Jump to content

Mangano Selects Veolia to Operate Long Island Bus


PinePower

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 238
  • Created
  • Last Reply
It's my opinion. Mangano has a vested interest in seeing his privatization scheme succeed.

 

yeah, I realize "it's your opinion"....

 

But when you come on here & say our predictions of "doom & gloom" are really overblown.... and then tell me the basis behind YOUR optimism is b/c he wants to see his scheme succeed (which is obvious), is nothin short of laughable....

 

If you're gonna call us transit fans out on our opinions, you should at the very least come with a stronger opposing opinion than that....

-----------------

 

 

^ Aside from this guy's comment...

 

Does anyone think Mangano wanted to sabotage his dealings w/ the MTA from the start, just so he can hire another operator of his choosing... and pay that poor sucker LESS than what he was paying the MTA to run LIB ???

 

Does anyone (else) think Mangano will opt to hand out MORE funds to this phantom operator to perform the same task ???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone think Mangano wanted to sabotage his dealings w/ the MTA from the start, just so he can hire another operator of his choosing... and pay that poor sucker LESS than what he was paying the MTA to run LIB ???

 

Does anyone think Mangano will opt to hand out MORE funds to this phantom operator to perform the same task ???

 

Isn't the point of this whole scheme to pay less than what they would have to the MTA? It would seem illogical, implausible and insulting for Mangano to choose an operator that's going to charge more for the same function.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't the point of this whole scheme to pay less than what they would have to the MTA? It would seem illogical, implausible and insulting for Mangano to choose an operator that's going to charge more for the same function.

 

ok, so it's not just me....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, I realize "it's your opinion"....

 

But when you come on here & say our predictions of "doom & gloom" are really overblown.... and then tell me the basis behind YOUR optimism is b/c he wants to see his scheme succeed (which is obvious), is nothin short of laughable....

 

If you're gonna call us transit fans out on our opinions, you should at the very least come with a stronger opposing opinion than that....

 

 

Gladly.

 

Most of the people predicting doom and gloom keep harping on the lost MTA subsidy. While it is substantial, Nassau’s bus system will still have the following revenues (based on the 2009 National Transit Database numbers):

 

$42 million in fare revenues

$60 million in state operating assistance (this is a formula based on riders and vehicle miles)

$5 million in Federal operating assistance

 

That is $107 million dollars before you even factor in a local or MTA contribution. LI Bus operating funds expended were $136 million that year. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that there is still a $26 million gap in funding. $110 million is 81 percent of $136 million. The private operator will have a lower cost of operation (just look at the MTA board materials to see how top-heavy LI Bus is with managers and supervisory staff). Nassau will make some cuts similar to what the MTA proposed. Gap closed.

 

Just because I have an opinion doesn’t mean I pulled it out of my butt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the transition should be interesting to see.

 

Can someone please put another link? Stupid Long Island newspaper wants you to subscribe in order to read the article. ;)

 

Still, NIFA and the county have to approve it. I still wish the worst for Mangano, though.

 

 

Who knows. Maybe he will...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gladly.

 

Most of the people predicting doom and gloom keep harping on the lost MTA subsidy. While it is substantial, Nassau’s bus system will still have the following revenues (based on the 2009 National Transit Database numbers):

 

$42 million in fare revenues

$60 million in state operating assistance (this is a formula based on riders and vehicle miles)

$5 million in Federal operating assistance

 

That is $107 million dollars before you even factor in a local or MTA contribution. LI Bus operating funds expended were $136 million that year. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that there is still a $26 million gap in funding. $110 million is 81 percent of $136 million. The private operator will have a lower cost of operation (just look at the MTA board materials to see how top-heavy LI Bus is with managers and supervisory staff). Nassau will make some cuts similar to what the MTA proposed. Gap closed.

 

Just because I have an opinion doesn’t mean I pulled it out of my butt.

 

No one implied anything about pulling an opinion out of your behind.... I wasn't trying to attack you when I asked you what I did... Instead of having gotten defensive & sayin what you did in that last reply, this is all you had to say.......

