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

[B35 via Church]

If it was up to me:

n14: Merge with n17 bus and provide frequent service during Mercy Hospital hour.

n27: Weekend service restore to/from Roosevelt Field Mall. Extend to Glen Cove Hospital during hospital shift hours.

n35: 

n48/49: Weekend service after Jericho service ends, extend to Jericho Whole Foods, and bus can turnaround at parking lot.

n50: Extend to SUNY Old Westbury to help relief overcrowding on n20.

n45: More midday service 

n80/81: Extend to CW POst via SUNY Old Westbury.

I have to agree with your n35 change.....

 

 

Not only is there no information of alternate routing and bus stops, there's also a mistake! Took the LIRR today since I didn't know where to go to catch the bus.

 

http://nicebus.com/Passenger_Information/Service_Alerts/index.html

 

 

n22, n35  Westbury — Expect Route Delays

Saturday, October 5, 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Due to street fair on Post Ave, there will be no n23 service on Maple Avenue between Union Avenue and Ellison Avenue. There will also be no n35 service on Post Avenue between Rockland Avenue and Railroad Avenue.

Please allow additional travel time this day, to ensure that you arrive on time.

well that explains why n22's had less ppl. on them than normal in the early afternoon at mineola intermodal yesterday....

Edited October 6, 2013 by B35 via Church

[Q43LTD]

I didn't know the N23 went to Hicksville. LMAO. Damn NICE! I thought you were trying to distance yourselves from the .

[Burrstone]

If the system is built well, say by Clever Devices or by the , then it can be used for the automated announcements, for dispatch to keep track of the locations of their buses, for customers to track their buses and get accurate arrival times, for internet on the bus, and probably some other uses as well. 

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA  What did Veolia do before they met the ?

 

BTW...  Did the develop bustime or did private companies develop it?

http://bustime.mta.info/wiki/Main/Technology

[Burrstone]

They developed it because it was cheaper than Clever Devices making the system.

 

A) Many companies "made" Bus time.

 

B) If Clever Devices was too expensive for the budget inflated there goes any shot in hell of NICE using Clever Devices. lol

[FamousNYLover]

Not only is there no information of alternate routing and bus stops, there's also a mistake! Took the LIRR today since I didn't know where to go to catch the bus.

 

http://nicebus.com/Passenger_Information/Service_Alerts/index.html

 

 

n22, n35  Westbury — Expect Route Delays

Saturday, October 5, 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Due to street fair on Post Ave, there will be no n23 service on Maple Avenue between Union Avenue and Ellison Avenue. There will also be no n35 service on Post Avenue between Rockland Avenue and Railroad Avenue.

Please allow additional travel time this day, to ensure that you arrive on time.

NICE Bus is not allowed to drop off/pick up passengers on detour route according to facebook message I got from NICE Bus.

 

it is unnecessary and cumbersome for us to publish the route our detours follow, especially since we do not make pick ups or drop offs on a detour. Therefore we only publish the location of where we will not be running due to road closures.

 

Edited October 7, 2013 by FamousNYLover

[Burrstone]

It's not that they're not allowed to, because in Nassau County, NICE is authorized to pick up anywhere on a public street. It's that picking up on detours may confuse customers, cause them to request unlimited amounts of unnecessary stops on a detour, and or have them complain when no bus stop on a detour is put up.

 

Good point, perhaps when they know of a detour well in advance NICE can list stops they feel are appropriate along a detour, maybe even put up temporary paper or cardboard signs at the designated stop.  It could even be a prefabricated sign where the supervisors could right in the date and route and zip toe it to a pole (the day or night before) 

 

NASSAU INTER COUNTY EXPRESS

OFFICIAL DETOUR STOP 

ROUTE n____

DATE __/__/__

Please be advised this bus will only pick up/drop

off at this location on the dates above. 

 

Something like ^^^ that.

 

Even a small detour where buses will not p/u and/or d/o is long walk for the passenger!

Edited October 7, 2013 by Burrstone

[Amtrak7]

Good point, perhaps when they know of a detour well in advance NICE can list stops they feel are appropriate along a detour, maybe even put up temporary paper or cardboard signs at the designated stop.  It could even be a prefabricated sign where the supervisors could right in the date and route and zip toe it to a pole (the day or night before) 

 

NASSAU INTER COUNTY EXPRESS

OFFICIAL DETOUR STOP 

ROUTE n____

DATE __/__/__

Please be advised this bus will only pick up/drop

off at this location on the dates above. 

