Major driver shortage at NICE? Job action? WTF happened today?

[PinePower]

The buses were a complete mess today. While I didn't see much traffic, many just never showed up. The n35's leaving Westbury at 4:40pm and 5pm never showed up, so I got on an n22x just after 5pm to Roosevelt Field. At RF the crowds got insane, after the n22x I got off of pulled out at about 5:13pm, there were no n22's or n24's Jamaica bound until I left on the n27 at 5:50pm. There was only one n22a that came around 5:25pm

that left SRO. Safe to say the n24s at 5:23pm and 5:38pm Jamaica bound never showed up, neither did the n22 at 5:25pm or the n22x at 5:43pm, or the n22a at 5:45pm. Now as far as the n27 goes, two to Glen Cove showed up at 5:50pm. NICE Supervisors were on scene as there were two NICE Jeeps there but they never got out of them or did anything.

Sort of reminded me New Years Eve, the last day of LIB.

 

[User]

I've been saying that since the beginning of the year. There has been a shortage of drivers since the beginning of the year so there have been people in other positions who have been filling some of the runs. I've seen them on the N26. They were wearing a reflective vest. But the Bus Operator job postings keep getting reposted and have been up since the beginning of the year:

https://veolia.taleo.net/careersection/extexp/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=377822

[Turbo19]

Nevermind the current situation, could it also been that operators are taking days off for days around the Thanksgiving holiday.

[FamousNYLover]

I took 14:15 n20 Hicksville local, which got 30-minute late because of heavey congested traffic near shopping centers.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

If its this bad, I wonder what the monstrosity would be if most NICE employees went on Strike

[Joel Up Front]

I wonder why they haven't if I haven't heard many glorious things about how much they pay.

[R32 3838]

MTA needs to seriously just take the back and completely take them over, hearing this makes me sick, i haven't rode NICE since march

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

MTA needs to seriously just take the back and completely take them over, hearing this makes me sick, i haven't rode NICE since march

 

 

i agree...goshh that bothers me lol

[qjtransitmaster]

I took 14:15 n20 Hicksville local, which got 30-minute late because of heavey congested traffic near shopping centers.

 

Let me guess by jericho tpk?

MTA needs to seriously just take the back and completely take them over, hearing this makes me sick, i haven't rode NICE since march

 

I think It's safe to say NICE IS NOT REALLY NICE!!!! Fail MTA should take it back and keep N22X & L. and improved N43. Otherwise yeah it sucks ballz.

[FamousNYLover]

Let me guess by jericho tpk?

I think It's safe to say NICE IS NOT REALLY NICE!!!! Fail MTA should take it back and keep N22X & L. and improved N43. Otherwise yeah it sucks ballz.

 

I said all shopping areas, that includes Queens section of Northern Blvd, Northern Blvd Macy's, East Gate Rd/Americana Shopping Center, Manhasett Whole Foods, and PATHmarks and every major stores along Northern Blvd was extreme HEAVEY.

 

After I stop by at Hicksville Station, I took n20L to Jericho Whole Foods and 3:45pm n20L Flushing departure that he was one hour late and he lost his break time.

[qjtransitmaster]

I said all shopping areas, that includes Queens section of Northern Blvd, Northern Blvd Macy's, East Gate Rd/Americana Shopping Center, Manhasett Whole Foods, and PATHmarks and every major stores along Northern Blvd was extreme HEAVEY.

 

After I stop by at Hicksville Station, I took n20L to Jericho Whole Foods and 3:45pm n20L Flushing departure that he was one hour late and he lost his break time.

 

OUCH

[Vistausss]

So the problem was congestion at shopping areas... thanks PinePower for another blow-up!

 

Seriously, I understand the frustration but why every time? If I would do this every time my train doesn't show up (and believe me, that is multiple times a week) or my bus is delayed then I'd have a trilogy at the end of the year.

[FamousNYLover]

So the problem was congestion at shopping areas... thanks PinePower for another blow-up!

 

Seriously, I understand the frustration but why every time? If I would do this every time my train doesn't show up (and believe me, that is multiple times a week) or my bus is delayed then I'd have a trilogy at the end of the year.

 

@Vistauss:

Lots of seniors drivers of Long Island Bus and passengers are already FRUSTRATED just like PinePower stated.

Veolia's new schedule doesn't allowed senior or new drivers to have enough time to take lunch or dinner because layover is short like only 15-20 minutes.

