MTA: Long Island Bus faces deepest cuts

[East New York]

Last time I checked I paid an additional $50. MTA tax on my auto registration, additional MTA tax on my business, MTA tax on my phone, etc. Everyone is paying their fair share and beyond. The MTA is a bloated agency that is not acountable to anyone. I applaud Nassau County for refusing to pay more into a system that is already paid for with taxes.

 

No. That's all fine and dandy, but that money you pay should be for NYCT/BC. Not Long Island Bus. They are paying $9 Million while MTA is picking up the rest?? That's not our transit system, so whether the MTA is bloated or not (which they are) that still doesn't give Nassau County the right to suck us dry! So while you applaud Nassau, I applaud Walder for finally putting a foot down. Nassau has been "using" the MTA for 38 years! It's time they pay for their own bus service. Not us!

[Amtrak7]

Looking at the original post and then checkmatechamp13's post, some things jump out:

 

1. Why is the N19 at 30-minute headways? That's a route that should be at hourly headways only, with a truncation to Sunrise Mall and an interline with N71 (N19 buses would leave at :15 past the hour and change into an N71 at Sunrise Mall). On the N70/71/72 departures, N70 and N71 departure times would be swapped on weekdays, and N71 and N72 departures swapped on weekends.

 

2. Save money on the N72 by eliminating service east of Airport Plaza in Farmingdale (and negotiate with management for buses to serve the plaza at Conklin and 110). I say eliminate, not reduce, because it would leave way too much layover time at Babylon for N72s that would continue to there.

 

3. The N20/1 issue is really a problem, as the N20 is the only service to three colleges along the North Shore of Long Island. My solution there would be to discontinue Sunday N20 service east of the Roslyn Clock Tower on Sundays, and run service every 2 hours on weekends east of the Clock Tower (LIU C.W. Post is going to have to do more for its student transportation to and from Hicksville on weekends). N48/49 service would run as far north as Jericho Turnpike on weekends.

 

4. The N27 is also a big problem, and I'm not sure how this can be fixed, although I would probably eliminate Sunday service and send the N15 on Sundays via Westbury Boulevard.

 

5. Likewise for the N25 and N26, this route can't really be fixed without a Q46 extension on weekdays to Great Neck of select runs. On weekends, it is interlined with the N58.

 

6. All of the other routes below 50 percent recovery should be run with cutaways using contractors, except the N79. The N79 though should probably have select runs truncated to Roosevelt Field Mall on the west end, as there is adequate N22 and N24 service to Mineola.

 

Not all the other routes need to remain. My beliefs, starting with least efficient and using a relatively harsh mentality (that way some cuts can be relieved rather than more needing to be found):

 

This is based purely on the datasheet and the map.

 

N73/74: True to the MTA's word, this route needs to remain for "network coverage" reasons. However, service is too frequent. How about an hourly N74 on weekdays with an additional hourly N73 rush hours only? Reroute the N73 off Cornflower Road to save money. Minibus.

 

N80: True, necessary for network coverage. But too frequent. Run every 2 hours midday and hourly rush hour. Minibus.

 

N14: Discontinue. Neighborhood shuttles are falling out of use as more people get cars.

 

N81: Reduce to rush hours only, this is more of a feeder route than a line-haul one. Minibus.

 

N51: Discontinue Saturday service, minibus.

 

N2/N8 Restructuring: Make N8 a loop via N2 route at Fletcher Av. Discontinue N2 north of Dutch Broadway, duplicative with N25.

 

N62 South Freeport: Discontinue per N14.

 

N50: Discontinue. Alternate N46, N49.

 

N88: Cancel service if it rains.

 

N62 Industrial: Keep. Minibuses.

 

N45: Rush hours only.

 

N1: Discontinue Jamaica extension and Sunday service. Hourly.

 

N26: Discontinue.

 

N19: High ridership+high cost=long route+low turnover. No Sunday service (use LIRR), hourly offpeak, bi-hourly east of Sunrise Mall.

 

N23: Keep, reduce weekend span of service.

 

N27: Keep. Alternate for discontinued N21.

 

N46/N47: Discontinue the N47, "special service designed to avoid transfers".

 

N36: Retain for network coverage. No weekend service.

 

N78/N79: Biased because this is my home route, but eliminate midday N78 and reduce weekend service span east of Hicksville. (midday trips are crowded, afternoon/morning trips are empty)

 

N20/N21: Eliminate N21, alternate N27. Extend N25 to Roslyn (lower frequency=lower costs). Extend Q12 to Great Neck. Eliminate N20 short turns at Roslyn/Great Neck. Half-hourly rush hour and hourly weekend service on entire route. Reduce span of service.

