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

[John from Flushing]

I was on N20 Sunday afternoon & we we're stopped at the red light on northern &

Bell, so Q31 bus passengers got off the bus ran into the street clearly with there hands up & waving to the driver to pull into the bus stop & wait so they can board, the driver clearly sees this, what does he do? He kept going & stranded these 2 passengers, I told

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

[FamousNYLover]

I was on N20 Sunday afternoon & we we're stopped at the red light on northern &

Bell, so Q31 bus passengers got off the bus ran into the street clearly with there hands up & waving to the driver to pull into the bus stop & wait so they can board, the driver clearly sees this, what does he do? He kept going & stranded these 2 passengers, I told

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

Bus drivers do not wait for connection. If there's no one at bus stop, bus will leave and they have to wait for next one.

Every public bus companies same.

Do you mean NICE Bus driver going toward Nassau County? If n20/21 is crowded to white line, most drivers will not pick up. Unlike NYCT/(MTA) Bus Company, all NICE Bus or ex-Long Island Bus fleet don't have TAID on bus.

 

Past Tuesday, around 4:48pm at bus stop at Mineola Av/Old Powerhouse Rd, I was with Blind Vegetarian escourting to meeting when two n23 Mineola bus came in bunch and first bus driver completely bypass us, but 2nd driver stop.

[mac5689]

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

You are aware that there is a sign that says don't talk to the drivers while the bus is in motion. So technically if the bus was in motion and the driver wasn't responding then he was following the rules. 

[NY1635]

I was on N20 Sunday afternoon & we we're stopped at the red light on northern &

Bell, so Q31 bus passengers got off the bus ran into the street clearly with there hands up & waving to the driver to pull into the bus stop & wait so they can board, the driver clearly sees this, what does he do? He kept going & stranded these 2 passengers, I told

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

Was the n20 heading to Hicksville or Flushing? The direction matters because NICE runs closed door in Queens, and Long Beach, and some people from queens like to.take the Nassau buses to get home quick

[John from Flushing]

The bus was heading towards Long Island the driver knew what he was doing, famous I understand buses are to continue rolling if nobody is in bus stop but he clearly saw that 2 ladies we're running across northern blvd one younger lady and one older lady , light turned green, bus & cars started to move these ladies risked getting hit by cars & trucks to get this bus they both ran-jay walked it was dangerous but driver should have pulled his bus into the stop & waited for them. It was a terrible diagrad for paying customers, because of this driver nice lost out on two $2.75 cash paying fares, and the crazy thing is the bus was half full, this driver didn't even talk while stopped at red light I nicely reminded him that he is reminded to talk to the customers, because we are paying his salary with our fares.

[FamousNYLover]

The bus was heading towards Long Island the driver knew what he was doing, famous I understand buses are to continue rolling if nobody is in bus stop but he clearly saw that 2 ladies we're running across northern blvd one younger lady and one older lady , light turned green, bus & cars started to move these ladies risked getting hit by cars & trucks to get this bus they both ran-jay walked it was dangerous but driver should have pulled his bus into the stop & waited for them. It was a terrible diagrad for paying customers, because of this driver nice lost out on two $2.75 cash paying fares, and the crazy thing is the bus was half full, this driver didn't even talk while stopped at red light I nicely reminded him that he is reminded to talk to the customers, because we are paying his salary with our fares.

Ladies did the wrong things actually. Mostly most NICE Bus passengers wait for next bus when drivers don't stop crowded, overfull or half empty.

 

I was in this situation on weekday bases.

 

One time when I was getting off n20 Hicksville bus at Glen Cove Rd and n27 Glen Cove was already approaching, so driver drop me off on gas station side on south side and crossing Glen Cove Rd was red light, but in order to make it to connection, I have to jump thtrough traffic just to get to n27 and made it.

 

Another incident when I was on waiting to NICE Bus Public Hearing, I went to last car of LIRR Montauk Branch and I also miss connect to Oyster Bay Train to Roslyn and I have to mark for conductor to open the door. Then as train arrived Roslyn, n27 Hempstead bus was there, so I did wrong thing, but crossing in front of train in order to make to my connection to n27 Hempstead bus, which driver open for me. If I waited for next one, I could have missed meeting.

 This was when I was wearing orange vest.

