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

[mac5689]

When I rode the N35 every day, B/O's would stop on Clinton Avenue at the Mitchel Field Secondary crossing even though the tracks were marked "exempt."

My guess would be automatic reflex when the driver saw the railroad tracks, or the driver is a very cautious one, or maybe the driver was afraid that a road supervior may have been following and didn't want to get busted for not following the rules even if that set of tracks were rxempt.

[John from Flushing]

I believe law says you have to stop for excempt railroad tracks too if your driving a transit passenger bus or school buses.

[mac5689]

I believe law says you have to stop for excempt railroad tracks too if your driving a transit passenger bus or school buses.Burrstone

 Burrstone is versed in the operation of buses, so until proven otherwise, I'd believe that him saying that the rule doesn't applys to excempt or out of service tracks is correct. 

 

[John from Flushing]

Somebody said circus uses that excempt tracks, you never know if a out of service train or fright train uses it. If I drove for

Nice I would stop at excempt crossings.

[Burrstone]

You don't haave to stop for tracks marked "exempt" or abandoned Mac5689 is right and instincts kick in. You see the RR actually you see the RR Xing marked on the pavement or the RR Xing sign first and autopilot almost kicks in. Also some tracks have a traffic light that also controls the "intersection" with the tracks and the roadway, you don't have to stop if that light is green. One that I can think of that is like that is on Commack Rd heading north near tanger outlet in Deer Park, there is a light there but I see buses & trucks carrying hazardous materials stopping for the tracks al the time. They probably think like me, I don't know the technology behind these lights but a lot of trains go through there and if the gate fails, won't the light fail as well? I'd rather be safe than sorry! Believe me you'll see the RR tracks before you see a sign a marked exempt on the tracks, that's why the driver probably stopped, again it's better safe than sorry.

 

There was a SCT driver my family knew, who had driving for one company for nearly 20 years, and she use to play a am/fm radio on part of her early morning run. She though has since retired from what I was told. 

Also I use when I was in the first year of middle school, the driver of my large school bus use to play the radio both in the morning and afternoon. He did the same thing the next year when he drove my sisters elementary school route, though only in the afternoons.

 

Most newer school buses these days have radios built in wired into the speakers. School buses have a kill switch, when you stop at RR tracks you are supposed to open the window, the door, engage the kill switch (which kills the am/fm radio, the bus radio, the fans, heat, etc. all extra noise) then you are supposed to "look and listen."

 

If the driver is caught by a cop or the Department of Transportation, not stopping it would be a big ticket.

 

Yea, besides the fine I'm not sure if the first violation is revocation or 60 day suspension of your CDL, either way you'll be out of a job and probably looking for a new career. I mean when you get your CDL back it is probably going to be a little hard to get a new job when you answer "RR crossing violation" to the question why you left your last job. You can't lie about it either because it's on your motor vehicle record...

 

That's jut the beginning, imagine if you totally ignore the crossing rules, the gate malfunctioned, didn't come down, your bus was hit, and passengers on your bus died. Do you think people sitting at home, the DA, and jury would be like "poor bus driver, it wasn't his/her fault, the gate malfunctioned!" Nope! You'd be charged and probably convicted of manslaughter for everyone who died and counts of assault for everyone injured in the crash BECAUSE there are systems out in place to protect passengers if the rail crossing system fails. You'd probably be spending decades in prison wishing you took ten seconds to stop.

 

Not aimed at anyone here, this is probably why you have to be 21 (or is it 22) to drive a bus. Weed out some of the high school immaturity, where it is cool to ignore or break the rules. Driving a bus is serious for obvious reasons and there's no excuse for breaking any of the rules!

On the back of each nice bus there is a sign that says this vehicle stops at all railroad crossing & they added a new sign , " drivers wanted call 516 xxx-xxxx" I didn't get the number. Where does n35 go? I would like to take a ride on a n35 & make sure the driver is stopping at the railroad crossing as he/ she is required too.

That sticker has been there for a while along with the no turn on red sign....