 

N57: Efficient for its ridership. Eliminate and increase N58 service, or keep w/o increasing N58.

 

N25: Discontinue Sunday. No alternatives Midday hourly.

 

N70/N71/N72: Discontinue N70. Alternate SCT. Rush hour net headway 15 minutes, off peak net headway half hourly.

 

N54/N55: Discontinue N55

 

N48/49: Discontinue midday north of Manhattan Av, discontinue Saturday N48.

 

Other routes shouldn't really be touched, with these exceptions for all routes except N4/N6/N40/N41:

 

No weekday service before 5AM or after 10PM.

No Saturday service before 9AM or after 7PM.

No Sunday service before 10AM or after 8PM.

No weekend net headway less than hourly along a single bus route or less than half-hourly along a corridor with more than 1 bus route. (N15 excluded, half hourly)

[aemoreira81]

Not all the other routes need to remain. My beliefs, starting with least efficient and using a relatively harsh mentality (that way some cuts can be relieved rather than more needing to be found):

 

This is based purely on the datasheet and the map.

 

N73/74: True to the MTA's word, this route needs to remain for "network coverage" reasons. However, service is too frequent. How about an hourly N74 on weekdays with an additional hourly N73 rush hours only? Reroute the N73 off Cornflower Road to save money. Minibus.

 

N80: True, necessary for network coverage. But too frequent. Run every 2 hours midday and hourly rush hour. Minibus.

 

N14: Discontinue. Neighborhood shuttles are falling out of use as more people get cars.

 

N81: Reduce to rush hours only, this is more of a feeder route than a line-haul one. Minibus.

 

N51: Discontinue Saturday service, minibus.

 

N2/N8 Restructuring: Make N8 a loop via N2 route at Fletcher Av. Discontinue N2 north of Dutch Broadway, duplicative with N25.

 

N62 South Freeport: Discontinue per N14.

 

N50: Discontinue. Alternate N46, N49.

 

N88: Cancel service if it rains.

 

N62 Industrial: Keep. Minibuses.

 

N45: Rush hours only.

 

N1: Discontinue Jamaica extension and Sunday service. Hourly.

 

N26: Discontinue.

 

N19: High ridership+high cost=long route+low turnover. No Sunday service (use LIRR), hourly offpeak, bi-hourly east of Sunrise Mall.

 

N23: Keep, reduce weekend span of service.

 

N27: Keep. Alternate for discontinued N21.

 

N46/N47: Discontinue the N47, "special service designed to avoid transfers".

 

N36: Retain for network coverage. No weekend service.

 

N78/N79: Biased because this is my home route, but eliminate midday N78 and reduce weekend service span east of Hicksville. (midday trips are crowded, afternoon/morning trips are empty)

 

N20/N21: Eliminate N21, alternate N27. Extend N25 to Roslyn (lower frequency=lower costs). Extend Q12 to Great Neck. Eliminate N20 short turns at Roslyn/Great Neck. Half-hourly rush hour and hourly weekend service on entire route. Reduce span of service.

 

N57: Efficient for its ridership. Eliminate and increase N58 service, or keep w/o increasing N58.

 

N25: Discontinue Sunday. No alternatives Midday hourly.

 

N70/N71/N72: Discontinue N70. Alternate SCT. Rush hour net headway 15 minutes, off peak net headway half hourly.

 

N54/N55: Discontinue N55

 

N48/49: Discontinue midday north of Manhattan Av, discontinue Saturday N48.

 

Other routes shouldn't really be touched, with these exceptions for all routes except N4/N6/N40/N41:

 

No weekday service before 5AM or after 10PM.

No Saturday service before 9AM or after 7PM.

No Sunday service before 10AM or after 8PM.

No weekend net headway less than hourly along a single bus route or less than half-hourly along a corridor with more than 1 bus route. (N15 excluded, half hourly)

 

Counter:

1. I probably would kill the N74 altogether. N73 becomes deviated fixed-route between Hicksville and the Southern State Parkway, hourly, weekdays only, minibus.

2. Convert the N81 to deviated fixed-route service, weekdays only, minibus.

3. N2/N8...Keep N8; restore service to Franklin Hospital, discontinue N2. Minibus.

4. I would leave the N21 alone as the N25 would become too unreliable. That is why I proposed cutting a lot of N20 service to the Clock Tower.

