NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday

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NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by Gold_12TH on Fri Apr 6 13:12:17 2012 edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Major changes to Nassau 's bus system will take effect on Sunday, providing faster trips for thousands of commuters but leaving some riders without a bus. On some NICE Bus lines, riders will wait twice as long for a bus. On others, midday service will no longer be offered. And the 45, 48 and N51 will drop Saturday service altogether. The service changes aim to close a $7 million deficit and provide better service for about 11,000 of the system's 35,000 unique daily riders. The changes include the creation of new express buses to and from Queens and some severe cuts on routes with low ridership. Officials with Veolia Transportation -- the private company that took over Nassau 's bus system in January -- said only about 1,000 riders will be hurt by the deepest cuts, although many more may have to wait a few extra minutes for their bus. NICE Bus chief executive Michael Setzer said he remains confident the changes will be a net gain for riders. "I think more people are going to be pleased than displeased," he said. Legis. Francis X. Becker Jr. (R- Lynbrook ) said that regardless of how few people are hurt by the cuts, he is "disappointed" that Veolia did not bring its plan before the county's newly created Transit Advisory Committee. The five-member board, which has yet to formally meet, was formed in February to oversee the system. "There's always people who are not going to be happy," he said. "We have a transportation board so that these feelings could be aired out and people could have their say. And that's not happening." Setzer said he offered to give the committee a presentation on the changes, but the county never arranged it. Ryan Lynch , of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign , a nonprofit transit advocacy group, also criticized Veolia for not doing enough to communicate with the public ahead of Sunday's changes. "This was billed as a more transparent process. But clearly, it hasn't been transparent," Lynch said. Setzer said Veolia has done "everything we can think of" to educate riders about the changes. He said the company distributed 85,000 postcards, brochures and maps detailing the changes, posted 2,000 signs inside buses, and held six hours of community meetings last month. ---Newsday
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by N6 Limited* on Fri Apr 6 14:30:33 2012, in response to NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by Gold_12TH on Fri Apr 6 13:12:17 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d 'Legis. Francis X. Becker Jr. (R- Lynbrook ) said that regardless of how few people are hurt by the cuts, he is "disappointed" that Veolia did not bring its plan before the county's newly created Transit Advisory Committee.The five-member board, which has yet to formally meet, was formed in February to oversee the system. "There's always people who are not going to be happy," he said. "We have a transportation board so that these feelings could be aired out and people could have their say. And that's not happening." Oh please. NICE had two community meetings where not only did they thoroughly explain everything in a presentation, the majority of the meeting consisted of questions and comments from the public. Not politicians, actual riders who took the initiative to show up. 'Setzer said he offered to give the committee a presentation on the changes, but the county never arranged it. That says a lot in itself about the County and Transit Committee. Though, according to the contract it was not required. 'Ryan Lynch , of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign , a nonprofit transit advocacy group, also criticized Veolia for not doing enough to communicate with the public ahead of Sunday's changes. Ryan Lynch, get your head out of your hole. They put up everything on their site, description of changes, videos, new schedules and maps weeks before changes were to take effect. They have signs inside buses, they have information up in the bus terminal. If you can post to twitter from the bus you can go to nicebus.com on your phone.
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by BusMgr* on Fri Apr 6 17:51:54 2012, in response to NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by Gold_12TH on Fri Apr 6 13:12:17 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d These are professional complainers, people who would complain about free ice cream. Veolia did everything both by the book and by the spirit of the book. They did a good job in doing so. While I may not be in 100 percent agreement with all of the substantive decisions, the process of reaching those decisions was one of the best examples I have seen in this industry.
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by N6 Limited* on Fri Apr 6 18:04:53 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by BusMgr on Fri Apr 6 17:51:54 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Interesting, please elaborate. What did you find good about their process of reaching their decision? Which decisions don't you agree with?
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by Joe V* on Fri Apr 6 18:15:15 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by N6 Limited on Fri Apr 6 14:30:33 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Is Becker going to make a run for Congress, so he is pandering ?
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by Joe V* on Fri Apr 6 18:17:11 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by N6 Limited on Fri Apr 6 14:30:33 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Alternative was: LIB would have gone on and shut half the system down on Jan 1 (they already had hearings - lotta good that did). Then they would all blame MTA (not that they are Saints).
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by B1bus* on Fri Apr 6 18:32:53 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by BusMgr on Fri Apr 6 17:51:54 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d There are more route changes and fare increases in Las Vegas coming soon.
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by BusMgr* on Fri Apr 6 21:58:09 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by N6 Limited on Fri Apr 6 18:04:53 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d I found most impressive the desire to get actual substantive responses from the public through their meetings, and by having discussions during those meetings, rather than the yelling, shouting, and general non-involvement by management at MTA public hearings. The decisions I don't agree with largely concern the routes of the n22 and n23, both of which I think are overly complicated and vary unnecessarily by time of day.
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by N6 Limited* on Fri Apr 6 23:56:43 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by BusMgr on Fri Apr 6 21:58:09 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d I thought the meetings were impressive also. They held a presentation explaining all of the changes and the reasoning behind it, then had a discussion about it. It wasn't like the MTA public hearings where they have all of the politicians blabber on forever, then riders get up with pre-written blast offs. I went to the one at Hofstra , ugh. These changes will be a good way to see if passengers have to be babied. Maybe it's easy to me since I'm a transit "advocate" lol. Fast track is always a good example, people adjusted, but initially they were crying and lost (or at least that's what the media had us believe). The N22 isn't as complicated as it seems. N22 and N22A are the same as they have been, they will be on 30 min headways. N22X goes express between 179th and Roosevelt Field, in the reverse peak direction. The N22L takes the N22A route but turns straight on to Westbury Ave instead of going to Old Country Road. The N22L and X only have 3 or 4 trips per rush hour anyway. If you're going to Roosevelt Field then you don't need to be concerned about the N22L, etc. We'll see how it goes, I saw a N22L on Old Country Road in January and it was kind of empty. The N23 is easy, It will go to Hempstead At all times except rush hour where it will go to Mineola Intermodal Center. Once people have their schedules it will only take a little while for them to know the bus they typically catch and where it will run to and what time the change happens. Basically South of Hillside Ave it becomes the N27. It will Connect Willis Ave to Roosevelt Field and Hempstead.
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Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday
Posted by N6 Limited* on Mon Apr 9 11:15:55 2012, in response to Re: NICE bus line changes kick off Sunday, posted by Joe V on Fri Apr 6 18:17:11 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d LOL
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