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

[MTA Orion Bus]

Poorly!?

 

n88 buses are often PACKED, to the point where they don't have enough buses to transport the amount of people riding (and that can be contributed to the lack of maintenance). For the amount of runs it has, the n88 does extremely well in terms of ridership. BTW, all bus service is somehow funded by the state, and by the respective county itself. Serving a state park has nothing to due with how a route gets funded. 

Packed on Memorial Day and regular service on weekends, yes. But often on weekdays during the summer, the buses ran close to empty which has contributed to the cost.

 

The n88 was the most efficient line in the system back when LIB ran it. It actually turned an operating profit. Eliminating that route would be a terrible decision.

Add in the fact that NICE doesn't have resources to have relief buses on the n88 anymore like Long Island Bus did on days like Memorial Day, and you have people who just stopped taking it and drive to the beach.

 

IF the n88 were to be eliminated, though concert service is already removed I believe (but from what I saw on here, they screwed that up anyway), they could always extend a couple of n40/41 or even n4 runs to the beach and see how that plays out. At least hound didn't say the n88 was next on the chopping block before the n33 and the n36.

[checkmatechamp13]

In the evening when Soutbound N1's are coming from Jamaica, where do the northbound N1's deadhead to after leaving the terminal at Hempstead Turnpike?

 

Maybe just back to the depot. Remember this is the same company that's having a lot of n70 buses deadhead to/from Melville (which is nowhere near a depot) instead of making a return trip. The same thing with the n45 in the PM rush going back to Roosevelt Field. 

[DS4Ever]

So if its ridership is popular why the talks towards eliminating the n88

 

I think the n88 should secede from NICE and become an independent route or a shuttle for the LIRR

 

That can help save the n88 from future scrapping

[DS4Ever]

The deadhead of the n70 from Melville is considered very long away...is like the neighboring s58 deadheads from East Northport after arriving at 8:30pm to head all the way to Yaphank. ..that's very very far away

 

The n1 deadheading isnt much to deal with since its route is rather short the reason why the n1 takes long to complete a route is because of the many stops it makes plus the many of traffic signals. ..remember Elmont and Valley Stream border NYC and is highly urbanized and thus uses many traffic signals

[MTA Orion Bus]

NICE is hiring bus drivers again: https://vtodtalent-transdevna.icims.com/jobs/4292/bus-driver-fixed-route-operator-with-cdl-nassau-county%2c-ny/job?hub=12

 

So that attrition period spoken of at the last hearing must be over!

 

So if its ridership is popular why the talks towards eliminating the n88

I think the n88 should secede from NICE and become an independent route or a shuttle for the LIRR

That can help save the n88 from future scrapping

I explained it 2 posts above.

[Hound]

Packed on Memorial Day and regular service on weekends, yes. But often on weekdays during the summer, the buses ran close to empty which has contributed to the cost.

 

Add in the fact that NICE doesn't have resources to have relief buses on the n88 anymore like Long Island Bus did on days like Memorial Day, and you have people who just stopped taking it and drive to the beach.

 

IF the n88 were to be eliminated, though concert service is already removed I believe (but from what I saw on here, they screwed that up anyway), they could always extend a couple of n40/41 or even n4 runs to the beach and see how that plays out. At least hound didn't say the n88 was next on the chopping block before the n33 and the n36.

The main reason for the drop in ridership on the N88 is because NICE screwed up the schedule that caused missed train connections,unlike when the MTA ran it. Also,the headways were increased & span of service cut.

[MTA Orion Bus]

The main reason for the drop in ridership on the N88 is because NICE screwed up the schedule that caused missed train connections,unlike when the MTA ran it. Also,the headways were increased & span of service cut.

Haven't that AND what I said contributed to the route's downfall? I mean, even during the MTA Long Island Bus days, weekday ridership on the n88 wasn't that high. It was probably higher than what it is now, but not that good.

Edited February 4, 2016 by MTA Orion Bus

[N6 Limited]

Packed on Memorial Day and regular service on weekends, yes. But often on weekdays during the summer, the buses ran close to empty which has contributed to the cost.