5. Bellmore area: Keep N45, discontinue N46 and N47, convert N50 to deviated fixed-route south of Hempstead Turnpike. N45 and N50 (plus N51) would be run with minibuses.

6. N51: With 4 other routes already servicing Nassau Community College, route N51 via Corporate Drive to Merrick Avenue instead.

7. N24: Reduce weekday East Meadow to rush hours only. All N24 off-peak service would terminate at Roosevelt Field.

8. I would leave the N25 as is because you would mess up the N58's weekend service in the process.

9. N78/9: Weekend service west of Roosevelt Field discontinued. N78 runs rush hours only; in busiest section of route, short turns would run between Roosevelt Field and Hicksville RR on weekdays to maintain 30-minute headways on this segment.

 

This debate could go on, but the aim is to streamline the service with ridership.

[Amtrak7]

Counter:

1. I probably would kill the N74 altogether. N73 becomes deviated fixed-route between Hicksville and the Southern State Parkway, hourly, weekdays only, minibus.

2. Convert the N81 to deviated fixed-route service, weekdays only, minibus.

3. N2/N8...Keep N8; restore service to Franklin Hospital, discontinue N2. Minibus.

4. I would leave the N21 alone as the N25 would become too unreliable. That is why I proposed cutting a lot of N20 service to the Clock Tower.

5. Bellmore area: Keep N45, discontinue N46 and N47, convert N50 to deviated fixed-route south of Hempstead Turnpike. N45 and N50 (plus N51) would be run with minibuses.

6. N51: With 4 other routes already servicing Nassau Community College, route N51 via Corporate Drive to Merrick Avenue instead.

7. N24: Reduce weekday East Meadow to rush hours only. All N24 off-peak service would terminate at Roosevelt Field.

8. I would leave the N25 as is because you would mess up the N58's weekend service in the process.

9. N78/9: Weekend service west of Roosevelt Field discontinued. N78 runs rush hours only; in busiest section of route, short turns would run between Roosevelt Field and Hicksville RR on weekdays to maintain 30-minute headways on this segment.

 

This debate could go on, but the aim is to streamline the service with ridership.

 

Deviated fixed route? LIB never had and will never have general public demand response. Nassau is just too dense for that.

[Q43LTD]

 

7. N24: Reduce weekday East Meadow to rush hours only. All N24 off-peak service would terminate at Roosevelt Field.

 

The N24 doesn't serve East Meadow all day. But then again, which EM terminal are you talking about, Reckson Building or Commercial Av?

[checkmatechamp13]

Exactly: this is all on Nassau. They refuse to pay their share, so why should the rest of us bail them out? I say let LIB fall [make Nassau either pay for those 1700s or the MTA should take them and give them to MTA Bus]. No sense in lettling Nassau be the reason more city routes have to be cut because Nassau refuses to be deadbeats.

 

To be fair, there are many more alternatives in NYC than in Nassau County, so service reductions here aren't as severe as service reductions in Nassau County as far as coverage is concerned.

 

Still, I think Nassau County should find a way to fund its system, rather than passing the burden to NYC.

 

By the way, when I calculated the farebox recovery ratio (FRR), take into consideration that that is the total for the whole week. I have a Google Doc saying the FRR for weekday, Saturday, and Sunday service (the MTA took down their LI Bus data). PM me with your email address (preferably a Gmail address), and I'll add you as a collaborator so you can view it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

To be fair, there are many more alternatives in NYC than in Nassau County, so service reductions here aren't as severe as service reductions in Nassau County as far as coverage is concerned.

 

Still, I think Nassau County should find a way to fund its system, rather than passing the burden to NYC.

 

By the way, when I calculated the farebox recovery ratio (FRR), take into consideration that that is the total for the whole week. I have a Google Doc saying the FRR for weekday, Saturday, and Sunday service (the MTA took down their LI Bus data). PM me with your email address (preferably a Gmail address), and I'll add you as a collaborator so you can view it.

 

Let them pay for their transit like we do... :mad: If the MTA is in a fiscal crisis like they claim, they can ill afford to be footing the bill for Nassau County while they slash service here in NYC like crazy. You can thank Nassau County as part of the reason that our service on Staten Island is so anemic. (See below) I for one don't have much sympathy for them. Everybody has to take care of themselves and not look to pass the buck like they're doing. One island stealing from another one...

