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| Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover (137092) | |
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| (137092) | |
Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009 Westchester County’s Transportation Commissioner Lawrence Salley will say that Westchester opposes a plan that calls for the MTA to operate the county’s Bee-Line Bus System tomorrow when he speaks at a forum sponsored by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Regional Plan Association.Salley is scheduled to speak before the regional transportation planning group at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 13, at the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle. “Consolidation into a Regional Bus Authority will cost Westchester taxpayers more and give our riders less,’’ said Salley. “We agree with many of the points in the Ravitch Commission report: that there should be more resources for bus services outside New York City and that those services should be better coordinated. We already share services with the MTA such as the MetroCard fare collection system and inter-system transfers. But consolidation of services will not be cheaper, nor will it be more efficient, and it certainly won’t be in the best interest of Westchester riders.’’ Salley said that contrary to some interpretations, the county does not believe that the Ravitch Commission Report calls for mandatory consolidation of local bus services into a single operating agency. He also disputed claims that there is feuding between counties over transportation funding and that a Regional Bus Authority would solve this problem as well as result in a more efficient and modern bus system. “Our system is better maintained, our fleet newer and our buses more technologically and environmentally advanced than those run by the MTA,’’ said Salley. “As far as feuding with other counties over funding, that is just not true. Westchester simply wants parity with Nassau when it comes to funding its bus system.’’ The Bee-Line Bus System, with 32 million riders annually, has 66 bus routes from The Bronx to Putnam County line as well as an express service to lower Manhattan. Salley said the county is not philosophically opposed to most of the recommendations made in the Ravitch commission report, which advocates for better coordination and more funding for regional systems. “We just do not believe that eliminating local control is in the best interest of our riders or that the MTA can operate a local system more efficiently or cost effectively that we can,’’ said Salley. To underscore his argument, Salley made the following points: * Westchester already shares services with the MTA and could expand those to include other areas such as joint procurement of buses and other equipment. * MTA operation would be less efficient and data indicates that costs would rise with consolidation. In 2007, the Bee-Line’s cost per mile was $9.80, the lowest among Metropolitan Area operators (Bee-Line, MTA Bus, Long Island Bus and NYCTA). In the three years following the 2006 MTA takeover of seven New York City private bus operators, the combined operating deficit rose from $223 million a year to a projected $341 million for 2009. * Safety would be potentially compromised since the MTA is not required to meet higher safety standards required by the NYS Department of Transportation. Bee-line has ranked number one in the metropolitan area in maintenance and employee safety training. * A regional bus system would hamper Westchester’s ability to use buses to help evacuate residents in the event of a natural or man-made disaster such as an incident at the Indian Point Nuclear Power plant. Source: Yonkers Tribune |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by lbt 9415 on Thu Feb 12 15:39:46 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. I hope that Westchester County BeeLine Bus System doesn't get absorbed into the NYCMTA Regional Bus Network. Bee-Line seems to have their stuff together and better run. The operators seem happy, the service seems to be good up there. I say If it ain't broke, don't fix it ! |
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| (137100) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by JAzumah on Thu Feb 12 16:00:21 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. "Safety would be potentially compromised since the MTA is not required to meet higher safety standards required by the NYS Department of Transportation. Bee-line has ranked number one in the metropolitan area in maintenance and employee safety training."That's a big knife, Mr. Salley. I salute you. This is one of the most accurate salvos I've seen from a transit exec in a long time. |
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| (137106) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by RailBus63 on Thu Feb 12 17:01:46 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. Good for him. I hope he can indeed bring some attention to the disparity in funding between Westchester and Nassau bus operations - the Bee Line system puts MTA Long Island Bus to shame. |
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| (137108) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Osmosis Jones on Thu Feb 12 17:18:48 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by lbt 9415 on Thu Feb 12 15:39:46 2009. the service seems to be good up there.Not really, especially when compared to Long Island Bus. No service is provided on Thanksgiving and Christmas and Bee-Line could understand passenger demands on some of its routes. The 19 for an example only runs 6 days of the week until about 6PM, although on Saturdays it only runs until 4PM despite the last trips from Katonah being packed and the route getting more ridership than the 16 (which runs 7 days a week and until 10PM 6 days a week). The 5 and 6 (which combined, have ridership on the same level as the 2 Tudor Woods-Bronx route) should also get later service on Sundays as they're the only routes that day connecting two of Westchester's biggest cities. Seriously, people do travel from Yonkers to White Plains after 5PM and from White Plains to Yonkers after 7PM. |
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| (137111) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by petabread2 on Thu Feb 12 17:42:53 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by Osmosis Jones on Thu Feb 12 17:18:48 2009. "Safety would be potentially compromised since the MTA is not required to meet higher safety standards required by the NYS Department of Transportation. Bee-line has ranked number one in the metropolitan area in maintenance and employee safety training."Does anyone know why the MTA is not required to meet the standards of the NYS DOT? Although, a few years ago, this mechanic and I were talking about safety records on the airplanes he maintained and he started talking about the MTA. He said the MTA has state "approved" mechanics who perform the safety inspections. This is what he said, he was telling me one of his friends who does it. I don't know much about that since my focus was on my aircraft at the time. Oh and for the record, I don't know if comparing maintenance with a company that doesn't run service as intense as the NYCMTA does. |
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| (137113) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by AMoreira81 on Thu Feb 12 18:54:40 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. Talk about a pitch high and inside...YOWSER! |
