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

[N6 Limited]

How come train drivers does not know? I thought n22 was easy route.

I remember I took n22a first time during Able-Ride public hearing, male B/O pull over near Tsui Foundation Temple thing at Roslyn Rd to comfirm how to get to/from RFM from area by cell phone.

The n22 is easy as a passenger if you've ridden it many times, But if you're a new driver thrown onto a route it's not "easy" if you don't actually know the route.

[FamousNYLover]

Supposedly, under Long Island Bus (I don't know NICE's policy on this), before you were hired and accepted to training, you had to take what is known as a "route test" where I think you're given a map or questions on routes and you have to know the major streets of the routes as well as major transfer points.

Remember when PinePower and I had to help nice cute African-color like lady on n20 on Memorial Day? She shows us the NICE Operation booklet and it was very confusing.

[Vistausss]

In that case does a good job with training drivers, I'd say. Better than even some Western European companies. Kudos to that

Remember when PinePower and I had to help nice cute African-color like lady on n20 on Memorial Day? She shows us the NICE Operation booklet and it was very confusing.

 

Operation booklet has nothing to do with getting training BEFOREHAND.

[FamousNYLover]

I think NICE drivers study the operation booklet, especially the new drivers.

I remember when I was on n73, even with male LIB driver was directing the new Veolia NICE male driver in confusing route Cornflower St area, new driver made mistake and he was still able to get back to his regular route.

 

Suffolk County Transit drivers are much better drivers than NICE.

[Vistausss]

 

Suffolk County Transit drivers are much better drivers than NICE.

 

Well call me suprised!!! [/sarcasm]

 

Thats logical because: different field of operation.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

I just saw a driver for Big Taxi Tours in Manhattan in a NICE uniform. Is this another Veolia operation?

[FamousNYLover]

I just saw a driver for Big Taxi Tours in Manhattan in a NICE uniform. Is this another Veolia operation?

Can you describe the uniform?

Maybe Big Taxi Tour might have similar uniform.

When I took BTT for first time, drivers had all kinds of clothes on.

 

I remember when I took N69 Point Lookout few days after NICE April 8th schedule change, City of Long Beach B/O, male driver had MTA LIB uniform on.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Can you describe the uniform?

Maybe Big Taxi Tour might have similar uniform.

When I took BTT for first time, drivers had all kinds of clothes on.

 

I remember when I took N69 Point Lookout few days after NICE April 8th schedule change, City of Long Beach B/O, male driver had MTA LIB uniform on.

It was the NICE uniform, NICE logo and everything.

[PinePower]

It was the NICE uniform, NICE logo and everything.

 

Maybe it's his 2nd job. Remember alot of NICE operators are part-time and may have other driving jobs. Going back quite a few years ago there was a driver at CBS Lines (Suffolk Transit) he actually did the afternoons but he often came into work with a school bus company uniform on, so he probably drove school buses before starting on the S62 at Port Jeff around 4pm.

Well its either that or he got a NICE uniform from someone and felt like wearing it. One guy who I had driving the S66 awhile ago was wearing an MTA (perhaps LIB) uniform.

[Vistausss]

Or maybe he is a new part-timer at BTT and they didn't have his uniform ready in time so they asked him if he could wear his NICE uniform in the meantime.

[FamousNYLover]

This one may interest some of you here. I was driving home today on Northern Blvd alongside N20 LIMITED #1871. Not sure what trip it was, but I met the bus at Northern Blvd & Mineola Ave at about 5:10 - 5:15pm, so I'm going to guess it was the 4:33pm trip out of Hicksville. It was a young black female driver. I first saw the bus getting off the Roslyn Viaduct and stopping at the next stop in front of Bryant & Cooper, picking someone up. She then skipped the stop at Searingtown Rd (where people were waiting) and the continuing stops including the one across the street from Macy's (in front of that public park, where about 5 people were waiting). People there were pissed off and waving their arms and stuff, but nobody ran after the bus. The next stop she made was after Middle Neck Rd (skipping Great Neck LIRR) in front of Leonard's in Great Neck. From there, she made the necessary stops. Keep in mind, there was no bus before or in front of her in sight (as I was driving along side her in traffic). I find this very disturbing for people who have to rely on these buses, but I'm not very surprised that NICE lets it come to this point. This has to be happening in other places that just the n20.

I think she might be the driver that PinePower and I help her on Memorial Day 2013.

