n16, n35, n43, n45, n51, etc.

9. Me: I live in Jackson Heights, Queens like Professor Sapile but I only go to Nassau County Whole Foods when I have unlimited MetroCard. Long Island and Westchester County Whole Foods are much nicer and quicker than Manhattan branch. I also go to public libraries in Long Island lot because they have good computer service for internet, like color prinnt is available at Jericho Public Library, Baldwin Harbor Library, Westbury Library, Merrick Library, Amityville Library while Manhassette Library has 2-hour computer access for everyone. I also go to Stop&Shop, go to LION's protest via NICE/SCT, PATHmark, etc. Most of Manhattan Whole Food don't have some products that sells in Nassau/Suffolk County.

10. Another ride is car but he lives in Manhassett and he's LIJWJ.1

11. Ethnical Humanist Society members - they used to take bus.

12. Charlene- she mostly drives, even for both protest NICE/SCT.

13. Cindy (not full name for privacy) She's retired Veolia NICE Driver and she drives. Retired from TWU Local 252 as well.

 

4/13 out of members are not bus riders.

 

Back to NICE, after Sunday 7/27's nasty female driver (most likely suspended b/c I reported to Mangano) 8:25 n20 Hicksville , I got good male driver on 10:40 n79 S. Huntington, 12:00 S54 Patchogue and 12:35 S58 Riverhead (both male drivers) when I took NICE/SCT adventure to Coles Brother Circus Protest with PETA/LION.

Suffolk County Transit drivers are more friendly than NICE drivers/

One time I walk from Wantagh Station to Bellmore Arby's after taking n87. It was only 10-15 minutes walk along Sunrise Highway. I counted about 10 blocks both direction when n87 was running along Sunrise Highway and I also try to check out if drivers are behaving badly like Kron4 News California Segment of "People Behaving Badly."

Sidewalks aren't good enough because of broken guardrail and overgrown trees,  so I walk toward oncoming eastbound traffic wearing my vest.

Edited September 9, 2014 by FamousNYLover

[Cait Sith]

To be honest NICE should start getting MCI buses for their fastest routes to reduce the breakdowns.

A different type of bus won't reduce breakdowns....even if they get MCIs, they'll break down regardless.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Cait Sith

[Burrstone]

To be honest NICE should start getting MCI buses for their fastest routes to reduce the breakdowns. And do away with the most useless routes or integration of segments from them into heavier routes. And breakup the stupidly long routes to boost OTP.

 

I support getting MCI's or Prevost's (Oh Prevost's are so much nicer IMO) just to offer express n4 service via Sunrise HWY or offer new Express routes into Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and growing areas of Brooklyn & Queens that are seeing job growth.  These are the routes that will pay off, maybe eventually the system can be resigned into a system of the transit buses acting as feeders into the coaches?

 

Could Veolia piggy back on the 's big Prevost order?  Are there options left over or just one big order? 

2. Kimberly (black- I don't know how to say black politely). She lives near n4 bus.

 

Err..  How about not saying it?  What difference does it make if we know she's white, black, or green!?!

Sidewalks aren't good enough because of broken guardrail and overgrown trees,  so I walk toward oncoming eastbound traffic wearing my vest.

 

...and that folks concludes another episode of "I'm Surprised Yuki Didn't Die," tune in next week to see what happens next!

[FamousNYLover]

People who rides NICE are:

1. Aaron the Long Island Job with Justice- He rides both NICE and SCT because his office in Happague and meeting in Ethanical Humanisty Society for you-know-what. He also use LIRR.

2. Kimberly . She lives near n4 bus.

3. Regular lady who takes NICE regularly.

4. Another member who rides NICE (He lives in Hicksville)- he came late to protest. He is also Able-RIde

5. Another member who rides NICE (He lives in Hicksville and works at Jones Beach's East Bathhouse. He is also able-Ride.

6. Mother and disabled son (They both ride NICE Bus)

7. Anita- morely car, she only ride NICE when we ride with County Legislature.

8. Professor Sapile: She lives in Woodside, Queens and works at NCC, She rides LIRR, n6, n22/n24 to RFM for n16, n35, n43, n45, n51, etc.