 

Add in the fact that NICE doesn't have resources to have relief buses on the n88 anymore like Long Island Bus did on days like Memorial Day, and you have people who just stopped taking it and drive to the beach.

 

IF the n88 were to be eliminated, though concert service is already removed I believe (but from what I saw on here, they screwed that up anyway), they could always extend a couple of n40/41 or even n4 runs to the beach and see how that plays out. At least hound didn't say the n88 was next on the chopping block before the n33 and the n36.

Imagine if they had N4x buses go to Jones beach on weekends. (Since ridership is light during the week)

 

Maybe just back to the depot. Remember this is the same company that's having a lot of n70 buses deadhead to/from Melville (which is nowhere near a depot) instead of making a return trip. The same thing with the n45 in the PM rush going back to Roosevelt Field. 

Yeah I see a lot of deadheading buses at times.  But why have N70 buses deadheading to Melville when they can return as a N70 or N72? Also, do they use the parkways for deadheading like the Q46 does?

[MTA Orion Bus]

Imagine if they had N4x buses go to Jones beach on weekends. (Since ridership is light during the week)

There were comments on NICE's Facebook throughout last year I think from someone named Charlton D'souza, who still comments, who wanted to extend the n4 route to Jones Beach or create a seperate route between Jones Beach or Jamaica or something. I think a better idea is to extend one of the north-south routes to Freeport to the beach similar to that n73/74 extension to Jones Beach idea that was pitched around here to replace the n87. With that route not around anymore/currently, possible routes could be the n43 or certain runs of the n40/41. I could see ridership increasing with those extensions.

[Hound]

There were comments on NICE's Facebook throughout last year I think from someone named Charlton D'souza, who still comments, who wanted to extend the n4 route to Jones Beach or create a seperate route between Jones Beach or Jamaica or something. I think a better idea is to extend one of the north-south routes to Freeport to the beach similar to that n73/74 extension to Jones Beach idea that was pitched around here to replace the n87. With that route not around anymore/currently, possible routes could be the n43 or certain runs of the n40/41. I could see ridership increasing with those extensions.

These route extensions wouldn't work. They would only cause reliability issues with the rest of the route due to beach traffic,raised drawbridges on the parkway & overcrowding delays.

[MTA Orion Bus]

These route extensions wouldn't work. They would only cause reliability issues with the rest of the route due to beach traffic,raised drawbridges on the parkway & overcrowding delays.

Is the idea really worth that quick dismissal? Couldn't the schedule just call for example, a 5-10 minute buffer at Freeport LIRR station to encompass for the traffic or overcrowding delays that could happen at the beach should they occur? I don't know, I feel like the idea could work if it's done right (not saying NICE does things right though).

[checkmatechamp13]

Is the idea really worth that quick dismissal? Couldn't the schedule just call for example, a 5-10 minute buffer at Freeport LIRR station to encompass for the traffic or overcrowding delays that could happen at the beach should they occur? I don't know, I feel like the idea could work if it's done right (not saying NICE does things right though).

 

I think having it as a standalone route would work fine. Remember that they have that package with the LIRR that includes the n88 fare, so it might cause problems in that regard. (Also, it gets a respectable amount of ridership under the current structure. Obviously, weekend buses are packed) 

[Hound]

Is the idea really worth that quick dismissal? Couldn't the schedule just call for example, a 5-10 minute buffer at Freeport LIRR station to encompass for the traffic or overcrowding delays that could happen at the beach should they occur? I don't know, I feel like the idea could work if it's done right (not saying NICE does things right though).

NO.

