So, imagine the commuters surprise when they received this notice from the commuter line just yesterday:
(Long Island Transit, Dear Loyal Patrons...)
"We regret to inform you that due to circumstances beyond our control, Long Island Transit will be forced to shut down its service at the end of February 2011. Since January 2009, Long Island Transit has provided an alternative method for commuting residents of Nassau County to travel to Manhattan. However, Long Island Transit has operated without a contract with Nassau County and the towns and cities it serves for more than a year and has been unable to secure certain governmental incentives that were necessary to continue the service."Why aren't our elected officials working to save this much needed service? Why are they allowing this service to die? If this service is shuttered, residents are left withe the government monopoly known as the MTA. A service that is more expensive and less reliable the the Long Island Transit Bus. In this difficult economy entrepreneurship should be encouraged and rewarded. Especially when the private business is reaching out into the public sector in an attempt to supplement a needed service.
I ask our elected officials to look into this matter and see what can be done to save the Long Island transit bus. I ask State Senator Carl Marcellino, State Assemblyman Charles Lavine, County Executive Ed Mangano and Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi to work with the people at Long Island Transit and work out a solution to keep the buses rolling!