Turbo19 Posted March 18, 2014 Share #1 Posted March 18, 2014 Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has asked Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for a nearly 50 percent bump in state funding for the county's bus system -- pointing out that Nassau gets a lot more money while contributing a lot less. In a letter to Cuomo dated March 10, Bellone requested $10 million in new state funding for Suffolk County Transit, which carries about 22,000 passengers every weekday. Bellone said in the letter that the additional funds were not only needed, but would address "an issue of equity." "Other suburban counties such as Nassau and Westchester receive up to five times the amount of state funds that Suffolk County receives," wrote Bellone, who noted that Suffolk is coming off its largest increase in service in its history with the addition of Sunday bus service on several routes. "However, much more needs to be done," Bellone wrote. Cuomo's office did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for the state budget office said officials are "reviewing County Executive Bellone's letter." The disparity in state transit aid between Long Island's two counties has long stuck in the craw of Suffolk administrations. Of its bus system's $57 million annual budget, $29 million -- more than half -- comes from county subsidies. The state kicks in about $22 million annually. To compare, Nassau contributes $2.6 million to the $113 million annual budget of the Nassau Inter-County Express, or NICE Bus, but gets $57 million from the state. Westchester County puts about $19 million annually into its Bee-Line Bus system, and gets $47 million from the state. "This is really just pointing out what I think has been a long-standing issue that Suffolk County is getting less funds than surrounding counties, and pointing out that this is a top priority for us," Bellone said in an interview Thursday.Read More: Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theaveragejoe Posted March 23, 2014 Share #2 Posted March 23, 2014 He needs to stop crying as NICE and Bee-Line also have higher ridership, more routes, and more service hours then Suffolk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY1635 Posted March 23, 2014 Share #3 Posted March 23, 2014 He needs to stop crying as NICE and Bee-Line also have higher ridership, more routes, and more service hours then Suffolk. That's because NICE and Bee-Line get more funding for their county than Suffolk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theaveragejoe Posted March 29, 2014 Share #4 Posted March 29, 2014 Suffolk is mostly a car county. Suffolk and Nassau county have backward bus systems period! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted March 30, 2014 Share #5 Posted March 30, 2014 Suffolk is mostly a car county. Suffolk and Nassau county have backward bus systems period! Our suburban areas just plain suck period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo19 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted March 30, 2014 Our suburban areas just plain suck period. Taking into consideration the relative proximity to the NYC metro area it's quite strange. They're worlds apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtehpanda Posted March 31, 2014 Share #7 Posted March 31, 2014 Taking into consideration the relative proximity to the NYC metro area it's quite strange. They're worlds apart. Proximity to NYC and Suffolk County are two words I definitely didn't think I would ever see together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo19 Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted March 31, 2014 Proximity to NYC and Suffolk County are two words I definitely didn't think I would ever see together. Which is why I mentioned that it's all relative. In comparison to areas in upstate NY, or in NJ Suffolk is closer to the metro area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted April 2, 2014 Share #9 Posted April 2, 2014 Which is why I mentioned that it's all relative. In comparison to areas in upstate NY, or in NJ Suffolk is closer to the metro area. Thank the LIRR for making access to NYC so easy. And 7bus &Hampton jitney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted April 2, 2014 Share #10 Posted April 2, 2014 Suffolk is mostly a car county. Suffolk and Nassau county have backward bus systems period! Rockland county however is an exception. Their slogan should be "take the bus go anywhere"!!! Yes literally anywhere. Want NJ take trains want GWB Or Brooklyn monsey bus for Manhattan Rockland coaches which even have service to several areas in NJ. Shortline for upstate NY or LI and TZX for Westchester county connected to the I-bus for CT bound people not even counting where metro-north can take you. And frequent local service to boot and they time with Rockland coaches routes which people started using locally. NJT sec jct Nuff said. I haven't used a more extensive suburban system than Rockland county!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theaveragejoe Posted April 5, 2014 Share #11 Posted April 5, 2014 Yes I was able to fan a bit of Rockland county when I was in NYC last April for the MBS convention, I was impressed how good transit was in Rockland county, even better then some bigger cities in the USA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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