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Let me say a few things. When the MTA was running Long Island Bus, they brought ridership to an all-time high and kept service levels at a reasonable point as well as fares the same as city buses and subways. Nassau County was falling into debt with the way it was being run and needed to start cutting corners. Of course, given Nassau County is a majority car-driven county, the bus system was the first place to see cuts. So the county started cutting payments to the MTA and the MTA was losing money. Believe it or not, part of the reason for the MTA's budget deficit in 2010, was because of Nassau County starting to not to pay for their bus service. They had good reason to tell Nassau County to go to hell. When the MTA decided they had enough and threatened massive cuts because Nassau County wouldn't pay their fair share, they cut ties and Nassau County found a private operator.
Veolia was chosen because of political ties with Mangano and some other representatives in the Legislature. Don't get me wrong, Veolia is a good operator of the system. They have shown in some areas that they can stretch the money farther than the MTA did, which is why the bus system is the way it is today. Unfortunately, there isn't enough money to keep the system running into the future. There's currently a max of $7,000 a month being spent on replacement parts for the buses. There are more breakdowns than ever and runs are going missing daily. Go to the Mitchel Field bus depot, guaranteed you'll see a bunch of buses sitting in the parking lot. Veolia has put up new fencing in the back of the depot to keep people from seeing the broken-down buses as well as signs to deter photographers.
This is one of the problems I have with Veolia's management. With the lack of funding that the system has, Veolia has stopped taking suggestions from the general public about how to run things and has rearranged routes and schedules to basically screw riders over. They're blowing money away with routes like the n80/81 and the n73/74 while buses on the n20 and n22 continue to not show up. They had great ideas when they first took charge in 2012, but have eliminated the n22 LIMITED that they created and cut runs on the n22, one of the main routes of the system.
This whole state-of-the-county address focused on everything but the bus system. Mangano's message is "forget the bus, buy a car and get like the rest of us." Within a year, he managed to single-highhandedly bring ridership levels from it's highest point since the 70s to it's lowest ridership point since 1998. Who knows what the 2013 ridership statistics are going to say when they come out? Last year, Long Island Railroad ridership went up, NYC Subway ridership went up, Metro-North ridership went up, NICE ridership probably went even further down again. Even if everyone could afford a car, the roads don't have the space for them. You'll be sitting in more traffic than ever, parking in some places will be hell, and gas prices will go up again. Moving to the city isn't going to help either. Those areas are congested as anything.
To be honest, I'm surprised the number of drivers working for NICE now are still here. It's very surprising that given the low pay and dangerous environment that they haven't escaped to the MTA yet. Although, it's a lot easier to get into NICE than it is to get into the MTA. A lot less training. Basically though, more funding is needed from Mangano to get this bus system back up and I doubt he's going to pay it. Veolia is trapped in their contract unless Mangano has somehow broken the law, where, if it was ethical, he would have done so already. What the MTA worked hard to do is slowly disappearing from this county.
It sure is, and the system is getting worse than ever. Buses only a few years old look aging and falling apart. What took years to build is now destroyed.
This whole state-of-the-county address focused on everything but the bus system. Mangano's message is "forget the bus, buy a car and get like the rest of us." Within a year, he managed to single-highhandedly bring ridership levels from it's highest point since the 70s to it's lowest ridership point since 1998. Who knows what the 2013 ridership statistics are going to say when they come out? Last year, Long Island Railroad ridership went up, NYC Subway ridership went up, Metro-North ridership went up, NICE ridership probably went even further down again. Even if everyone could afford a car, the roads don't have the space for them. You'll be sitting in more traffic than ever, parking in some places will be hell, and gas prices will go up again. Moving to the city isn't going to help either. Those areas are congested as anything.
I agree with most of your post.
You claim ridership is an all time low. I noticed how buses are crowded as ever. Combination that there are less buses or riders have no alternative mode of transportation?
As for more riders ditching the NICE bus for cars? Perhaps some. I big chunk of riders are from Queens who are low wage workers. Some will continue to pack it in like sardines. If it is so intolerable, I assume some may look for another job that is not in Nassau
Last edited by nancy thereader; 12-12-2015 at 08:41 PM..
You claim ridership is an all time low. I noticed how buses are crowded as ever. Combination that there are less buses or riders have no alternative mode of transportation?
As for more riders ditching the NICE bus for cars? Perhaps some. I big chunk of riders are from Queens who are low wage workers. Some will continue to pack it in like sardines. If it is so intolerable, I assume some may look for another job that is not in Nassau
When the buses are jammed like that it usually means a bus was missing. This is now commonplace, sadly. Many runs go missing due to breakdowns or simply not having enough drivers.
When the buses are jammed like that it usually means a bus was missing. This is now commonplace, sadly. Many runs go missing due to breakdowns or simply not having enough drivers.
even regular times...its packed. I've taken N20/N21 enough to compare the MTA vs the NICE era.
Its even more packed on the reverse commute. I am sure many people here on the other lines that goes into queens can make the same assessment who really rides the bus in Nassau. Reality is...... most Nassau residents don't take the bus.
You claim ridership is an all time low. I noticed how buses are crowded as ever. Combination that there are less buses or riders have no alternative mode of transportation?
As for more riders ditching the NICE bus for cars? Perhaps some. I big chunk of riders are from Queens who are low wage workers. Some will continue to pack it in like sardines. If it is so intolerable, I assume some may look for another job that is not in Nassau
Think of it this way. 5 runs on the n22 to Jamaica in a hour. Three of those buses break down and never show up (probably never leave the depot). That means what would be 5 crowded buses has turned into three buses that are packed and the rest of the ridership is either left behind or took other modes of transportation. Buses are packed because half of our vehicles are breaking down and not even leaving the depot. Look in the back parking lot of Mitchel Field, those buses need parts and they're not getting them. I'd honestly like to see Mangano do a NICE Operator's job for a day and see what this is like. More buses are sitting in storage than ever, even the new NGs and 3Gs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johninwestbury
When the buses are jammed like that it usually means a bus was missing. This is now commonplace, sadly. Many runs go missing due to breakdowns or simply not having enough drivers.
The driver count is enough to get majority of the runs out (not all of them, but majority). Unfortunately, you have drivers who take a bus out, it breaks down, and then they're heading back to the depot, missing their runs, and then what do you know, their shift is over and they can go home. It certainly must suck for those people expecting their bus to come but it ain't coming.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sirtiger
even regular times...its packed. I've taken N20/N21 enough to compare the MTA vs the NICE era.
Its even more packed on the reverse commute. I am sure many people here on the other lines that goes into queens can make the same assessment who really rides the bus in Nassau. Reality is...... most Nassau residents don't take the bus.
You're probably seeing majority of the Orion Vs out now. They got their checkups and replacement parts needed before the MTA left, and they're weak, but they're at least running. Majority of Nassau residents definitely don't take the bus, and majority of the Nassau County government would like to see the system not be needed anymore, but that's a different story. I'm so sorry you have to take NICE though.
curious, if the bus is out of service...what do the employees do? go home?
Depends. If a bus breaks down while en route on a run or while deadheading, the bus and the B/O will call dispatch and be picked up and towed to the depot. By that time, if they can get a working bus out in time to get to one of the B/O's runs, then they'll go on with their job. If they can't, and they end up missing all the rest of that B/O's scheduled runs because of the breakdown, then the day is over for them!
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