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Support a LI Bus Riders’ Bill of Rights!

Hundreds attended a "People's Hearing" on Long Island Bus last month.

The coming privatization of Long Island Bus could be bad news for county bus riders. Although Nassau County will hand over the system to international firm Veolia Transportation within 3 months (the privatization would be effective as of January 1), there are still virtually no details about what service and fares on the new system will be like after the first year.

With bus riders at risk, advocates hosted a “People’s Hearing” last month where riders, business representatives, and elected officials from both parties expressed concerns over the county’s lack of process and how the privatization will affect riders. Advocates have said the county should hold a formal public hearing and support a Nassau Bus Riders’ Bill of Rights, which says that bus riders deserve:

  1. The same levels of service and fares as Long Island Bus currently provides, for at least 5 years.
  2. Free transfers between county buses and New York City subways and buses, as exists today.
  3. Safe and efficient service, provided by highly trained and qualified employees.
  4. Equipment that is clean, modern, and in a state of good repair.
  5. Transparent and responsive administration of service, which includes giving riders and taxpayers a way to provide input into how county transit is run.

New Yorkers can e-mail their state elected officials; Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano; and Veolia VP Michael Setzer, who would become LI Bus CEO, through TSTC’s website at tstc.org/billofrights/. (Nassau County residents’ messages will also be delivered to county legislators.)

Photo: Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

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Dennis
Dennis
12 years ago

This is a pipe dream. On Tuesday, when the contract is signed, you can kiss goodbye what was L.I. Bus. Veolia is in the business of making money. They would NEVER agree to keep fares or service levels on par with what the MTA would provide for five years. The only reason they even agreed to one year was to appease the public and NIFA to get this deal done. In classic bait and switch, fares will sky rocket and routes will disappear on Jan. 1, 2013. Not only that, but the MTA would be insane to allow Nassau County to receive free transfers with their buses and subways after Nassau kicked them to curb.

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