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

[Turbo19]

So far,it's been a disaster.

Well it isn't stopping NICE from implementing more X routes.

 

I can only imagine when it's time to make cuts those will be the first to go.

[PinePower]

So far,it's been a disaster.

 

 

Seems to be only 8 or so minutes running time between Hofstra & HTC! With the traffic it should be at least 15 min. Of course the old 16x routing was faster, but it bypassed Hofstra. We'll see how many Hofstra students are using the n6x, if not many, just go back to the 16x routing. Hempstead Tpke in Uniondale is gridlock in the afternoons. 

May have to go back to via Westbury Blvd instead...

Well it isn't stopping NICE from implementing more X routes.

 

I can only imagine when it's time to make cuts those will be the first to go.

 

Anything thru NCC gets packed school days, except for the n51. 

Edited September 20, 2013 by PinePower

[FamousNYLover]

Seems to be only 8 or so minutes running time between Hofstra & HTC! With the traffic it should be at least 15 min. Of course the old 16x routing was faster, but it bypassed Hofstra. We'll see how many Hofstra students are using the n6x, if not many, just go back to the 16x routing. Hempstead Tpke in Uniondale is gridlock in the afternoons. 

May have to go back to via Westbury Blvd instead...

 

 

Anything thru NCC gets packed school days, except for the n51. 

Maybe, it could be tomorrow might get very busy on NICE, LIRR, SCT, HART as part of Car Free Day LI tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be big test to see if all these transportation will have free of traffic.

[Burrstone]

Maybe, it could be tomorrow might get very busy on NICE, LIRR, SCT, HART as part of Car Free Day LI tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be big test to see if all these transportation will have free of traffic.

 

Great, hipsters  and/or the new "wanna" be green yuppies clogging up public transit for a day for those who have no other option.

 

Awesome.

[Vistausss]

Great, hipsters  and/or the new "wanna" be green yuppies clogging up public transit for a day for those who have no other option.

 

Awesome.

 

I'm actually curious if snobby bus-hating people are actually gonna try to use the bus for once. If they do then I'd love to see video footage of that!

So far,it's been a disaster.

 

Bla bla bla bla bla. Dude, you need to stop, seriously. You're free to complain but all you ever do in this sub forum is complain about NICE.

[N6 Limited]

Well the n6 gets so crowded anyone riding it for the first time today to "leave the car at home" will not be anxious to try again. On the way home yesterday the bus I was on must have had 60 or so people on it. I prefer to get to Jamaica while the n1 is still running but it doesn't always work out that way.

 

So then I'm confronted with, waiting until later in the evening to get on the train when the bus is less frequent, but not as crowded, or dealing with the tapering headway from 15 mins, to 20 mins and dealing with a clowncar-bus ride home.

 

I caught the last n1 from Jamaica on Wed. I was able to get a seat, but the bus was SRO from the subway and continued to pick up until Springfield Blvd, SRO to the front door by the time we reached the county line. Imagine all those people along with the others that were still waiting at the train station trying to pack on the n6 on 15 min headways.

 

To be fair, the ridership can be "volitile", all it takes is two or three (F)'s to come in a row and the bus can be Slammed

[FamousNYLover]

Well the n6 gets so crowded anyone riding it for the first time today to "leave the car at home" will not be anxious to try again. On the way home yesterday the bus I was on must have had 60 or so people on it. I prefer to get to Jamaica while the n1 is still running but it doesn't always work out that way.

 

So then I'm confronted with, waiting until later in the evening to get on the train when the bus is less frequent, but not as crowded, or dealing with the tapering headway from 15 mins, to 20 mins and dealing with a clowncar-bus ride home.

 

I caught the last n1 from Jamaica on Wed. I was able to get a seat, but the bus was SRO from the subway and continued to pick up until Springfield Blvd, SRO to the front door by the time we reached the county line. Imagine all those people along with the others that were still waiting at the train station trying to pack on the n6 on 15 min headways.

 

To be fair, the ridership can be "volitile", all it takes is two or three (F)'s to come in a row and the bus can be Slammed

Today, after 8:02 n4x Freeport made connection with 8:45 n35 Westbury, I board 8:43 n6x NCC at HTC at 9:34, 14 minutes late and this new female driver was very bad service. When she arrived at Student Union, she called last stop. "I told her you suppose to go to Endo Blvd" but she refused to go make all NCC campus stops.