Edited July 3, 2015 by FamousNYLover

[trainfan22]

I was on N20 Sunday afternoon & we we're stopped at the red light on northern &

Bell, so Q31 bus passengers got off the bus ran into the street clearly with there hands up & waving to the driver to pull into the bus stop & wait so they can board, the driver clearly sees this, what does he do? He kept going & stranded these 2 passengers, I told

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

I've been on countless bus routes in different agencies and I can assure you most drivers do NOT greet you when you get on the bus, not even Bee Line which is very well run. I only seen it twice, if were just talking local routes... happened a couple of times on the express bus.

 

 

NICE sucks but you're reaching with the whole greeting thing IMO.

[John from Flushing]

Since some routes on nice bus run one bus per hour, I think every bus that has a connection should stop & wait for passengers, this is only if the 2 buses are close by.

[NY1635]

Since some routes on nice bus run one bus per hour, I think every bus that has a connection should stop & wait for passengers, this is only if the 2 buses are close by.

Some bus drivers already wait at the stop for customers. I've seen this happen on the n6, where drivers wait a few minutes at Hempstead Turnpike and NHP Road for people to connect from the n25.

[FamousNYLover]

Depends on some drivers, some drivers wait for passengers if they see passengers running for bus.

 

Also if bus drivers arrived at bus stops, they wait.

 

Sometimes another good connection and bus driver has car relief, where changing drivers come by car and driver changing shift.

[Hound]

I was on N20 Sunday afternoon & we we're stopped at the red light on northern &

Bell, so Q31 bus passengers got off the bus ran into the street clearly with there hands up & waving to the driver to pull into the bus stop & wait so they can board, the driver clearly sees this, what does he do? He kept going & stranded these 2 passengers, I told

The driver what happened to your professionalism & customer service attitude? It's clearly in the toilet, this driver didn't budge he didn't even say a word, I felt like a robot was driving us, I asked for his id/badge number & again no response, this driver had no heart, I said that could have been your mother & grandmother you left stranded, again no response, what nice is lacking is professional bus drivers that open the door with a smile & greet you with a hello, we need more friendly drivers, how long can nice let this go on, does nice have any clue what is going on?

NICE sucks & it's drivers don't care because they know NICE sucks.

[John from Flushing]

If nice sucks the question is ; what can it's bus drivers do

To improve service & customer service, maybe nice should send each driver to a customer service class to educate them, and friendly customer service should be number 1, I'm really getting upset with the nasty attitude bus drivers I always greet them with a hello how is your day & most of the time I get no reply, I'm sure when the bus drivers boss greets them hello I'm sure they say hello or shake there hand back.

[FamousNYLover]

It also depends. There are some nice drivers either new or from LIB days.

I do get lots of nice drivers on NICE, MTA, Suffolk County Transit or Bee-Line Buses.

[mac5689]

Since some routes on nice bus run one bus per hour, I think every bus that has a connection should stop & wait for passengers, this is only if the 2 buses are close by.

 

Probl;em would be with traffic. You can't have a driver waiting for passengers because it could cause them to end up getting into traffic and end up running late. Which would upset passengers who have to transfer to other routes to get someplace at a certain time. 

 

However I have no problem with the driver waiting a few seconds for someone if they see them walking or running towards the bus. 

 

I'm not sure if all the companies do it, but out in Suffolk I know with in the companies if the driver radio each other and tell them they have a passenger that wants to transfer, the drivers will wait for the connection if they can. I remember one time I was riding a SCT bus and it was the first run out and the driver was told by the dispatcher that there was a rider that wanted to transfer on from another route, that was operated by a diffrent operator, and the dispatcher told the driver to wait 5 minutes, or as long as the driver could witthout causing them to be late. The driver who was a nearly 20 year veteran, waited the full five minutes for the other bus to show up, the bus didn't arrive in that time so the driver left.  

 

 

If nice sucks the question is ; what can it's bus drivers do

To improve service & customer service, maybe nice should send each driver to a customer service class to educate them, and friendly customer service should be number 1, I'm really getting upset with the nasty attitude bus drivers I always greet them with a hello how is your day & most of the time I get no reply, I'm sure when the bus drivers boss greets them hello I'm sure they say hello or shake there hand back.

