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

[RSMG106]

On 5/16/2023 at 10:51 PM, Lawrence St said:

What is with all these buses having broken glass and missing parts? There's no way all these buses have that many problems...

They are just doing that because no one wants to at least drive these buses when they purchase it.

Edited May 21, 2023 by RSMG106

[danielhg121]

It appears NICE has changed their schedule layout on their pdf schedules again. 

[B35 via Church]

2 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

It appears NICE has changed their schedule layout on their pdf schedules again. 

Lol.... The one thing you can't say about NICEbus is that they're not ambitious....

Anyway, I just went to the site to check out a couple routes timetables.... Only thing I really notice is that they got rid of the strip maps, to portray a more thorough/informational map (using this n35 schedule as the example)...

 

[40 to 241st]

 I think we've waited a year for their xe40ng's to come out now 

[I Run Trains]

8 hours ago, 40 to 241st said:

 I think we've waited a year for their xe40ng's to come out now 

Well,,You're gonna have to keep waiting!

[Ale188]

10 hours ago, I Run Trains said:

Well,,You're gonna have to keep waiting!

Maybe his patience is done for and he's waitin for these new buses to come out. I agree with this though, cuz that's what life is. You gotta wait for new things. Most importantly, you gotta wait for the future. What are the fleet #s for these new buses anyway? Did NICE say any numbers yet or is it still TBD?

[I Run Trains]

On 5/22/2023 at 7:52 AM, Ale188 said:

Maybe his patience is done for and he's waitin for these new buses to come out. I agree with this though, cuz that's what life is. You gotta wait for new things. Most importantly, you gotta wait for the future. What are the fleet #s for these new buses anyway? Did NICE say any numbers yet or is it still TBD?

We Don't even know! Theres nowhere to put the charging stations yet! they aint ready. They either spoke ahead of themselves or something happened where the original plan is taking longer. Those buses was suppose to stored across the street with the charging station, but I haven't seen no production to even believe its coming soon!

[I Run Trains]

On 5/21/2023 at 9:32 AM, danielhg121 said:

It appears NICE has changed their schedule layout on their pdf schedules again. 

Slightly. Summer Pick starts Sunday!

[trainfan22]

I'm on an NICE Bus Gillig with no A/C, HVAC is on but isn't pumping out any air.

 

 

Driver has those little fans on in the front of the bus lol. First time I seen a NICE B/O use those fans

 

 

NICE must know their maintenance are trash hence spec'ing their buses with fans in the 21st century.

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by trainfan22

[B35 via Church]

NICE got subway bullets & rail insignia's on their signage now?

This morning, I saw an n24 signed up as "Jamaica ", and coming home, I saw an n22 signed up as "Hicksville (   )" <------ with a little train icon next to the 'e' in Hicksville...

Otherwise, I must've been hallucinating on both fronts & will gladly turn my license in.

[trainfan22]

2 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

NICE got subway bullets & rail insignia's on their signage now?

This morning, I saw an n24 signed up as "Jamaica ", and coming home, I saw an n22 signed up as "Hicksville (   )" <------ with a little train icon next to the 'e' in Hicksville...

Otherwise, I must've been hallucinating on both fronts & will gladly turn my license in.

I noticed that today as well.

[MTABusTransitFanner]

Retired 2010-2011 Orion VII NG CNGs as of 6/8/2023:

1800-1803, 1805-1809, 1816, 1819-1820, 1822-1823, 1825-1833, 1836-1839(027)

It’s been a while since I last posted here

[MTABusTransitFanner]

2016 back in service after getting involved in an accident in Roslyn while operating the n20H, currently on the n6

[Mpn4179]

Stopped by Sunrise Mall last Friday (June 16) to see which stores were still left open.

For those who are wondering if Sunrise Mall is still open, the answer is: YES and NO. Let me explain.

Currently there are six stores left at the mall: (From South to North)

-Macy's

-HomeGoods

-XSport Fitness

-Raymour & Flanagan Outlet

-Dick's Sporting Goods

-Dave & Buster's

All six stores have outdoor entrances as well as an entrance to the indoor mall. The indoor mall entrances from the six stores are closed, due to the fact the indoor mall is closed and there are no more stores left inside the indoor portion of the mall. The separate entrances to the indoor mall are labeled "EXIT ONLY", meaning you can't enter. If you're in one of those six stores listed above and you're trying to go to another one of those six stores, you have to go back outside and walk to that other store.

Also, some parking lots have been closed off on the West and North sides of the Mall. (From the Northwest end of Macys to the Northeast end of Dave & Buster's)

So basically Sunrise Mall went from an indoor mall to an outdoor strip mall. LOL.