I was thinking the other day that on the FootHill buses where you can see the remains of where took the foot hill name off in the top middle of the bus they should make the orange drivers needed sticker bigger and place it over where you can see the remains of the foot hill name. I think it would look pretty cool and a lot better than the remains of foot hill name looks now.

[Tom Meadow]

Anybody wanna take a ride on my bus 1528 in Calverton next Saturday.

[mac5689]

Most newer school buses these days have radios built in wired into the speakers. School buses have a kill switch, when you stop at RR tracks you are supposed to open the window, the door, engage the kill switch (which kills the am/fm radio, the bus radio, the fans, heat, etc. all extra noise) then you are supposed to "look and listen."

 

 

It was an older bus both time. When the driver did my middle school route it was a Mid 90's Blue Bird CV200 International 3800 Chassis. When he did my sisters route he had a late 85-94 Carpenter Ford B Chassis. It should be noted that with my sisters route he didn't need to cross the railroad tracks. Infact I don't think any of his routes the year he had my sisters route crosses Railroad tracks. At least with kids on board. 

 

Somebody said circus uses that excempt tracks, you never know if a out of service train or fright train uses it. If I drove for

Nice I would stop at excempt crossings.

Circus only comes though probablyuses the tracks twice, and I'm sure if Veolia is a good company they would have personell who are aware of when the circus would be going though and would notify the drivers when the tracks would be active. 

 

I never said that a driver couldn't stop at excempt tracks, just that they aren't required to. I would probably stop as well, but that would be more out of habit more then anything. 

[John from Flushing]

If the cirus or a freight train used the excempt tracks, what would the rule book state? Bc traffic isn't required to stop I would think the train has to stop & look both directions once it's clear the train will go slow

[Burrstone]

If the cirus or a freight train used the excempt tracks, what would the rule book state? Bc traffic isn't required to stop I would think the train has to stop & look both directions once it's clear the train will go slow

Trains ALWAYS have the right of way at ANY crossing.

[John from Flushing]

I disagree In a crossing market "excempt" since no lights or control signal a train driver should stop train & open his door and check both ways for traffic,

Imagine a train speeding threw a crossing without stopping to look. Sometimes Lirr trains at little neck station slow down & look for people walking

[FamousNYLover]

Trains has right of way. Trains are bigger and they cannot slow down immediately or change lane.

 

Operation Lifesaver states all commercial vehicles, trucks, school buses and transit buses are required to stop 15ft at any train/lightrail tracks and follow the law.

It's illegal for passengers or passenger vehicles to cross at railroad crossing when crossing guards are flashing red or gates are down.

 

Here is trip detail.

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/47829-august-19th-20th-2015-daredevill-trip-via-nicesct/

Edited August 3, 2015 by FamousNYLover

[John from Flushing]

About two years ago, while at little neck Lirr station, the crossing guards we're in the down position, very stupid elderly lady walked around it, lucky train wasn't close by & I saw a nypd officer who was walking on foot to his patrol car stop the woman & have a long convo with her, she did not look happy, I didn't hear the convo. Sometimes many elderly senior citizens do some

Of the weirdest things

[DetSMART45]

As to the question regarding Veolia owning the buses themselves:

 

Through tons of bureaucracy in this country, all tied to the use of FTA financing and rules, buses are owned by a government agency.

 

Now Veolia in the UK and Europe (to an extent) DOES own their own buses.  In the UK, most transit agencies follow the Transport for London (TfL) model where TfL tenders (bids) specific routes out and operators like Veolia bid on them.  TfL controls all aspects of the routes themselves, bus specifications, stops, guidelines for service -- but Veolia and other operators like Arriva procure, maintain and operate the buses themselves.  Part of the genius of this is that if the actual customers complain about operations or conditions of buses, TfL can pull the contract or eliminate/put on "probation" the operator in future biddings.  So therefore, buses are highly maintained, TfL customers tend to have newer buses (the operators move the older units out to other UK communities where they operate services), plus if older buses are put on the second-hand market, private charter/tour companies can get a good bus at a lower price.