Could depend on how the drivers day has been going, or just their attudite. Most every SCT driver I've ever had as a driver would always thank you or wish you a good day if you said it to them, a few even said it first. Some even took the time, if you rode with them enough to learn your name or recongize you. There was only one driver who seemed like an uncaring jerk. Going so far as to one night say that he wouldn't give a ride across a busy highway an in the direction of the bus yard to a mother and her three kids who were already on the bus after his shift ended, which yes was the rules, to only be seen a few minutes later carrying two men in the same direction.

[John from Flushing]

Does anybody have the nice bus phone number where I can make a complaint against a driver? This driver was so unprofessional I hope he gets fired or quits nice would be better off without him

[Joel Up Front]

When NICE first started, there were quite a few friendly drivers.  I don't think I'm wrong in assuming that a lot of them quit, though, because I'm getting the same "here for the paycheck only" attitude I got with a lot of personnel.

[John from Flushing]

You shouldn't be at ur job only for a paycheck, it should be your at ur job no matter the pay

[FamousNYLover]

Probl;em would be with traffic. You can't have a driver waiting for passengers because it could cause them to end up getting into traffic and end up running late. Which would upset passengers who have to transfer to other routes to get someplace at a certain time. 

 

However I have no problem with the driver waiting a few seconds for someone if they see them walking or running towards the bus. 

 

I'm not sure if all the companies do it, but out in Suffolk I know with in the companies if the driver radio each other and tell them they have a passenger that wants to transfer, the drivers will wait for the connection if they can. I remember one time I was riding a SCT bus and it was the first run out and the driver was told by the dispatcher that there was a rider that wanted to transfer on from another route, that was operated by a diffrent operator, and the dispatcher told the driver to wait 5 minutes, or as long as the driver could witthout causing them to be late. The driver who was a nearly 20 year veteran, waited the full five minutes for the other bus to show up, the bus didn't arrive in that time so the driver left.  

 

 

Could depend on how the drivers day has been going, or just their attudite. Most every SCT driver I've ever had as a driver would always thank you or wish you a good day if you said it to them, a few even said it first. Some even took the time, if you rode with them enough to learn your name or recongize you. There was only one driver who seemed like an uncaring jerk. Going so far as to one night say that he wouldn't give a ride across a busy highway an in the direction of the bus yard to a mother and her three kids who were already on the bus after his shift ended, which yes was the rules, to only be seen a few minutes later carrying two men in the same direction.

Other bus company that does is Houstatonic Rapid Area Transit. I remember when I was escorting Japanese raise Korean friend, male bus driver on Route #3 radio the Danbury-Brewster Connection to wait for him for five minutes at Exit 2 Park & Ride and connecting bus waited for us and plus regular wheelchair passenger.

 

Clarkstown Mimi Trans asks passengers to radio another Clarkstown MiniTrans routes if passengers need to connect to another CMT.

[John from Flushing]

can the Long Island bus rider union tell nice bus company to have bus pick up radio & call connecter bus & say he is on the way & have connecter wait even if it for 5 minutes? Many passengers will be happy not to wait one hour or more for the connecter bus, nice bus isn't perfect it needs some help. I spoke friendly nice driver on N20 yesterday he was driving & talking to me he told me he is a pro and has 27 years on duty, and he told me when he was with mta li bus he would wait for connecter bus, now he can't anymore due the gps watching the bus , he said if bus sits more than 2 minutes the GPS tv screen in the front makes loud beeping sound it means move the bus let's go.

[B35 via Church]

Bus drivers do not wait for connection. If there's no one at bus stop, bus will leave and they have to wait for next one.

Every public bus companies same.

...says the same person that later states:

 

Depends on some drivers, some drivers wait for passengers if they see passengers running for bus.

 

Also if bus drivers arrived at bus stops, they wait.

 

Sometimes another good connection and bus driver has car relief, where changing drivers come by car and driver changing shift.

So which is it?

----------------------------------------------

 

 

I've been on countless bus routes in different agencies and I can assure you most drivers do NOT greet you when you get on the bus, not even Bee Line which is very well run. I only seen it twice, if were just talking local routes... happened a couple of times on the express bus.

 

 

NICE sucks but you're reaching with the whole greeting thing IMO.

I'd prefer b/o's not greet me.... I care not for small talk.

 

If nice sucks the question is ; what can it's bus drivers do To improve service & customer service, maybe nice should send each driver to a customer service class to educate them, and friendly customer service should be number 1, I'm really getting upset with the nasty attitude bus drivers I always greet them with a hello how is your day & most of the time I get no reply, I'm sure when the bus drivers boss greets them hello I'm sure they say hello or shake there hand back.

