Things are looking worse and worse for Long Island Bus riders, who face privatization of the system next year. Over the weekend, Veolia Transportation Vice President Michael Setzer, who would run the system, implied that Nassau County bus riders should expect fare hikes and service cuts in 2013. But a Huffington Post article published this morning suggests that those could come as soon as next year, despite previous guarantees that fares and service levels would stay the same in 2012:
[Veolia] had pledged there would be no immediate service or fare changes in 2012. On Monday, however, Setzer declined to repeat that promise, instead saying that more details about service in 2012 would emerge in the final bus system contract, which the county said will be finalized within days.
That’s no misquote. On a new official website for LI Bus, Veolia writes that “early in 2012,” riders “may find that the timetable has been adjusted so that buses on certain routes arrive less frequently.” Later, after the company finishes an audit of existing service, it “envision[s] changes on routes that may have lower performance than other routes.”
As for fares, Veolia promises only that “fares will not increase on January 1,” and says “there currently is no plan to raise fares in 2012.” It writes that “the future cost structure of operating this large bus system will continue to change, so it’s possible that modest service redesigns and fare increases will be recommended.”
The company does say it will hold “community meetings” in the future and form a “Passenger Advisory Group.” County Executive Ed Mangano has held no public hearings on the proposal to date, though Veolia’s website says a hearing on the bus contract will be held at some point, and that the contract must be approved by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (the state agency which has taken over county finances due to budget mismanagement).
It’s pretty obvious that service cuts and fare increases will be on the table next year. New Yorkers can tell county and state elected officials to support a “Bus Riders’ Bill of Rights” which includes service and fare guarantees through TSTC’s website.
Normally, I prefer service reductions over fare hikes, but considering the little aid Nassau is giving Veolia, it’s probably going to be a toss up between a higher fare or some really bad service reductions, and in thie case, I’d go with the higher fare.
Elimination of lesser-used routes is going to be a tragedy for so many people. I live on a route that runs from Rockaway to Long Beach. A lot of the riders work in low-paying Nursing Home or Hospital Jobs. Many also come to Long Beach to provide home care. People take this bus to the subway in the Rockaways. There will be no alternative for these riders. So many people will suffer. It’s amazed me that LI Bus never tried saving these routes by using mini-buses or extending existing routes during peak times. Of course, the people along these routes will lose Able-Ride Paratransit, assuming that service is continued at all by the private company. The bottom line will look good, but at the expense of the well-being of the frail, the sick, and the poor.
[…] hearings have been held on the proposal thus far, even as private firm Veolia Transportation has practically guaranteed that service cuts are on the way when it takes over. Fare hikes are on the table for next year as […]
[…] that fare hikes and service cuts are off the table in 2012, but Veolia’s public statements and website indicate […]
https://blog.tstc.org/2011/09/20/veolia-gearing-up-to-slash-li-bus-service-next-year/#
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Nassau buses were privately owned and operated before 1973. The MTA stepped in to unify the system with public investment in new buses. Now that the system has been in place for nearly 40 years and is set to be part of a logical, regional MTA service you are going to turn it over to a private company?, a foolish, short sighted move !!
This is the worst Bus service ever. All they do is create frustration. The N24 buses are NEVER on Schedule and passenger are NEVER informed if there has been a delay in service. Neither are apologies offered. Waiting time for this N24 bus is very long mostly half an hour to one and a half hour because the idiots who are in charge of this bus company lack common-sense. They despatch buses half an Hour apart, meantime at each and every bus-stop more and more crowds of people accummulate to wait on the bus, so the N-24 bus becomes overcrowded and filled beyond cpacity and cannot make all the stops for pickups. Many people often get left behind, regardless of inclement weather. The N24 buses are so crtowdeed that they cannot pick up people at all the Stops so theye driver does not stop. This is the USA and people should not have to put up with such unacceptable level of service.
When the bus encountered a delay and is 45 minutes late at shopwing up at the Jamaica bus terminal, the N24 bus despatcher at Jamaica Terminal conveniently dissappears and does not have the common couurtesy to inform the waiting passengers that there has been a delay, and for how long the service will be delayed. No apology or information is offered and despatcher goes into hiding. This is the poorest level of transportation servie that myslef and many other commuters are experiencing and now this Veolia company wants to hike fares and slash service in the year ahead? Why don’t they slash the Salaries/paychecks of the Veolia bus drivers, bus despatchers and cutomer service workers? Becuase they dont deserve the salary they are getting, they are collecting free money because they get paid for a job that they are doing doing properly.
[…] whether this will occur although the prospect has become increasingly likely based on statements by Veolia and possible future CEO of LI Bus Michael […]