 

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Nassau-Vs-Staten-Island-Over-MTA-Funds-99071229.html

 

I know you're all about sacrificing for the good of everyone, but there comes a point to where it becomes ridiculous. They've been crying poor for years and the MTA has been constantly footing the bill and passing on higher tolls to us. I don't see how that can be justified at all. Perhaps there would be some monies to finally give us some form of limited stop service (even a modified one) outside of rush hours like the other boroughs have. We are long overdue for it.

[checkmatechamp13]

What they should do is, rather than make deep cuts, they should look into tolling some of the highways over there. In addition to providing a revenue stream to fund the transit system over there, it should also bring some additional ridership (not much, but some), that will justify keeping more services around.

 

The same idea applies in NYC: The tolls on the bridges and tunnels are high enough to help cross-subsidize the transit system. Obviously, considering the fact that Nassau County is more car-dependant than NYC, the tolls should be a little bit lower, but drivers shoud still help cross-subsidize the LI transit system (Remember: Every person on a bus or train is one person who could potentially be out on the road).

[Joel Up Front]

Let them pay for their transit like we do... :mad: If the MTA is in a fiscal crisis like they claim, they can ill afford to be footing the bill for Nassau County while they slash service here in NYC like crazy. You can thank Nassau County as part of the reason that our service on Staten Island is so anemic. (See below) I for one don't have much sympathy for them. Everybody has to take care of themselves and not look to pass the buck like they're doing. One island stealing from another one...

 

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Nassau-Vs-Staten-Island-Over-MTA-Funds-99071229.html

 

I know you're all about sacrificing for the good of everyone, but there comes a point to where it becomes ridiculous. They've been crying poor for years and the MTA has been constantly footing the bill and passing on higher tolls to us. I don't see how that can be justified at all. Perhaps there would be some monies to finally give us some form of limited stop service (even a modified one) outside of rush hours like the other boroughs have. We are long overdue for it.

 

Don't even bring that old as **** news into that. Both islands are highly car-centric but you can't blame one small part of the MTA for keeping the tolls so high. You think there aren't money losers in the five boroughs? Think again.

[Burrstone]

I love the angry city folk coming out to the suburbs and after LIB with pitch forks and torches! "How dare the MTA support LIB and cut NYC service because of it!?!"

 

You tell them! Maybe they should cut off LIB like a redheaded step child they adopted and just support their own!

 

The MTA would be saving $40 million by cutting off LIB! They could restore service cuts to the city by cutting off the suburbs! ...oh wait the MTA's budget gap is $800 million.

 

What people are getting all worked up about, foaming at the mouth about, taking care of LIB "while the city suffers," is only 5% of the problem!!!!

 

The problem is that the MTA is run by idiots and Nassau County is run by idiots. Both are run by people who are concerned more about the people at the top than the people who ride or drive the buses! Nassau is concerned with pleasing the people who jump in their brand new Mercedes every morning parked at their million dollar house... "If they can only afford to take the bus they will have to deal with waiting in the cold for an hour or hour and 15 for the bus" or "If we keep on cutting service maybe those who can only afford public transportation will take the hint, move to the city and out of "our" county."

 

The MTA and Long Island Bus are only concerned about those at the top... The MTA is only to ensure great salaries, benefits, and pensions to workers at the top not about providing the service possible to riders, right?

 

The only answer is restructuring the MTA, restructuring long Island Bus, and knocking some sense into Nassau County... Pay your share. This is like a child you created, you need to support it, don't be a deadbeat! MTA: you adopted this child, you can't not support it because you are having money problems.

[checkmatechamp13]

1) The MTA was able to fill in a good part of that $800 million gap through administrative restructuring.

 

2) The services that get good ridership tend to run through some of the poorer parts of Nassau County, so the people that they are trying to price out will still technically be living in Nassau County, though they will be isolated to certain areas (generally in the western portion of Nassau County).

 

3) The MTA "adopted" LI Bus in the first place because they thought that Nassau County was going to pay them back. Since they don't plan on paying the money they owe, the MTA has the right to drop its services.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Don't even bring that old as **** news into that. Both islands are highly car-centric but you can't blame one small part of the MTA for keeping the tolls so high. You think there aren't money losers in the five boroughs? Think again.

 

We've been getting shafted with the highest tolls for years now and Nassau County has a hand in that, so yeah we have resentment for that. Time for you guys to pay up or get off the pot...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I love the angry city folk coming out to the suburbs and after LIB with pitch forks and torches! "How dare the MTA support LIB and cut NYC service because of it!?!"

