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

[67thAve]

I haven't seen an artic in a while. I just checked the new schedule and it's interesting. (maybe, I'm late on this):

-The closest to midday that they run Artics on weekdays is about 3pm, but on Saturday they kinda run on a hourly basis all day.

- Artics only run on the N6X on weekdays

-The "N6x" trips to NCC have been eliminated

 

http://www.nicebus.com/NiceBus/media/NiceBus-Schedules/NiceBus-SchedulesApp/NICE-n6_MapSchedule.pdf

 

I've known that the n6x does not serve campus for the last few weeks. I was discussing how if they were to use artics to service NCC, NICE would likely have to interline the n16x trips with n6x trips that do utilize them so as to not spend more than absolutely needed...

 

Which means nothing for mid-day service (and more unreliable service during the rush on top of the current issues).

Edited September 15, 2017 by MrBeardedBread

[N6 Limited]

I've known that the n6x does not serve campus for the last few weeks. I was discussing how if they were to use artics to service NCC, NICE would likely have to interline the n16x trips with n6x trips that do utilize them so as to not spend more than absolutely needed...

 

Which means nothing for mid-day service (and more unreliable service during the rush on top of the current issues).

I was just noting what I noticed about the new schedule. As for the N16 couldn't they loop an Artic between campus and Hempsted?

[67thAve]

I was just noting what I noticed about the new schedule. As for the N16 couldn't they loop an Artic between campus and Hempsted?

 

They could, especially since the depot is not far away (so dead-heading is not really an issue).

 

Another thing that could be done is to time mid-day service differently to reflect class change times. That was one of the pitfalls of the mid-day n6x pre-April, as some trips would be SRO one day and be empty the next.

[NY1635]

I've known that the n6x does not serve campus for the last few weeks. I was discussing how if they were to use artics to service NCC, NICE would likely have to interline the n16x trips with n6x trips that do utilize them so as to not spend more than absolutely needed...

 

Which means nothing for mid-day service (and more unreliable service during the rush on top of the current issues).

 

NICE can't use the artics on the n16 route between Hempstead and NCC because the streets inside the college campus are too small and narrow for the buses to make the turns. It's much better if they just restored the n35 weekday midday service during the semester, and re-route the n27 to serve the Student Union, Bradley Hall, and Bookstore stops before entering/exiting on Selfridge to get to the mall if necessary. It might add more runtime on the n27, but not that much since it consistently arrives at RFM a few minutes after the n15/35, but before the n16.

[Joel Up Front]

I thought NICE wasn't serious about cutting the N35 from Nassau.  The only reason I don't post here anymore is  because everyone knows NICE is a freaking awful excuse of a company, and that's an open secret.

Edited September 17, 2017 by Joel Up Front

[NY1635]

I thought NICE wasn't serious about cutting the N35 from Nassau.  The only reason I don't post here anymore is  because everyone knows NICE is a freaking awful excuse of a company, and that's an open secret.

 

I believe the lack of passengers north of NCC was what caused NICE to reduce the n35 to hourly during weekday off midday. Ridership north of the college has been going down ever since the Source Mall died a slow and painful death. Before there were HTC-NCC shuttles to pick up the slack, but now it's not doing much. It's even more bizarre that the n35 got reduced to hourly north of Hempstead when it usually gets more people heading to Roosevelt Field and NCC than either the n15 or n16. I think what makes NICE terrible is how they focus too much on improving connections between lines without improving the schedule.

Edited September 17, 2017 by NY1635

[FamousNYLover]

Artic can't handle following routes in my opinon.

Elmont Flexi, n16, n20H, n21, n23,  n35, n43.

 

For n4/4X, artic properly have to drop off at Parson Blvd, turn right at 153rd St, left Jamaica, left 150th St, then pickup on northside of 150th St.

 

For n22/n24,

Jamaica-bound will properly have to use last bay at Roosevelt Field, then Mineola on west side of Mineola Transit Center, while eastbound bus will have to use Old Country Rd to get to east of Mineola Bus Station and pickup before taxi building.

For n20G bus in Great Neck, bus will properly have to go to next street after grocery, then make turnaround.

