Legislator Solages Ride the Bus in Response to Compliants

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I tried to read your propoganda, I really did.  News is supposed to be unbiased, as much as I dislike Mangano I'm not going to read an article that is biased by calling Mangano a moron.  I read to be educated on topics, I'm not going to read a blatantly biased article.

 

 

Oh I know, we've had this conversation before.  Notihngs ever a problem in Riverdale is it?  I'm thiinking about moving to the magical land, we could sit outside and bitch about how suburbanites reap the benefits of jobs in the city and don't pay their fare share!  Doesn't that sound fun?  Is there anyplace near you that is hiring?  I'd love to live in yonkers and walk across the border, i'd wave to you every morning as I threw my Yonkers bought coffee (with sales tax supporting the City of Yonkers and Westchester County) cup into a NYC trash can.  "Morning, thanks for supporting my trash, sorry I don't pay my fare share."

LMAO... Here the green is greener and quiet is quieter... And I don't you'd be happy in South Yonkers... It's pretty ghetto... 

[Burrstone]

LMAO... Here the green is greener and quiet is quieter... And I don't you'd be happy in South Yonkers... It's pretty ghetto... 

 

But once you cross the border the sidewalks are paved with gold, right?    Maybe I can get a place right on the border?

[PinePower]

Well let's just hope that something is done about it. And like Burrstone said let's not start with the whole the thing again it like an avalanche. And yea most NICE routes aren't really reliable. And I mean in OTP.

 

Reliability is something they really need to work on. Every single NICE Bus I rode today was late (one was 20 min late), and one didn't even show up at all. And then there was a farebox malfunction too, but I got a free ride because of it. The lateness is no doubt caused by traffic lights. With all this talk of running buses that cost less, I timed 8 minutes of lost time sitting at red lights on the n20 just between Hicksville LIRR and Greenvale (Glen Cove Rd). A system set up to make lights green for buses would pay for itself in no time, improve OTP, and cut costs and running time. NICE is supposedly going to get more money from the state, but I'm still waiting for better reliability. More money needs to go into maintanance and hiring better drivers. The satellite tracking system should help keep supervision on these drivers to adhere to the schedules better, hopefully.

[Vistausss]

Yes, a green light priority system and on busy intersections a separate bus lane will help OTP a lot.

And for more profit they should pressure Mangano to add more stops to certain bus lines. Thanks to Brett I've experienced a lot of routes via his videos and I do saw some routes that could have a stop added here and there (I mean adding as in 'build a stop'). That way people have easier bus access, especially on some very long roads with few bus stops which will get more people on the bus thus generating money from people = a little bit of profit.

 

@Pine: Fairbox malfunctioning is not really a NICE problem as that happens all the time in my country too. So that's more of a technical kind of problem.

[Joel Up Front]

Too bad the CAVEdwellers here would be angry at any  attempts at improving life on the island.

[Burrstone]

Not in my back yard!  You want to spend money messing with traffic lights so people who have to take the bus (said with nose up in the air) can get somewhere quicker than me?  I don't think so!

[Joel Up Front]

I still don't get why people honk at buses at bus stops located at intersections (in right turn lanes, for example) when people are clearly getting on/off.  When I come home from school, my stop forces buses to take up the lane and people that end up behind my bus honk for no reason when the engine drowns them out.  Even the weakest of cars that are legally sold in the US can accelerate faster than a bus, so why do people get so mad?

[Burrstone]

I still don't get why people honk at buses at bus stops located at intersections (in right turn lanes, for example) when people are clearly getting on/off.  When I come home from school, my stop forces buses to take up the lane and people that end up behind my bus honk for no reason when the engine drowns them out.  Even the weakest of cars that are legally sold in the US can accelerate faster than a bus, so why do people get so mad?

 

I still don't get why people honk as soon as the light turns green before anyone has a chance to go.  Seriously WTF are these people stupid or is there some game I don't know about where whoever notices the green light first wins?

[Turbo19]

I still don't get why people honk at buses at bus stops located at intersections (in right turn lanes, for example) when people are clearly getting on/off.  When I come home from school, my stop forces buses to take up the lane and people that end up behind my bus honk for no reason when the engine drowns them out.  Even the weakest of cars that are legally sold in the US can accelerate faster than a bus, so why do people get so mad?

Half the time the mofos make it driving to their destination 5 miles away in 10 minutes while you're still walking to yours. It's ridiculous!

[Joel Up Front]

Driving the speed limit + slowing down for school zones is faster than taking a bus... I'm putting my foot down on this shit that's been eating away at me for four years and I'm getting my license this summer.  I don't care how many times I have to try.