 

You tell them! Maybe they should cut off LIB like a redheaded step child they adopted and just support their own!

 

The MTA would be saving $40 million by cutting off LIB! They could restore service cuts to the city by cutting off the suburbs! ...oh wait the MTA's budget gap is $800 million.

 

What people are getting all worked up about, foaming at the mouth about, taking care of LIB "while the city suffers," is only 5% of the problem!!!!

 

The problem is that the MTA is run by idiots and Nassau County is run by idiots. Both are run by people who are concerned more about the people at the top than the people who ride or drive the buses! Nassau is concerned with pleasing the people who jump in their brand new Mercedes every morning parked at their million dollar house... "If they can only afford to take the bus they will have to deal with waiting in the cold for an hour or hour and 15 for the bus" or "If we keep on cutting service maybe those who can only afford public transportation will take the hint, move to the city and out of "our" county."

 

The MTA and Long Island Bus are only concerned about those at the top... The MTA is only to ensure great salaries, benefits, and pensions to workers at the top not about providing the service possible to riders, right?

 

The only answer is restructuring the MTA, restructuring long Island Bus, and knocking some sense into Nassau County... Pay your share. This is like a child you created, you need to support it, don't be a deadbeat! MTA: you adopted this child, you can't not support it because you are having money problems.

 

They didn't just start supporting Nassau County... This has been going on for years, so maybe if they weren't subsidizing their transportation they wouldn't be in a $800 million hole... Nassau County has no shame in stealing from Staten Island or anyone else for that matter.

[checkmatechamp13]

We've been getting shafted with the highest tolls for years now and Nassau County has a hand in that, so yeah we have resentment for that. Time for you guys to pay up or get off the pot...

 

I don't think we have ridiculously high tolls. A round-trip toll on the Verrazanno-Narrows Bridge is only $5.76, which is equivalent to $2.88 in each direction. The only people paying the full $13 are people paying in cash.

[Joel Up Front]

We've been getting shafted with the highest tolls for years now and Nassau County has a hand in that, so yeah we have resentment for that. Time for you guys to pay up or get off the pot...

 

Prove it. I don't care if you get bent out of shape because your express bus fare goes up to $6.25 because you think Nassau is evil and exists solely to extort money from the MTA.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Prove it. I don't care if you get bent out of shape because your express bus fare goes up to $6.25 because you think Nassau is evil and exists solely to extort money from the MTA.

 

Forget about all of that... If Nassau County wants transportation services, then they need to pay for it, simple as that. What makes them so special that they think that they're above everyone else?? That's the real question. :mad:

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I don't think we have ridiculously high tolls. A round-trip toll on the Verrazanno-Narrows Bridge is only $5.76, which is equivalent to $2.88 in each direction. The only people paying the full $13 are people paying in cash.

 

The fact still remains that we have the highest tolls in the country and we should NOT have to pay just to get off of the island. Go to any other borough and no one else pays to leave their borough. Staten Island residents should be able to cross the Verrazano for free. All of the NJ folks using our borough to run to NJ can pay the tolls.

[Joel Up Front]

The has no way of counting where every driver that crosses the Verrazano comes from. Even those that have E-ZPasses don't outnumber the people that pay in cash or Staten Islanders who don't really cross the bridge in their own car often.

 

And people that use SI to get to NJ already do that if they cross the bridge. Other bridges in the nation don't carry as much traffic or connect regions as important or populous as ours...

[aemoreira81]

The N24 doesn't serve East Meadow all day. But then again, which EM terminal are you talking about, Reckson Building or Commercial Av?

 

East Meadow by Reckson - customers to Mitchel Field can use the N16 or N27.

[Joel Up Front]

The N16's nearest stop to Mitchel Field depot is a good 5 minute walk away. Never mind the lack of crosswalks on Charles Lindbergh Boulevard.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The has no way of counting where every driver that crosses the Verrazano comes from. Even those that have E-ZPasses don't outnumber the people that pay in cash or Staten Islanders who don't really cross the bridge in their own car often.

 

And people that use SI to get to NJ already do that if they cross the bridge. Other bridges in the nation don't carry as much traffic or connect regions as important or populous as ours...

 

All one needs to do is see all of the NJ License plates coming off of the Verrazano and onto the SIE...

