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

[PinePower]

Better complain to NICE about that. Why are buses flagging your stop when there's room to board? Of course you may just be better off walking to the city line and catching an bus there, since NICE has made the n6 impossible to use.

[FamousNYLover]

I know how you feel, N6L. When I was on M60 at time when Astoria Line had problem, there was huge group of passengers waiting for bus and some riders sneak in through back door on crowded bus.

[User]

NICE's biggest problem now seems to be the N6.

[N6 Limited]

Better complain to NICE about that. Why are buses flagging your stop when there's room to board? Of course you may just be better off walking to the city line and catching an bus there, since NICE has made the n6 impossible to use.

 

I definitely complained. There are a few issues. One is that are that there are people by the white line, and so if there is room for one or two people near the driver and there are 6 people at the bus stop, the driver keeps going, Even if there is room by the stairs. I mean, I had acquired a seat, while people were still squished by the driver, it makes no sense!

 

The second issue is that there is usually room beyond the rear doorwell/steps. I was able to get on and go right up the steps. They should start using their minds and allow people to dip their card and go through the back door, SBS style. I've been passed by a quite a few buses where I could have easily went through the back door without a problem. It's one thing to have a crowded bus, it's another thing to be flagged consistently, especially when you see that there is room for you on the bus.

 

I know how you feel, N6L. When I was on M60 at time when Astoria Line had problem, there was huge group of passengers waiting for bus and some riders sneak in through back door on crowded bus.

 

Yep, and it's not that they don't want to pay, it's that they just want to get to their destination and/or don't want to push their way through all the people in the way.

 

NICE's biggest problem now seems to be the N6.

 

Possibly, if they want their money they need to find a way to improve the route. If you want to reduce frequencies the drivers have to make sure they can get everyone on the bus, make people move back or take the easy route and let people get in the back door. People have places to go and when you leave them at the bus stop, MORE people are then waiting for the next bus, which then passes the bus stop because there are "too many" people waiting.

 

Riders going to the racetrack are extra money also. Some go frequently, some go once in a while, pay with a PPR, or cash.

[NY1635]

Was the N6 always crowded before the MTA eliminated the N2 and N3's trips to Jamaica Terminal?

[checkmatechamp13]

Luckily this only affects a couple of trips. Main Pkwy is no place for a bus.

 

 

By the way, what do they do for people who get on between Main Avenue and Old Country Road. Do they instruct drivers to just let somebody on if they flag down the bus along the diversion? I mean, it has to suck to have to walk to Main Parkway or Old Country Road to catch the bus.

 

The N6 pissed me off yesterday. I'm trying to get to the city and the drivers kept passing my stop, not to mention that the Kentucky Derby was yesterday and so a lot of people went to the racetrack. The N6 was pretty busy, especially when the races were over. Of course if a driver doesn't pick ANYONE up, then the stop is going to have MORE people for the next bus, which the driver of keeps going because of the amount of people.

 

So, a bus pulls up to the stop and the B/O doesn't open the front door. I had enough, I went right to the back door and got on when a lady got off, and so did a few other people waiting. The driver then has an issue that I didn't pay, He focused on me because I yelled up front "I'll pay at the subway" and he's like "no you pay now" and I'm like "Yeah, If you wanted me to pay you should have opened the door, I don't have time for games, I'm not getting passed by 5 buses" He kept telling me to come to the front, and yet the door was still closed. Once he opened it, I had this girl that was at the bus stop hold the back door open for me. I went up front dipped my card and went back to the back door.

 

I HAD A FREAKING SEAT before Springfield Blvd! That's what pisses me off, YOU KNOW WE"RE ALMOST IN QUEENS, and that everyone will be alighting the bus, stop the bullshit and pick the passengers up. We don't have all day to be waiting for buses to pass by. Same thing eastbound, stop the bullshit, you know a lot of people get off at Elmont Road.

 

NICE better get that N6 under control.

 

 

And let me guess. All those buses that flagged you had room in the back. SMH.

