By CEO of NICE Bus, Jack Khzouz
Running one of the largest suburban public bus systems in North America, NICE Bus (Nassau Inter-County Express) continues to use innovation and technology to meet the needs of nearly 70,000 riders each day and adapt to changing patterns and conditions.
Since being awarded the fixed-route and paratransit service for Nassau County in 2012, NICE Bus and its parent company Transdev have delivered a robust and reactive bus system that traverses more than one million miles on the roadways every month, helping to fuel the local economy by transporting people to and from work, retail centers, health care centers, and schools.
“One of the most vital aspects of our service is to be continually attuned to the community and what our riders expect out of a public transportation system,” stated Jack Khzouz, CEO of NICE Bus. “Rather than your schedule and routines revolving around the bus, we aim to have the bus revolve around your schedule and needs.”
Travel To and From NYC
Khzouz noted that approximately 40% of its riders are traveling to or from New York City; NICE runs 24-hour service into Jamaica where riders can connect to train service into Brooklyn or Manhattan or use the city bus system to travel to work or home in Queens.
“This requires regular coordination of schedules with the other public transit service providers so that we can make their commute as convenient as possible,” Khzouz said. “Our ability to use MetroCards as a form of payment makes the trips as seamless as possible for riders,” adding that NICE Bus in the next 12-18 months will also incorporate the MTA’s OMNI payment system.
Frequency of Service to Key Corridors
Nassau’s expansive retail and commercial hubs contribute greatly to the county’s economic prosperity, and Khzouz noted it is important for the NICE Bus system to provide frequent service – in some instances as short as every 10 minutes during peak periods – to keep these corridors thriving. “Frequency of trips is always the number one customer request, and we are continually doing a deep dive into ridership data to right-size our frequency to match demand,” he said.
On-Demand Service
One of NICE’s newer innovations, Khzouz noted, is its On-Demand Service. Known as NICE Mini, and first introduced in the summer of 2022, the service allows riders to reserve rides to and from any desired location along a corridor from Merrick to Lynbrook, mirroring private on-demand ride services but at the same fixed cost as a NICE Bus ride ($2.90).
The popularity of the weekday service led to its expansion to Saturdays and Sundays earlier this year, and Khzouz said plans are to introduce two more MINI Zones in the County by early summer.
Rider Focus
Recognizing that some potential users of the NICE system may not be riding the bus because of questions, concerns, or anxieties about how to use the system, NICE Assist was established in 2022 to provide on-demand passenger assistance, in English or in Spanish, for people requiring help in using the system for the first time. This can include residents who just moved into Nassau County, senior citizens, people with mobility impairments, or those new to riding public transit.
Under NICE Assist, a NICE customer representative will arrange to meet the rider at a bus stop of their choice, or one of our transit hubs, and personally walk them through boarding procedures, fares and payment systems, the use of schedules, signs, the NICE Go Mobile app, and provide information about specialized programs such as paratransit service through NICE ABLE-RIDE.
Technology-Driven Solutions
Continuing advances in technology aid both NICE schedulers and riders, with GPS tracking on all buses which enables the NICE Command Center to manage information and potential delays in real-time. This information is then transmitted to NICE riders who use the GoMobile app so that they can get up-to-the-minute arrival information about their bus. Real-time arrival signs are also provided along NICE’s major routes.
“Gone are the days where you stand on the corner with virtually no idea when your bus might be arriving,” Khzouz said, adding that to date in 2024 the system is experiencing a 90% on-time performance standard.
NICE is also installing digital ‘Smart Mirror’ safety systems on windshields, he added, which increase visibility for the drivers — especially at nighttime – and do not experience fogging or condensation.
Clean Energy Commitment
NICE has long been at the forefront in committing to greener energy with a complete fleet of clean-burning CNG buses and is in the process of rolling out six Battery-Electric Buses (BEB) into service around the Nassau hub in the coming months, along with the construction of a charging station at its Garden City headquarters.
New in 2024
In the works for 2024 will be a major interior and exterior renovation of the Rosa Parks Transit Center in Hempstead, which sees more than 20,000 riders daily.
“Our team of professionals are deeply dedicated to meeting the needs of our ridership, and all of our success is in no small way due to the tremendous financial support we have received from our partners in the Federal, State, and Nassau County governments,” Khzouz concluded.