[Shortline Bus]

It's scary on what cuts might occur on a bus system like LI Bus next. This bus line should be expanding services not cutting them. Not to mention, there only taxi service as alternatives for those without owning a car not near a LIRR station.

 

Of everyone I read so far, Checkmate proposals is the one that makes the most sense. I do agree that N19 service *east* of Sunrise Mall should be every hour non-peak.

 

 

Also the N78/79 westbound terminal should be Roosevelt Field. With service extended to Mineola rush hours only.

 

Just my takes.

 

 

Looking at the original post and then checkmatechamp13's post, some things jump out:

 

1. Why is the N19 at 30-minute headways? That's a route that should be at hourly headways only, with a truncation to Sunrise Mall and an interline with N71 (N19 buses would leave at :15 past the hour and change into an N71 at Sunrise Mall). On the N70/71/72 departures, N70 and N71 departure times would be swapped on weekdays, and N71 and N72 departures swapped on weekends.

 

2. Save money on the N72 by eliminating service east of Airport Plaza in Farmingdale (and negotiate with management for buses to serve the plaza at Conklin and 110). I say eliminate, not reduce, because it would leave way too much layover time at Babylon for N72s that would continue to there.

 

3. The N20/1 issue is really a problem, as the N20 is the only service to three colleges along the North Shore of Long Island. My solution there would be to discontinue Sunday N20 service east of the Roslyn Clock Tower on Sundays, and run service every 2 hours on weekends east of the Clock Tower (LIU C.W. Post is going to have to do more for its student transportation to and from Hicksville on weekends). N48/49 service would run as far north as Jericho Turnpike on weekends.

 

4. The N27 is also a big problem, and I'm not sure how this can be fixed, although I would probably eliminate Sunday service and send the N15 on Sundays via Westbury Boulevard.

 

5. Likewise for the N25 and N26, this route can't really be fixed without a Q46 extension on weekdays to Great Neck of select runs. On weekends, it is interlined with the N58.

 

6. All of the other routes below 50 percent recovery should be run with cutaways using contractors, except the N79. The N79 though should probably have select runs truncated to Roosevelt Field Mall on the west end, as there is adequate N22 and N24 service to Mineola.

[Burrstone]

To all those in Staten Island feeling shafted by Long Island..

 

I live on the Island and am going back to school in Manhattan... I'd kill to ride a ferry for free from Nassau County into Manhattan!

 

Instead I have to pay a ridiculous amount to ride the LIRR...

 

Yea boo hoo the MTA is handing $40 million to LIB, but how much is Staten Island being handed in the terms of free ferry service (by whoever) that (conveniently) no one seems to be mentioning in the Staten Island pitty party!?!

[Hawk Operator]

Yea boo hoo the MTA is handing $40 million to LIB, but how much is Staten Island being handed in the terms of free ferry service (by whoever) that (conveniently) no one seems to be mentioning in the Staten Island pitty party!?!

 

The Staten Island Ferry Service I believe is provided by NYC Dept of Transportation, and if memory serves became free under Mayor Rudolph Guiliani. And you are right there is a expensive operation free of charge, yet noone complains about it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

To all those in Staten Island feeling shafted by Long Island..

 

I live on the Island and am going back to school in Manhattan... I'd kill to ride a ferry for free from Nassau County into Manhattan!

 

Instead I have to pay a ridiculous amount to ride the LIRR...

 

Yea boo hoo the MTA is handing $40 million to LIB, but how much is Staten Island being handed in the terms of free ferry service (by whoever) that (conveniently) no one seems to be mentioning in the Staten Island pitty party!?!

 

Many of us wouldn't mind a fare being re-instated on the Ferry. It should be free only to island residents. The ferry is used a ton by tourists and I for one think that they should pay. If they're going to run here then let them pay to come here. It's not like they can afford it, esp. the Europeans. They have a great exchange rate now anyway with the dollar being in the tanks and they come here to load up on electronics and sh*t because they cost so much more in Europe. The reason that it should be free for residents is because if it wasn't they could face another fare. However, I think if the DOT (they run the SI Ferry) and MTA got together, that could be worked out by way of an extra transfer. With the way those new boats break down, they'd be better off charging a fare and maybe then they'd be more reliable, as they'd have more money to fix them quicker instead having to send them down to Virigina or wherever they send them to be repaired because it is cheaper there. That's another reason I switched to the express bus. It's a free ride, sure, but when they break down, you're basically sh*t out of luck and stuck waiting there for another 20-30 minutes or even more depending on when it happens.