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Long Island Bus Riders Union's Article on NICE Bus Issue

 
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 48

PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:00 am    Post subject: Long Island Bus Riders Union's Article on NICE Bus Issue Reply with quote

Monday, February 4, 2013
Fare Hikes Galore on Rosa Parks' Birthday

by Charlene Obernauer

For the past month, we have been organizing bus riders to resist a proposed fare hike for Nassau County bus. We’ve gotten thousands of petitions signed by bus riders and allies, and we’ve been mobilizing people against the fare hike, which would be a $275 annual increase for bus riders, or a $.25 cent hike for single rides.

On Tuesday afternoon, County Executive Ed Mangano released a statement opposing the fare hike and urging the Transit Advisory Committee to vote against the increase in fares. This is huge and is truly a victory for bus riders in Nassau County. The TAC will vote on the proposal on February 13th at 4:00pm at 700 Commercial Avenue in Garden City and we will deliver thousands of petitions to prevent the hike from going into effect.

Although the fare hike in Nassau is now looking less likely, in Suffolk, a fare hike proposal for disabled riders has been introduced. Bus riders simply cannot afford a 25% increase and should not have to. Two public hearings are scheduled for March 6th and 7th from 3-7pm at the Suffolk Legislative Building.

Today is Rosa Parks' 100th Birthday. She fought for a world where everyone can ride wherever they wanted on a bus. We are fighting for a world where everyone can afford to get on that same bus, regardless of their income. Please join us in the struggle. Happy Birthday, Rosa. For you, we all fight.

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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
Joined: 23 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thursday, July 26, 2012
Unreliable and Inaccessible: A Report Card on Veolia's Service for Disabled Riders
Today's Press Conference was a huge success, with over 30 bus riders and 7 news outlets attending, we definitely got our point across. Download our report online here. And check out our coverage in Newsday:

NICE Bus gets low grades from disabled riders

Originally published: July 26, 2012 12:41 PM
Updated: July 26, 2012 1:13 PM
By ALFONSO A. CASTILLO alfonso.castillo@newsday.com
A Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) bus in Garden
Photo credit: Barry Sloan | A Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) bus in Garden City, part of the current fleet that officials said would be increased by 45 vehicles by the end of the year. (Jan 1, 2012)
NICE Bus deserves a failing grade for not offering enough visual and audio announcements for disabled customers, according to a report released Thursday by a riders' advocacy group.
The Long Island Bus Riders Union surveyed several NICE buses and stations to put together the report, "Unreliable and Inaccessible: A Report Card of Veolia's Service for Disabled Riders."
The report, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, looked at several areas concerning disabled riders and assigned letter grades.
NICE is owned by Nassau County and has been privately operated by Veolia Transportation since January. The company received its worst grade -- an "F" -- for its audio announcement and visual scrolling systems on buses.
NICE Bus officials planned to release a response to the report later on Thursday.
The Riders Union monitored 28 buses and found that 68 percent made no audio announcements, and 71 percent made no visual announcements.
"We're very disappointed in this," union founder Charlene Obernauer said at a news conference at the Rosa Parks Transit Center in Hempstead Thursday morning.
The report also gave NICE a "C" for accessible signage at stations, saying that more terminals need Braille signs; a "C" for its wheelchair lifts, which the report said malfunction too often; a "D" for offering disabled riders access to fixed route buses; and another "D" for the duration of Able-Ride trips.
NICE got its best grades for its phone-based schedules and Able-Ride appointment system, its online presence, and the duration of fixed route trips. In those areas it scored a "B."
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 48

PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Monday, March 11, 2013
Riders Review NICE: New Report on NICE Bus Service

Bus Riders Union’ Releases Report Calling for Improved Service for People with Disabilities, Reduced Wait time for Buses, an a Fix to the N6

Mineola, NY—The Long Island Bus Riders’ Union released a report today that outlined changes that need to be made to the bus system, according to the bus riding public. The report comes from a public forum that the Union hosted in late February, where bus riders shared their experiences on the buses with legislators and the community at large.

Bus riders have had a variety of experiences, from being stuck on the lift of an Able-Ride bus for a half-hour to Nassau Community College buses overcrowding and threatening the safety of the riders. With experiences like these, on top of a $.25 cent fare hike for Metrocards and a 10% reduction in service hours from 2012-2013, bus riders were concerned.

As one bus rider and member of the Bus Riders’ Union, David O’Donnel said, “We pay among the highest taxes in the country, but our bus system has gotten worse and worse. We talk about low ridership. Why? It’s dysfunctional.”

The report concludes with four recommendations for better bus service in Nassau County:

· Improve service for people with disabilities by honoring pickup times, fixing audible and visual announcements on buses, and testing wheelchair lifts before they go out.
· Fix glitches with Metrocards, provide more places for riders to buy them, and allow for riders to pay cash on board.
· Reduce the 20 minute window for buses
· Fix the N6!