 

 

[N6 Limited]

On 9/16/2017 at 9:20 PM, NY1635 said:

 

I believe the lack of passengers north of NCC was what caused NICE to reduce the n35 to hourly during weekday off midday. Ridership north of the college has been going down ever since the Source Mall died a slow and painful death. Before there were HTC-NCC shuttles to pick up the slack, but now it's not doing much. It's even more bizarre that the n35 got reduced to hourly north of Hempstead when it usually gets more people heading to Roosevelt Field and NCC than either the n15 or n16. I think what makes NICE terrible is how they focus too much on improving connections between lines without improving the schedule.

Midday the N15 follows the N35 route so maybe they find that to be redundant service.

[NY1635]

7 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

Midday the N15 follows the N35 route so maybe they find that to be redundant service.

True, but the people who travel between HTC and Roosevelt Field tend to prefer the n35 because it's usually the first of the two to arrive at either destination and ready to go. No one at either stops want to wait the extra 4-10 minutes for the n15 to arrive at Hempstead Transit Center, or for the Long Beach bound bus at Roosevelt Field to go into service when the n35 is already at the bay.

[Joel Up Front]

After all these years, Orion V #1693 is still rolling around.

[67thAve]

Does anyone else think that the n16 should no longer stop at Earle Ovington and Charles Lindbergh southbound? I rarely see people waiting there, and when I do, the n16 is 90-95% of the time so full that no one there can board anyway.

This would also help to improve schedule adherence because it would permit the southbound n16 runs to cut through the parking lot and avoid the signal at the intersection of Earle Ovington and Charles Lindbergh, which always gets backed up around class change times.

[NY1635]

21 hours ago, 67thAve said:

Does anyone else think that the n16 should no longer stop at Earle Ovington and Charles Lindbergh southbound? I rarely see people waiting there, and when I do, the n16 is 90-95% of the time so full that no one there can board anyway.

This would also help to improve schedule adherence because it would permit the southbound n16 runs to cut through the parking lot and avoid the signal at the intersection of Earle Ovington and Charles Lindbergh, which always gets backed up around class change times.

 

I'm pretty sure that NCC won't allow the southbound n16 to cut through the parking lot and avoid the traffic signal at Earle Ovington and Charles Linbdergh, even if the stop was removed. I have a gut feeling that LI is afraid of change, even if it's something minor and makes sense.

[FamousNYLover]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 9:35 PM, NY1635 said:

 

NICE can't use the artics on the n16 route between Hempstead and NCC because the streets inside the college campus are too small and narrow for the buses to make the turns. It's much better if they just restored the n35 weekday midday service during the semester, and re-route the n27 to serve the Student Union, Bradley Hall, and Bookstore stops before entering/exiting on Selfridge to get to the mall if necessary. It might add more runtime on the n27, but not that much since it consistently arrives at RFM a few minutes after the n15/35, but before the n16.

Speaking off that, is NCC campus roadways very narrow compare to Westchester Medical Center entrance from Grasslands Rd in Valhalla?

Can Artic handle NYIT Loop and SUNY Old Westbury or will it be tough?

If Artic runs on n4/4X, in Jamaica, drop off on near or far side of Parsons Blvd, turn right at 153rd St, turn left at Jamaica Av, turn left at 150th St/Sutphin Blvd, and pickup near 150th St?

If Artic runs on n22, will artic will have to use taxi stand at Mineola on east side and same stop as Hofra University Shuttle for Jamaica-bound n22?

If Artic runs on n20G, bus will properly have to turnaround at Gilchrest Rd, right. It might be tough with construction work in Flushing.

 

 

 

 

[FamousNYLover]

Artics can do n1, n4/4X, n15, Mercy Medical Center Shuttle, n19, n20G, n22, n24, n25, n26, n27, n31, n33, n40, n41, n48, n49, n54, n58 King Points Academy, n70, n71, n72, n78, n79, n88.

Artic cannot do Elmont Flexi, 16X, n20H, n23, n35, n48, n55, n57, n58, and n80 because of tight turns, and tight routes, right?

Edited October 1, 2017 by FamousNYLover

[FamousNYLover]

Tought turns for NICE Bus drivers due to illegal parking or bad motorists.