 

Even if Veolia owned the NICE bus fleet, they have no competitors they would be up against, so there would be no impetus to invest anything.  Remember, they're being paid to be effective bean-counters, and they'll make sure they take their management fee, shuffle the amount of money outside of that the county opts to give them around to make it meet the extremely LOW expectations (since most Nassau residents avoid NICE like the plague), and just show any complainers comparing them to the MTA the middle finger.

 

The old expression of excrement running downhill really applies -- and NICE service as it is currently starts right at Ed's desk.  After all, HE would NEVER be seen on a NICE bus, would he?

[FamousNYLover]

Road traffic has to stop according to Operation Lifesaver when cars, buses, trucks approach railroad crossing. It's state law. Even emergency vehicles responding across train tracks had to stop at railroad crossing gate when trains are approaching or gates are down.

[John from Flushing]

I think veolia should pay to operate the buses with it's own money. Nassau can't afford it.

[NY1635]

I think veolia should pay to operate the buses with it's own money. Nassau can't afford it.

 

Nassau can afford to pay for it's own system, the county just needs to manage its money a little better instead of letting private businesses do whatever they want.

[John from Flushing]

Mta should run the bus system for

Both Nassau & Suffolk under the name mta li bus. Mta would charge less money to run the system than veolia would chArge.

[DetSMART45]

Nassau can afford to pay for it's own system, the county just needs to manage its money a little better instead of letting private businesses do whatever they want.

BWAHAHAHA ..... Oh my sides!

 

Let me get this straight .... so it's VEOLIA'S fault that they have been tasked to run THE COUNTY'S system.  So, by your logic, if you hired an accountant to do your taxes, it would be the ACCOUNTANT'S fault YOU couldn't figure out the tax code properly.

 

Nassau County was sold a bill of goods that the MTA was "ripping them off", and in certain cases, that could have been true -- but overall, it was not the case.

 

BUT you cannot ignore the fallout because of this, mainly by the people who DON'T use the system anymore.  Those people will be the same ones complaining about road congestion, road maintenance, but don't want to pay to support public transport NOR be caught riding because of their "social standing."  After all, they left the grimy, noisy environs of NYC to show everyone how much "better" they are out in "suburbia".  Which means no riding buses.

 

Nassau County told the MTA that they could do better, for much less.  Hasn't panned out in any way, shape or form.  The truth comes from the farebox and customer sentiment.  And that has NOTHING to do with Veolia running the place under the COUNTY'S directions.

[NY1635]

BWAHAHAHA ..... Oh my sides!

 

Let me get this straight .... so it's VEOLIA'S fault that they have been tasked to run THE COUNTY'S system.  So, by your logic, if you hired an accountant to do your taxes, it would be the ACCOUNTANT'S fault YOU couldn't figure out the tax code properly.

 

Nassau County was sold a bill of goods that the MTA was "ripping them off", and in certain cases, that could have been true -- but overall, it was not the case.

 

BUT you cannot ignore the fallout because of this, mainly by the people who DON'T use the system anymore.  Those people will be the same ones complaining about road congestion, road maintenance, but don't want to pay to support public transport NOR be caught riding because of their "social standing."  After all, they left the grimy, noisy environs of NYC to show everyone how much "better" they are out in "suburbia".  Which means no riding buses.

 

Nassau County told the MTA that they could do better, for much less.  Hasn't panned out in any way, shape or form.  The truth comes from the farebox and customer sentiment.  And that has NOTHING to do with Veolia running the place under the COUNTY'S directions.

 

The example you give doesn't make sense. I wasn't talking about Veolia when I made that statement, I was talking about the county in general.

Edited August 3, 2015 by NY1635

[John from Flushing]

The old logic in the 60s & 70s was, if you love on li you need a car. It's 2015 now li is full of young people & seniors who are on a limited income & they need public buses & at a very low price, if you keep raising the cash fare these young people & seniors will leave li & move to queens where it is more affordable. I don't know why li is different from queens, I believe li should have a bus system like queens does, where buses run every 10-15 minutes 24 hours a day, and have Nassau install bus lanes so buses can travel fast, ladies & gentleman if we have buses that speed & move fast this nice bus service would be so packed & double decker buses would be introduced.