[qjtransitmaster]

Reliability is something they really need to work on. Every single NICE Bus I rode today was late (one was 20 min late), and one didn't even show up at all. And then there was a farebox malfunction too, but I got a free ride because of it. The lateness is no doubt caused by traffic lights. With all this talk of running buses that cost less, I timed 8 minutes of lost time sitting at red lights on the n20 just between Hicksville LIRR and Greenvale (Glen Cove Rd). A system set up to make lights green for buses would pay for itself in no time, improve OTP, and cut costs and running time. NICE is supposedly going to get more money from the state, but I'm still waiting for better reliability. More money needs to go into maintanance and hiring better drivers. The satellite tracking system should help keep supervision on these drivers to adhere to the schedules better, hopefully.

You think that is bad if you want the true meaning of unreliable try buses in manhattan.

 

Driving the speed limit + slowing down for school zones is faster than taking a bus... I'm putting my foot down on this shit that's been eating away at me for four years and I'm getting my license this summer.  I don't care how many times I have to try.

I feel your pain they don't get to major points directly. So other than bad lights what makes the buses slow really slow? you never really explained what would make the buses quicker at all.

[Vistausss]

Well, let's be glad that PinePower at least was honest this time by finally recognizing that a lot of unreliability is caused by traffic lights.

[PinePower]

Well, let's be glad that PinePower at least was honest this time by finally recognizing that a lot of unreliability is caused by traffic lights.

 

Another example today on the n45, 15 minutes late at Bellmore because it took over 20 min just to get down Uniondale Avenue. Why? Mistimed traffic lights, the lights at Front & Jerusalem give 15-20 seconds green time for us, with a 90 second wait. The backups in this area are ridiculous. I saw a few motorists run the light at Front (no camera) I frankly don't blame 'em.

There's just as much if not more traffic heading north-south than east-west. Had the lights either been timed correctly or the buses given green lights, we would've been on time. The NYS DOT signals are especially notorious for long waits and messed up timing.

[qjtransitmaster]

Another example today on the n45, 15 minutes late at Bellmore because it took over 20 min just to get down Uniondale Avenue. Why? Mistimed traffic lights, the lights at Front & Jerusalem give 15-20 seconds green time for us, with a 90 second wait. The backups in this area are ridiculous. I saw a few motorists run the light at Front (no camera) I frankly don't blame 'em.

There's just as much if not more traffic heading north-south than east-west. Had the lights either been timed correctly or the buses given green lights, we would've been on time. The NYS DOT signals are especially notorious for long waits and messed up timing.

and everybody would be moving along faster.

[N6 Limited]

NYS DOT and NYC DOT are starting to wake up. I was able to cruise down Stewart Ave from Clinton Rd to just before Endo Blvd without stopping.

[Vistausss]

NYS DOT and NYC DOT are starting to wake up. I was able to cruise down Stewart Ave from Clinton Rd to just before Endo Blvd without stopping.

 

Don't jinx it.

[User]

NYS DOT and NYC DOT are starting to wake up. I was able to cruise down Stewart Ave from Clinton Rd to just before Endo Blvd without stopping.

Today? Because rush hour weekdays are the real problem when it comes to lights on major streets like Northern Blvd here.

[CenSin]

If people are are late for work because a bus is 15 minutes lates means they are not planning properly and giving them enough time.  Aren't you supposed to be about 15 minutes early for work anyway?  Sow how could a bus being 15 minutes late make them late?  People should find the bus that gets them to work on time and then take the bus before that.  That's what I used to do and would do if I had to do it again.  If people know buses are always late how is that an excuse for always being late?  If your us is always 15 minutes you'd think a light bulb would go off at some point and realize "hmm if I left early, I'd never be late."  People cannot continue to blame a shitty bus system aas their crutch, wake up a little earlier and catch the bus before that?  It sounds insanly simple, but maybe it's just me.  If these people had a car could they continue to say traffic and badly sync'd traffic lights made them late every day?  No, they would be expected to leave earlier if they expected to be delayed every day.

 

 

 

How much time should I spare? I'm not getting paid for being early so I have every incentive to get there on the dot and no earlier. That would appear to be the problem, but most people actually do get on earlier buses/trains. Variability is the real problem here. Do you want a bus that can get you to your destination with a margin of 25 minutes, or one with a margin of 5 minutes?

[Joel Up Front]

NYS DOT and NYC DOT are starting to wake up. I was able to cruise down Stewart Ave from Clinton Rd to just before Endo Blvd without stopping.

 

Every last bus that comes down Stewart Avenue gets caught at no less than three lights, especially the ones leading to the back entrance to Nassau.  That's also one area; the 22 and 24 get held up in that loop around the Intermodal Center for almost five minutes at a time if they get caught at the light.

[qjtransitmaster]

Every last bus that comes down Stewart Avenue gets caught at no less than three lights, especially the ones leading to the back entrance to Nassau.  That's also one area; the 22 and 24 get held up in that loop around the Intermodal Center for almost five minutes at a time if they get caught at the light.

It gives running passengers time to catch their bus at least.