[Hound]

I'm actually curious if snobby bus-hating people are actually gonna try to use the bus for once. If they do then I'd love to see video footage of that!

 

 

Bla bla bla bla bla. Dude, you need to stop, seriously. You're free to complain but all you ever do in this sub forum is complain about NICE.

-Post removed by moderator- Edited September 22, 2013 by Brett

[Turbo19]

You need to go back to Holland.

I'm sure no one is interpreting that as a form of prejudice at all.

[B35 via Church]

I can't fathom taking the N22/24 from the mineola station, to 179th , to church av, to the B35.... The from 179th to (any part of Brooklyn) is a painstakingly slow ride... I remember from when I fanned the F train from end to end when I was younger, and the damned thing took a little over 2 hours.... If there are ppl. at this place that are doing that (N22/24 to the F to Brooklyn), I feel sorry for them... This one guy keeps suggesting that I do that to get back to brooklyn (because I tell him I'm sick of the LIRR now).... I'm going to start driving & that'll be the end of it.....

 

But keeping this NICE related.... The one thing I've noticed since I've been working out there the past couple weeks now, is that 22's & 24's seem to arrive at mineola within minutes of each other (regardless of direction; towards jamaica or towards RFM/Hicksville)... Another thing I notice is the interlining of N40's & N41's.....

 

I kept saying to myself, that's probably the smartest thing Veolia did with the bus network in nassau county (from how things were with LIB)..... There is no doubt that there are more folks traveling on 22's/24's b/w Queens & Hicksville, compared to folks that used to take the 78/79 b/w Mineola & Hicksville.... In other words, it was a good way to maximize the amt. of riders/bus..... In essence, it made the 24 more useful... Too many 24 trips back then ended at mitchel field depot....

[Amtrak7]

I can't fathom taking the N22/24 from the mineola station, to 179th , to church av, to the B35.... The from 179th to (any part of Brooklyn) is a painstakingly slow ride... I remember from when I fanned the F train from end to end when I was younger, and the damned thing took a little over 2 hours.... If there are ppl. at this place that are doing that (N22/24 to the F to Brooklyn), I feel sorry for them... This one guy keeps suggesting that I do that to get back to brooklyn (because I tell him I'm sick of the LIRR now).... I'm going to start driving & that'll be the end of it.....

 

I did that a few times over the summer (N22/24 from Hicksville to 179th for the to Jay St). The long ride felt worse than the bus ride, and that's without peak-of-the-peak crowding.

[N6 Limited]

I can't fathom taking the N22/24 from the mineola station, to 179th , to church av, to the B35.... The from 179th to (any part of Brooklyn) is a painstakingly slow ride... I remember from when I fanned the F train from end to end when I was younger, and the damned thing took a little over 2 hours.... If there are ppl. at this place that are doing that (N22/24 to the F to Brooklyn), I feel sorry for them... This one guy keeps suggesting that I do that to get back to brooklyn (because I tell him I'm sick of the LIRR now).... I'm going to start driving & that'll be the end of it.....

 

Have you tried the N22x in the morning?

 

 

But keeping this NICE related.... The one thing I've noticed since I've been working out there the past couple weeks now, is that 22's & 24's seem to arrive at mineola within minutes of each other (regardless of direction; towards jamaica or towards RFM/Hicksville)... Another thing I notice is the interlining of N40's & N41's.....

 

I kept saying to myself, that's probably the smartest thing Veolia did with the bus network in nassau county (from how things were with LIB)..... There is no doubt that there are more folks traveling on 22's/24's b/w Queens & Hicksville, compared to folks that used to take the 78/79 b/w Mineola & Hicksville.... In other words, it was a good way to maximize the amt. of riders/bus..... In essence, it made the 24 more useful... Too many 24 trips back then ended at mitchel field depot....

 

 

Yup, the n24 extension to Hicksville was a great idea because, in theory, it brought more of that large chunk of Jamaica ridership to Old Country Rd and Hicksville.

I wonder how that affects ridership during the holiday's. Before you had to transfer to the N78/N79 but now you can stay on the N24. 