 

Something like ^^^ that.

 

Even a small detour where buses will not p/u and/or d/o is long walk for the passenger!

 

But if NICE is forced to alter the detours because of congestion or organizer greed, it might not be able to serve the stop leaving passengers stranded.

 

I freakin hate these street closures for non-construction reasons!

[PinePower]

NICE Bus is not allowed to drop off/pick up passengers on detour route according to facebook message I got from NICE Bus.

 

How NICE, I guess they just expect people to walk a mile or so or take a cab. LI Bus never did this. Its stuff like this I dont like, plain and simple. Not a way to get new riders but just lose existing ones.

So if the n22 ran along Old Country Rd it would not make any stops till East Gate Blvd, thats a hell of a walk...NICE!

Good point, perhaps when they know of a detour well in advance NICE can list stops they feel are appropriate along a detour, maybe even put up temporary paper or cardboard signs at the designated stop.  It could even be a prefabricated sign where the supervisors could right in the date and route and zip toe it to a pole (the day or night before) 

 

NASSAU INTER COUNTY EXPRESS

OFFICIAL DETOUR STOP 

ROUTE n____

DATE __/__/__

Please be advised this bus will only pick up/drop

off at this location on the dates above. 

 

Something like ^^^ that.

 

Even a small detour where buses will not p/u and/or d/o is long walk for the passenger!

 

That's all I'm asking. MTA does this, or is supposed to...

[PinePower]

When LIB was around, the detour for the street festival had the n35 going down Union, to School St, in the last few years of them they even put up some temporary bus stop signs.

As for the n22, it was detoured down Union to Post (the closure starts just north of the light after the LIRR bridge), then down Old Country to East Gate and would stop at existing marked bus stops on the n35 and n78/79 (which it was back then).

People need to feel comfortable taking the service. They need reliability and convienence, which LIB wasn't great at, but was a heck of alot better than NICE. But remember a Cabbie sits on the TAC so I'm not stupid I know what's going on....I'm sure Saturday's business for area cab companies was brisk...stealing money from people who can afford it least..how low can you go?

[FamousNYLover]

Please check the website.

http://www.longislandbusridersunion.org/2013/10/letting-elected-officials-know-that-bus.html

 

Report (PDF) Bus RIder's Vote (NICE Bus Riders Only)

http://lijwj.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/li-bru-study-of-voting-patterns-of-bus-riders.pdf

Edited October 8, 2013 by FamousNYLover

[Burrstone]

Report (PDF) Bus RIder's Vote (NICE Bus Riders Only)

http://lijwj.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/li-bru-study-of-voting-patterns-of-bus-riders.pdf

 

Wow!  Almost half the bus riders (polled) don't vote but probably all bitched about Mangano and/or his "NICE" deal.  Not for or against Mangano, just stating the irony.

[PinePower]

Wow!  Almost half the bus riders (polled) don't vote but probably all bitched about Mangano and/or his "NICE" deal.  Not for or against Mangano, just stating the irony.

 

Sadly many of these are just complainers. I'm not thrilled with Mangano and will show that when I vote. It's unfortunate that we dont have a strappies campaign here, and if LIBRU is all riders have to speak up for them, it's a sad state of affairs.

I may complain but I take action about it, voicing my feelings with NICE and elected officials, and offering solutions to these problems, like more sensible schedules and better bus funding. Its funny I'm still awaiting a response from Tom Suozzi on Facebook from my question of how he'd have done things with regards to bus funding.....

[Vistausss]

Exactly PinePower. Complaining is one thing, taking action is what really shows what you're complaining about. If only more people had the guts to take action...

[N6 Limited]

 Its funny I'm still awaiting a response from Tom Suozzi on Facebook from my question of how he'd have done things with regards to bus funding.....

Exactly. These knee-jerk reactions of "I'm going to vote for Suozzi!" is not going to do anything. Suozzi doesn't care about the bus, he just wants a secure job where he can spend tax dollars and get paid for it.