“The goal of this report is to share bus riders’ experience with legislators and the general public, who might not know what the bus service has been like for riders on a day to day basis. We hope that NICE Bus will work together with us to fix some of these problems, and ultimately look forward to an improved bus system,” said Charlene Obernauer, founder of the Long Island Bus Riders’ Union.
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
Joined: 23 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Friday, November 23, 2012
Nassau Budget Passes, Bus Funding Remains Stagnant
November 23rd, 2012
by Charlene Obernauer

Nassau County Budget passed early this week, despite advocates concerns that County funding for the buses ($2.6 million annually) would not be enough to avoid fare increases and potential service cuts in 2013.



The recent Hurricane and the crisis that followed showed just how important a reliable public transportation system is for New Yorkers. While many Long Islanders who depended on the Long Island Railroad couldn’t get to work in Manhattan for weeks following the storm, NICE bus was up and running on partial service in a few days. It was the same in New York City; there were no subways, but everyone was hopping on the bus.

In the past few weeks, people who weren’t usually taking the bus were starting to hop on. Gas was hard to come by. Some people lost their cars in the storm. Public transportation was the best solution. The bus system started to attract “choice riders”, or people who would normally take the LIRR or drive.

Even though Hurricane Sandy showed many middle class Long Islanders just how critical a well-functioning public transportation system is, our members have relied on the buses before Sandy, and many will rely on them for the rest of their lives. Instead of keeping the bus funding stagnant, Nassau County needs to envision a future that involves increased funding for the buses. With cuts to midday and weekend service, as well as long wait times for Able-Ride buses, our current service is simply not good enough.

Able-Ride buses consistently show up outside of riders' thirty-minute windows, sometimes by hours. For people who literally have no other way to get around—taxis oftentimes are not powerlift accessible—they just have to wait. Maybe they’ll miss their doctor’s appointment, or have to go to a later movie, but they will have to wait.

Without increased funding from Nassau County, we don’t know where the money from the buses is going to come from. Veolia’s budget relies on one-shot funding sources that may not come through in 2013. In 2012, $3 million of the NICE budget came from federal funding, and $4 million came from state funding. Riders are afraid that the only way to meet the budget in 2013 will come from a fare increase. And right now, Long Islanders just can’t afford it, and shouldn’t have to—especially when the bus system has already experienced significant cuts.
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Long Island Bus Riders Union’ Calls on Veolia to Release Ridership Impact Data for Downsized Routes
Mineola, NY—Early this morning, the Long Island Bus Riders’ Union released an Open Letter to Mike Setzer, CEO of Veolia Transportation, calling on NICE bus to release a public analysis of the ridership impact of service cuts. The advocacy organization claimed that cutting midday and weekend service on routs has a huge impact on bus riders, and that these cuts decrease nearly 25% of the total service on each route. The group claims that in order to fully assess the impact of service changes, NICE bus must publically release their ridership data.

The Union emphasized that many bus riders already commute for over an hour to get to their job, and that doubling wait time on many routes will provide a substantial strain on working people in Nassau County.

The Bus Riders’ Union also called on NICE bus to allow a full vetting of the process by calling for a vote on the service adjustments from the Transit Advisory Committee; and called for printed English and Spanish schedules of service adjustments to be made widely available to the bus riding public.

“The majority of bus riders are not going to go to take three buses and a shuttle to get to a community meeting announcing service cuts, so NICE bus needs to get out in the community and talk to people about these adjustments and answer bus riders’ questions about their service,” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of Long Island Jobs with Justice, the organization that founded the Bus Riders’ Union.

Bus riders gave Mr. Setzer a deadline of March 8th to publically release the ridership data, one month before the service cuts will be implemented on April 8th, 2012.
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Bus Riders Left in the Dark on Upcoming Hearing

MEMORANDUM

To: Nassau County Bus Transit Committee
Re: Upcoming Public Hearing
Date: April 24, 2012
From: Long Island Bus Riders’ Union

The Long Island Bus Riders’ Union has been organizing for the rights of transit riders since the service became privatized in January of this year. Despite our public advocacy, we, along with many other transportation advocacy organizations, were left in the dark on upcoming public hearings of the Nassau County Bus Transit Committee.

The notice of the hearing, dated April 18th, 2012, was not released in any public newspaper or put on a single bus in order to adequately inform bus riders. Not to mention that none of the notices of the hearing were posted in Spanish, nor were their audible announcements made on buses for visually impaired riders.

The hearing announcement was not given with “reasonable notice” to the public, a guideline required by the Federal Transit Administration for entities that are receiving federal funding for bus service.

