MTA May Cut Half Of Long Island's Bus Service
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Citing a lack of funds from Nassau County, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority may eliminate over half of Long Island Bus' routes.
Under the plan, as many as 27 of the 48 lines may be cut in July leaving thousands of bus riders stranded.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano tells 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria that the administration intends to continue to bus service
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"How am I supposed to get to school? I don't have a license yet," Randy Lewis, 18, a student who takes the N2 bus in Elmont, said. "It's going to be a lot tougher for me just to get from point A to point B whether it's school, to go see friends, or, if I have a job, to go work."
Jurussia Jones told CBS 2's Jennifer McLogan her only way to get to Nassau Community College is on Long Island bus and said the cuts would be "devastating."
Nassau County currently contributes $9.1 million in subsidies and officials say they are unable to pay the additional $26 million that the MTA is seeking to keep the system operational.
The MTA said the service cuts will save $12.2 million a year.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano hopes to privatize the bus operations and cut ties with the MTA which has been running the service since 1973.
"We own the buses and the terminal," Mangano said. "We'll need to select an operator that can best provide a service for them."
Mangano insisted that the administration intends to continue bus service in Nassau County.
"Bus service is very important to the economy here in Nassau County," Mangano said.
A public hearing is being held Wednesday afternoon at Hofstra University regarding the proposed cuts.
The MTA will hold a public hearing on the proposed cuts at Hofstra on March 23rd, and vote on the plan in April.
Will the cuts affect you? Do you think the MTA and Nassau County will reach an agreement? Let us know below
