Jump to content

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


User

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 6.7k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The driver didn't have to do much surprisingly, I walked to the back and up the stairs, someone behind me on line did the same, and someone else stood on the stairs. That's what made it easy for me to count the number of riders. Some pooled by the back door and there were no gaps in the isle up to the front door.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lately every n6/n6x i've been taking hasn't been too crowded as usual lately... hmm wonder why? lol

 

I catch the 6:08am n6x out of HTC and every other bus that goes to HTC other than the n15 has been showing up late the past week (that's rather interesting too). I feel bad for all those other people (which is why I love the n15, its always early or on time)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lately every n6/n6x i've been taking hasn't been too crowded as usual lately... hmm wonder why? lol

 

I catch the 6:08am n6x out of HTC and every other bus that goes to HTC other than the n15 has been showing up late the past week (that's rather interesting too). I feel bad for all those other people (which is why I love the n15, its always early or on time)

 

Well college is off for now, that could be a reason. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lately every n6/n6x i've been taking hasn't been too crowded as usual lately... hmm wonder why? lol

 

I catch the 6:08am n6x out of HTC and every other bus that goes to HTC other than the n15 has been showing up late the past week (that's rather interesting too). I feel bad for all those other people (which is why I love the n15, its always early or on time)

Once the N15 turns off old country (having came from RFM), it's pretty much smooth sailing (even for as long as the route is) - That has always been the case w/ that route... If old country is jammed, then N15's will be late - that's the biggest choke point on the entire route (the stint b/w [leaving] RFM & old country/[county seat (I think that is)]..... That explains why N15's are often early or on time by time it reached HTC.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the N15 turns off old country (having came from RFM), it's pretty much smooth sailing (even for as long as the route is) - That has always been the case w/ that route... If old country is jammed, then N15's will be late - that's the biggest choke point on the entire route (the stint b/w [leaving] RFM & old country/[county seat (I think that is)]..... That explains why N15's are often early or on time by time it reached HTC.....

Is that why the N15 only goes to Old Country Road during the beginning and end of court hours?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the N15 turns off old country (having came from RFM), it's pretty much smooth sailing (even for as long as the route is) - That has always been the case w/ that route... If old country is jammed, then N15's will be late - that's the biggest choke point on the entire route (the stint b/w [leaving] RFM & old country/[county seat (I think that is)]..... That explains why N15's are often early or on time by time it reached HTC.....

 

Well I was mainly talking about going to HTC in the morning from Long Beach but yeah I noticed that too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Nassau were willing to spend, they COULD give the N6 the full BRT treatment... bus lanes, signal priority, curbside rapid stations, XN60s, the whole 9, yes?

If it were formally studied the FTA might step in and lend various financial assistance to such a project, but NICE would still have to fork up a lot of cash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and everytime I goes on the N6 I always see aleast one traffic lights on hempstead tpk broken

I just want to make sure you're talking about actual broken lights. There are several lights on Hempstead Turnpike that flash yellow, they're not broken, they're just not necessary unless there's a fire, its to stop traffic for trucks leaving nearby fire stations.

 

Heck fixing the lights alone would be a huge benefit w/o BRT. They are all out of sync and it not only delays buses but traffic too. They should be green at the same time!

Yes one issue is Plainfield Av/Elmont Road/School Road. Those need to be fixed. it causes unnecessary backups. 

 

You know, if there was a joint effort perhaps NICE and each respective town could work it out to where NICE buses get signal priority via a transponder located on the bus.

 

The N24 would benefit, Jericho Turnpike SUCKS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it were formally studied the FTA might step in and lend various financial assistance to such a project, but NICE would still have to fork up a lot of cash.

 

Even though Transdev has had a financial loss last year, they might contribute to such a thing.

Heck fixing the lights alone would be a huge benefit w/o BRT. They are all out of sync and it not only delays buses but traffic too. They should be green at the same time!

 

I m not sure how this has transformed into BRT but I never spoke about BRT. Simply adding a bus lane *here and there* and optionally some signal priority lights doesn t make it BRT. But yeah, fixing the lights will also help.

 

(also: I wasn't talking about the n6 alone with my idea, I'm sure a few other routes such as the n22 would also benefit from having a bus lane on crowded intersections)

Edited by Vistausss
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even though Transdev has had a financial loss last year, they might contribute to such a thing.

 

 

I m not sure how this has transformed into BRT but I never spoke about BRT. Simply adding a bus lane *here and there* and optionally some signal priority lights doesn t make it BRT. But yeah, fixing the lights will also help.

