PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2451 Posted March 12, 2014 Makes no sense.. It was a low floor bus and someone was in the way so I couldn't do it myself so I asked if someone could open the vent and people just looked. Then this guy who was hot got up and pushed the vent up. SMH. If I was able to get to a window I would have opened that as well. As for the 9 mill it would be interesting what they would do. Well, no increase in funding for NICE from the County was addressed by Ed Mangano in tonight's state of the County. At least he brought up public transportation and bus service, but sugarcoated how things are really going. The Democratic response completely left NICE Bus out, which is why I didn't vote for Suozzi, him & the dems care even less about us. Really pathetic state of affairs, really.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2452 Posted March 12, 2014 This is what they showed at the State of the County address. What a crock of shit. God forbid the county executive should take the bus himself and see what service is like and what they're doing to a once-great system. I think everyone in Mineola, from the County Exec to the Legislators should be forced to have their car taken away & rely on NICE Bus to get to work!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hound Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2453 Posted March 12, 2014 This is what they showed at the State of the County address. What a crock of shit. God forbid the county executive should take the bus himself and see what service is like and what they're doing to a once-great system. You get what you pay for. More routes?? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM5 via Woodhaven Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2454 Posted March 12, 2014 You get what you pay for. More routes?? The n17 & n87 were new additions for the bus system post-LIB. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2455 Posted March 12, 2014 The n17 & n87 were new additions for the bus system post-LIB. It's the "reliable" I take issue with... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM5 via Woodhaven Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2456 Posted March 12, 2014 It's the "reliable" I take issue with... I take issue with both reliable and efficient. How the hell do you have bus running 30 minutes behind and braking down all over the place saving money is beyond me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2457 Posted March 12, 2014 Technically, they were just service restorations from the 2010 service cuts. Technically they were new NICE routes provided with less funding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2458 Posted March 12, 2014 When you don't take the bus, why should you give a shit? That's the majority of the County Legislature's point of view. That's what the morons in power think. Pretty much. It's been this way for awhile now. There's a tremendous disconnect between the Legislature and County Executive and the people of Nassau, its why many middle class have fled, and what remains are mostly the rich and the illegals they hire. They pretty much threw the 100,000 NICE bus riders under the bus, and most who have a choice have chosen their car, the train, walking, biking, even taxis. What remains are probably more like 50,000 daily riders who have no choice, the poorest of the poor, many of course who can't even vote anyway. And I've lost alot of respect for Cuomo over this, when this began he should have given Nassau County an ultimatum, either pay $36 Million to bus service or put the Exec & the legislature in jail. Many drivers I know voted for that 2 timing traitor thinking he'd help, but like the Nassau Democrats he could care less as well. Basically the message here is if you depend on transit move to the city. Funny Mangano addressed this issue, meanwhile what young people want to move to place where they have to wait forever for an overcrowded bus full of the dregs of society? Alot of people put the blame on Veolia, and they've made some bad moves, but the real people to blame are the ones in Mineola. If they pulled this crap anywhere else there'd have been massive protests, but there's just no one to fight for bus riders. That union is a sad excuse. It just seems we don't have a voice here, period. It's just been a huge fall from grace. As far as those snobs in Mineola, someone should let the air out of their tires. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2459 Posted March 12, 2014 This is what happens when service isn't improved. http://blog.tstc.org/2014/03/10/annual-transit-ridership-grows-but-not-on-long-island/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo19 Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2460 Posted March 12, 2014 This is what happens when service isn't improved. http://blog.tstc.org/2014/03/10/annual-transit-ridership-grows-but-not-on-long-island/ What's cruel about the entire situation is that most readers in both Nassau and Suffolk counties would not feign any interest in regard to the situation, and those that did would likely view it in monotone demeanor. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2461 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) Tri-State Campaign is transit advocates for New York Metropolitan Regions that covers NY State, NJ and Connecticut. Straphangers Campaign and Riders Alliance are MTA version while Long Island Bus Riders Union is transit advocate for Nassau/Suffolk County Bus riders. Nassau Community College have NCC Bus Riders Union Club formed by students/teachers who are not happy with NICE. When I took my friends to Nassau Colliseum during NY Islanders game, while I was waiting at Marriot Hotel and it was on Sat night. After around 9pm, we were waiting for bus and taxi drivers kept thing "There's no bus coming.", even NYC T&LC that illegally pickup passenger that doesn't have reservation. We were forced to 2nd bus because bus were crush loaded. Mod, why you allowed Straphangers Campaign news over LIBRU? All these transit advocates have victory. LIBRU are also created MetroCard Store Guide for Nassau County Bus riders, because NICE Bus doesn't copy way Westchester County Bee-Line Buses does. Edited March 12, 2014 by FamousNYLover 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2462 Posted March 12, 2014 NICE isn't perfect by any means (it made me late to work numerous times), but there is one glaring thing - at least you guys can use your MetroCards. There's always that. =P I hate always having to check and make sure I have $2 in cash (in exact change, plus a quarter if I need a transfer) before I use the bus. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistausss Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2463 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) Riding 1832 this afternoon. Very sad how a bus that's just over 3 years old sounds like this. I mentioned it to the driver, he said there's no maintanance and they won't fix it until he gets stuck with it. Sounds like the fan belt. Although I've tried to be optimistic, I have to say it's worse. Before Mangano & co came along MTA LI Bus was increasing ridership. Especially once NYCT got involved out here, the buses were cleaner and more reliable. Let me first say that when you're spending less on buses, and the moneys allocated to NICE by the County are lower than that under LI Bus, service will suffer. Quite a few routes run less often, meaning longer waits and more overcrowding. There's a lower quality of maintanance, so there's more equipment failures. The buses are definately dirtier. The $36 Million the MTA was demanding from the County was reasonable when compared to other nearby systems, but Nassau said they could do it for less. But it's of lower quality. You get what you pay for, just like getting fooled by those "deals" from Bob's furniture, but you then find out it's junk. Now I'm not hating on Veolia, they're just doing what they can afford, they only get $2.6Million from the county, that's about a quarter of what MTA got, so of course service is going to suffer. I've seen the lost ridership first hand, as I find myself taking the 6:48pm n51 from Merrick often, and we used to pick up a group of commuters. I even remember their faces, but they no longer ride, and now I'm often the only one on the bus. Most now drive or get picked up, I guess after some no-shows and being left waiting at the station they had enough. Sorry to be so down on this system but I've given up, not worth my effort anymore, no one in Mineola cares and the people who could make choices have left the system, and what remains are the poorest of the poor. Ed Mangano's State of the County is tomorrow night, and I'm sure he'll continue to throw us all under the bus. Regarding your video: are you talking about that screeching noise? I heard that last year on new MAN CNG buses in Arnhem as well. Those buses were just over a year old and do get maintenance. Now I'm not defending NICE, I just thought that with new CNG's it's normal for engines to sound like that but seems like it isn't because I've never heard it on other Orion's before. So thank you I'm not seeing that much dirt in NICE bus videos but I won't say they're clean either. But don't pin it on NICE, Transdev cut a lot of contracts with cleaning companies last year to fill the budget gap. Buses over here are getting dirtier as well because of that. I wish I'd taken a picture for you this afternoon to show you the dirty side panels and windows (and the chassis of one of the buses I was on this afternoon was veering like crazy, like I was sitting on a trampoline, not sure what's up with that because that isn't how it normally runs, but I'm gonna ask Transdev executives this month what's up with the low maintenance on both Connexxion and NICE!). Edited March 12, 2014 by Vistausss 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2464 Posted March 12, 2014 SCT may not take Metrocards (except paper transfers) but at least they take dollar bills. If NICE stopped taking the Metrocard, ridership would drop immensely. Good point, always needing dollar coins that I probably could only reliably get from LIRR TVMs would make it even more annoying. Still wish we had some kind of bus pass, though, even something flimsy like the transfer slips would be okay for a start. I carry my MetroCard everywhere just in case but I can only use it in the City or Nassau, so it's a little frustrating. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6 Limited Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2465 Posted March 12, 2014 I carry my MetroCard everywhere just in case but I can only use it in the City or Nassau, so it's a little frustrating. And Westchester and PATH. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2466 Posted March 12, 2014 NICE isn't perfect by any means (it made me late to work numerous times), but there is one glaring thing - at least you guys can use your MetroCards. There's always that. =P I hate always having to check and make sure I have $2 in cash (in exact change, plus a quarter if I need a transfer) before I use the bus. NICE is $2.25, transfer is free. Because of Nassau County Edward P. Mangano and LIBRU, cash payers got victory. Only MetroCard users have to paid $2.50. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2467 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) And Westchester and PATH. I never go that way, almost forgot. Another good point. =P Although the fact that PATH - which goes out of state to New Jersey - takes it really makes me wonder why Suffolk County, NY doesn't. Oh well, maybe when the new MetroCard comes out we'll see some support here for it. When I filled out the NICE survey for the mobile app (I may not live in Nassau but I really want to try the app when it's released in beta and I use NICE every so often, so I filled it out) I made a note at the end that I hope they read and consider, that NICE should work more closely with SCT to bring the app to them as well. I know it won't happen, but still. My true dream is a united Nassau and Suffolk bus system, a true Long Island Bus. I know that'll never happen either, haha. NICE is $2.25, transfer is free. Because of Nassau County Edward P. Mangano and LIBRU, cash payers got victory. Only MetroCard users have to paid $2.50. I don't mind paying the extra quarter (it's NYC fare anyway), I like the convenience of using the MetroCard instead of carrying all that change, and let's not forget the transfer. Edited March 12, 2014 by Akira 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistausss Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2468 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) PATH is overseen by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey so no wonder they accept MetroCards. SCT, on the other hand, is not overseen by NY or NJ. NICE isn't either, but LIB was and besides, there are too many NICE MetroCard users to call it quits. Edited March 12, 2014 by Vistausss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistausss Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2469 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) Totally agree with you guys. Smart Cards, in any form including the MetroCard, are 100x better than carrying all that cash or paying per zone. Edited March 12, 2014 by Vistausss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2470 Posted March 12, 2014 Regarding your video: are you talking about that screeching noise? I heard that last year on new MAN CNG buses in Arnhem as well. Those buses were just over a year old and do get maintenance. Now I'm not defending NICE, I just thought that with new CNG's it's normal for engines to sound like that but seems like it isn't because I've never heard it on other Orion's before. So thank you I'm not seeing that much dirt in NICE bus videos but I won't say they're clean either. But don't pin it on NICE, Transdev cut a lot of contracts with cleaning companies last year to fill the budget gap. Buses over here are getting dirtier as well because of that. I wish I'd taken a picture for you this afternoon to show you the dirty side panels and windows (and the chassis of one of the buses I was on this afternoon was veering like crazy, like I was sitting on a trampoline, not sure what's up with that because that isn't how it normally runs, but I'm gonna ask Transdev executives this month what's up with the low maintenance on both Connexxion and NICE!). Well to NICE's credit they seem to keep the V's running well, and I do know Suffolk Transit also has alot of problems with the VII NG's as well. Throw in maintanance cutbacks and the VII's will show it before the V's. For some reason the V's are cleaner too, the 1700 NGs are usually dirty though, not sure if it's just the layout of the bus or whatnot. That sound is defininately not normal for a CNG, its the first time I've heard any bus make that sound. I'm assuming it's the fan belt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistausss Posted March 12, 2014 Share #2471 Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) For