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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2302
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 8:45 pm: | 
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Two days in a row the jitney left the last train of the night (the dreaded 7:15PM) stranded. Tonight the train arrived at 7:56PM a mere 5 minutes late. I can only guess that the jitney has to wait a few minutes for people to walk from the track to the street. For agument sake lets say the jitney waits, oh I don't know maybe 4 minutes? Well that would mean that we missed the jitney by 1 minute? One measly minute??? A good 20 or 30 people were stranded because the jitney driver couldn't wait a minute. I sure hope he got home on time and is enjoying the air conditioning while we sweltered in the heat both days walking home.
I made the argument (and was skewered for it if I remember correctly) that the LAST JITNEY OF THE NIGHT should wait for the 7:15PM train to arrive -- No matter how long it takes to arrive. Can't the jitney drivers wait for us. Their job is to drive us home that is what they are paid for. When they don't wait for the train, they aren't doing their job. How do they feel when they are driving a nearly empty bus around town after they stranded us all?
Can we at least have the last jitney wait a FEW MINUTES (up to 15 minutes maybe?) for the train? Something? Anything? Please? Pay the driver overtime or something. HECK!!! I work late most nights and don't get paid overtime.
And Tom Reingold I will kick your behind if you tell me I live close to the train station and I should enjoy the exercise. I MEAN IT!!! |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 4800
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 9:38 pm: |
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I think you're right. 100% so. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 2746
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 9:47 pm: |
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I completely agree with you, Alleygater.
Isn't the purpose of the jitney to drive people home from the train station? You'd think that the jitney schedule would synch up with the train schedule. Or is that too logical? |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5304
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 10:27 pm: |
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The only purpose of the Jitney is to drive people home from the station. If the driver doesn't understand that, he shouldn't have a job. |
bottomline
Citizen
Username: Bottomline
Post Number: 454
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 10:40 pm: |
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Alleygater,
Have you asked our municipal staff or elected officials about this matter? The Jitney is a municipal service; it's operational policies are dictated by the town.
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letters
Citizen
Username: Letters016
Post Number: 624
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 10:49 pm: |
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Alleygater,
You live close to the train station and should enjoy the exercise. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15095
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:44 am: |
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Alleygater, the bus driver should do his job. When his bus is empty, I bet he's thinking, "gotta get home quickly!"
You don't live near the train station! Did I actually say you do?! If so, I'm sorry.
I think what I did say last time was to try to look on the bright side. I would not (or should not) say that it's OK for the bus driver to ditch you.
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juju's petals
Citizen
Username: Jujus_petals
Post Number: 306
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 8:35 am: |
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Alleygater, you have my sympathies. For what is it worth. Sounds like the driver's workday ends at 8pm and that's one objective he's all over. Was your jitney the only one that was MIA?
Here's another random thought, how often is MOL used for public shaming? And, does that seem to work? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12188
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 8:44 am: |
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How about the people who arrived on the Hoboken train? Should they have to sit in the jitney for an hour waiting for the oft delayed MTD service to limp into Maplewood?
With that said the drivers of the last jitneys should be instructed to wait ten minutes before leaving.
There are two sides to every story.
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Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2303
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 9:19 am: |
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Juju, No it never works. I need to follow Bottomline's advice and call and complain. All of the jitney's left, not just mine.
Bob K, I could see how the people on the Hoboken train might be a little annoyed having to wait a few extra minutes but let's be honest, there are far more people on the NYC train than the Hoboken train, so whenever the jitney leaves there are more people being screwed. Also, I agree with you, there are rare (VERY RARE THOUGH) times when the NYC train can't leave at all or is delayed close to an hour (that is usually when us commuters need the jitney most after a rotten commute like that) and that is why I softened my stance to say that the jitney should wait 15 minutes or so.
Tom, I vaguely remember you saying 'Alley you live at 330 Jeffrey's Avenue, which maps.google.com says is ONLY .7325 miles from the train station. Many people live much further from the train station than you, and while I understand that it was raining, you really don't have much to be complaining about.' Well...that's how I remember it anyway. But you know me, I'm prone to exaggerate sometimes.  |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15098
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 5:31 pm: |
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Then I apologize for my insensitivity. Whether or not it's a decent walk, and whether or not you are fit for it and in the mood for it, you've paid for the jitney and have a reasonable expectation for it to serve you as advertised.
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James
Citizen
Username: Gymtagart
Post Number: 19
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 5:51 pm: |
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what happens on the evening that the train is 16 minutes late and you miss the bus by one minute?
Shouldn't you be complaining to NJT? |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2306
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 9:14 am: |
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James, sure I should complain to NJT. Fat lot of good that will do me. I also complain to my representatives about George W., fat lot of good that does me either.