 

(also: I wasn't talking about the n6 alone with my idea, I'm sure a few other routes such as the n22 would also benefit from having a bus lane on crowded intersections)

Bus lane's wouldn't really be necessary in Nassau, There aren't many roads with more than 1-2 bus routes besides Stewart Ave. The buses don't run frequently enough to warrant a lane for buses only, the most frequent route is the n6 which is why some may think you were referring to Hempstead Turnpike. Although on second thought, parts of Northern Blvd does get congested. The N20 may benefit from a bus lane during rush hours, but that would heavily impact traffic even more.

 

As for the N22, Hillside Ave has bus lanes in Queens, but it's route in Nassau isn't heavily congested, besides maybe Old Country Road, but that's more of an issue during the holiday shopping season. Being that the buses no longer use East Gate Blvd to access the mall from both directions, its less of an issue also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Northern Blvd it would help during rush hours. Sure, it may impact traffic a bit. But that should be reason for them to use the bus along Northern :P

 

But how come Hillside Ave has bus lanes? ( I mean, aside from the congestion, but I've hardly seen any non-SBS bus lanes in NYC, thus my question)

Edited by Vistausss
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Northern Blvd it would help during rush hours. Sure, it may impact traffic a bit. But that should be reason for them to use the bus along Northern :P

 

But how come Hillside Ave has bus lanes? ( I mean, aside from the congestion, but I've hardly seen any non-SBS bus lanes in NYC, thus my question)

LOL are you QJ in disguise? Virtually no one on Northern Blvd sitting in traffic is ready to jump on to a N20 Bus if they haven't already.  

 

Keep in mind when you all come up with these ideas that many buses travel on thru-routes and that those in vehicles are just using the road to travel east/west (or north/south) before heading to their actual destination, a bus isn't going to help if someone is driving to the north shore where there is no service, etc. Also , Northern Blvd is the northern most road that goes to Queens, and its the main, and essentially the only East-West road on the north shore west of Roslyn,  so it's somewhat of a choke point for traffic. Bus lanes are only going to get the town of North Hempstead's politicians kicked out of office.

 

Hillside Ave has bus lanes close to the subway because of the number of routes that run on HIllside Ave. I think they're only between like 179th street 188th streets though. For example, within that corridor you have the Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, Q76, Q77, N1, N6, N22, N24, N26. in addition to people in private vehicles getting dropped off picked up at the subway and traffic just using the road. 

 

From my observation of bus lanes in NYC  is that they suck, because the streets are usually bumpy and uneven by the curb,  when multiple routes use them, you'd get stuck behind buses boarding and alighting passengers. They're still somewhat effective because buses can leapfrog each other and it adds another lane of capacity for buses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Northern Blvd it would help during rush hours. Sure, it may impact traffic a bit. But that should be reason for them to use the bus along Northern :P

 

But how come Hillside Ave has bus lanes? ( I mean, aside from the congestion, but I've hardly seen any non-SBS bus lanes in NYC, thus my question)

NICE ain't that slow. Shoulder bus lanes can work though. I would restructure N20 but for another discussion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NICE ain't that slow. Shoulder bus lanes can work though. I would restructure N20 but for another discussion.

 

I didn't say NICE is slow because I know it's not. It's just that when traffic gets heavy, esp. in rush hour, delays are bound to happen, sometimes very bad delays. And yes, I've experienced that more than once over here when I was in college 1,5 years ago, sometimes classes ended in rush hour making my inter-county bus get stuck in traffic (while I was already on-board). But N6 Limited might be right: bus lanes are not always the answer. I just thought to give it a spin, I wanted to know what others their opinion on my idea was :)

Edited by Vistausss
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like I said earlier the lights need to be fixed. There's backups out of NCC because the lights are not timed for the exiting traffic. Traffic lights need to be "smart", all too often you're sitting in a backup a 2 minute long light while the road that gets the longer green has less traffic. This is a classic example at places like Uniondale Ave & Front St, it delays the n43&45 buses up to 10 min waiting 2 min for each cycle in a backup yet traffic on Front st just sails on by with its 2 min green time. Adding transponders on buses is another good idea, but would have a cost. Adjusting traffic lights properly for traffic flow shouldn't cost much, some even use little camera sensors to monitor traffic conditions. Ideally, all lights should be linked together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday, I got harassed by Simon Malls at Roosevelt Field Mall for doing NICE Bus petition/survey while I was watching the Canadian geese but all NICE Bus operators, dispatchers and managers knows I do survey/petitioning, so he didn't give problem.

 

Today, new female driver on 8:37 n4X Freeport #1628 skip Farmers Blvd pickup. Then took n4 local back to Rockville Cetre to make sure no one was waiting for n16 bus at wrong location. Then I got free ride on my friend's bus 9:30 n15 Roosevelt Field #1725 and 10:10 n16 Roosevelt Field #1605 and met with #1725 on n15 at Roosevelt Field Mall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.