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| NICE : Proposed April 2012 Service Adjustments & Additions (256081) | |||
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NICE : Proposed April 2012 Service Adjustments & Additions |
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Posted by gold_12th on Wed Feb 22 10:03:17 2012 Our goal is to deliver the best transit system that Nassau County can afford. Our contract with the County requires that bus service levels be adjusted to the available funds by early April.To achieve this goal, NICE is proposing a series of service adjustments to be effective on April 8th. The changes are carefully designed to impact the fewest possible passengers and are far less than those proposed by the MTA last year. The proposed plan also includes many improvements and additions, two new Express routes, no elimination of routes and no fare increases. Why Do These Changes Have To Be Made? NICE must balance the concerns of riders and taxpayers by operating the best transit system that Nassau County can afford. The proposed adjustments and improvements represent our best judgment for using the budget we have to deliver the maximum amount of service possible and not increase fares. Our proposal is based on a very careful analysis of how riders use the system. We studied travel patterns for months, counted passengers on all routes and all stops during all parts of the day, and talked to many riders. There are many positives in our plan: --- We are adding two new Express routes (n6X and n22X) to make it faster to get to the 179th Street subway station in Jamaica in rush hours. There’s no extra charge for riding an Express bus. --- We are improving the N22L and many other routes. --- We are adding running times on busy routes so schedules synch up and people can make better connections. --- We are coordinating schedules better with the LIRR. --- Service to Mercy Medical Center will be restored. --- There is no increase in fares. --- No routes are being eliminated. While we regret having to propose changes that will affect some of our passengers, we worked very hard to make intelligent changes that would impact the fewest people. For example, we propose to adjust and reconfigure routes that are the least used, in the times of the day when they are the least used. Why? Because buses that are mostly empty are very expensive to operate. By adjusting these routes, and making small changes to several other routes, we will not have to cancel any routes. This is far superior to the MTA plan that would have cancelled 26 routes. Since NICE bus began operating on January 1, there have been significant improvements, including service that is more reliable and more on time. We will continue to improve with each passing month. Our goal is to offer our customers the maximum amount of service possible with the funds that are available from fares and Federal, State and County subsidies. Service Improvements - Proposed to be Effective April 8th, 2012 n4: Based on customer feedback and independent research, all trips will operate from Jamaica to Freeport. n6 Express: This new express route will replace the N6L and will operate from Hempstead Transit Center to the 179th Street/Hillside Avenue Subway Station in Jamaica. The bus will make limited stops in Hempstead then run express between Westminster Road and 179th Street. We believe that commuters will really appreciate this new express service to the 179th Street subway station! Service will operate every 10 minutes. For customers traveling west of 179th Street in Jamaica or to local stops between Hempstead and 165th Street Terminal, please use the n6 local. ---Click here to view video of proposed n6 changes: English n6 Local: Based on customer feedback and independent research, running time will be added on the n6. Also, to reduce crowding between 7pm and 8pm, additional trips will operate eastbound to Hempstead. n17: This new route will offer restored service to Mercy Medical Center running from Rockville Centre and the Hempstead Transit Center. n20/21: Based on customer feedback and independent research, running time will be added on the n20/21. n22 Express: This new express route will run between Hicksville and Jamaica and will make local stops between Hicksville and Roosevelt Field. The route will then run express to the 179th Street/Hillside Avenue Subway station in Jamaica. From 179th, it will make all local stops to the 165th Street Bus Terminal. Click here to view video of proposed n22 changes: English, Español n22 Limited: Will no longer operate via Old Country Road and Mineola Blvd between Hicksville and Jamaica to provide a faster trip. For service along the corridor, please use the n22 local or express. n25: Based on customer feedback and independent research, running time changes and additional resources will be added to the route to improve on time performance. n40/41: Based on customer feedback and independent research, additional northbound trips will be added on the n40/41 between 8am and 9am to reduce crowding. n43: Midday service and Saturday service will operate every 30 minutes instead of every 45. Weekday service to Hempstead Transit Center will also be added. ---Click here to view video of proposed n43 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n43 changes ---Download map of proposed n43 changes n72: Based on customer feedback and independent research, additional westbound trips will be added at the start of service. Service Changes -Proposed to be Effective April 8th, 2012 n2/n8: These two routes will be combined to run in a loop as described below: n2: The n2 will travel along its current route from Covert Avenue to Green Acres Mall but instead of turning around at the mall, it will continue along the n8’s route northwards up Hook Creek Blvd, Dutch Broadway and then back to Covert Avenue. n8: The n8 will no longer run along Franklin Avenue. Service will begin at Covert Avenue along with the n2 and continue west on Dutch Broadway and Hook Creek Road toward the Green Acres Mall. From the Mall, the n8 will continue eastwards towards the Valley Stream LIRR and follow the n2 route back to Covert Avenue. ---Click here to view video of proposed n2/n8 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n2/n8 changes ---Download map of proposed n2/n8 changes n4: Peak service will operate every 10 minutes instead of every 7.5, in both directions. All trips will operate from Jamaica to Freeport eastbound and Freeport to Jamaica westbound. n6 Local: Peak service will operate every 10 minutes in both directions. n6 midday and Saturday service will now operate every 12 minutes instead of every 10, in both directions. Additional service will be provided eastbound between 7pm and 8pm to reduce crowding. n14: Morning service will operate every 20 to 25 minutes, timed to the express trains from Rockville Centre to Penn Station. Afternoon service will operate every 20 to 25 minutes, timed to the express trains arriving at Rockville Centre from Penn Station. n15: Midday and Saturday service will operate every 20 minutes instead of 15. n16: Stops between Rockville Centre and Silver Lake will be discontinued. Trips