 

When Sunrise Mall does close, hopefully NICE has made final decisions with the n19 and the n80 in where they want to relocate them. With the n54/55 already serving Amityville and the n71 being planned to serve Amityville (per the SCT redesign), I'm very intrigued to see what they do with these two routes, especially with Suffolk County Transit leaving the mall in the fall due to their redesign being implemented.

[checkmatechamp13]

The simplest is to just extend the routes to Amityville. The n80 can run straight down Oak Street, and the n19 can run down Merrick Road/Montauk Highway to NY-110 (or County Line Road) to reach the Amityville LIRR station.

[N6 Limited]

Random Observation just a few moments ago. 17 People waiting for the Jamaica bound n6 at UBS Arena, two buses were bunched, the first one kept going with seats available. 2nd one picked up all, but I couldn’t see inside to see how packed it was. (Which ones have tinted windows? New Flyers?)

[B35 via Church]

- All those routes currently ending at Sunrise doesn't need to run to Amityville when that dead mall finally/fully closes.... Only route I'd have running to LIRR Amityville is the n55 (which of course, would still connect to the myriad of routes at HTC).... AFAIC, the n54 can be axed for more n55 service (with that said, I still wouldn't have buses from HTC short turning at Uniondale); I was never all that wild about buses using that much of Sunrise Hwy anyway (as in, from Seaford)... Hell, I think the n55 & the n80 uses too much of Sunrise Hwy; those stops are very poorly used - even the one at Unqua, over there by that Kohl's (where the S20 used to end at).....

The n80 I'd have it stop dead at Grand av/Broadway (LIRR Massapequa)... Along with a service expansion, that route would benefit way more from a northern extension from Hicksville, than an eastern one to Amityville..... As far as the n19 & the n71, I would combine a small portion of the n71 with the n19.... The service would run between the Massapequa DMV & LIRR Freeport.... Merrick rd. east of Freeport would then have weekend service, like the current n71 does.... Any net/leftover from current n71 service levels that would result from such a combination would go towards more n70 service.... Basically, all n70 trips would not run to SUNY Farmingdale - there would be some trips that'd stop dead at 110.... Since I'm on the subject of Hempstead Tpke. service, I'd finally rid the system of the n72 notation..... There would only be n70's running along Hempstead Tpke - and more of 'em, to boot....

So that's more or less what I'd do with the affected routes at Sunrise when that godforsaken mall finally bites the dust.

Edited July 1, 2023 by B35 via Church

[B35 via Church]

51 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

Random Observation just a few moments ago. 17 People waiting for the Jamaica bound n6 at UBS Arena, two buses were bunched, the first one kept going with seats available. 2nd one picked up all, but I couldn’t see inside to see how packed it was. (Which ones have tinted windows? New Flyers?)

Nah bro, the 2xxx series.... The Gillig's.

[Q43LTD]

Sunrise Mall. Last time I went out there was 2012. Shortly after the takeover. I forgot what combination I used though.

[Lawrence St]

First XE40 on the way!

[danielhg121]

Nassau Inter-County Electric Express. Cool wrap or paint. 

[GojiMet86]

I see BoltBus lives, NICE is picking up Greyhound's slack.

Edited July 6, 2023 by GojiMet86

[Mtatransit]

On 7/1/2023 at 7:39 PM, B35 via Church said:

- All those routes currently ending at Sunrise doesn't need to run to Amityville when that dead mall finally/fully closes.... Only route I'd have running to LIRR Amityville is the n55 (which of course, would still connect to the myriad of routes at HTC).... AFAIC, the n54 can be axed for more n55 service (with that said, I still wouldn't have buses from HTC short turning at Uniondale); I was never all that wild about buses using that much of Sunrise Hwy anyway (as in, from Seaford)... Hell, I think the n55 & the n80 uses too much of Sunrise Hwy; those stops are very poorly used - even the one at Unqua, over there by that Kohl's (where the S20 used to end at).....

The n80 I'd have it stop dead at Grand av/Broadway (LIRR Massapequa)... Along with a service expansion, that route would benefit way more from a northern extension from Hicksville, than an eastern one to Amityville..... As far as the n19 & the n71, I would combine a small portion of the n71 with the n19.... The service would run between the Massapequa DMV & LIRR Freeport.... Merrick rd. east of Freeport would then have weekend service, like the current n71 does.... Any net/leftover from current n71 service levels that would result from such a combination would go towards more n70 service.... Basically, all n70 trips would not run to SUNY Farmingdale - there would be some trips that'd stop dead at 110.... Since I'm on the subject of Hempstead Tpke. service, I'd finally rid the system of the n72 notation..... There would only be n70's running along Hempstead Tpke - and more of 'em, to boot....

