Express Bus at Risk Again
Last year, when the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) was trying to trim its budget, it eliminated the City Island express bus (BxM7B) from its schedule. City Council Member James Vacca and other elected officials, as well as members of the community protested, and eventually, after some budget tinkering, the bus route was saved.
It has happened again, not only for the City Island express bus but for some other Bronx local routes as well. Now, however, Jimmy Vacca is head of the Council’s Transportation Committee, and he plans to mobilize an even more active protest this time around.
The MTA claims that the City Island express serves only 70 customers a day and that eliminating the service would save $204,000 a year.
“This latest MTA proposal is nothing more than robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Mr. Vacca said.” Some lines that were originally in jeopardy have been spared, but others that we assumed were safe are now in danger. We have lines that are being rerouted to make up for the cuts, but we now have less service in the communities those lines used to serve. None of this is necessary. The Council has put forth a fully funded plan to balance the MTA’s budget without impacting any existing bus or train service. I am again calling on the MTA to consider all alternative plans before resorting to cutting services at a time when cash-strapped New Yorkers can afford it least.”
Mr. Vacca hopes that Island residents who use the bus regularly will mount a protest, perhaps by writing letters to the MTA (Joseph Smith, President of the MTA Bus Company, 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004-2207) or sending an e-mail (www.mta.info/faqs.htm ; press the e-mail button).
He also urges everyone who is interested in saving the bus to attend a public hearing on Wednesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. at the Paradise Theater, 2403 Grand Concourse, at 187th Street. (A visit to this beautiful theater would be worth the trip in any case.)