Do you also remember there was President in Hofras University? Because some bus drivers do another route, every buses were running late because some drivers might have been driving affected route to unaffected routes, or unaffected routes to affected routes.

 

Passengers already frustrated just like PinePower, Even without traffic congestion, train traffic, freight train, police activities or detours will affect the schedule of buses.

For reason, every n20 Hicksville during the weekdays are MOSTLY LATE ALL THE TIME, even without traffic, also n20 Flushing as well.

Some new drivers are unprofessional, and sometimes some new drivers are slow, sometimes too fast.

Some new drivers sometimes don't pay attention to tiny bus stop sign that very hard to see.

Some new drivers is unfamilar to help confused bus riders where to make their connection unless if s/he were old drivers from school bus who were familar with Nassau and Suffolk county streets.

n21 elimation has forced overcrowding on some n20 and almost every n20 Hicksville/CW Post buses are missing n27 Glen Clove/Hempstead-Roosevelt Field Mall/Roslyn Connection.

 

n27 ridership on weekends are low because of NICE Veolia made mistake and they did not think about population of Glen Clove, and they're treating Glen Clove like forgotten-city of Nassau County, where Staten Islanders said, "Forgotten Borough".

Thanks to Veolia, many Glen Clove stores are losing business.

I also have think Spanish people hitchhiking when on weekend, when they miss their connection, even thought it's illegal to hitchhike.

This why n27, and n21 needs to be restored or have n20 Roslyn trip extended to Greenvale.

Majority of riders on n27 and n21 comes from Glen Clove.

 

I wish LIBusOperator here could explain why some seniors drivers don't like Veolia.

[Vistausss]

HAHAHAHA. Layover time of 15-20 minutes? Count yourselves blessed because that's more layover time then most operators here get. Here it's 5 minutes on most routes (some exceptions of course on extremely long routes).

 

So I don't really understand that problem. HOWEVER, I do understand the problem of new drivers. That should be solved and the N27 should come back. I fully support you guys in those 2 problems

[petabread]

He means 15-20 mins for a meal break not a normal layover.

[Phantom909]

MTA needs to seriously just take the back and completely take them over, hearing this makes me sick, i haven't rode NICE since march

 

 

wheres the money coming from?

 

joe

[qjtransitmaster]

@Vistauss:

Lots of seniors drivers of Long Island Bus and passengers are already FRUSTRATED just like PinePower stated.

Veolia's new schedule doesn't allowed senior or new drivers to have enough time to take lunch or dinner because layover is short like only 15-20 minutes.

Do you also remember there was President in Hofras University? Because some bus drivers do another route, every buses were running late because some drivers might have been driving affected route to unaffected routes, or unaffected routes to affected routes.

 

Passengers already frustrated just like PinePower, Even without traffic congestion, train traffic, freight train, police activities or detours will affect the schedule of buses.

For reason, every n20 Hicksville during the weekdays are MOSTLY LATE ALL THE TIME, even without traffic, also n20 Flushing as well.

Some new drivers are unprofessional, and sometimes some new drivers are slow, sometimes too fast.

Some new drivers sometimes don't pay attention to tiny bus stop sign that very hard to see.

Some new drivers is unfamilar to help confused bus riders where to make their connection unless if s/he were old drivers from school bus who were familar with Nassau and Suffolk county streets.

n21 elimation has forced overcrowding on some n20 and almost every n20 Hicksville/CW Post buses are missing n27 Glen Clove/Hempstead-Roosevelt Field Mall/Roslyn Connection.

 

n27 ridership on weekends are low because of NICE Veolia made mistake and they did not think about population of Glen Clove, and they're treating Glen Clove like forgotten-city of Nassau County, where Staten Islanders said, "Forgotten Borough".

Thanks to Veolia, many Glen Clove stores are losing business.

I also have think Spanish people hitchhiking when on weekend, when they miss their connection, even thought it's illegal to hitchhike.

This why n27, and n21 needs to be restored or have n20 Roslyn trip extended to Greenvale.

Majority of riders on n27 and n21 comes from Glen Clove.

 

I wish LIBusOperator here could explain why some seniors drivers don't like Veolia.

 

I guess people did move give up and use the LIRR I don't blame em.

 

How will this help ALL N20 roslyns extend to LIRR station for N27 connection some trips to WWM via LIE and jericho tpk.

 

N58 to hicksville supplementing N20 to reduce wait times for buses.

