Private Bus Service Extended For 6 Months:

In response to growing uncertainty over the fate of private bus routes and their workers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) Chair Peter Kalikow last Thursday night announced they would delay this weeks scheduled takeover of seven private lines by the MTA.
The state agency planned to take control of the bus lines in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx on July 1, but now the mayor has postponed the takeover for six months.
Earlier this week, the State Senate passed legislation to protect the workers, but the Assembly did not pass the bill before its summer recess.
To prevent any disruptions in service, the mayor asked for the private bus lines to continue providing service.
"This afternoon, we sent a message of necessity to the City Council and asked them to vote an extension until December 4 to do everything we can to either prevent or minimize service disruptions that may take place after July 1," he said.
Jamie Van Bremer, a spokesperson for Transit Alliance, a conglomeration of the private bus lines operating in Queens, said that though the mayor had called for the extension, his group was not sure how service would go after July 1.
"We as private operators are as in the dark as the public are," he said. "Our legal authority expired at the end of the month and it has only been renewed until December 4. Obviously, we will do what we can to ensure that riders get service, but frankly we dont know what the MTAs ultimate plans are."
Council Transportation Committee Chairman John Liu criticized the way negotiations have been handled.
"The MTA was in no position to take over on July 1," he said. "What has happened is a total and complete failure on the part of the administration and the MTA. By extending this ordeal for six months, they have added to the turmoil and uncertainty hanging over the bus workers. Meanwhile, the service for riders gets worse, more buses break down without repair and the administration and the MTA cant seem to understand theyre wreaking havoc."
Van Bremer said talk of whether the MTA will absorb the private companies non-union workers and use the private bus depots was continuing.
"We are still in midst of negotiations. Everything is on the table," Van Bremer said. "We would like to hear what the MTAs plans are for the non-unionized private bus company workers. Will they be employed by the new MTA service? Are their jobs secure? Will the MTA secure their pensions? And as there are three private bus companies that operate out of their own depots in Queens, will those depots now be run by the MTA?"
The workers were told they would be hired by the MTA, but to date none have been contacted, Van Bremer said. Consequently, around 400 non-union employees who work at the private bus companies still have no guarantees about their jobs and their pensions.
Mayoral spokesperson, Chris Coffey responded to the harsh criticism by Councilmember Liu: "The Mayor is committed to improving service on express buses for all of the riders in Queens. He has been working hard to get the State Legislature to pass a good law that will fully allow the city to be in control of its own destiny and allow the people of Queens to have safe and reliable bus service. If Councilman Liu is so committed to the same goals, he should know as chairman of the New York City Council Transportation Committee, that Albany needs to pass such a law. We would encourage the councilman to lobby Albany to get this done in a swift manner. If he really wants to help, action speaks far louder than words."