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| (137136) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by R40SlantontheB on Thu Feb 12 19:37:24 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. I would have to agree in the case of Bee-Line. Their system works well as it is. The MTA should just focus on finishing to dissolve LI Bus into MTA Bus, before starting with Westchester. |
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| (137137) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by JAzumah on Thu Feb 12 19:39:38 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by RailBus63 on Thu Feb 12 17:01:46 2009. That's putting it mildly. Maybe Bee-Line should takeover Long Island Bus with state funding. They would save everyone about 10-12% on operating costs. That's around $12-15M every year. |
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| (137138) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by R40SlantontheB on Thu Feb 12 19:39:54 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by Osmosis Jones on Thu Feb 12 17:18:48 2009. But Bee-Line isn't as overcrowded as LI Bus is, more of Westchester remains more sparsely populated than Nassau (save for the southern half).And Bee-Line is far more reliable than LI Bus. The buses run great and look great too. Ours look like garbage. Their 1995 Orion V's are still in wonderful shape, our oldest buses look like they are begging for the scrapper! |
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| (137139) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by WayneJay on Thu Feb 12 19:41:32 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. I hope Bee Line doesn't get absorbed into MTA Regional Bus. I think Salley is absolutely correct about Bee Line's buses being in better condition. Looking at the buses currently under the MTA, I'd say only some NYCTA's best can compare to the average Bee Line bus. |
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| (137140) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by JAzumah on Thu Feb 12 19:42:23 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by petabread2 on Thu Feb 12 17:42:53 2009. It was a waiver granted by the NYSDOT because of the MTA's size. NYSDOT did not want to have to babysit 4,000+ buses. They check everyone else, including the former franchise lines when they were private. The state is not required to oversee their maintenance. |
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| (137141) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by R40SlantontheB on Thu Feb 12 19:44:08 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by JAzumah on Thu Feb 12 19:39:38 2009. Well it's Westchester that has it together, they actually care much more about mass transit there. It's a totally different mentality up there. Long Islanders treat the buses like scum.Would it be cheaper to have a private company like Liberty Lines run LI Bus? I dont think they'd want it. Maybe CBS? :-0 The MTA just needs to dissolve LI Bus already, no more orange stripe, and just operate it as an MTA Bus depot like College Point. They can get money from Nassau by forcing them through a state vehicle tax, LIRR parking tax, or tolls leaving Nassau county. |
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| (137145) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by petabread2 on Thu Feb 12 19:58:53 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by R40SlantontheB on Thu Feb 12 19:44:08 2009. I don't know anything about Bee-Lines but I would say the MTA should focus on getting regional bus service with the 3 current services. Then once everything stabilizes, consider it but either way I don't really have an opinion. Thanks jazumah for clarifying the current situation with the NYS DOT. |
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| (137152) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Bingham C50 on Thu Feb 12 20:12:17 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by lbt 9415 on Thu Feb 12 15:39:46 2009. I agree. |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Newkirk Images on Thu Feb 12 20:17:47 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. If MTA were to absorb Bee Lines how would they renumber the buses ? Isn't the MTA almost running out of numbers with the LI Bus renumber program ?Bill "Newkirk" |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Operator3319 on Thu Feb 12 20:30:00 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by JAzumah on Thu Feb 12 16:00:21 2009. Sounds like Mr. Salley is only concerned about is job but if it happens it happens |
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| (137160) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Operator3319 on Thu Feb 12 20:35:13 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by WayneJay on Thu Feb 12 19:41:32 2009. Better condition because they dont run 24 hours a day so save it i'd rather live somewhere where i know there is going to be a bus at 1:30 in the AM they dont run their buses 24 Hrs because everyone in the household has a car so they think that's like a county imposed curfew and i think i will pass and i guess its also to keep the hoolagans out |
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| (137161) | |
Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by Bingham C50 on Thu Feb 12 20:50:03 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by Newkirk Images on Thu Feb 12 20:17:47 2009. They would probably have to adopt a 5-digit format to avoid fleet# clashes. |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by WayneJay on Thu Feb 12 22:46:39 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by Operator3319 on Thu Feb 12 20:35:13 2009. "Save it"??? Yeah right, you're funny. |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by metropod on Fri Feb 13 17:32:43 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by R40SlantontheB on Thu Feb 12 19:44:08 2009. The MTA just needs to dissolve LI Bus already, no more orange stripe, and just operate it as an MTA Bus depot like College Point.they did that months ago. LIBUS, along with MTA bus and NYCTA bus are just brand names uses by Regional Bus Operations. |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by R40SlantontheB on Fri Feb 13 21:44:15 2009, in response to Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by metropod on Fri Feb 13 17:32:43 2009. Well hopefully LIBUS "brand name" will stop being inferior to the other two. |
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Re: Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover |
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Posted by The Flxible Neofan on Fri Feb 13 22:27:53 2009, in response to Westchester County (Lawrence Salley) opposes Bee Line-MTA Bus takeover, posted by GOLD_12th on Thu Feb 12 15:04:19 2009. Good for Mr. Salley. I just saw some Bee-Line buses on my journey to Boston and cringed at the thought of MTA taking over operations.To be honest, Bee-Line is a whole 'nother monster to deal with from LI Bus, the Private Companies that make up MTA Bus, and of course NYCTA. This is suburban transit, after all...that's why they have the little buses running in places! MTA already bit off quite a bit. They need to continue to build up the services they take over. I mean, is it absolutely necessary for Bee-Line to be a part of the "MTA" if they are willing to work so well together? Oh, and there goes the "Westchester County doesn't want to run the Bee-Line anymore" comments that are out there. |
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