 

With those figures you posted, I still don't agree that Mangano will pay Veolia, anymore than he did the MTA..... We'll simply have to disagree.

 

prepare for higher fares, is all I have to say....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Via.... here ya go.....

 

from:

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=78DC88611A38C9FAC923.3083?site=newsday&view=top_stories_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=topstories&feed:i=1.2947117&nopaging=1

 

 

breaking news

Pick to run LI Bus has D'Amato tie

 

Updated: Jun 10, 2011 12:50 PM

By ALFONSO A. CASTILLO

Multiple Page View

Veolia Transportation, a company represented locally by former Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato's consulting firm, is the bidder selected to take over operation of Long Island Bus in 2012, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced Friday.

 

At a news conference in Mineola , Mangano said Veolia, of Lombard, Ill., has agreed to keep existing fares and levels of service through the end of 2012.

 

A five-person committee Mangano named last fall chose Veolia Transportation -- the North American arm of an enormous global firm based in Paris -- from three bidders to take over the county-owned system that serves 100,000 daily riders.

 

Veolia's bid bested those from MV Transit, based in Fairfield, Calif ., and First Transit, based in Cincinnati.

 

Before the deal is made official, the county legislature and the Nassau Interim Finance Authority must approve the winning bidder.

 

Long Island Bus has been operated for nearly 40 years by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority .

 

The county and the MTA agreed to part ways after a longstanding funding dispute. The MTA said it needed $26 million more than the $9.1-million annual subsidy it was getting from Nassau County if it was to keep existing levels of service.

 

Mangano said he believed the MTA was not running the system efficiently and that the county was paying the authority more money than ever when considering the new employer payroll tax that funds the MTA.

 

In April, the MTA voted to terminate its agreement with Nassau effective Dec. 31. The private operator is to take over the system Jan. 1.

 

On its corporate website, Veolia says it runs the "largest and most sophisticated bus networks in the U.S. and Canada " in cities ranging from suburban Atlanta to Phoenix to Toronto .

 

Veolia hired D'Amato's firm, Park Strategies, as consultant during the county bidding process. Park Strategies vice president Robert McBride , a well-known GOP lobbyist who hosted a fundraiser for Mangano in McBride 's home in January, headed the effort locally.

 

County officials disputed there was any conflict of interest. McBride said he never discussed the bus contract with Mangano.

 

Several Democratic county lawmakers said Thursday that they still are skeptical of the plan, believing it unlikely that a private operator will be able to run the system at a lower cost to the county than the MTA unless fares are raised significantly and routes are eliminated.

 

"This is going to end up costing us so much more money," Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D- Hempstead ) said. "One way or the other, we're going to have to put money into this. And I hate to think that it's going to come from the riders."

 

Mangano was joined at the news conference by Mark Aesch, chief executive of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, who consulted with the county in picking a bidder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see the only people crying are the Democrats... And what's so terrible about the riders having to pay more for the system that they're using?

 

"This is going to end up costing us so much more money," Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D- Hempstead) said. "One way or the other, we're going to have to put money into this. And I hate to think that it's going to come from the riders."

 

Really??? And who should pay more besides them? Oh that's right, let's stick to those that earn more, even if they're not using the system. Typical. ;)

 

If this meant that middle class and upper middle class folks had to pay more you wouldn't hear anything. That's like when the express bus fares get raised no one says anything because the thinking is we express bus riders can afford it. I doubt no one stands up for LIRR riders either when the (MTA) jacks up the fare. The outrage should be across the board, not just for one group of people. If that were the case I would be fine with this outrage, but that's usually not the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And you think you can stick the costs on people that are struggling to make ends meet and ride the system? How elitist.

 

There is nothing elitist about it. They're the ones using it so why should those who aren't using it pay more??? It's the perfect example of overtaxation. Let's tax those with more to supplement those who have less, even though they have nothing to do with the system.

 

And to all of those who are skeptical, of course you are. We've had no other show in town besides the (MTA), which is pathetic because if anything happened to them, we'd be sh*t out of luck. You cannot rely on one agency to take care of the entire system. That's why we have the mess that we have now with the (MTA). Simply too big to do what it needs to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.