 

Also all buses went to/from the mall via East Gate Blvd, so you could take the N15, N22, N24 to East Gate and Old Country Road, and walk down to the shopping/source mall if necessary. But now only the N22 and N24 to Hicksville goes that way, It concentrates ridership onto fewer buses.

 

Since NICE did eliminate the route redundancy on Old Country Rd, not to mention that the N15 only goes to Old country Road during Court/Rush Hours. How is service on Old Country Road, and how are loading conditions on the N22 and N24?

 

I did that a few times over the summer (N22/24 from Hicksville to 179th for the to Jay St). The long ride felt worse than the bus ride, and that's without peak-of-the-peak crowding.

Yes even though the F is express it is still a long ride.

 

What if the MTA and NICE had a service that somehow linked up Hillside Ave Express service with NICE routes and Queens Limited routes (Q1, Q36, Q43 Limited). You think that would boost ridership?

Edited September 22, 2013 by N6 Limited

[B35 via Church]

I did that a few times over the summer (N22/24 from Hicksville to 179th for the to Jay St).

The long ride felt worse than the bus ride, and that's without peak-of-the-peak crowding.

Now with the F train in manhattan additionally picking up all those folks that would normally be on R's heading to Brooklyn, I can imagine how damn crushloaded the peak hour F's are.... Now combine that, had the M not been diverted to run along 6th av - that would have been even more people cramming onto F trains.... The old V wouldn't have done squat, since that never ran to Brooklyn.....

 

The M & V thing aside, the F right now (w/ the construction going on w/ the montague st tubes for the R), is not a line I would want to regularly commute on.....

 

How long would you say the N22/24 is from Mineola to 179th st?

 

Have you tried the N22x in the morning?

 

 

I wonder how that affects ridership during the holiday's. Before you had to transfer to the N78/N79 but now you can stay on the N24. 

 

Also all buses went to/from the mall via East Gate Blvd, so you could take the N15, N22, N24 to East Gate and Old Country Road, and walk down to the shopping/source mall if necessary. But now only the N22 and N24 to Hicksville goes that way, It concentrates ridership onto fewer buses.

 

Since NICE did eliminate the route redundancy on Old Country Rd, not to mention that the N15 only goes to Old country Road during Court/Rush Hours. How is service on Old Country Road, and how are loading conditions on the N22 and N24?

I haven't tried riding any buses going or leaving....

As far as going to work specifically, nope... Not going to either, because I would have to wake up TOO early to catch em, to get to Mineola for 7am.... I would have to catch the Q then xfer to the F just to get to 169th or 179th (which would be far quicker than just waiting it out for the B35 in the wee hrs of the morning, to ride the F from church to 169th or 179th).... I'm assuming I'd have to get out of here, something like 3 in the morning if I were to take the train from here in central brooklyn (lol) to the N22/24.... Someone can look at the train (Q, F) & bus (n22 or n24) timetables if they're bored enough....

 

I mean, I've seen about a handful of 22x's going back to Queens since I started working out here when I get out, but I've never been tempted to take em, because for starters, I don't know the difference b/w the 22x & the 22 (I figure it's an express of some sort, but how much faster is it really)..... In the past, fanning some Queens routes, I've also seen 22L's (don't know what those do either).... The 22a I know about - all that is is a 22 that never serves mineola, that ends at RFM.... A poor man's version of a short turn 22.....

 

Maybe you, or someone else here can briefly explain the difference b/w the 22L & the 22x...

 

As far as loads on the 22/24... Whenever I see them in the morning or when I leave in the evening, either route leaves mineola SRO... only bus I see that leaves like halfway empty, is the 23 manorhaven (which I seldom see anyway... how (in)frequent is that route anyway)?

Edited September 22, 2013 by B35 via Church

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Now with the F train in manhattan additionally picking up all those folks that would normally be on R's heading to Brooklyn, I can imagine how damn crushloaded the peak hour F's are.... Now combine that, had the M not been diverted to run along 6th av - that would have been even more people cramming onto F trains.... The old V wouldn't have done squat, since that never ran to Brooklyn.....

 

The M & V thing aside, the F right now (w/ the construction going on w/ the montague st tubes for the R), is not a line I would want to regularly commute on.....

