Regional bus is one of the recommendations in the "Ravitch Commission" report on funding and reforming the MTA. While some of the Ravitch funding recommendations, such as a payroll tax, have received significant public attention, regional bus has not.As proposed in the Ravitch report, Westchester's Bee-Line and Nassau's Long Island Bus would be consolidated into a new MTA Regional Bus Authority and the MTA would assume financial responsibility for running both systems. The new structure has the potential to streamline operations and end annual feuds between the counties, state and MTA over funding the systems, allowing Bee-Line to more quickly expand, upgrade, and maintain its system. The forum, February 13 at 9 am, at the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle, will address this potential, along with the management, labor and funding issues that would need to be overcome to make it a reality.
A regional bus authority could also accelerate the creation of a modern, efficient, 21st-century bus system that includes innovative technologies like bus rapid transit (BRT). BRT uses a combination of technology, infrastructure, and procedure to get buses moving faster; a pilot BRT route in New York City has increased speeds by 20% and has a 98% approval rating from riders. Westchester planners will discuss the county's plan to create its own BRT line and Walter Hook will describe BRT systems from around the world.
The Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Regional Plan Association invite you to attend a forum on how regional bus would affect Westchester County, on February 13 at 9 am, at the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle. Speakers and panelists include State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Senators Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Jeffrey Klein (invited), Assemblymembers Amy Paulin and George Latimer (invited), Westchester DOT Commissioner Larry Salley, and bus rapid transit expert Walter Hook of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Breakfast will be served.
The program agenda is below. Space is limited, so please RSVP by February 6. To RSVP, contact steven@tstc.org. We hope you can join us!
Agenda:
9:00-9:30am: Breakfast
9:30-9:45am: Welcome to Westchester. Larry Salley, Westchester DOT.
9:45-10:45am: Bee-Line Bus: Current Challenges. Larry Salley, Westchester DOT; Ed Watt, Transport Workers Union Local 100; Chris Jones, Regional Plan Association; Kate Slevin, Tri-State Transportation Campaign.
10:45-11:00am: Break
11:00-11:45am: What Does 21st-Century Bus Service Look Like? An Overview of Bus Rapid Transit. Walter Hook, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy; Naomi Klein, Westchester DOT.
11:45am-12:45pm: Elected official response panel:
Hon. Jeffrey Klein (invited)
Hon. George Latimer (invited)
Hon. Suzi Oppenheimer
Hon. Amy Paulin (invited)
Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (invited)
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