[Burrstone]

I really don't know what Suozzi's position will be on NICE...  He once loved the and wanted a regional transit system and he once hated the because he thought they were ripping off Nassau.  Will be favor NICE because it can do more with less money than the could or will he hate NICE because it;s not the (and he's and guy)?  I really don't know...

[Mtatransit]

When LIB was around, the detour for the street festival had the n35 going down Union, to School St, in the last few years of them they even put up some temporary bus stop signs.

As for the n22, it was detoured down Union to Post (the closure starts just north of the light after the LIRR bridge), then down Old Country to East Gate and would stop at existing marked bus stops on the n35 and n78/79 (which it was back then).

People need to feel comfortable taking the service. They need reliability and convienence, which LIB wasn't great at, but was a heck of alot better than NICE. But remember a Cabbie sits on the TAC so I'm not stupid I know what's going on....I'm sure Saturday's business for area cab companies was brisk...stealing money from people who can afford it least..how low can you go?

Remember that during the last few months of the MTA they don't even bother to put the detour on its website. But I guess it's just a way to make Nassau county resident protest

[PinePower]

Remember that during the last few months of the MTA they don't even bother to put the detour on its website. But I guess it's just a way to make Nassau county resident protest

 

Yeah the last few months didn't give a damn. I remember the last day of LIB there were so many buses missing and mobs of people at bus stops. There was only one bus on the entire n27 route.

I know they did give us the loaner buses, but then took them away on the last days of the year for the scrapper, instead of giving them to us.

I really don't know what Suozzi's position will be on NICE...  He once loved the and wanted a regional transit system and he once hated the because he thought they were ripping off Nassau.  Will be favor NICE because it can do more with less money than the could or will he hate NICE because it;s not the (and he's and guy)?  I really don't know...

 

Well I'll try reaching out to him again another way. If he continues to ignore answering I may have to change my mind, again.

I do remember when wanted to paint the V's with a blue stripe, Suozzi protested, and the one or two buses that were taped over had to have the orange and blue restored. Alot of bus drivers over at NICE I know think Suozzi will bring the back, I'm not so sure. What I do want is more funding for buses from the county. 

[qjtransitmaster]

I really don't know what Suozzi's position will be on NICE...  He once loved the and wanted a regional transit system and he once hated the because he thought they were ripping off Nassau.  Will be favor NICE because it can do more with less money than the could or will he hate NICE because it;s not the (and he's and guy)?  I really don't know...

Hope he keeps NICE and increases funding so service can be better than ever.

[PinePower]

Hope he keeps NICE and increases funding so service can be better than ever.

 

Well you probably dont have to worry since Mangano has a major lead in the latest poll.

http://eastmeadow.patch.com/groups/elections/p/poll-mangano-opens-lead-in-county-executive-race-eastmeadow

 

Another first I was on 1839 and saw the back door blocked off by yellow tape. At first I was like, WTF, but it makes sense now, this way people wont try to use a broken back door.

Edited October 14, 2013 by PinePower

[Amtrak7]

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nice-bus-fare-boxes-wipe-cash-value-off-some-metrocards-say-passengers-advocates-1.6249437

 

Apparently farebox read errors are also wiping MetroCards, and NICE is working on a smartphone-based payment system.

[PinePower]

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nice-bus-fare-boxes-wipe-cash-value-off-some-metrocards-say-passengers-advocates-1.6249437

 

Apparently farebox read errors are also wiping MetroCards, and NICE is working on a smartphone-based payment system.

 

Cant read it or watch the video.....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I'm surprised nobody has said anything yet, but new bus stop signs are up along the n20/21 route in Nassau County. The old signs have been taken down. Currently, I think this is the only route where this has been done.

I didn't say that because I thought they were said already...

 

Oh well.

 

The N78/79 also have them as well, and of course, the first one was the n17.

[Amtrak7]

The N78/79 also have them as well, and of course, the first one was the n17.

 

The whole route or just Walt Whitman?

 

Nassau County residents can see Newsday articles using their library card and this database...there may be a one day delay.

 

http://search.proquest.com/newsday/barcode?accountid=37917&groupid=64347

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

The whole route or just Walt Whitman?

 

Nassau County residents can see Newsday articles using their library card and this database...there may be a one day delay.

