Im supposed to be taking a trip to see bryan next week on the free bus which leaves from 8th avenue. has anyone ever rode with them?

i also was supposed to call today before 4pm to confirm my seats but i forgot. that must mean that i really dont want to go then huh :D

Girl you better call ASAP!!! i hear that those free buses from NYC fill up rather fast. I have been on a free bus one time, but being that i live upstate, it wasn't the same one coming in from NYC, this one was targeted for Albany, Syracuse and Rochester. It was pretty decent and not that many on it, so me and my son were able to sleep most of the way.

Now, I have heard plenty of awful stories from people that have caught the free bus from NYC, I hear that people do act a fool, and try to claim seats, and i have even heard of fights breaking out. I would just suggest, take a book and a pillow and just mind ya business. It's not like we on the bus to make friends, we just want to see out loved ones right??

well if u make it, please have a nice and safe trip

I didn't know there was a free bus...Where does it start from and where does it go? How do you contact them?

Originally posted by roc city girl
Now, I have heard plenty of awful stories from people that have caught the free bus from NYC, I hear that people do act a fool, and try to claim seats, and i have even heard of fights breaking out.





thanks roc city.

thats what i was afraid of, riding the bus with a whole lot of ghetto minded people. wait a minute thats what i do when im on pg . :rolleyes: :D

i will call this morning.

Originally posted by Ivory
I didn't know there was a free bus...Where does it start from and where does it go? How do you contact them?

you will have to call the Harlem state building and give your loved one's name and info they will inturn mail he/she a form from there its a whole lot of waiting.

heres the address and phone number

State of New York
Department of Correctional Services
Ministerial and Family Services
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
163 west 125 street
18th floor
new york, ny 10027

212 961 4063

Ivory and bryanssong,
Per Albany, let me give y'all a BETTER address to tell your loved one(s)to send the free bus requests to:

NYS Dept of Corrections
1220 Washington Avenue
Building 2
State Office Campus
Albany, NY 12226

AND....Bryanssong, I've never taken the ghetto bus - oops, I mean the free bus for a couple of reasons...I've heard numerous stories about roaches being on the bus, people going up underneath your seat and stealing your stuff, fights, etc. My thing is...I ain't that broke :)Don't like drama when visiting a jail is drama enough. Now, how didn't you call to confirm your seat? Girl....you're gonna mess around and get to Port Authority and hear "I'm sorry, the bus is full" or something. I'd be mad as HELL, going out there to the 40 deuce (42nd street for all you "foreigners")in the middle of the night to hear that. Lastly, when I go to Groveland, and the free bus comes....I get there at like 3, 4 in the morning. Registration starts at 8. The free bus comes at like 7, one time 7:30. I heard they make a thousand stops. So just be prepared, IF they let you on. But in any event, if you do get to go via free bus, have a safe trip and watch your thangs.
Lisa

lisa,


you know i tried to call that number 3 times this morning and the voice mail was on.

so i guess that means that i' m not supposed to take this free bus ride :D


and after reading yours and roc city's post ,im glad they didnt pick up the phone.

Thank you both for the information, but after the description, I guess there are no FREE RIDES :-))

Geez, I used to take the free bus years and years ago, the upsate bus to Attica, and I guess nothing has changed.

Oh, yeah, I really was that broke so arguing, pushing, and all, it was still worth it.

Lisac, your description of the bus, roaches, fighting, thieves,
hey that's just everyday life in the Big Apple!

Now that I think about it, that describes life here in podunk Kentucky too!

bryanssong,

my boyfriend is currently at Riverview Correctional also and I take Flambouyant, it's the same price as Prison Gap but not overcrowded at all if you leave on Saturday night for Sunday visits and you also get your 11th ride free.

Susan

It's horrible! I took it once and it was bad! I was suppose to go the Sunday after the blackout. I got there at 3:30 in the morning with my 15 yr old daughter, waiting until 4:30 for the bus to come... well me and a handful of people waited for another hour...no bus!!!! I was so tight and my daughter was sleepy cause we broke night.. Lucky, I had money on me and we took a cab home...mind you.. I live in ENY... 30 bucks! I called them the next day.. they told me they cancelled due to the blackout.. I told them the lights came back Friday. They booked me for the next trip... Well..guess what.. I called to confirm a few days before the trip and they gave me a hard time. They finally put me down..but, when I got to the bus stop, the coordinator did not have me down on the list. I showed her my old letter, and explained what happened, she had an attitude with me. and made me and my daughter wait to be the last ones to get on the bus, right b4 I get on she tells me, I won't do this for you next time if your name is not on the list, I told her, there will be no next time for me... I had the worst seats by the bathroom...!!! They never even called me the 1st. time about them cancelling. I heard they do that to people.

Wow these are some messed up stories. I was suppose 2 take the free bus up in two weeks to see my son's father. I have already confirmed but now that I have heard this I'm rethinking it. I'm not that broke either. I feel bad because he will be heart broken but I knew something was fishy with this free bus stuff. When I called to confirm the lady was very nasty with me. I guess they feel they are doing us a favor . I could not help but to think I thought these people were Christians and wanted to provide such a lovely service so people who would not normally be able to afford to see there loved ones can go.My son's father will be home in two months and I don't know if this trip will be worth the aggrevation. This company sounds worse and more ghetto then OPG. Please if anyone has any kind words to say about this service that will make me go let me know.