 

How long would you say the N22/24 is from Mineola to 179th st?

 

I haven't tried riding any buses to/from work.... Not going to either, because I would have to wake up TOO early to catch em, to get to Mineola for 7am....

 

I mean, I've seen about a handful of 22x's going back to Queens when I get out, but I've never been tempted to take em, because for starters, I don't know the difference b/w the 22x & the 22..... In the past, fanning some Queens routes, I've also seen 22L's (don't know what those do either).... The 22a I know about - all that is is a 22 that never serves mineola, that ends at RFM....

 

Maybe you, or someone else here can briefly explain the difference b/w the 22L & the 22x...

 

As far as loads on the 22/24... Whenever I see them in the morning or when I leave in the evening, either route leaves mineola SRO... only bus I see that leaves like halfway empty, is the 23 manorhaven (which I seldom see anyway... how (in)frequent is that route anyway)?

 

The n22L is a n22a Limited, and the n22X is a Second Limited Version of the n22L.

 

The n22L runs from Hicksville to Jamaica, making all stops only at the timepoints listed, however not Roosevelt Field (because it takes Westbury and then Glen Cove Road

 

The n22x is a second limited. However, the catch with this is that it makes all stops until Roosevelt Field like the n22. The n22L deviates before RF, so the n22X takes places as the N22's Limited from Mineola to Hyde Park. It stops at RF, Mineola, and Hyde Park Road, then Jamaica.

 

Think of it this way

 

N22L> Really an n22a Limited that goes to Hicksville that doesn't serve Roosevelt Field

 

N22X> An n22 Limited From Jamaica to Roosevelt Field

Edited September 22, 2013 by Q23 Central Terminal

[N6 Limited]

I mean, I've seen about a handful of 22x's going back to Queens since I started working out here when I get out, but I've never been tempted to take em, because for starters, I don't know the difference b/w the 22x & the 22 (I figure it's an express of some sort, but how much faster is it really)..... In the past, fanning some Queens routes, I've also seen 22L's (don't know what those do either).... The 22a I know about - all that is is a 22 that never serves mineola, that ends at RFM.... A poor man's version of a short turn 22.....

 

Maybe you, or someone else here can briefly explain the difference b/w the 22L & the 22x...

 

As far as loads on the 22/24... Whenever I see them in the morning or when I leave in the evening, either route leaves mineola SRO... only bus I see that leaves like halfway empty, is the 23 manorhaven (which I seldom see anyway... how (in)frequent is that route anyway)?

 

N22/A/L/X Schedule: http://www.nicebus.com/_meta/routes_pdf/NICE-n22_MapSchedule.pdf

 

N22L (N22 Limited),

bypasses Mineola,Roosevelt Field and Old Country Road.

 

N22X (N22 Express, is like a NYCT Limited).

It has limited stops and runs in the the reverse peak direction during rush hour. 4 trips to Hicksville AM, 4 trips to Jamaica PM

It runs on 30 min headways

 

The stops are:

-Jamaica bus Terminal

-169th Subway

-179th Subway

-New Hyde Park Road

-Mineola Intermodal Center

-Roosevelt Field

-Post Rd & Maple Ave

-Hicksville LIRR Station

 

It takes a shortcut between New Hyde Park Road and Mineola Intermodal Center, so it saves even more time. According to the schedule it saves 15 mins over the local between 179th Street and Mineola Station.

 

The N23 only goes to Mineola during rush hours, all other times it goes to Hempstead via a different routing south of Hillside Ave.

It runs roughly every 30 mins

N23 Schedule: http://www.nicebus.com/_meta/routes_pdf/NICE-n23_MapSchedule.pdf

Edited September 23, 2013 by N6 Limited

[FamousNYLover]

n22l is more like local because it makes all stops on Hillside Av and Maple Av.

[qjtransitmaster]

I can't fathom taking the N22/24 from the mineola station, to 179th , to church av, to the B35.... The from 179th to (any part of Brooklyn) is a painstakingly slow ride... I remember from when I fanned the F train from end to end when I was younger, and the damned thing took a little over 2 hours.... If there are ppl. at this place that are doing that (N22/24 to the F to Brooklyn), I feel sorry for them... This one guy keeps suggesting that I do that to get back to brooklyn (because I tell him I'm sick of the LIRR now).... I'm going to start driving & that'll be the end of it.....