They're too busy trying to put lipstick on a pig, so to speak.... In other words, they care more about selling riders a bill of goods than actually providing that bill of goods.... A good example of that is their website (which I happen to like), in comparison to the service they provide on their routes.....

 

The b/o's can't do a thing about that, when it comes to improving service.....

As far as customer service, well the overall attitudes of your workers (plural) is a direct reflection of how well or poor working conditions are at a given company.... Take from that what you will....

 

When NICE first started, there were quite a few friendly drivers.  I don't think I'm wrong in assuming that a lot of them quit, though, because I'm getting the same "here for the paycheck only" attitude I got with a lot of personnel.

I definitely get that same sense, just by observing the drivers' demeanor at Mineola.....

 

You shouldn't be at ur job only for a paycheck, it should be your at ur job no matter the pay

I won't argue the moral side of it, but people still gotta eat.... What can you do.....

[John from Flushing]

Yes I checked out there website nicebus.com it looks very nice & friendly and shows happy bus operator faces, but when you go on there bus it seems 100% different, angry bus operator, they look miserable, I understand its a job they have families to feed and need to make a living, but at least smile & show you like the job, in my opinion most of the bus operators on the N20 are angry & miserable, and don't give a extra inch to make a customer happy, I never riden other nicebus routes, I do want to take a day or two and bus fan and ride other bus routes to Jamaica & Freeport & see if the bus operators are happy on other lines such as the N4 or N6, also on a side note, who makes the bus schedules & has the ability to add more buses? does the long island bus riders union communite & suggest to them we need more buses? what does the li bus riders union do for us the passengers??

Edited July 4, 2015 by John from Flushing

[John from Flushing]

 I checked out nicebus.com they are hiring bus drivers, I wish I had my CDL I would apply & drive and be the happiest bus driver ever, I would smile & greet each passenger & I would also wait 5 minutes at every major transfer point for people from other buses.

[FamousNYLover]

Yes I checked out there website nicebus.com it looks very nice & friendly and shows happy bus operator faces, but when you go on there bus it seems 100% different, angry bus operator, they look miserable, I understand its a job they have families to feed and need to make a living, but at least smile & show you like the job, in my opinion most of the bus operators on the N20 are angry & miserable, and don't give a extra inch to make a customer happy, I never riden other nicebus routes, I do want to take a day or two and bus fan and ride other bus routes to Jamaica & Freeport & see if the bus operators are happy on other lines such as the N4 or N6, also on a side note, who makes the bus schedules & has the ability to add more buses? does the long island bus riders union communite & suggest to them we need more buses? what does the li bus riders union do for us the passengers??

Aaron from LIBRU and other bus rider advocates are now in seat of Nassau County Transit Committee Advisory.

 

Tuesday, August 4th in celebrating leaders who have been instrumental in building a movement for workers’ rights and economic justice on Long Island at our 2015 Reception and Awards Dinner!

This year’s honorees will be:

 

Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk

 

Legislator Jay Schneiderman – Suffolk County Legislator

 

Rev. Dennis Walker – Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Commack

 

Long Island Bus Riders’ Union

Edited July 5, 2015 by FamousNYLover

[John from Flushing]

I agree with one Long Island bus riders union sign that says "fare hikes are new taxes " bus riders can not afford this fare hike the extra quarter we are paying now means we have to take a quarter out of our food shopping, I think li bus fare should be what riders can afford which is $2 dollars. Also li bus riders union should ask nice bus hold buses at terminals for

Connecter buses. Use the gps or have bus dispatcher call the bus driver

[FamousNYLover]

I agree with one Long Island bus riders union sign that says "fare hikes are new taxes " bus riders can not afford this fare hike the extra quarter we are paying now means we have to take a quarter out of our food shopping, I think li bus fare should be what riders can afford which is $2 dollars. Also li bus riders union should ask nice bus hold buses at terminals for

Connecter buses. Use the gps or have bus dispatcher call the bus driver

On August 20th~21st, Long Island Bus Riders Union will be doing 2nd Daredivil Rate the Rite Challenge from Jamaica Bus Terminal to Montauk Lighthouse using both NICE Bus/Suffolk County Transit and zigzaging across North and South Forks.

Long Island Jobs with Justice covers hotel, and all Suffolk County Transit bus fares.