Larchmont Bus Routes
Safe - for Now
by Judy Silberstein
 (February
11, 2004) "We were all cheering on the bus this morning when
we learned the news that the Bee-line bus was saved," commuter
Suzanne Morley emailed the Gazette on Wednesday morning.
The regulars on the #71 Larchmont Manor
bus were relieved that their route had survived Westchester
County's budget cuts – at
least for a while.
Following state authorization on Monday for Westchester
County to increase sales tax in most jurisdictions by .5%,
the County Legislature met on Tuesday and passed a budget
plan without cutbacks on bus routes. The original plan had
called for eliminating 44 routes across Westchester, including
both the #70 and #71 commuter buses that take residents in
the Larchmont Manor and parts of Town of Mamaroneck to and
from the Larchmont train station. (See:
Larchmont Buses for Route Info & Rider Comment)
“The Board of Legislators has set a cap mechanism
so that all service will be retained for the remainder of
the year,” Transportation Commissioner Lawrence Salley
told the Gazette. In addition, “The Board and the County
Executive have committed to work with the state so that $5
million in service reductions will not need to be made in
2005,” he said.
Ironically, or maybe not, approximately 200 commuters were
pleading for their bus routes at a public hearing in the
Westchester County Center at the same time the Board of Legislators
was voting to restore the routes. The legislators were unavailable
to hear the pleas, but the message appeared to have an impact,
nonetheless.
The current restoration is assured only for the rest of
the year. So it may be incumbent upon bus supporters to continue
efforts to make their case with county and state governments.
How should that be done?
Riding the bus and getting others
aboard is one method, suggested County Legislator George
Latimore, who represents Larchmont and surrounding
communities in district 7. Full buses make their
own case.
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