[Joel Up Front]

I seriously dread the day the last Orion V is off this island.  I was just riding my bike and 1783 on the N4 to Jamaica rocketed past, absolutely jammed.  And to think it was bad when an Orion V was jammed like that.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Joel Up Front

[FamousNYLover]

No, she wasn't.

Can you describe her clearly because I not very good at describiting people.

Maybe Pinepower could tell.

Young black female driver who we help on n20 Flushing on Memoridal Day 2013 from Hicksville, she was cute.

Edited August 6, 2013 by FamousNYLover

[User]

Can you describe her clearly because I not very good at describiting people.

Maybe Pinepower could tell.

Young black female driver who we help on n20 Flushing on Memoridal Day 2013 from Hicksville, she was cute.

She was younger and shorter than than the one you had on Memorial Day. And before you ask me, know I had that same driver you had on Memorial Day, that same day, on an earlier run, coming home from Hicksville, and she also asked for directions and matched the description given and the bus PinePower mentioned. That driver was not the driver I saw today. Take my word for it (no response to that needed).

[Vistausss]

This has to be happening in other places that just the n20.

 

You got that right. If I got a dollar for everytime that happened here in my country, I would be living in Montauk now.

[Burrstone]

I saw 1682 pass the subway station at Jamaica Center heading towards where the n4 boards to go back eastbound last monday morning with "training bus" on the destination sign , so apparently they must train drivers on at least some routes.  What I don't think a lot of people are taking into account is that just because someone is trained on a route doesn't mean they will automatically remember it, people are not robots.  New people forget, most people are not bus fans riding buses for fun or studying routes.

 

Ask Hound, his beloved Greyhound has extensive route training called route break in where they send about 4-5 students on a bus with a trainer to learn routes.  Then before a driver is allowed to go out on their own they must complete a process called "cubbing," a certain amount of time with a trainer, driving the trainers route (with passengers).  Greyhound has what is considered one of the best training programs in the Country if not the best!  Guess what happens when drivers go out on their own?  Some of them get lost, it happens.

 

Before nice came I would hear drivers and dispatchers at MTA LIB giving directions to new drivers who get lost...  It happens!

 

I remember taking the S33 to Suffolk Community College a couple of times...  The first time the driver was giving turn by turn directions to another driver over the radio that was lost.  The second time a different driver saw a bus pass him (I don't know what bus it was) but he really took notice and said "oh shit!  They're lost!"  He got on the radio to say "(bus number, you're way off course, pull over! " and then started giving detailed directions to get back on course.  The female driver thanked him and he responded that it wasn't a problem and something to the fact that most get lost when they start doing it.  A lot of Sullfolk Transit routes are a lot more complicated than NICE/LIB routes because they are longer and have more turns.

 

 

Supposedly, under Long Island Bus (I don't know NICE's policy on this), before you were hired and accepted to training, you had to take what is known as a "route test" where I think you're given a map or questions on routes and you have to know the major streets of the routes as well as major transfer points.

 

This is a test that they gave to everyone when they applied, there are multiple choice questions and then a section where you had to map out routes.  This was for para transit as that is where people without enough experience would go, anyone with 1+ years experience of driving coach buses or full size school buses could pick whether they wanted to go to para transit or wait for the MTA's next class in the Bronx to drive transit buses (part time "LABO").  

 

The test was a basic idiot test to weed people out, see if they could actually use a map to plan out a route (sad) because you weren't allowed to use GPS if hired.  It was explained that the para transit operates were expected to map out their trips before their shift and were only allowed to use a map not google maps or mapquest or anything.

 

The test looked for basic mapping skills, asked for the shortest most direct route, and made sure that someone wouldn't want to bring a CMV on a parkway, etc.  The test contained nothing really related to fixed route, or general knowledge of knowing how to get around Nassau County (you could give a literate person who's never been to Kansas City in their life a map of Kansas City and they'd be able to map out a route in Kansas City).

 

Not that it matters but I know it will come up because it has before when I shared I took that test....  Yes, I took AND passed that test, I was offered a job on the "real buses,"  was offered a place in the next MTA training class but turned down the job offer because it was LABO, part-time, odd hours, even split shifts.  No thanks!  I was making more per hour and had more hours driving a school bus, why would I go somewhere for less hours and less money per hour?  Except to tell people I drove a "real" bus.  lol

Edited August 7, 2013 by Burrstone

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I remember taking the S33 to Suffolk Community College a couple of times... The first time the driver was giving turn by turn directions to another driver over the radio that was lost. The second time a different driver saw a bus pass him (I don't know what bus it was) but he really took notice and said "oh shit! They're lost!" He got on the radio to say "(bus number, you're way off course, pull over! " and then started giving detailed directions to get back on course. The female driver thanked him and he responded that it wasn't a problem and something to the fact that most get lost when they start doing it. A lot of Sullfolk Transit routes are a lot more complicated than NICE/LIB routes because they are longer and have more turns.