Mineola Blvd/1st St- n23

Willis Av/Warner Av- n23

Railroad Av/Roslyn Rd- n23/27

Middle Neck Rd/South Station Plaza or North Station Plaza- n20G, n20H, n21, n25.

South Station Plaza/US Postal Service (sometimes illegal parking by kosher supermarket: n20G, n20H, n21.

NCC Campus- n16, n16X, n35, n43.

 

 

[NY1635]

On 10/1/2017 at 12:17 AM, FamousNYLover said:

Tought turns for NICE Bus drivers due to illegal parking or bad motorists.

Mineola Blvd/1st St- n23

Willis Av/Warner Av- n23

Railroad Av/Roslyn Rd- n23/27

Middle Neck Rd/South Station Plaza or North Station Plaza- n20G, n20H, n21, n25.

South Station Plaza/US Postal Service (sometimes illegal parking by kosher supermarket: n20G, n20H, n21.

NCC Campus- n16, n16X, n35, n43.

 

 

You can add the n6 on that list because there's plenty of bad motorists on Hempstead Turnpike between the City Line and Meacham Avenue, or around West Hempstead near Cherry Valley to Franklin Street.

[67thAve]

A couple of tidbits of news from NCC in the last couple of days:

1) The school is planning on reworking the big southern parking lot. Part of the plan seems to include rerouting NICE service permanently to avoid travelling through the lot, even after construction.

2) I saw an artic (#1966, I think) operating as a training bus today on campus. Does this mean a possible return of n6x service to NCC next semester?

[NY1635]

20 minutes ago, 67thAve said:

A couple of tidbits of news from NCC in the last couple of days:

1) The school is planning on reworking the big southern parking lot. Part of the plan seems to include rerouting NICE service permanently to avoid travelling through the lot, even after construction.

2) I saw an artic (#1966, I think) operating as a training bus today on campus. Does this mean a possible return of n6x service to NCC next semester?

How is this going to affect the n16 and n43?   I've heard something about a mini terminal being build by the Clusters from NICE's community meeting notes.

Edited October 27, 2017 by NY1635

[67thAve]

9 hours ago, NY1635 said:

How is this going to affect the n16 and n43?   I've heard something about a mini terminal being build by the Clusters from NICE's community meeting notes.

I don't know... I have not seen the community meeting notes that you have mentioned.
 

Is it possible for you to link them to me?

[NY1635]

2 hours ago, 67thAve said:

I don't know... I have not seen the community meeting notes that you have mentioned.
 

Is it possible for you to link them to me?

I actually bothered to look thru the August one:

http://nicebus.com/NiceBus/media/NiceBus-FrontPageSlider/July-TAAC-Minutes.pdf

[NY1635]

2 hours ago, James Goodwin said:

Seems like Jack Martins really is considering doing away with Transdev. The question is, A, will he really try to get the MTA to come back and B, will the MTA be willing to come back? That is of course if he wins...

Like Mangano, he'll most likely find another private company to run the Nassau bus system. I doubt the MTA is coming back because they know that Nassau is politically corrupt.

[NY1635]

16 minutes ago, James Goodwin said:

They probably will most likely return if and only if Nassau county agrees to sell off the entire system to the TA, depots, routes, buses, everything. That way, they'll never have another 2011. Plus, they could finally have a truly integrated regional bus network.

Never going to happen because Nassau wants their bus service to be like Westchester's, not like the old PBLs that used to operate in Queens.

[FamousNYLover]

On 9/15/2017 at 2:36 PM, 67thAve said:

 

I've known that the n6x does not serve campus for the last few weeks. I was discussing how if they were to use artics to service NCC, NICE would likely have to interline the n16x trips with n6x trips that do utilize them so as to not spend more than absolutely needed...

 

Which means nothing for mid-day service (and more unreliable service during the rush on top of the current issues).

When Artic was running on n6X that starts, all n6X Artic started/terminated at Hempstead Transit Center.

[BreeddekalbL]

Now that currians has won county executive how will she deal with nice

[NY1635]

28 minutes ago, BreeddekalbL said:

Now that currians has won county executive how will she deal with nice

She will work with NICE since the n4 and 35 ran thru her district. Martins lost the moment he offended a good chunk of NICE riders with that stupid flyer or whatever linking Curran to MS-13 mailed a few days before the election.