 

http://search.proquest.com/newsday/barcode?accountid=37917&groupid=64347

Im assuming the whole route because you said either that or Walt Whitman (I saw it at Hicksville).

[Burrstone]

Cant read it or watch the video.....

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nice-bus-fare-boxes-wipe-cash-value-off-some-metrocards-say-passengers-advocates-1.6249437

NICE bus fare boxes wipe cash value off some MetroCards, say passengers, advocates

Originally published: October 13, 2013 7:49 PM

Updated: October 13, 2013 10:21 PM

By ALFONSO A. CASTILLO  alfonso.castillo@newsday.com

Some Nassau County bus passengers and advocates say fare boxes are increasingly corrupting MTA MetroCards and wiping out their cash value, costing them money and rides.

Nassau Inter County Express riders have been getting "read errors" when dipping their MetroCards into NICE Bus fare boxes, according to the Long Island Bus Riders Union. The cards, used by two-thirds of NICE's 100,000 daily customers, are then made useless. Cash balances on the cards can only be recovered through an MTA refund process that can take six weeks or longer.

NICE chief executive Michael Setzer said although he has seen no evidence indicating a growing problem with MetroCard errors, the company will assign six electronic technicians to check the fare boxes for problems, provide drivers with special devices to regularly clean the card readers and develop a payment app for smartphones.

Card error, out of luckAnthony Dixon, 25, said he has lost several MetroCards in recent months to read errors, including one with a balance of $50. Without a way to pay his fare, drivers wouldn't let him on the bus, he said at the Mineola bus center. Generally, if a driver determines a MetroCard is malfunctioning, the passenger can still board the bus.

"I don't know what is the problem. The card is like brand new," said Dixon, a janitor, who added he recently had to walk from Mineola to his home in Roosevelt because his MetroCard malfunctioned and he didn't have cash to pay the $2.25 fare.

"I definitely think that the problem has gotten worse. We've seen that just from talking to riders," said Long Island Bus Riders Union founder Charlene Obernauer, who brought the problem to NICE's attention in February. Riders have also complained to NICE about the issue at public meetings as recently as last month.

"There would be a huge uproar if this was happening on the Long Island Rail Road, and it would be fixed pretty quickly," Obernauer said.

Setzer said there has not been an increase in the number of customer complaints about the issue over the last year, nor has NICE seen any drop in fare revenue, which would be the case if scores of regular customers were not paying for their rides.

"Not that we're keeping data on it, but nobody has noticed a higher incidence of read errors, so I think it may be more just greater awareness, because people are talking about it," he said. "But we're starting to pay attention because fare box is $45 million a year. It's 40 percent of our total revenue picture. So even if it's a small amount, we want to be sure it's covered."

Bus drivers are not given special instructions on how to address MetroCard errors other than to "handle it the best way possible," Setzer said.

"They have to make a judgment on whether this is a malfunctioning card and allow the passenger to ride or whether this is an attempt to evade a fare," he said.

Origin of errors unknownNICE officials said they don't know whether the errors are originating in the fare boxes or the MetroCards, but noted that the fact that other riders are able to use their MetroCards after one has a reader error would suggest a problem with a card.

MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz cited several kinds of possible reader errors, ranging from a damaged card to a dirty card reader. Ortiz added that the MTA, which issues MetroCards, provided NICE officials, at their request, with an explanation of the various reader error codes.

Ortiz added that while reader errors happen from time to time on MTA buses, "it's not really a prevailing problem on this end."

Setzer said maintenance of the boxes has remained steady since NICE's operator, Veolia Transportation, took over the Nassau system from the MTA in January 2012, and that most of the MTA's mechanics were kept on their jobs.

As a remedy for some riders, NICE is developing a mobile application that will allow fares to be paid using a smartphone instead of a MetroCard. The app would let users pre-load their accounts with money and pay by displaying their phones as they board.

Passengers would show a flashing phone screen to a bus operator to indicate they had paid their fare. Setzer said the app should be rolled out some time in 2014.

But Setzer acknowledged the app wouldn't be much of an option for about 15 percent of NICE's riders who count on the MetroCard's free transfers to and from MTA buses and subways.

"For those people for whom it works, it's a nice alternative to having to carry a bunch of change or relying on the MetroCard," Setzer said.