 

But keeping this NICE related.... The one thing I've noticed since I've been working out there the past couple weeks now, is that 22's & 24's seem to arrive at mineola within minutes of each other (regardless of direction; towards jamaica or towards RFM/Hicksville)... Another thing I notice is the interlining of N40's & N41's.....

 

I kept saying to myself, that's probably the smartest thing Veolia did with the bus network in nassau county (from how things were with LIB)..... There is no doubt that there are more folks traveling on 22's/24's b/w Queens & Hicksville, compared to folks that used to take the 78/79 b/w Mineola & Hicksville.... In other words, it was a good way to maximize the amt. of riders/bus..... In essence, it made the 24 more useful... Too many 24 trips back then ended at mitchel field depot....

why would they put up with that doesn't that mean demand exists for a N24 version that skips Roosevelt field?

 

Now with the F train in manhattan additionally picking up all those folks that would normally be on R's heading to Brooklyn, I can imagine how damn crushloaded the peak hour F's are.... Now combine that, had the M not been diverted to run along 6th av - that would have been even more people cramming onto F trains.... The old V wouldn't have done squat, since that never ran to Brooklyn.....

 

The M & V thing aside, the F right now (w/ the construction going on w/ the montague st tubes for the R), is not a line I would want to regularly commute on.....

 

How long would you say the N22/24 is from Mineola to 179th st?

 

I haven't tried riding any buses going or leaving....

As far as going to work specifically, nope... Not going to either, because I would have to wake up TOO early to catch em, to get to Mineola for 7am.... I would have to catch the Q then xfer to the F just to get to 169th or 179th (which would be far quicker than just waiting it out for the B35 in the wee hrs of the morning, to ride the F from church to 169th or 179th).... I'm assuming I'd have to get out of here, something like 3 in the morning if I were to take the train from here in central brooklyn (lol) to the N22/24.... Someone can look at the train (Q, F) & bus (n22 or n24) timetables if they're bored enough....

 

I mean, I've seen about a handful of 22x's going back to Queens since I started working out here when I get out, but I've never been tempted to take em, because for starters, I don't know the difference b/w the 22x & the 22 (I figure it's an express of some sort, but how much faster is it really)..... In the past, fanning some Queens routes, I've also seen 22L's (don't know what those do either).... The 22a I know about - all that is is a 22 that never serves mineola, that ends at RFM.... A poor man's version of a short turn 22.....

 

Maybe you, or someone else here can briefly explain the difference b/w the 22L & the 22x...

 

As far as loads on the 22/24... Whenever I see them in the morning or when I leave in the evening, either route leaves mineola SRO... only bus I see that leaves like halfway empty, is the 23 manorhaven (which I seldom see anyway... how (in)frequent is that route anyway)?

why would people put up with that? when there is the LIRR unless they are reverse riders.

You coould use the to the and use jamacia buses to reach NICE.

[N6 Limited]

I think nicebus.com is down at the moment.

 

 

why would they put up with that doesn't that mean demand exists for a N24 version that skips Roosevelt field?

 

I'm not so sure, the N24 buses I see between Roosevelt Field and Hicksville are usually light. Has anyone seen otherwise?

 

 

why would people put up with that? when there is the LIRR unless they are reverse riders.

You coould use the to the and use jamacia buses to reach NICE.

They're probably reverse riders, also the LIRR is not cheap. 

Edited September 23, 2013 by N6 Limited

[Amtrak7]

n22l is more like local because it makes all stops on Hillside Av and Maple Av.

 

I don't see why this post is so downvoted, it's true! When I rode the 22L it made every stop from the City Line to Willis.

 

N22X isn't a "limited" in that it doesn't make select stops. It's basically a version of the N22 that makes no stops west of Mineola except for NHP Rd, subway and 165. East of Mineola it makes all stops.

 

When I've ridden it, the scheduled travel time is usually close to accurate (buses can and do arrive late, but unless there's gridlock/an incident usually they don't lose that much more time)

Edited September 23, 2013 by Amtrak7

[FamousNYLover]

Speaking, when there was on female passenger on n20l Limited Hicksville and we were behind the n21 Glen Cove (This was before Sept 13 schedule change.), and female was only going to city line, and I overheard "What is purpose of limited if we are behind local?"