that only operate between Hempstead and Roosevelt Field will be eliminated. They will be replaced by the n43 that will be extended to Hempstead. ---Click here to view video of proposed n16 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n16 changes ---Download map of proposed n16 changes n19: Peak service will operate every 30 to 40 minutes instead of every 20 to 30 minutes. Midday service will run every 60 minutes instead of every 30. Saturday service will operate every 60 minutes instead of every 30. n20: Peak service will operate every 5 to 10 minutes. Midday and Saturday service will run every 20 minutes from Great Neck/Roslyn to Flushing. Saturday service to Hicksville will not change. The n20 Sunday service will run every 30 minutes from Great Neck/Roslyn to Flushing. Hicksville service will still operate every 60 minutes. Please consult your schedule for departure changes. n21: This service will operate peak hours only. For service midday, nights and weekends, please use the n27 with a timed transfer to reach the n20 at Glen Cove Road/Northern Blvd. n23: Peak service will operate between Manorhaven and the Mineola Intermodal Center. Service will not be available at stops along Willis Avenue between Hillside Avenue and Mineola during mid-day, nights and weekends. The n23 will instead run on Roslyn Road south of Hillside Avenue along the n27 route to Roosevelt Field and Hempstead. Midday trips will operate into 60 Charles Lindbergh. For service to Mineola during these off peak hours, please transfer to the n22 at Hillside/Willis Avenues. ---Click here to view video of proposed n23 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n23 changes ---Download map of proposed n23 changes n24: A new branch will operate to Hicksville LIRR via Old Country Road. Service to 60 Charles Lindbergh will be eliminated. Peak service will operate every 15 minutes instead of every 10, in both directions. Buses will alternate between Hicksville LIRR and East Meadow. Midday service will operate every 30 minutes between Hicksville and Jamaica via Roosevelt Field and Mineola Intermodal Center. Service to East Meadow will only operate during the peak, for midday service please use the N51. Service to 60 Charles Lindbergh Blvd will be available via transfer to the n16, n23 (midday)/n27 (peak). Please consult your schedule. ---Click here to view video of proposed n24 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n24 changes ---Download map of proposed n24 changes n27: Peak service will operate between Glen Cove and Hempstead. Midday, night and weekend service will only operate between Glen Cove and Roslyn LIRR. For service midday, nights and weekends between Roslyn LIRR and Roosevelt Field/Hempstead, please transfer to the n23 at Roslyn LIRR. Stops along Roslyn Road between Roslyn LIRR and Hillside Avenue will not have service during these times. Some n27 trips will operate into 60 Charles Lindbergh. ---Click here to view video of proposed n27 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n27 changes ---Download map of proposed n27 changes n31/32: Midday service on this combined route will be available every 20 minutes instead of every 15. n45: This service will operate during peak hours only. Saturday service will be discontinued. For service along Uniondale Avenue to Roosevelt Field, please use the n43. For service between Uniondale Avenue and Bellmore, please use the n51 (weekdays) or the n43 to the n19. n48/n49: Midday service on this combined route will be available every 60 minutes instead of every 30. For additional Front Street service between Merrick Ave and Hempstead, please use the n46. For additional service along Newbridge Road, please use the n50. n48 Saturday service will be discontinued, please use the N49 instead. The n49 Saturday service will, however, run every 40 minutes instead of every 60 minutes. The n49 will have some minor schedule changes on Sundays, please consult your schedule. n51: Saturday service will be discontinued n54/n55: The n55 will be extended to Amityville LIRR, Monday through Saturday. Please consult your schedule. Midday service on this combined route will be available every 60 minutes instead of every 30. Saturday service will operate 40 minutes. n62: This service will operate peak hours only. n70/n71/n72: Combined midday service on these routes will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 15. n72: Midday service to Babylon will now run every 60 minutes instead of every 30. n73/n74: Peak service on the combined route will operate every 40 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. n73 midday service will operate every 60 minutes. n74 midday service will be discontinued, but will be available on the N73. n78/n79: Service will not operate between Hicksville LIRR and Mineola Intermodal Center at all times. For service between Hicksville LIRR and Roosevelt Field/Mineola via Old Country Road, please use the n24, which will be extended to Hicksville LIRR via Old Country Road. n78 midday service will be discontinued, but service will be available on the n79. Saturday-Sunday departure times will change, so please consult your schedule. ---Click here to view video of proposed n24/78/79 changes: English, Español ---Click here to view map of proposed n24/78/79 changes ---Download map of proposed n24/78/79 changes Summary While many riders may not notice a change, others who use midday and weekend service on some routes will be impacted. Still other riders, especially commuters to Jamaica and Flushing, will enjoy new express service. We believe that passengers will appreciate the new express and other routes added to improve mobility with passengers on busy routes. We are not proposing to eliminate any whole routes. Fares are not increasing and Able-Ride service is not being changed. Wherever there are changes, the information above describes alternatives and options for passengers. Our service designers focused on the routes that are least used by customers and are thus the most expensive to operate. Running virtually empty buses is very expensive and requires large subsidies from the County. We are committed to ending that practice because it is too costly for the County in its current financial situation. We also combined some routes in certain times of the day, again to minimize the number of buses operating with very few people on them. In summary, these proposed adjustments represent our best judgment for achieving the savings and balanced budget that are required of us. Please know that there have been numerous improvements since NICE bus began operating on January 1, including more reliable and more on time service and cleaner buses and facilities. And improved customer service. While the system isn’t perfect, we will continue to add improvements with each passing month. Please note that new timetables will be distributed on buses, in transit centers and on the website in mid-March for whatever the final slate of service changes and improvements to be implemented on April 8th are determined to be. Source: http://nicebus.com/Maps_and_Schedules/Route_Information/index.html |
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