If you do decide to go with the free bus, make sure you got your reservation number, you board the bus by your number. If you got a low number that's good because you get choice in seats. Also bring your letter, the coordinator will ask for it. Oh.. and I don't know about all the buses but the one I took, the driver had a strick policy: NO food, only bottled water... and if you have a large bag, it has to go in the bottom of the bus and he checks inside all carry on bags, which I think it's not right. Also....I have heard that when it's time for them to leave the facility.. it's best you are there on time because I been told they will leave your behind up there. Good luck. And if you do go, let us know how it went. Oh and the bus I took did not make any stops on the way up there. If you have any medical condition, let the driver know.

Yani girl, i dont knw what part of Ny u are coming in from. but like i said the one that i caught was very decent, clean and with tvs and all. maybe it was becasue it was the bus that ONLY serviced Albany, syracuse and rochester?? the bus was not crowded either

I will be leaving from 41st in NYC btw8 & 9th ave. I am so nervous about this free bus stuff. Now my son's father is telling me to call one of his friends girls and let her come up with me and then call 4 him. Can she do that. I'm so stressed out about this. That area near Port Authority is bad enough during the day let alone at 3 in the morning. I told him I would think about it and he just pushed it on me.

Originally posted by yanigirl
Wow these are some messed up stories. I was suppose 2 take the free bus up in two weeks to see my son's father. I have already confirmed but now that I have heard this I'm rethinking it. I'm not that broke either. I feel bad because he will be heart broken but I knew something was fishy with this free bus stuff. When I called to confirm the lady was very nasty with me. I guess they feel they are doing us a favor . I could not help but to think I thought these people were Christians and wanted to provide such a lovely service so people who would not normally be able to afford to see there loved ones can go.My son's father will be home in two months and I don't know if this trip will be worth the aggrevation. This company sounds worse and more ghetto then OPG. Please if anyone has any kind words to say about this service that will make me go let me know.



Its a free ride there is some comforting words what do you know thats free in this world and not ghetto or up to par ..........i have been complaining myself to ramel lately and he is working on better services with opg and he wants you to call him and tell him about any problems you have encountered with opg so he can make it a better ride for us and he is handling the bathroom issue call him give it a shot 914-287-2094

Who is Ramel, to be exact? the owner of OPG or something? If he wants people to call him....he better be ready.
Lisa

Originally posted by lisac117
Who is Ramel, to be exact? the owner of OPG or something? If he wants people to call him....he better be ready.
Lisa

Yes he is part owner of the company and just explain to him the situations that you may have in a polite way of course because i've learned myself that being rude gets you no where and he'll be able to work with you on any problems you may have

I am riding the free bus this weekend and i am so nervous after all the horror stories wish me luck i wish someone had something good to say about it. Who can we contact with issues concerning this bus service.

Wow, they really changed. I used to ride it a few years back and it was the best ride ever. That was when Mr. Jones ran the program, I don't know who's running it now. I didn't have to do anything. My husband is always lookin for ways to save me money so he'd take care of everything, so, the free bus letter thing would come to him, then he'd send it to me and I'd call to reserve my seat then show up to meet the bus. It wasn't bad at all. Guess things have changed with the times. He told me last visit that he did what he had to do to get me a free ride. Has anyone rode the bus lately, and if so, how was it?

I can't say from NYC, it does sound awful but, the one I take, think it is out of Albany, to Wyoming (first Sundays) and those I have taken to other facilites were ok. There were (are?) some really nice folks on the Collins/Gowanda bus (2nd Sundays) trips. I miss them since NYDOC messed up and put my guy in Wyoming instead of back to Collins. I get on around 4 in the morning, approx. half way between Albany and Attica.
Caprione

You catch the bus at 4am?! My goodness, the things we do for love. My reference is made to the bus leaving NYC, though it departed at 2AM when I rode it a few years back. I couldn't imagine being up, dressed, out the door and waiting at a bus stop at 4am, but that's what this bid thing does to us -- puts us in positions to do things we never imagined. No one from down this way has commented on the free bus ride in a while. Hopefully the bus leaving NYC have gotten better. The driver when I rode it was an Aisian fella -- madd cool peeples -- worked the road like he owned it -- got us there and back in the best timing, the bus and the bathroom was clean. You always have your rowdy people when "free" is involved and b/c Mr. Jones ran the program cordially, the cordialness in the aire was contagious. He was succeeded by this other fella who wore this thing on his head, and as I NOW recall it from recanting, THAT'S when I believe it started getting bac, b/c 2 episodes with him made me say NO MORE FREE BUS FOR ME!! Given that, and my husband got the ticket on the way, time is becoming of the essense that I find out how the ride is.

Bos..
Yep, I am up at 2:30am those Sundays. To the bus station by 4, in case they arrive early.....how's that for hopelessly optimistic?!? ha At least they usually are on time!
I would have to agree, life presents us with situations and asks things of us we'd never dream we would or could or want to do! Four years ago I hadn't even ever known anyone who had done time, let alone knowing someone on the inside myself.
Then I met and married this darling of a guy!! Our whole courtship was via mail and once a month free bus visits (not even phone calls!)!! We were meant to be and thankfully, our paths did cross. I can't imaggine not having him in my life now! I know "we" have it easier than many, I didn't have to watch him leave and learn to live alone while he is gone. BUT< I can't wait for him to come home!!
It is tough sometimes, the things we need to do on 'our bid' with them!
There's so many people, hurting so much...I can't begin to believe I was so blind to the 'system' all these years!! sigh That's what I get for growing up small town and trusting everyone I guess! lol
"we" have 17 months left, then 5 years more with "them" sitting on our shoulder! lol
Caprione