Of course, because when you are in suburban nowhere, only the long routes succeed for the most part compared to the shorter routes. SCT isn't like Nassau where half the system is a lost cause. Worse if on the eastern end. That's why the longest routes (S92, S54, S58, S60, S66, S40, S33, and the S1) do better then its other counterparts (the only non-long sized routes which do pretty well that I know are the S63, S61, and S45). The rest if the routes is a hit or a miss. Look at the S57. Outside Ronkonkoma , activity is thin (Ill go as far as saying the S57 only so-so portion is Ronkonkoma Lake to the Airport, which is not a long distance). Look at the S71, the only reason it deviates all over is because without it its ridership would be horrible.

[Vistausss]

Don't forget the non-long sized route 10c. Also does quite well.

[Joel Up Front]

Why do the NG's windows fog up whenever it gets humid or rains?

[PinePower]

Because I believe only the driver's windshield has defogger/defroster systems.

 

It also doesn't help when drivers shut the air off which has been a problem since the LIB days.

[petabread]

So I don't know if this is news but how does nice expect to have service increases? I had to go out to Nassau county yesterday and I swing by the terminal and there are 4 out of service buses and My n22 was running late. Then I see someone who works for there that I know and he tells me there are over 40 buses dead and awaiting maintenance help in their garden city facility. He says its such a big mess everyday. My n22 was only 10 mins late but we didnt get to roosevelt field mall because the bus broke down at mineola. This is so sad.

[Joel Up Front]

So I don't know if this is news but how does nice expect to have service increases? I had to go out to Nassau county yesterday and I swing by the terminal and there are 4 out of service buses and My n22 was running late. Then I see someone who works for there that I know and he tells me there are over 40 buses dead and awaiting maintenance help in their garden city facility. He says its such a big mess everyday. My n22 was only 10 mins late but we didnt get to roosevelt field mall because the bus broke down at mineola. This is so sad.

 

inb4theveoliainternetdefenseforce

 

 

 

I really don't know where this money is coming from when I see more and more high schoolers in now 15 year old cars than before.  I really don't see any of the hipsters who claim they're "saving the environment" by not getting their own car when their peers all drive.  It really is a crapshoot traveling any farther than two miles in any direction without a car here.

[Vistausss]

So I don't know if this is news but how does nice expect to have service increases? I had to go out to Nassau county yesterday and I swing by the terminal and there are 4 out of service buses and My n22 was running late. Then I see someone who works for there that I know and he tells me there are over 40 buses dead and awaiting maintenance help in their garden city facility. He says its such a big mess everyday. My n22 was only 10 mins late but we didnt get to roosevelt field mall because the bus broke down at mineola. This is so sad.

 

Orion Vs are breaking down since the LIB days. But yeah, LIB is holy here so I won't touch that subject again.

 

Furthermore: you should't base your facts on what you heard from someone who works at a facility. Service here in my town is quite good (not run by Veolia btw) but if I go by what I hear from people who work at the facilities it should be horrendous and we should burn the people in charge alive. Meanwhile, it's not that bad because commuters give it an 8/10 average on a yearly base.

So be careful with what you hear from those kind of people at facilities, they don't always reflect the actual situation.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Vistausss

[Joel Up Front]

Orion Vs are breaking down since the LIB days. But yeah, LIB is holy here so I won't touch that subject again.

 

Furthermore: you should't base your facts on what you heard from someone who works at a facility. Service here in my town is quite good (not run by Veolia btw) but if I go by what I hear from people who work at the facilities it should be horrendous and we should burn the people in charge alive. Meanwhile, it's not that bad because commuters give it an 8/10 average on a yearly base.

So be careful with what you hear from those kind of people at facilities, they don't always reflect the actual situation.

 

Just because it's good in your home country doesn't mean it's good here.  And it hasn't been for decades.

[petabread]

Yeah I don't know the validity of the claim but most of the buses that I saw at jamaica were 1860 and up, my bus was a newer one and it failed me. Went the rest of the way with an Orion V.