 

And if there's a ton of people waiting at the stop, unless the bus is absolutely crushloaded (people standing in the back and everything), they should stop and try to fit as many on as possible. Even if there's 20 people at the stop and you only fit 5, that's 5 fewer people that the next bus has to pick up.

 

In any case, if it were me in that situation, I would've just walked to the city line and caught an MTA bus (assuming you're in the Elmont area)

 

I know how you feel, N6L. When I was on M60 at time when Astoria Line had problem, there was huge group of passengers waiting for bus and some riders sneak in through back door on crowded bus.

 

 

It's not a matter of sneaking on. It's a matter of being able to fit onto the bus (and it's not "sneaking on" if the B/O knows it's going on).

 

I've seen it done plenty of times on the S46 during rush hour. The B/O knows that people have places to be, and half of them have transfers or Student MetroCards, so there's no point in arguing.

 

Was the N6 always crowded before the MTA eliminated the N2 and N3's trips to Jamaica Terminal?

 

 

This happened on a weekend, though.

[N6 Limited]

Was the N6 always crowded before the MTA eliminated the N2 and N3's trips to Jamaica Terminal?

 

Yes, but this happened on a Saturday.

By the way, what do they do for people who get on between Main Avenue and Old Country Road. Do they instruct drivers to just let somebody on if they flag down the bus along the diversion? I mean, it has to suck to have to walk to Main Parkway or Old Country Road to catch the bus.

 

Hah, that word reminds me of London. Some routes are on diversion because of "road works". And so the displays and announcments say "This bus is on Diversion" lol

And let me guess. All those buses that flagged you had room in the back. SMH.

 

And if there's a ton of people waiting at the stop, unless the bus is absolutely crushloaded (people standing in the back and everything), they should stop and try to fit as many on as possible. Even if there's 20 people at the stop and you only fit 5, that's 5 fewer people that the next bus has to pick up.

 

Yes, that's exactly my point lol. Going East though, the buses were filled from front to back.

In any case, if it were me in that situation, I would've just walked to the city line and caught an MTA bus (assuming you're in the Elmont area)

True some people do that, the only thing is that it's the last stop and you have to go through all of the pick ups in Queens.

 

 

It's not a matter of sneaking on. It's a matter of being able to fit onto the bus (and it's not "sneaking on" if the B/O knows it's going on).

 

I've seen it done plenty of times on the S46 during rush hour. The B/O knows that people have places to be, and half of them have transfers or Student MetroCards, so there's no point in arguing.

 

I have no problem with dipping my card first, and going in through the back door.

[User]

I've seen it done plenty of times on the S46 during rush hour. The B/O knows that people have places to be, and half of them have transfers or Student MetroCards, so there's no point in arguing.

 

I've had it done alot on the Q30 too. The driver knows we all have Student Metrocards, so she lets us board through the back w/o having to dip cards. She knows it doesn't make a big difference.

[Joel Up Front]

The N2 and 3 barely had any riders before 2010. I suppose the rush hour trips to Jamaica got a good amount of N6 stragglers, and N6s get crowded quickly. The NGs just make the situations worse. I love standing in the rear aisle in them because I have some room to put my bag behind a seat.

[FamousNYLover]

N4 buses still have overcrowding issues, almost every N4 trips, no seats even during MTA days.

[Marctalky1]

N79 is rapidly losing ridership I think during midday because people are resorting to cabs instead.

[checkmatechamp13]

1) True some people do that, the only thing is that it's the last stop and you have to go through all of the pick ups in Queens.

 

2) I have no problem with dipping my card first, and going in through the back door.

 

1) It might not be too bad if it's on a Saturday. At least it's better than being flagged by 4 or 5 buses (you must've waited a good hour for the bus before you could get on)

 

2) I don't always 100% trust the drivers to wait, though. I mean, I've seen once or twice when the guy dipped the MetroCard and said "I'll come in the back", and the B/O said that if the doors close and he's not on board, that was his problem (luckily, some other passengers held the door for him, so he could get on)

 

If it's that much of an issue, I'll just wait until the bus gets to a major drop-off point and dip there.

