Senate Bill S509

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S509

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the
provision of express bus service to the south shore of Staten Island

 PURPOSE :
To provide continued express bus service to the downtown and midtown
business districts of Manhattan.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :
Section 1.  Adds a new Section 1266-i, which directs the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) to fund and operate existing express
bus service routes servicing the South Shore of Staten Island within
the city of New York to the downtown and midtown business districts of
Manhattan.

 JUSTIFICATION :
According to U.S. Census data released in early March 2000, Richmond
County (Staten Island) is ranked as the fastest growing county in New
York State. The South Shore of Staten Island, specifically the
communities of Tottenville, Richmond Valley, Prince's Bay, Pleasant
Plains, Charleston, Woodrow and Rossville, is the only area of its
size (in terms of population and geography) excluded from the MTA's
full range of publicly provided surface transit services to and from
Manhattan's downtown and midtown business districts.
              

The MTA operates 30 express bus routes in Staten Island, all north of
Huguenot Avenue. Residents there can find and utilize an express bus
route merely a couple of blocks from their residences. Yet, the MTA
does not provide adequate service south of Huguenot Avenue in the
South Shore area. Due to the lack of service, South Shore residents
who currently opt for bus service must either take MTA local service
to an MTA express stop and then transfer, or take private express bus
or charter bus service through New Jersey. The MTA needs to establish
express bus service throughout all of Staten Island to address the
transportation inequities in the South Shore and grant its residents
the same convenience afforded to the rest of the borough and New York
City.  In 2000 legislation was passed by the Senate and Assembly to
add needed express bus service. This legislation was vetoed by the
Governor because an agreement was made through the MTA to serve the
residents of the South Shore with three express buses, two of which
are operated by a private bus company.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
2008: S.3038 - Referred to Transportation/A.2415 - Referred to
Corporations
2007: S.3038 - Referred to Transportation/A.2415 - Referred to
Corporations
2006: S.1842 - Referred to Transportation/A.3535 - Referred to
Corporations
2005: S.1842 - Referred to Transportation/A.3535 - Referred to
Corportions
2004: S.7542 - Referred to Transportation/A.11626 - Referred to
Corporations
2001: Veto
94

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.