We anticipate that the Bus Transit Committee will hold many more meetings in the upcoming months, and so we recommend:

· At least one month notice for public hearings in English in Spanish
· Public Hearing Announcements on buses and at bus stations
· Publication of Hearings in both ethnic and general Long Island-based newspapers


In order for bus riders and the general public to be present at public hearings, we need to be given adequate notice so that we can readjust our schedules.

Thank you,

Long Island Bus Riders’ Union
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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Posts: 48

PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Long Island Bus Riders’ Union Speaks Out Against Bus Cuts to Vital Social Services and Health Centers


Mineola, NY—Bus riders and advocates spoke out against bus cuts to vital social services and health centers, which will take place on Easter Sunday.
The Long Island Bus Riders’ Union highlighted that service to the United Cerebral Palsy Center, the Nassau County Department of Health, the New Cassel/Westbury and Freeport-Roosevelt Health Centers, and the Nassau County Department of Social Service will be cut on many lines.
Additionally, the Union complained that the announcements of service adjustments on the website were very unclear; and that riders were confused about how exactly their routes will be impacted.
“When we talk to riders, they have no idea that service changes are even happening, or they can’t understand the website. NICE needs to get on the buses and into the community, talk to riders, hand out schedules, and be more transparent so riders know what’s happening,” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of Long Island Jobs with Justice.
With a service adjustment plan that will decrease service on 60% of all routes, and weekend and off-peak service cuts equaling a nearly 25% cut in service hours on certain routes; NICE needs to better communicate with bus riders, especially those who will no longer have access to social services and health centers.
“Many of the NICE bus service cuts appear to be in low income communities where more people rely on buses to get to work and to access the few available health care centers that serve their needs. Reducing bus service could lead to unintentional costs for Nassau County if people lose access to employment, or if cuts force more people to use hospital emergency rooms for their health care. Unfortunately, the lack of available information makes it very difficult or impossible to evaluate the full economic consequences of the cuts,” said Dr. Niev Duffy of the Center for Social Policy and Community Engagement at SUNY Old Westbury.
The Union pointed out that cutting midday and weekend service on the N16, N45, and N51 will hurt students and workers who do not work or go to school on typical hours.
“Students have varied schedules, and cutting service in the middle of the day is going to hurt those of us who have morning classes and then go to work or home to our families,” said Christen Rieger, a Sophomore at Nassau Community College.
Finally, the Union urged Veolia Transportation to bring these service cuts to a vote on the Nassau County Transit Advisory Committee; and once again demanded that the Company release ridership data to show how many people will be impacted.
“The complete disregard with how these changes are going to impact riders, particularly those who regularly utilize social services, is worrisome,” concluded Obernauer.
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Bus Riders Angry About Fare Increases
Last week, the Transit Advisory Committee meeting held a public hearing regarding fare increases for the bus system. With only one week to mobilize community members, only a few dozen bus riders attended the event, where they were told that their fares would be increased by $.25.

The following is a testimony that Ana Giraldo, an Organizer with the Long Island Bus Riders' Union, made at the hearing:

[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-84nMc8sY6yU/UPcc4nycXeI/AAAAAAAAAEc/M2gG1_4-7KY/s320/Ana-Hearing.jpg[\img]



We understand the fare increases could be a possibility and we know that such MTA fare hikes do have a great impact on the NICE bus system. But a $.25 cent fare increase at a time when service has worsened and more routes have been cut than ever before, IS UNJUSTIFIABLE. For working people who take the bus three times a day, this fare increase equals about $275 additional dollars per year on public transit. Would you keep your car insurance if they started charging you $275 more dollars a year? Unfortunately for bus riders, they don't have a choice.

We want to ensure that moving forward into 2013, our buses have a high quality of service—and we believe that the service needs to be drastically improved before we can even discuss an increase in fares.
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Looks Like Us Bus Riders Get the Bill Again.
"It's not appropriate to ask the poorest of the poor to fill this deficit. We need to think of better long term planning . . . We can't continue to come back year after year asking bus riders to fill a deficit."-Anita Halasz

Last week, the Transportation Advisory committee voted "YES" to an increase in cash fares on riders to close the $3.3 Million deficit in NICE's budget.

The county AND Veolia, NICE Bus operator, cannot expect to constantly take money from riders and keep service at the same sub-par level. It is highway robbery.

Nassau County Bus Transit Committee Chairman Sheldon Shrenkel
(Photo Credit: Barry Sloan, Newsday)
Check out Newsday article here.
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nassau-panel-boosts-nice-bus-fares-25-cents-each-way-1.8747688
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FamousNYLover



Age: 38
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Friday, April 11, 2014
Nassau County Legislators Ride The Bus!






This week Anita and Aaron rode the bus with Legislators Siela Bynoe (LD2) and Laura Curran (LD5) through their districts to speak to riders and find out what it's like for daily bus users. With the threat of upcoming service cuts due to a $3.3 million deficit, the support of county Legislators is amazing! ‪#‎NICEneedsNassau[img][/img]
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