 

I've had it done alot on the Q30 too. The driver knows we all have Student Metrocards, so she lets us board through the back w/o having to dip cards. She knows it doesn't make a big difference.

 

Technically, it skews the ridership counts because the B/O has to press F5 instead of you dipping in a MetroCard (and if you don't dip in a pass, you're not counted), but those are only the numbers released to the public. The internal numbers would have down the extra riders.

 

N4 buses still have overcrowding issues, almost every N4 trips, no seats even during MTA days.

 

No seats doesn't equal overcrowding, but yes I could believe that some buses are truly overcrowded.

[N6 Limited]

N4 buses still have overcrowding issues, almost every N4 trips, no seats even during MTA days.

I could Imagine, I used to take the N4 to work sometimes. I had to "Choose my poison" and make the decision whether to use the N6 or the N4 in combination with another route.

 

I don't mind if there are no seats, I just want to be able to get on the bus. I also took the N4 yesterday. It was a little late, but they're doing construction on Merrick Road by the Ballys.

N79 is rapidly losing ridership I think during midday because people are resorting to cabs instead.

But isn't still on its 1 hour headways? Why is it losing ridership?

1) It might not be too bad if it's on a Saturday. At least it's better than being flagged by 4 or 5 buses (you must've waited a good hour for the bus before you could get on)

 

2) I don't always 100% trust the drivers to wait, though. I mean, I've seen once or twice when the guy dipped the MetroCard and said "I'll come in the back", and the B/O said that if the doors close and he's not on board, that was his problem (luckily, some other passengers held the door for him, so he could get on)

 

If it's that much of an issue, I'll just wait until the bus gets to a major drop-off point and dip there.

No seats doesn't equal overcrowding, but yes I could believe that some buses are truly overcrowded.

1)Well technically I got flagged by 1 bus, The bus that passed while I was walking to the bus stop flagged the people already waiting there, Then a bus flagged the stop while I was there, and the bus I boarded would have flagged us if the lady didn't get off. I waited about 35 mins.

 

2)LOL@ not his problem. Nice Customer service there. I didn't trust the driver , and so I asked the woman to hold the door for me.

And right, I told him I'd dip my card at the subway, I would have gone up before hand if it was ok, but people basically clogged the path until the subway. I mean, I get a free transfer anyway.

 

Yeah some routes truly get overcrowded, where all seats are taken and there is hardly any room for anyone else to board. But all seats taken in itself does not mean overcrowded.

Edited May 7, 2012 by N6 Limited

[checkmatechamp13]

I could Imagine, I used to take the N4 to work sometimes. I had to "Choose my poison" and make the decision whether to use the N6 or the N4 in combination with another route.

 

I don't mind if there are no seats, I just want to be able to get on the bus. I also took the N4 yesterday. It was a little late, but they're doing construction on Merrick Road by the Ballys.

But isn't still on its 1 hour headways? Why is it losing ridership?

1)Well technically I got flagged by 1 bus, The bus that passed while I was walking to the bus stop flagged the people already waiting there, Then a bus flagged the stop while I was there, and the bus I boarded would have flagged us if the lady didn't get off. I waited about 35 mins.

 

2)LOL@ not his problem. Nice Customer service there. I didn't trust the driver , and so I asked the woman to hold the door for me.

And right, I told him I'd dip my card at the subway, I would have gone up before hand if it was ok, but people basically clogged the path until the subway. I mean, I get a free transfer anyway.

 

Yeah some routes truly get overcrowded, where all seats are taken and there is hardly any room for anyone else to board. But all seats taken in itself does not mean overcrowded.

 

 

1) I see. When you said "I'm not getting passed by 5 buses", I thought that meant you were already passed by 4.