So last night (THIRD DAY), get this, our train is about 4 minutes late. We arrive and I don't see the jitney. I can't believe it. SERIOUSLY. But when I get to the curb, I'm happy to see that the jitneys are there, but only 2 of them. MY jitney hasn't arrived yet. 1 minute later, the jitneys leave. WHERE IS MY JITNEY? WTF IS GOING ON? TS calls me 5 minutes later to ask me if she needs to pick me up (it's been two days in a row after all), and I tell her that jitney still hasn't arrived and the other jitneys have left. She tells me to sit tight she'll come and pick me up.
NO LIE, 15 minutes later, my jitney shows up. NO LIE, TS arrived one minute later.
Now you tell me, why don't I have the right to take the driver out of his driver's seat and tell him to get out and walk the F*#& home? He ditches us after 1 minute. Right? The jitney is a problem and continues to be a problem. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12202
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 10:14 am: |
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I think that you should take this up with the TC. All of their email addresses are on the town website if you don't want to go to a TC meeting and hang around until the public comment portion.
One of the TC members is "in charge" of your area of Town and my experience is that they will contact you shortly. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 1581
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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Alley which route are you talking about? |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2311
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 11:41 am: |
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Parker. And don't get me wrong I do like (as a person) Pierre the night time driver. |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 2312
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 11:42 am: |
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BobK that is a good suggestion. I also think I should call Town Hall and speak to the person in charge of the jitneys too though. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 15108
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 11:46 am: |
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Maplewood Township Committee Members |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7820
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 9:33 am: |
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Alleygater:
Consider how fortunate you are compared to some others. I for one have never even looked at the jitney schedule for the following reasons:
1. In the morning, the jitney does not stop any closer to my house than the train station. (I live beyond the permit parking zone.)
2. The jitney schedule starts long after my regular morning train has left for the day.
3. The jitney schedule has yet to start up again at the time my regular afternoon train pulls into Maplewood Station.
At least you have the reasonable expectation of being able to take the jitney in the morning and get the jitney to pick you up at the train station most evenings.
The problem seems to be how to get to get the jitney to pick you up at the train station every evening that you take either the 7:15 PM or an earlier train.
If the jitney schedule is like most transit schedules with which I am familiar, it lists times during the day when the jitney can be expected to be at a certain scheduled stop going in a certain direction. If it guarantees connection with certain other forms of mass transit (such as the NJT trains from Hoboken, NYC, Dover and Gladstone) then there is usually the proviso that:
1. The transit service publishing the schedule does not guarantee connections; and
2. Passengers should expect to allow at least (insert specific number of minutes required to make connection comfortbly here) minutes between their arrival time and the departure of the mass transit vehicle to which they are transferring.
Does anyone know if the jitney is intended to service passengers diembarking from the 7:15 train? If so, then it would be necessary to take a look at the afternoon/evening start-up time to determine if the jitney could start up a few minutes later in the afternoon and still meet the needs of the first group of passengers expecting to connect with the jiotney in the afternoon.
Unfortunately, the jitney service is not designed to serve all of the people all of the time which is a major reason why so many people, myself included, feel strongly that the jitney should be self sufficient rather than subsidized by our real property tax money as it is now. |
lizzyr
Citizen
Username: Lizzyr
Post Number: 274
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 11:35 am: |
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ask the driver for his cell phone number so you can call him those nights when the 7:15pm is running late. |
Project 37
Citizen
Username: Project37
Post Number: 158
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 11:38 am: |
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Alleygater - I'm on the same jitney (first one of the am and pm runs) and can feel your pain. It's very frustrating to watch the other jitneys take off minutes after the train arrives while you're standing there like your date stood you up. He's usually about 5-10 minutes late. Not the worst thing in the world, but totally irritating when you JUST. WANT. TO. GET. HOME.
Pierre *is* a nice guy, very friendly to everyone. He even goes so far as to drop me off at my door, depending on how many people are on the bus. I wouldn't want him to get into trouble, but I'd still be willing to put a call in to Town Hall as well, if you think it'll help with his timing. |
anon
Supporter
Username: Anon
Post Number: 2881
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 1:28 pm: |
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Joan:
I have no problem with the Jiney being subsidized by the Town, even though I have never used it, because I think it is a great amenity which must certainly contribute to our high real estate values. I do have a problem with any Town service that is not tailored to accomodate your particular circumstance, St Joan of MOL. 
Have you subscribed yet to the Forvets?
http://www.forward.com/main/subscribe.php |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7823
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 5:16 pm: |
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Anon:
Even if I were able to use the jitney and had an interest in using it, I would still like to see the jitney more self-sufficient than it is now. While I agree that the jitney routes are a definite plus for the town and in the long run will help to better equalize real property demand throughout town, I also feel that our extremely high real property taxes work to our detriment when it comes to either retaining our current residents or attracting new ones.
Thanks much for the subscription link to the Forward. Shalom!
Joan
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anon
Supporter
Username: Anon
Post Number: 2888
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 10:48 pm: |
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Shalom. |
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