[Joel Up Front]

Are there any more of the 2000 Orion V CNGs actually running?  The last one I recall seeing was 1603 in 2013 or so and it looked like it was on borrowed time.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Joel Up Front

[R32 3838]

Rode 1003 today on the n24, 1626 seems to be the last 2002 LIB orion V CNG in service

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I don't know how long ago this was posted, but NICE's site mentions the S20 being rerouted to serve Montauk Highway

 

 

n19 trips will start/end at the Sunrise Mall and will not travel further east to Babylon. (please use the SCT's s20 for trips on to Babylon).  PLEASE NOTE, STARTING FEBRUARY 22ND, SCT'S s20 WILL MAKE TRIPS ALONG MONTAUK HIGHWAY BETWEEN AMITYVILLE AND BABYLON.  FOR DETAILS VISIT http://sct-bus.org/assets/newS2022216.html

Edited February 13, 2016 by BM5 via Woodhaven

[DS4Ever]

The s20 has now two frequencies

 

*Sunrise Loop which goes to Babylon via the old n19 route eastbound and stop at Babylon to return back to its terminus at Sunrise Mall via its current route

 

* Babylon Loop which goes to Sunrise mall via its current route and after arriving Sunrise mall it would then return to its Terminus at Babylon via the old n19 route

 

I would call it the s20 and s21

[checkmatechamp13]

The s20 has now two frequencies

 

*Sunrise Loop which goes to Babylon via the old n19 route eastbound and stop at Babylon to return back to its terminus at Sunrise Mall via its current route

 

* Babylon Loop which goes to Sunrise mall via its current route and after arriving Sunrise mall it would then return to its Terminus at Babylon via the old n19 route

 

I would call it the s20 and s21

 

Not quite the "old n19 route". The bus would take Montauk Highway to Route 110 to serve the Amityville LIRR station, and then continue to Sunrise from there.

[N6 Limited]

At least it connects to the S1

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

At least it connects to the S1

That's true. I like this route over the the n19 routing under LIB/NICE.

[checkmatechamp13]

I just realized one little thing: When I took the S20, the guy was the last bus of the night, and thought that he was supposed to "skip all the shopping centers" (he ended at Amityville instead of Sunrise, so he thought he was also supposed to skip the GSB shopping center as well). With the routing that passes by the GSB in both directions, hopefully that'll get cleared up.

[DS4Ever]

The n19 omitted Amityville RR station to not overthrow the s20 service so it went straight down to Carmans road

 

I guess its kind of nice to see the s20 covering this service. ..was Not my wishing but is a fair deal

 

Thank you SCT for remembering that Suffolk residents ALSO use public transportation NOT like NICE officials who are busophobics (mixture of bus and xenophobic)

[FamousNYLover]

I don't know how long ago this was posted, but NICE's site mentions the S20 being rerouted to serve Montauk Highway

 

 

The s20 has now two frequencies

 

*Sunrise Loop which goes to Babylon via the old n19 route eastbound and stop at Babylon to return back to its terminus at Sunrise Mall via its current route

 

* Babylon Loop which goes to Sunrise mall via its current route and after arriving Sunrise mall it would then return to its Terminus at Babylon via the old n19 route

 

I would call it the s20 and s21

DS4Ever, you have S20 loops wrong.

 

S20 Sunrise Mall Loop goes clockwise via regular route to Babylon, then South Bay Shopping Center, then follow n19 route back to NYS 110, then regular S20 route to Sunrise Mall and layover.

S20 Babylon Train Loop goes counter clockwise following regular route to Sunrise Mall, then back to NYS110, than goes eastbound via n19 route to Babylon Station, layover.

Edited February 14, 2016 by FamousNYLover

[MTA Orion Bus]

Out of curiosity, has anyone asked any SCT drivers who frequently do the S20 what they think of the change?

[mac5689]

I just realized one little thing: When I took the S20, the guy was the last bus of the night, and thought that he was supposed to "skip all the shopping centers" (he ended at Amityville instead of Sunrise, so he thought he was also supposed to skip the GSB shopping center as well). With the routing that passes by the GSB in both directions, hopefully that'll get cleared up.

My bet would  be that driver was either new or had just recently picked the route or a sub driver that didn't really know the route. (The latter is likely since EBT drivers who picked the S57 and S63, after EBT got the routes in 2012 after Suffolk redid how they bid the routes, were said to have gotten lost because they didn't really know the routes.)

I would call it the s20 and s21

 

The S21 is already on the books as a retired route. 

 

But why use a new route number when it's easier to use the same route number for both loops, like Suffolk is doing?