[FamousNYLover]

I guess people did move give up and use the LIRR I don't blame em.

 

How will this help ALL N20 roslyns extend to LIRR station for N27 connection some trips to WWM via LIE and jericho tpk.

 

N58 to hicksville supplementing N20 to reduce wait times for buses.

 

 

I said extending n20 Roslyn from Mineola to Greenvale to Glen Clove Rd will help former n21 riders, who don't have to worry to miss their connection.

[RtrainBlues]

Is it possible these Jamaica-bound buses were stuck in heavy traffic still going eastbound due to the horrendous traffic since it was the day before Thanksgiving (shopping, getaways, etc)? Perhaps these Jamaica-bound buses showed up an hour or more late?

[qjtransitmaster]

Is it possible these Jamaica-bound buses were stuck in heavy traffic still going eastbound due to the horrendous traffic since it was the day before Thanksgiving (shopping, getaways, etc)? Perhaps these Jamaica-bound buses showed up an hour or more late?

 

yup LIE was backed up all the way

[PinePower]

I said all shopping areas, that includes Queens section of Northern Blvd, Northern Blvd Macy's, East Gate Rd/Americana Shopping Center, Manhasett Whole Foods, and PATHmarks and every major stores along Northern Blvd was extreme HEAVEY.

 

After I stop by at Hicksville Station, I took n20L to Jericho Whole Foods and 3:45pm n20L Flushing departure that he was one hour late and he lost his break time.

 

 

I guess it must've died down by 5pm because I didn't see much traffic then. That could explain some of the delays. I was trying to find out if something happened on the LIE but 1010 WINS and 880 apparently are on a different planet and mentioned nothing about LI traffic.

[PinePower]

yup LIE was backed up all the way

 

 

That would definately explain it, as a backup on the LIE forces everyone onto Northern Blvd, Jericho,etc. But by the time I passed the LIE and Northern on the n27 just after 6pm, they were moving well (although congested). It must've been much worse earlier.

[Vistausss]

He means 15-20 mins for a meal break not a normal layover.

 

I know, I was talking about the same. 5 minutes meal break layover here in my country, 15-20 in yours. So your drivers have more time than the drivers here.

[Burrstone]

I wonder why they haven't if I haven't heard many glorious things about how much they pay.

 

nice/Veolioa pays in the same ballpark starting out as MTA LIB, which is a lot more than other Calss B jobs in the area are starting to pay.

MTA needs to seriously just take the back and completely take them over, hearing this makes me sick, i haven't rode NICE since march

 

Let me guess by jericho tpk?

I think It's safe to say NICE IS NOT REALLY NICE!!!! Fail MTA should take it back and keep N22X & L. and improved N43. Otherwise yeah it sucks ballz.

 

That's not going to happen, please, do we have to say this in every thread?

I took 14:15 n20 Hicksville local, which got 30-minute late because of heavey congested traffic near shopping centers.

 

Is it possible these Jamaica-bound buses were stuck in heavy traffic still going eastbound due to the horrendous traffic since it was the day before Thanksgiving (shopping, getaways, etc)? Perhaps these Jamaica-bound buses showed up an hour or more late?

 

yup LIE was backed up all the way

 

 

That's the first thing I suspected today when I first heard of buses being late, traffic. Of course Pine power jumps to a driver shortage. Guess what it's going to bad today too, it's called traffic. It's going to get worse and worse everyday all the up to the last week before christmas. It happened with LIB too, you just didn't have Pine Power on here blowing up the situation saying it's a drivers shortage (info I can only assume he pulled out of his rear). Nobody noticed this last year, because MTA LIB had, well, other problems with no buses and drivers taking off.

[qjtransitmaster]

nice/Veolioa pays in the same ballpark starting out as MTA LIB, which is a lot more than other Calss B jobs in the area are starting to pay.

That's not going to happen, please, do we have to say this in every thread?

 

 

 

 

That's the first thing I suspected today when I first heard of buses being late, traffic. Of course Pine power jumps to a driver shortage. Guess what it's going to bad today too, it's called traffic. It's going to get worse and worse everyday all the up to the last week before christmas. It happened with LIB too, you just didn't have Pine Power on here blowing up the situation saying it's a drivers shortage (info I can only assume he pulled out of his rear). Nobody noticed this last year, because MTA LIB had, well, other problems with no buses and drivers taking off.

 

you have a point at least your realistic so NICE isn't so bad.