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Hampton Jitney opinions

 
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Pineywoodsbus




Joined: 26 May 2007
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:46 pm    Post subject: Hampton Jitney opinions Reply with quote

I know most of you know I aint a fan of Hampton Jitney. It all started with the way they operate their Suffolk Transit routes. Like on the 10c for instance the past 3 times I have been on the 10c the farebox doesn't work. But when I get on, just like on any other Suffolk Transit bus I put my money in. But on the 10c the driver yells at me, saying I should have handed him the money first as he tries to get the money out of the farebox. The 3rd time he was like "you should know the deal by now". Good thing I didn't need a transfer because he'd have to write it on a piece of paper. I aint annoyed with the driver though, he's just working for a crappy company. I know one guy who used to drive the S90 left and now works for CBS, a much better company.
Of course how could I forget last summer when I got the 10c east in Amagansett which was running a little late, and was planning on going to Montauk Point, only to not have the S94 wait for us even though IT SAYS ON THE SCHEDULE that my 10c bus connects with the 11:05am S94 to Montauk Point. Driver said the radios dont work. And the S94 is also operated by Hampton Jitney.
I wonder where the money the county pays to HJ goes, it certainly isnt going to the transit buses. HJ only cares about their coach buses, which are priced to keep us commonfolk off anyway, by having the only LI stops (off the LIE in Ronkonkoma and in the middle of nowhere on Rt.111) hard to connect with LIRR or ST, and charges $30 one way even from Manorville or Ronkonkoma.
Other companies do a better job operating their coaches and transits Coach USA for example has lower fares, even way upstate. I could go to Bear Mountain State Park for around $22 round trip, now lets see HJ offer a similar package. I dont think so! Also I believe TOR is operated by Coach USA and from what I've seen Rockland's buses are much better than Suffolk's east end routes.
I know, Hampton Jitney gears to "high class people". That's why they are one of the few motorcoach carriers in our area that requires reservations and not just merely tickets. But there's no alternative except for driving or the LIRR, and with the LIRR by the time you get to the east end its almost noontime, because they dont have any earlier trains.
All I know is I'd actually be able to get from here to Bear Mountain earlier than to the East end of Long island...and something is wrong with that!
Oh well....I guess that's why most NYC folks wanting nature go upstate with Metro-North or Coach USA....because unless you're a rich snob headed for the Hamptons you're not wanted.
I would like to see Hampton Jitney get taken over by Coach USA. Then the buses would be made available for us commonfolk, ya know. Not to mention they'd do a better job with those ST east end routes. Like having the S94 end at East Hampton instead of Montauk village which isnt even near the RR station. E.H. is more appropriate since it aint in the middle of nowhere. But Hampton Jitney wants to encourage folks to drive.
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PWB,

Obviously, from what you write, the Hampton Jitney now seems to be in the transit business with fare boxes and regular stops.

That comes as a surprise to me because when the service was first started I guess back in the seventies or so, it was more or less operated as a charter company to shuttle the well heeled from Manhattan to the Hamptons.

I'm in the Hamptons quite often when I'm in New York and I've seen their buses on Sunrise Highway but never thought they were corner to corner operators.

I do know that the founder of the company died only recently so things may be changing.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY
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Pineywoodsbus




Joined: 26 May 2007
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No...they still operate the coach buses for the "well' heeled" as I mentioned, but they have a contract with Suffolk County transit to operate the 10c, S94, and S90 (may be some others as well).
HJ's coaches have been very successful, despite the high fares, because there's loads of money going out there. And the coaches do not do regular stops....trust me it'd be great if HJ would allow local riders from town to town in the Hamptons on their coaches, but instead we're relegated to the 10c and S92. And the 10c only runs every 3 hours between E.Hampton and Montauk whereas I see HJ coach buses passing by constantly. I remember once waiting in the heat for hours for the S92 and having HJ buses pass by, they would not stop, even when I flagged them. Same going for Amagansett. And I was at a bus stop for both HJ and Suffolk Transit!
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey John: Is the driver recording the money or is he putting it in his pocket? This wouldn't be the first instance of a driver jamiing the box and then taking hte receipts. If that's the problem, then call Suffolk Transit in Hauppauge and complain. Either they'll fix the box or put a "beakie" on the bus and arrest the driver for theft.
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

H. B.,

Is the 'beakie' you refer to anything like the 'spotters' we used to have on our lines back when?