I don't see why this post is so downvoted, it's true! When I rode the 22L it made every stop from the City Line to Willis.

 

N22X isn't a "limited" in that it doesn't make select stops. It's basically a version of the N22 that makes no stops west of Mineola except for NHP Rd, subway and 165. East of Mineola it makes all stops.

 

When I've ridden it, the scheduled travel time is usually close to accurate (buses can and do arrive late, but unless there's gridlock/an incident usually they don't lose that much more time)

When I took n22l after New Years take over of NICE, it still made all stops on Hillside Av between Willis Av and Jamaica.

[Vistausss]

True, but if it only serves 3 major stops in Nassau County then it's not really NICE anymore, more like 'ICE'.

[Amtrak7]

As someone who lives (when not at college) in the city and is basing the term "LIMITED" on the city buses that I see a majority of (because NICE thrives off city ridership as it is), they created the n22 LIMITED backwards. I'm not saying it's not good the way it is or that it wasn't a good idea, but it would be better as a "LIMITED" if it only picked up and dropped off at major streets like the n6 LIMITED. It's just another one of those routes where that would be efficient. Skipping Roosevelt Field or Mineola Intermodal Center doesn't make those LIMITED buses full, which means it doesn't fulfill what a LIMITED bus should do. They should be just as full as a local bus to take the load off of those buses.

 

As for the express buses, I think the buses should pick-up/drop-off at Hicksville LIRR, Roosevelt Field, Mineola Intermodal Center, then head to 179th, 169th, and 165th St Bus Terminal. That's a real express bus.

 

The goal of a LTD/Express is to save travel time for those traveling longer distances. Unfortunately, diverting into RFM and Mineola wastes time. Yes, there aren't as many passengers, but it's rush hour service.

 

I think the current n22L pattern is fine.

 

The n22X should make limited stops (NYCT definition) east of RFM as well, being that it only runs reverse peak and that's when NICE ridership is highest.

[FamousNYLover]

why would they put up with that doesn't that mean demand exists for a N24 version that skips Roosevelt field?

 

why would people put up with that? when there is the LIRR unless they are reverse riders.

You coould use the to the and use jamacia buses to reach NICE.

is still slow no matter what. Also, doesn't go near Jamaica Bus Terminal. It's about 10-15 minutes walk from Jamaica Center to Jamaica Bus Terminal.

With any Archer Av bus to nearby, it's 5-7 minutes, with Q44/Q20, about 5 minutes.

People takes to reach n6, n22, n24, n26, NOT .

People who takes n4 will take .

Edited September 23, 2013 by FamousNYLover

[Joel Up Front]

The stark contrast between being in a car and a bus on the Island is staggering.  It's like the bus system is its own little world sometimes, one that no one really wants to be in.

[PinePower]

As someone who lives (when not at college) in the city and is basing the term "LIMITED" on the city buses that I see a majority of (because NICE thrives off city ridership as it is), they created the n22 LIMITED backwards. I'm not saying it's not good the way it is or that it wasn't a good idea, but it would be better as a "LIMITED" if it only picked up and dropped off at major streets like the n6 LIMITED. It's just another one of those routes where that would be efficient. Skipping Roosevelt Field or Mineola Intermodal Center doesn't make those LIMITED buses full, which means it doesn't fulfill what a LIMITED bus should do. They should be just as full as a local bus to take the load off of those buses.

 

As for the express buses, I think the buses should pick-up/drop-off at Hicksville LIRR, Roosevelt Field, Mineola Intermodal Center, then head to 179th, 169th, and 165th St Bus Terminal. That's a real express bus.

 

n22 has heavy ridership in New Cassel & Westbury and has to make all stops. A bus leaving Hicksville bypassing those areas would be empty and result in overcrowding on the next bus. With your idea you may as well start the n22x at RF because at least 75% of ppl on buses east of RF are going to New Cassel & Westbury. The buses are crowded enough as it is, if anything there needs to be hawk service in this area with 10 min headways rush hours and 20 min all other times middays & weekends. Its a poor area, most ppl do not have cars, trust me on this!