[Burrstone]

How much time should I spare? I'm not getting paid for being early so I have every incentive to get there on the dot and no earlier. That would appear to be the problem, but most people actually do get on earlier buses/trains.

 

That is the WRONG way of looking at it...  It's your job to be time, you need to get their as early as possible to be on time.  Your job doesn't owe you anything besides a job (assuming you don't f uck up and part of that is being on time).  You should spare enough time get you to work on time, if your bus makes you 5 minutes late constently you must take the bus before that.  Even if it means being 35+ minutes early with no reward or compensation besides being on time for your job, it's called personal responsability.  The attitude you propose is probably why many people are late, becuase why should they spend their personal time being on time?  That is why a lot of jobs look down on and don't want to hire bus riders in Nassau County.  People want to blame thier entire lives on the shitty bus system, but when you know the system is unreliable you have to plan around it.  Be early without expecting to be compensated (besides your boss seeing you're always on time). 

 

 

Variability is the real problem here. Do you want a bus that can get you to your destination with a margin of 25 minutes, or one with a margin of 5 minutes?

 

There's no such thing, and never has been in Nassau County.

[checkmatechamp13]

There's no such thing, and never has been in Nassau County.

 

No such thing as variability? Or no such thing as a bus that brings you to your destination within a margin of 5 minutes?

[qjtransitmaster]

That is the WRONG way of looking at it...  It's your job to be time, you need to get their as early as possible to be on time.  Your job doesn't owe you anything besides a job (assuming you don't f uck up and part of that is being on time).  You should spare enough time get you to work on time, if your bus makes you 5 minutes late constently you must take the bus before that.  Even if it means being 35+ minutes early with no reward or compensation besides being on time for your job, it's called personal responsability.  The attitude you propose is probably why many people are late, becuase why should they spend their personal time being on time?  That is why a lot of jobs look down on and don't want to hire bus riders in Nassau County.  People want to blame thier entire lives on the shitty bus system, but when you know the system is unreliable you have to plan around it.  Be early without expecting to be compensated (besides your boss seeing you're always on time). 

 

 

 

There's no such thing, and never has been in Nassau County.

It's less shitty than SCT

[Burrstone]

No such thing as variability? Or no such thing as a bus that brings you to your destination within a margin of 5 minutes?

 

No such thing as a bus that is going to drop you off within a margin of 5 minutes of your destination.  If the bus stops right in front of your home, school, or wherever it is you go it's unlikey you will arrive 100% of the time within that margin. 

 

I think people like LIB being under the because it gave them a false sense that they were part of a system that "never slept" or had buses coming every 5 minutes.  But that is a pipe dream on Long Island (even under the LIB days).  I think people expect this, some people have an entitled feeling and feel the bus should drop them off door to door in under an hour (we're not in kindergarten any more).  When that doesn't happen the "system sucks" and instead of doing what they need to do they bitch and complain that the bus is making them late and ruining their lives.

 

I think people expect this and it's not going to exist in Nassau County not in any world.

[PinePower]

Actually I think people liked LIB because there were more standards. They knew drivers were being trained just like NYC bus drivers were (and often were trained in NYC facilities) and felt they were part of a Regional Bus System (which was supposed to be formed until Mangano decided to f*k it up). We all know Veolia is able to provide much more service with less, something the was unable to do. But with lower budgets come less money for maintanance, lower quality labor,etc. So the timeliness and reliability of the buses gets worse, due to breakdowns, rookie bus drivers, but traffic lights as well. I ride NICE Bus almost daily, so its not like I'm making this stuff up. The buses are dirtier, and some of these new drivers are HORRIBLE. I think some of them may have been coming over from Super Shuttle (another Veolia operation). Many of them slam on the brakes when we have to stop at a light or at a bus stop, they drive erraticly. And you can forget about climate control, most of the time it's switched off, despite the heat and cold we dealt with this past week. I think school bus drivers recieve more training. It's funny back with was here many b/o's at LIB would look down at Suffolk Transit's operation, yet I have to say now, the average Suffolk Transit operator exercises better control of their bus than NICE. We all know NICE is short on drivers, since not many will work for 20 hours a week, with minimal pay and benefits and put up with the stress and conditions NICE drivers have to. So yes Mangano has "saved" bus service for saying no to the MTA's plan of cutting half the service. But what kind of service are we actually getting? Fact is had he paid the their reasonable subsidy, we'd still be receiving more service hours, with a higher standard and professionalism of service. No I don't hate NICE or Veolia, but am just pointing out how they are able to provide the service for less than the MTA, or even other private operations. People do have to allow more time to get to work now because the buses are less reliable. You can ask any bus rider and they will tell you the same. A bus that used to arrive up to 10 minutes late under the MTA will now often be 20 or 30 minutes late, or just may not show up at all. Of course if someone is really desperate to get there on time...