once I'm being skeptic about NICE and now I'm getting the ball lol. Nah, I totally understand Anyway: it might as well be the fan belt. Or something's loose underneath the bus scraping against the asphalt or something else's loose in the motor. Anywho, they should fix it if they want to prolong the life of the bus (esp. when it's only 3 years old!). Edited March 12, 2014 by Vistausss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistausss Posted March 13, 2014 Share #2472 Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) - Edited March 13, 2014 by Vistausss 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyer 230 Posted March 13, 2014 Share #2473 Posted March 13, 2014 Well I can tell NICE bus is failing. I've never taken any Nassau routes but the N20/21 waiting times in Flushing is becoming worst. It wasn't the best under the MTA but at least you had a bus show up. Some people on the N20/N21 line said that they have waited at times for almost 2 hours and the drivers always say that the buses breaking down a lot. Last week I saw a newer 1800 series Orion 3G bus being towed in Flushing. I notice the same in Jamaica when I used to take the Q41 at 165st terminal I would literally see a lot of Long Island buses going in and out of the terminal. This was on Saturdays back before LIB became NICE bus. The Q41 has suck headways on the weekends often times having you wait 20-30 minutes at times and now (2013 and 2014) I may only see only 1 or 2 NICE buses leave the terminal. I guess the is never going to run Long Island Bus again since Nassau county only offered $4 Million. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinePower Posted March 13, 2014 Share #2474 Posted March 13, 2014 Well I can tell NICE bus is failing. I've never taken any Nassau routes but the N20/21 waiting times in Flushing is becoming worst. It wasn't the best under the MTA but at least you had a bus show up. Some people on the N20/N21 line said that they have waited at times for almost 2 hours and the drivers always say that the buses breaking down a lot. Last week I saw a newer 1800 series Orion 3G bus being towed in Flushing. I notice the same in Jamaica when I used to take the Q41 at 165st terminal I would literally see a lot of Long Island buses going in and out of the terminal. This was on Saturdays back before LIB became NICE bus. The Q41 has suck headways on the weekends often times having you wait 20-30 minutes at times and now (2013 and 2014) I may only see only 1 or 2 NICE buses leave the terminal. I guess the is never going to run Long Island Bus again since Nassau county only offered $4 Million. Not as long as the county refuses to fund it's bus system. The wouldn't send buses out without proper maintanance, but Veolia will, thats WHY Veolia is cheaper than the . Its stuff like this which is causing ridership to decline. And wait, it's not even summer yet! A friend of mine just said he saw 1764 broke down in Great Neck tonight too. It's a miracle they pass inspection. I'm sure riders are getting fed up with the n20/21, and are discovering the LIRR goes to Great Neck. I think NICE's crappy service has contributed in part to almost record ridership gains on the LIRR! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyer 230 Posted March 13, 2014 Share #2475 Posted March 13, 2014 Not as long as the county refuses to fund it's bus system. The wouldn't send buses out without proper maintanance, but Veolia will, thats WHY Veolia is cheaper than the . Its stuff like this which is causing ridership to decline. And wait, it's not even summer yet! A friend of mine just said he saw 1764 broke down in Great Neck tonight too. It's a miracle they pass inspection. I'm sure riders are getting fed up with the n20/21, and are discovering the LIRR goes to Great Neck. I think NICE's crappy service has contributed in part to almost record ridership gains on the LIRR! Yeah more crowded LIRR trains which we don't need as it is. All they are doing is giving the MTA more ridership since they own the LIRR. Now when you said that the MTA never ran buses without proper maintanace what about the time when the MTA was running those 200 and 300 series Orion V CNG's I think they were the 1996-1998 units. Those buses would go right into the depot sit there and then a sorry bus operator late on had to deal with a bus that stalled and broke down. I think even those 2000 and 2004 Orion CNG's did that too. Unless you mean after LI Bus was streamlined with NYCT and MTA Bus back in 2008 and that renumbering occurred. Nassau is only doing it to themselves because the MTA did everything they could. They even made NYCT style bus maps and the system map looked just like NYC borough maps. They had fresh clean new buses and the MTA made sure there buses were in good shape before leaving. We let them borrow our Orion V CNGs honestly I don't think that budget cut would have been as bad for Nassau if only they had of paid up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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