[FamousNYLover]

The old logic in the 60s & 70s was, if you love on li you need a car. It's 2015 now li is full of young people & seniors who are on a limited income & they need public buses & at a very low price, if you keep raising the cash fare these young people & seniors will leave li & move to queens where it is more affordable. I don't know why li is different from queens, I believe li should have a bus system like queens does, where buses run every 10-15 minutes 24 hours a day, and have Nassau install bus lanes so buses can travel fast, ladies & gentleman if we have buses that speed & move fast this nice bus service would be so packed & double decker buses would be introduced.

Double-decker buses wouldn't work in Long Island because of many low clearance like LIRR Overpass, Parkway Brridges, and overgrown bushes and many NICE Bus, Suffolk County Transit and HART buses cannot fit under LIRR or many low clearance bridges.

Similar to this video, double-decker buses cannot operate on any of bus routes in Long Island due to height restriction.

 

 

 

[NY1635]

The old logic in the 60s & 70s was, if you love on li you need a car. It's 2015 now li is full of young people & seniors who are on a limited income & they need public buses & at a very low price, if you keep raising the cash fare these young people & seniors will leave li & move to queens where it is more affordable. I don't know why li is different from queens, I believe li should have a bus system like queens does, where buses run every 10-15 minutes 24 hours a day, and have Nassau install bus lanes so buses can travel fast, ladies & gentleman if we have buses that speed & move fast this nice bus service would be so packed & double decker buses would be introduced.

 

But young people and seniors are already leaving Nassau because they cannot afford to live in the county. The taxes are too high and the job pay is too low. While transportation is another factor, it's not the main reason why people are leaving the island.

 

Nassau can't install bus lanes because the major streets aren't wide enough for one. I'm not even sure what Nassau will do about transportation, but I've heard Suffolk County is trying to improve their transportation.

[John from Flushing]

I meant the buses that are used on the q44, they would work on Long Island, sorry for the mistake famous, I see double decker buses in manhattan used at tour buses

[FamousNYLover]

I meant the buses that are used on the q44, they would work on Long Island, sorry for the mistake famous, I see double decker buses in manhattan used at tour buses

That buses are called articulated buses. It doesn't work in Long Island either because there's lots of tightest turn like Nassau Community College, Hempstead Transit Center, and Great Neck U-turn road is too narrow for articulated bus.

 

Bee-Line's Articulated Bus on Route #40 and #41 that making right turn from Grassland Rd in Valhalla to Main Entrance of Westchester County Medical Center always hit curb because roads are narrow.

[cgs878]

Good evening everyone.  I'm a new member (as of the Admin's approval this evening), but I spent the weekend catching up on this thread, so I'm up-to-speed.  My name is Chris, and I live in Bellmore on the N46 route.  I have a few questions and observations on NICE in general.

 

Yesterday (Sunday), 2 NICE buses came past my house at about 1:15PM.  Since the N46 has no weekend service, I thought that maybe the drivers were lost or on some long detour.  I looked out my window just in time to see that the second one was #1650, and the information sign said "Training Bus."  Ahhhh, that explained it.  Is it a normal thing for NICE to conduct training on weekday-only routes?  Is it normal for 2 "Training Bus" units to follow each other?  I had never seen this before.

 

Occasionally, I see buses with a "Promotional Bus" information sign on them.  I always wonder what that means.  Do the lucky bus riders get a free ride on these units?  If so, do they have to pay first and then receive a voucher for a free ride in the future, or is it just "no charge" as soon as a rider gets on?

 

I think that part of the problem with the lateness of NICE buses is the redesign and traffic light resequencing that was done on both Hempstead Turnpike and Jericho Turnpike.  These routes have become a lot slower to drive due to the long red lights (so that pedestrians can cross safer) and the light sequences that prevent traffic from going more than a half mile without stopping.  The lateness of the buses is a side effect of these changes.

 

That's all I have for now.  G'night all.