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Letter: Bus changes will help most riders [NICE]

Posted by N6 Limited on Sat Apr 7 11:42:35 2012

'While "cuts" has been the word most used to describe service adjustments to the new Nassau Inter-County Express bus schedule going into effect today , much more is going on.

The 48-route system is being redesigned with a combination of new and restored service on routes with the greatest demand, reduced service on some underutilized lines, and adjustments to schedule frequency. Far more of the system's 35,000 daily riders will benefit from the changes than will be inconvenienced.

About 16,100 daily riders (or about 46 percent of all passengers) ride on routes that will experience little or no perceptible changes. These routes will have frequency adjustments only, the majority of which are less than 10 minutes. Waiting times should be reduced by allowing buses more time to travel from stop to stop.

About 11,200 customers (32 percent) ride on heavily traveled routes that will enjoy significant service enhancements. This includes the new express service between Nassau and the city that will save two-way commuters as much as 30 to 40 minutes daily.

A third group is customers riding on underutilized routes. While these routes will experience the greatest reductions, an estimated 6,700 customers (19 percent) ride on the busier portions of these same routes and will perceive little or no change.

The remaining 1,000 people (3 percent) who ride on the least utilized portions of these routes will have to switch to alternate routes, travel during peak hours rather than midday, or make other arrangements.

NICE has made significant efforts to ensure that customers are aware of the changes and can offer feedback. New schedules and service change summaries are available on buses and at terminals and at nicebus.com.

NICE was able to make these adjustments without eliminating any routes, a far cry from the dire cuts proposed last year that would have eliminated half of the system's routes.

Mike Setzer, Garden City

Editor's note: The writer is chief executive of Nassau Inter-County Express.

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