9. Me: I live in Jackson Heights, Queens like Professor Sapile but I only go to Nassau County Whole Foods when I have unlimited MetroCard. Long Island and Westchester County Whole Foods are much nicer and quicker than Manhattan branch. I also go to public libraries in Long Island lot because they have good computer service for internet, like color prinnt is available at Jericho Public Library, Baldwin Harbor Library, Westbury Library, Merrick Library, Amityville Library while Manhassette Library has 2-hour computer access for everyone. I also go to Stop&Shop, go to LION's protest via NICE/SCT, PATHmark, etc. Most of Manhattan Whole Food don't have some products that sells in Nassau/Suffolk County.

10. Another ride is car but he lives in Manhassett and he's LIJWJ.1

11. Ethnical Humanist Society members - they used to take bus.

12. Charlene- she mostly drives, even for both protest NICE/SCT.

13. Cindy (not full name for privacy) She's retired Veolia NICE Driver and she drives. Retired from TWU Local 252 as well.

 

4/13 out of members are not bus riders.

 

Back to NICE, after Sunday 7/27's nasty female driver (most likely suspended b/c I reported to Mangano) 8:25 n20 Hicksville , I got good male driver on 10:40 n79 S. Huntington, 12:00 S54 Patchogue and 12:35 S58 Riverhead (both male drivers) when I took NICE/SCT adventure to Coles Brother Circus Protest with PETA/LION.

Suffolk County Transit drivers are more friendly than NICE drivers/

 

One time I walk from Wantagh Station to Bellmore Arby's after taking n87. It was only 10-15 minutes walk along Sunrise Highway. I counted about 10 blocks both direction when n87 was running along Sunrise Highway and I also try to check out if drivers are behaving badly like Kron4 News California Segment of "People Behaving Badly."

Sidewalks aren't good enough because of broken guardrail and overgrown trees,  so I walk toward oncoming eastbound traffic wearing my vest.

I walk from Newbridge Rd/Manhattan Av/Columbia Drive n20/48/49 bus stop to Jericho Public Library which is 20 minutes walk.

I love Jericho Public Library most since it's near n20 and they're much NICE Librarians.

My mission as Citizen Defending Library to take NICE/SCT Buses to libraries I never been to and see if libraries has empty bookshelves, so I use NICE/SCT depends if I don't have library meeting in Brookyln Heights or horse carriage protest.

Edited September 9, 2014 by FamousNYLover

[Cait Sith]

I support getting MCI's or Prevost's (Oh Prevost's are so much nicer IMO) just to offer express n4 service via Sunrise HWY or offer new Express routes into Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and growing areas of Brooklyn & Queens that are seeing job growth.  These are the routes that will pay off, maybe eventually the system can be resigned into a system of the transit buses acting as feeders into the coaches?

 

Could Veolia piggy back on the 's big Prevost order?  Are there options left over or just one big order? Or just one big order.

Just one big order. 300 to knock off a good bunch of MCIs.

 

Also, I'm not sure how they'd be able to acquire such buses. MCIs would be handy because they have the CNG option....Prevost?....Nah, not by a long shot. With Nassau's budget, I don't think they can afford to even order 100 MCIs, not even 50.

 

The better option would be to order suburban style buses, suburban style Novas, Gilligs or Xcelsiors just for those kind of routes. Having a single-door would increase delays and dwell times especially if its from an MCI. If they happen to have a bus shortage, they'll probably throw an MCI out on their local routes, which is not viable on some routes because of clearance issues.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

NICE definitely should start Manhattan express service. They're not the MTA anymore, they can offer competition to the LIRR which is badly needed there. In a lot of NJ and the parts of Westchester (with the BxM4C) they have the option to take an express bus to Manhattan instead of a train, but since the MTA controlled transit in Nassau for so many years they never offered another option than the LIRR (even the MTABus routes that compete with LIRR in Queens and MNRR in the Bronx were operated by PBLs and to this day only exist because of city funding except the few routes NYCT runs). LI commuting is a big business that's right now an MTA monopoly, but NICE can definitely change that and get some extra money and riders.