 

2) He's lucky there were some considerate passengers onboard. I've seen times when somebody goes in through the back, and they let the door slam behind them while other people were trying to get on. As for the driver, I think he was a little less blunt, but the message was still basically the same.

 

I remember another time when the bus was completely packed (and I mean there was literally no room). The B/O was trying to flag people at first for a couple of stops, but then he saw a couple of people were getting out, so there was a little bit of space. I think he left the door closed, but he shouted out that the people could get on (without paying), but if the back door closed and they weren't on board, he was leaving without them. I mean, that B/O was really being generous in even attempting to hold the bus for them, because there was basically no room.

[Joel Up Front]

You really should come out here, then, and see half of this for yourself... it seems that the farther north the route operates, the more FUBAR the runs go on a daily basis.

[PinePower]

N79 is rapidly losing ridership I think during midday because people are resorting to cabs instead.

 

 

I bet. I see alot more cabs on the street now. It's amazing that some people are willing to spend $$ on cabs. It can be $10 or more just to go a few miles. This is playing out exactly the way Mangano wants, so his cabbie buddies make out like bandits. Of course not everyone has money for cabs. I refuse to ever take one, I'll walk 20 miles before I do.

I'm guessing the n79 ridership is down because of the transfer to the n24, which just like the n27, doesn't wait. I was up in the Greenvale area today, before the changes you'd see fairly full n27's pass by, now they are all empty. And these people at Veolia think they are "experts"

[james1498]

Does anyone know how much N6 Service was lost with the April cuts...like how many buses per hour?

[N6 Limited]

Does anyone know how much N6 Service was lost with the April cuts...like how many buses per hour?

 

They reduced Saturday and weekday-midday headways from every 10 mins to every 12 mins, so that's a loss of one bus per hour at those times. As for the other time frames I don't know.

[Marctalky1]

I bet. I see alot more cabs on the street now. It's amazing that some people are willing to spend $$ on cabs. It can be $10 or more just to go a few miles. This is playing out exactly the way Mangano wants, so his cabbie buddies make out like bandits. Of course not everyone has money for cabs. I refuse to ever take one, I'll walk 20 miles before I do.

I'm guessing the n79 ridership is down because of the transfer to the n24, which just like the n27, doesn't wait. I was up in the Greenvale area today, before the changes you'd see fairly full n27's pass by, now they are all empty. And these people at Veolia think they are "experts"

 

Old country road in Plainview used to have half hourly bus service midday people don't want to wait so they pay 6 dollars west of 135 7 50 east of 135 and 9 or 10 east of Manetto Hill road. I called the Nice bus and spoke to the supervisor she said she can't hold the bus due to people in Hicksville needing to go to work too. Thats Bs because the 79 used to come later at 59 after.

[N6 Limited]

So they split the routes but the N24's don't even meet up with the N79's. The N22 seems to connect with the least waiting time.

[Guest MTA Bus]

The N6 pissed me off yesterday. I'm trying to get to the city and the drivers kept passing my stop, not to mention that the Kentucky Derby was yesterday and so a lot of people went to the racetrack. The N6 was pretty busy, especially when the races were over. Of course if a driver doesn't pick ANYONE up, then the stop is going to have MORE people for the next bus, which the driver of keeps going because of the amount of people.

 

So, a bus pulls up to the stop and the B/O doesn't open the front door. I had enough, I went right to the back door and got on when a lady got off, and so did a few other people waiting. The driver then has an issue that I didn't pay, He focused on me because I yelled up front "I'll pay at the subway" and he's like "no you pay now" and I'm like "Yeah, If you wanted me to pay you should have opened the door, I don't have time for games, I'm not getting passed by 5 buses" He kept telling me to come to the front, and yet the door was still closed. Once he opened it, I had this girl that was at the bus stop hold the back door open for me. I went up front dipped my card and went back to the back door.

