My b/f was just transfered to Collins and I see on the map it is very far from NYC. So I have to take the bus tonight if I want to see him this weekend.... It's gonna be a long ride...

Does anybody know anything about Collins? How is it over there?

Do you know of any van service that goes there?

Thanks.

Hola Mamota! Listen Collins IS rather far from the city. It is near Buffalo and Canada. Pero, let me tell you girl, I have heard nothing but good things about Collins, they say it is one of the better medium prisons in NYS. I don't know if you are married (oh i see you are not,) but they do offer the family reunioun program there and it is also a cooking facility. Mi marido (my man) was next door to collins in Gowanda and he use to tell me all the time how he wish he would get transferred there but he said its like a privledge to be able to get into Collins. So at least that is good news dont you think? :) I don't know of any van services that go from NY to Collins but, Prison gap and flambouyant go there. If you caught a regular grey hound bus or trail way bus into buffalo there are 2 gentlemen from Buffalo that offer transportation to Collins/Gowanda.
1. Mr.George his number is 716-896-0615
2. Mr. William Johnson 716-297-4933

Suerte!! (good-luck)

Collins is good as facilities go. My guy was there for several years and we were so upset he did not get sent back there from a program he had to do.
I hope you meant a prison gap or other prison bus as there are no regular busses that go near enough to get to the facility without a car and there aren't taxis around either.
It is small, visits are both saturdays and sundays. I visited there many times it always went well and we got in quickly.
good luck with your bus trip.
geez...wish I had had that info about people who offer rides from Buffalo a year or two ago...sigh But I got it now! ha IF my guy ever gets back to Collins!! sigh.. Thanks Roc city girl...been wondering where you were..hadn't seen you post lately.
hugs,
Caprione

Hey Caprione!! i been here and there. This Xmas thing is draining the heck out of me!!

But Cap, answer this if you can. Can a person visit both saturday and sunday?? or is it also by din number?

Mamota hasn't been on, so i am guessing she went to see her man. Hope it all went well! :)

HI!!
Yes, the holidays are a mixed bag... I am a little bummed the busses got cancelled but we will just focus on all the other good stuff and wait til January for a visit. (Unless one of my loving friends happens to be able to drive me out to Wyoming on the 21st or 27thy! I can't quite afford a taxi from Rochester bus station...hahaha)
You take care and enjoy as much of the holidays as you can! I hope having your guy in the new place is going well!

At COllins a person can visit BOTH days. Saturday AND Sunday
hugs,
Caprione

Hey girls

Thank you so much. I am sooo happy to hear this good news (for once!!!!) that Miguel is in a good facility. I took the bus (flambouyant) there, we left NYC at 11pm and arrived at Collins at 7:30am on Saturday. The only little bad thing was that we had to wait outside until 8am for the lady to come and open the "visitor's hospitality center". Then inside I couldn't believe it, she made coffee with milk, muffins, orange juice. There were nice bathrroms (the nicest I've seen among all the CFs I visited so far) for us to wash and fresh up.

Then we put things for pakages in brown bags and took those to the visiting center. Mine is Collins 1 and happens to be literally 10 feet from the 1st building. Inside I could go in the visiting room wth my coat and a purse with my money. The vending machines had a large selection of food (even salads, and grapes and cheese!!!!!!).
Me and my boyfriend we almost spent the whole afternoon kissing with any CO telling us anything. Even 2 or 3 times our visiting room was empty, I don't know where the CO was..!!!!!!!!

The COs were very curteous to me.
Sooooo it looks like after having to deal with racit COs in Rikers, this is like a huge change.

Caprione, I don't know if you will be coming from NYC, because I heard "Split'n Image" that also goes to Collins from the city runs on Christmas day and New Year's. Pm me if you need the info.

Roc City thanks so much for lifting my spirits. I feel so great now. I can't say I'm not tired I'm exhausted (that's a really long ride) but soo happy.
Since I am on vavation now, next weekend I'll go and sleep at a hotel. On our way back to NYC, the driver dropped off a girl like 2mns from the facility. So I asked the driver and the coordinator of Flambouyant and they told me that it was a hotel and that the driver will pick her up the next morning to the facility.
I am so excited hehehehehe :)

I'm sorry Caprione I got mixed up. I realize you need to go to Wyoming. Sorry for that. Good luck for finding transportation there.

One last question. He called me this morning and asked me to do a three way calling to call his father and then his mother. i hope they won't give him problems for that. are we allowed to do that?

mamota, 3 way calls are not allowed (but can be done) shhhh if and when u do it, do not allow M to hear the phone ring and let his parents know what u are doing so that when u click over here isn't alot of Hello-ing going on. Follow me?? LOL

I am sooo glad that you had a nice visit with ya man. If my man would have still been next door at Gowanda, u coulda stayed here with me and driven out together. It makes me sooo happy when i hear about good visits and people getting treated with respect by the co's!! :)

Thank you Maria. I got the message.:)

I would have to say no three ways! It could cuase trouble. I just loved hearing about your visit you sounde dos happya nd pleased! Great!! smiles When my guy was at Collins we were at Collins II but, yes, really nice visiting and all... I am so glad you had a good time!! WOW! Busses on Christmas! I'd give a whole paycheck! (Don't get excited, it's not that much! ) lol But, right, now I go to Wyoming Cf. I hope you have more great trips when you make them.
Oh , I am out of Central New York. couple hours east of Rochester.
Caprione

:)
my man does 3-way calling to me wirth his cousin... on my cell phone