These were ordinary looking paying passengers that were employed by either the Public Service Commission or the insurance carrier and reported any irregularities that they spotted.

I don't think any driver at Green Line was ever fired or arrested as a result of a complaint but they were certainly written up and called on the carpet now and then with the worst offense being allowing someone to ride free.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY
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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hart Bus wrote:
Hey John: Is the driver recording the money or is he putting it in his pocket? This wouldn't be the first instance of a driver jamiing the box and then taking hte receipts. If that's the problem, then call Suffolk Transit in Hauppauge and complain. Either they'll fix the box or put a "beakie" on the bus and arrest the driver for theft.


the countyhas a key to the fare boxes, and sends someone around to pick up the fares fromat the end of the day. they are the only ones with a key to the fare box. that is how i can't get why they allow that bus to be sent out. Suffolk Transit is in Yaphank in the Public Works department buliding near the Suffolk Police headquarters, not Happauge. the only thing in Hauppauge is the Stae buliding, The County legislators, the department of labor, department of social services, county laywers, county clerk i think, the DA, and the DMV.

just because he's putting it in his pocket doesn't mean that hes stealing, he has to put the money some where so someone won't try to rob him, then that would make them look bad.

i remember when that happened on the S62, the farebox was broken, and the driver had to handle the money, the driver had to put the money in her shirt pocket. idk know if the farebox got fixed later, but that bus was always on the S62.
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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:
PWB,

Obviously, from what you write, the Hampton Jitney now seems to be in the transit business with fare boxes and regular stops.

That comes as a surprise to me because when the service was first started I guess back in the seventies or so, it was more or less operated as a charter company to shuttle the well heeled from Manhattan to the Hamptons.

I'm in the Hamptons quite often when I'm in New York and I've seen their buses on Sunrise Highway but never thought they were corner to corner operators.

I do know that the founder of the company died only recently so things may be changing.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY



they prob got into the transit games in the late 80's or early 90's since the S90 use to be run by a private company named Blue Line, and had school buses, in a yard in Easport i think.

if not then, then maybe when they took over sunrise or whatever. Pineywoods prob knows more about them then i do.
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me tell you something;

At Green Line (NY) a fare box breakdown (which was about as rare as a windshield falling out) was considered like any other breakdown and prohibited further operation until either a new farebox or complete bus was brought to you.

The original Model 'D' Johnsons (pictured below) that Green Line used from day one through the mid fifties never broke down but the Grant Eletrofarers that replaced them had their moments.

No legitimate bus operator or union would allow a driver to collect unmetered fares if for no other reason than to protect that driver.

Photo courtesy of the Johnson Fare Box Company

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:
Let me tell you something;

At Green Line (NY) a fare box breakdown (which was about as rare as a windshield falling out) was considered like any other breakdown and prohibited further operation until either a new farebox or complete bus was brought to you.

The original Model 'D' Johnsons (pictured below) that Green Line used from day one through the mid fifties never broke down but the Grant Eletrofarers that replaced them had their moments.

No legitimate bus operator or union would allow a driver to collect unmetered fares if for no other reason than to protect that driver.

Photo courtesy of the Johnson Fare Box Company

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY



the same thing happened on a S62 bus, but the driver coolected the money, but i don't know when the farebox was fixed since the bus was on the route the next day or two after, but thats just because the yard wasn't close enough to the where the bus was, so they could have fixed it with out causing a delay.

hey and i know that, thats why i can't see how the county could let that bus go out., since they send a person to collect the money from the fare box at the end of the day, and only thay have the key to the fare box.

thats why i came up with one of two things. they either un jam the farebox before the county worker shows up, and put the money in the farebox like the passengers do, and the farebox jams again the next day for some un known reason; or they list another bus as the one that was running that day and place the money that the driver collected into that Farebox. cuz i can't see how the county can let it out when they know that its broken.
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