 

I HAD A FREAKING SEAT before Springfield Blvd! That's what pisses me off, YOU KNOW WE"RE ALMOST IN QUEENS, and that everyone will be alighting the bus, stop the bullshit and pick the passengers up. We don't have all day to be waiting for buses to pass by. Same thing eastbound, stop the bullshit, you know a lot of people get off at Elmont Road.

 

NICE better get that N6 under control.

 

That was you. I was on that same bus and yes, that bus was packed.

[Marctalky1]

So they split the routes but the N24's don't even meet up with the N79's. The N22 seems to connect with the least waiting time.

 

24 is the best 15 mins enough time to make a transfer if you really are trying to catch the 79 take the 73 first because they interline. Today I found out the step up fee is still 75 cents from SCT to N79 which I think is stupid because now SCT is 2 and so it should be 25 cents for NICE.

[N6 Limited]

24 is the best 15 mins enough time to make a transfer if you really are trying to catch the 79 take the 73 first because they interline. Today I found out the step up fee is still 75 cents from SCT to N79 which I think is stupid because now SCT is 2 and so it should be 25 cents for NICE.

 

I wonder how that works, you give NICE the transfer and 75 cents?

 

That was you. I was on that same bus and yes, that bus was packed.

 

 

Yeah, it was so packed I was able to walk right up the stairs from the back door. People like bunching up in the isles for some reason. I was all prepared to say "Thank You" until that driver kept the front door closed. Then I got pissed. And he had to nerve to worry about me dipping my MetroCard? Really!?

 

The same thing happened a few years ago, I was waiting at Franklin Ave after work on my way home, the driver passes the bus stop to just in front of Taco Bell to let people off, ran behind the bus, and caught the back door and hopped on. At least 5 people got off the bus. The driver then says I have to pay. WHAT?! REALLY!? You should have STOPPED AT THE BUS STOP instead of playing games. I had an unlimited metrocard anyway it really made no difference. He saw me all of the time. So I went up and dipped my card, SURPRISE!!! A premium TransitChek Metrocard,(at that time) Happy now? SMH.

 

A N4 driver used to play that game too. Central Ave, N4 to Freeport. Instead of stopping at the bus stop, they stopped in front of Enterprise to let people off. So if 4 people just got off the bus, you could have let 4 people on, stop the games. I'd go right to the bus and step through the back door. You have a problem with it, you should have stopped at the bus stop. You will collect my fare when there is a path for me to get to the farebox. NOT to mention, that the next stop is Fletcher Ave and quite a few school kids alight to go to Valley Stream Middle and High Schools. There is no excuse, do your job.

 

I have NO problem paying for the bus, but to pass bus stops and keep the door closed and all of that and THEN have the nerve to act offended as if I just walked passed the fare box? You gotta be kidding me!

 

And this comes down to transit advocates saying "yeah, you drive you should pay more, people should use mass transit, get out of their cars, etc" please STFU. Virtually every time I decide to use mass transit, the bus is bunched, late, crowded, and/or flags the stop, etc. And that can be accompanied by subway issues as well.

 

Hell, a few months ago I dropped my car off to get some maintenance done, I head home because I forgot my coupon at home, I go right back to the bus stop, I get flagged by 3 buses, on a rainy afternoon. waited at least 30 mins, during rush hour. The N6 brings out my bad side.

Edited May 8, 2012 by N6 Limited

[RTS CNG Command]

While at the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center, I was taking pics of buses. As I reviewed them, a security guard asked if I was taking pictures inside. When I said, "Yes? What's the matter?", he told me that it's illegal to take pictures inside the terminal because the third-party owners disallowed it sometime ago. But he did say I could take pictures outside the facility, which I did.

 

Once I finished taking pictures, I noticed the Hempstead Transit Center guidelines posted on the back outside wall (by the doors, the side closest to the station); and I've seen those regulations many times before. There were plenty of regulations, but nothing about not being allowed to take photographs in the facility, and I've been there about a dozen times. Is photography illegal in the Rosa Parks Transit Center?

[FamousNYLover]

I'm friend with security there, so security and dispatchers they don't disturb me when I take pic.