So that's more or less what I'd do with the affected routes at Sunrise when that godforsaken mall finally bites the dust.

I believe they closed the indoor portion of Sunrise Mall already. All remaining stores have outdoor entrances 

The only benefit for Sunrise Mall is the transfer to SCT these days, and I'm not sure many people transfer out that way anymore (atleast compared to LIB days). 

All the n55/54 I been on always empty out at Uniondale by that Walmart. Everything east of that is all coverage. Maybe one time people used the buses out there, either as a feeder or to go to the mall but now It doesn't matter if the bus uses Washington or Broadway, both lost its core ridership a long time ago. 

The n71 I do agree not all trips need to go to Farmingdale State, but I would still keep the majority of service there. My experience is that there are still ridership along the stops on Rt 110 either from SCT or walk ups, but significant enough that I feel like the justification is still there. Kind of ironic since that is one area where NICE actually improved service from the old (real n70) (along Rt 110 that is). What used to be taking a system of routes, n95, n70 taking Nassau residents to job areas along the Rt 110 (Newsday, Melville Quad), we are now left with only one service ending at Farmingdale State that students rarely use.

[B35 via Church]

On 7/7/2023 at 5:26 AM, Mtatransit said:

I believe they closed the indoor portion of Sunrise Mall already. All remaining stores have outdoor entrances

Yeah, that's why I said finally/fully closes (as in, no stores of any sort doing business on the property).

On 7/7/2023 at 5:26 AM, Mtatransit said:

The only benefit for Sunrise Mall is the transfer to SCT these days, and I'm not sure many people transfer out that way anymore (atleast compared to LIB days). 

All the n55/54 I been on always empty out at Uniondale by that Walmart. Everything east of that is all coverage. Maybe one time people used the buses out there, either as a feeder or to go to the mall but now It doesn't matter if the bus uses Washington or Broadway, both lost its core ridership a long time ago. 

The first statement makes the coverage that you're apparently minimizing in the second statement that much more important.... From a regional standpoint, it simply makes more sense to have a HTC service (n54/55) connect to Amityville (for the soon to be revamped SCT services running there) than a part time Freeport service (n19) & a part time Hicksville service (n80).... It would be short sighted to put too high a level of focus on the majority of the n54/55 ridership b/w Hempstead & Uniondale, given the state of the current bus network..... I mean hey, NICE bus castrated Babylon from off the n19 & the n72 with a similar thought process & look at what those routes have been relegated to ever since....

On 7/7/2023 at 5:26 AM, Mtatransit said:

The n70 I do agree not all trips need to go to Farmingdale State, but I would still keep the majority of service there. My experience is that there are still ridership along the stops on Rt 110 either from SCT or walk ups, but significant enough that I feel like the justification is still there. Kind of ironic since that is one area where NICE actually improved service from the old (real n70) (along Rt 110 that is). What used to be taking a system of routes, n95, n70 taking Nassau residents to job areas along the Rt 110 (Newsday, Melville Quad), we are now left with only one service ending at Farmingdale State that students rarely use.

Yeah, I'm not saying otherwise... If the n70 were to have a certain increase of service due to a phasing out of the n71 (due to Sunrise's eventual closing), you would not need to have all of those buses running to the college.... So yes, the majority of the service to SUNY Farmingdale would remain.... Not the vast majority, but a signficant majority..... As far as the point at the end there, well that's what happens when riders lose faith in a bus system & a bus system has to cut corners due to limited, stagnant, or a waning growth potential for the services they provide..... Being that SCT is undergoing a network revamp. I'm hoping that NICE doesn't go that same route (pun unintended).... My concern if NICE were to consider revamping the whole network, is that they would go even further in catering to Inter County riders than they did when they made all those cuts in 2016-2017...

Dubbing your entire operations Nassau Inter County Express doesn't exactly leave a good tasting pill to swallow for the immediate future (never mind how cute it may have sounded when Veolia took over operations from the MTA) if you're an intra-county commuter..... I am obviously a NYC resident & I can say without hesitation that I feel infinitely more comfortable seeking service in general between Nassau & Queens, than I do traveling within Nassau..... I would imagine that latter feeling being thousand-fold for a Nassau resident.... Maybe an unfair comparison, but I do not feel like that with Bee-Line at all.... I feel just as comfortable seeking service within Westchester as I do trying to get between Westchester & The Bronx... The (in)comparable palpability is drastic.

[40 to 241st]

Why is the n20g and n20h two different routes why can’t they just be one route