[NY1635]

NICE definitely should start Manhattan express service. They're not the MTA anymore, they can offer competition to the LIRR which is badly needed there. In a lot of NJ and the parts of Westchester (with the BxM4C) they have the option to take an express bus to Manhattan instead of a train, but since the MTA controlled transit in Nassau for so many years they never offered another option than the LIRR (even the MTABus routes that compete with LIRR in Queens and MNRR in the Bronx were operated by PBLs and to this day only exist because of city funding except the few routes NYCT runs). LI commuting is a big business that's right now an MTA monopoly, but NICE can definitely change that and get some extra money and riders.

 

Where would Manhattan express service start though? I can't think of any place Nassau, asidefrom Hempstead and Mineola that would be a good place for the buses to start.

[FamousNYLover]

NICE definitely should start Manhattan express service. They're not the MTA anymore, they can offer competition to the LIRR which is badly needed there. In a lot of NJ and the parts of Westchester (with the BxM4C) they have the option to take an express bus to Manhattan instead of a train, but since the MTA controlled transit in Nassau for so many years they never offered another option than the LIRR (even the MTABus routes that compete with LIRR in Queens and MNRR in the Bronx were operated by PBLs and to this day only exist because of city funding except the few routes NYCT runs). LI commuting is a big business that's right now an MTA monopoly, but NICE can definitely change that and get some extra money and riders.

Maybe Veolia NICE Bus should take over GoBus Long Island Transit which operates in neighborhood of parells n27 route at Roslyn, Greenvale, along Roslyn Rd to Park & Ride, then express to midtown or downtown for $6 one way or $7.50 (similar to BxM4C fare.)

I learned from GoBus Long Island, even GoBus Long Island or GoBus on OnLocationTour brokes down like NICE.

.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Where would Manhattan express service start though? I can't think of any place Nassau, asidefrom Hempstead and Mineola that would be a good place for the buses to start.

Start it from several residential towns, have it run through the local main streets in the towns.

Maybe Veolia NICE Bus should take over GoBus Long Island Transit which operates in neighborhood of parells n27 route at Roslyn, Greenvale, along Roslyn Rd to Park & Ride, then express to midtown or downtown for $6 one way or $7.50 (similar to BxM4C fare.)

I learned from GoBus Long Island, even GoBus Long Island or GoBus on OnLocationTour brokes down like NICE.

.

Academy owns GoBus now. They do a bad job marketing that too, I've seen the buses downtown and they aren't busy at all. NICE definitely would have the right marketing department to get people riding their expresses.

 

Not to mention the GoBus only runs to a few towns.

[Cait Sith]

Where would Manhattan express service start though? I can't think of any place Nassau, asidefrom Hempstead and Mineola that would be a good place for the buses to start.

I can think of a few places that may work.

 

Hicksville

Babylon

Freeport

[RtrainBlues]

I travel between Manhattan and Nassau frequently, but I don't want NICE to go to Manhattan and get stuck in traffic.  I'd rather they add more limited-stop routes that leave the terminals ON TIME, and drop off at the E/J/Z or F train stops.  If the bus went into Manhattan, I'd get off at 179th or Parsons/Archer for a much quicker subway ride into Manhattan.

[Cait Sith]

I travel between Manhattan and Nassau frequently, but I don't want NICE to go to Manhattan and get stuck in traffic.  I'd rather they add more limited-stop routes that leave the terminals ON TIME, and drop off at the E/J/Z or F train stops.  If the bus went into Manhattan, I'd get off at 179th or Parsons/Archer for a much quicker subway ride into Manhattan.

 

That's also assuming that any kind of EXP that we're trying to talk about would stop in Queens, which would be counter-productive. I wouldn't have any Manhattan EXP stop in Queens.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

I travel between Manhattan and Nassau frequently, but I don't want NICE to go to Manhattan and get stuck in traffic.  I'd rather they add more limited-stop routes that leave the terminals ON TIME, and drop off at the E/J/Z or F train stops.  If the bus went into Manhattan, I'd get off at 179th or Parsons/Archer for a much quicker subway ride into Manhattan.

Well look at Queens. Many areas have a choice between the LIRR and express bus and choose the express bus even though there's traffic.