Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced last week an agreement that would allow riders on Nassau Inter-County Express “NICE” buses to continue to use their Metropolitan Transit Authority MetroCards with the county’s new transit provider.
The agreement allows Veolia Transportation, which began operation of the county’s busing system on Jan. 1, to accept MetroCards for transfers from NICE buses to MTA buses or subways.
“It is vital that there be a smooth transition between the Nassau County transit system and the MTA,” Mangano said in a news release announcing the agreement. “NICE bus riders will now have all the benefits of our public-private operating partnership with Veolia with the convenience of the continued use of the MetroCard.”
Earlier this month, the Nassau County Legislature approved the five-year, $32.4-million contract that allowed France-based Veolia Transportation to take over the operations of Long Island Bus, which was previously run by the MTA.
For Nassau County Legislator Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck), the agreement allowing NICE bus to accept MTA MetroCards was one of the top concerns for legislators when passing the contract.
“That’s very important because it would have been another layer of fares for our riders,” Bosworth said.
Bosworth said she spoke with Veolia Transportation Vice President Michael Setzer, who also serves as CEO of NICE Bus, last Wednesday to ensure the MetroCard deal was still in place. She also said the issue was a major concern for herself and members of the legislature’s Democratic caucus, during meetings earlier this month.
“I was very insistent that we have this agreement and I was hoping that the agreement would be in place by the time we had to vote for the contract,” Bosworth said. “We were then assured by Mr. Setzer that they had in fact come to an agreement with the MTA.”
Last week’s announcement from the county executive’s office came as welcome news to Bosworth.
“I am relieved,” the legislator said. “I really felt that they were representing this in good faith, that they were working toward that end, that the Metrocard would be able to be used, that the transfers would be acceptable.”
“I would have been very surprised had that not been the case,” she added, “and very disappointed,”
Bosworth said that as Veolia “works out the kinks” on its new system, she and her colleagues in the Legislature will also be working to assure an orderly transition for the county’s busing system.
“I assume they’re working very hard for it to be as smooth a transition as possible,” Bosworth said. “My hope is that it will be a very smooth transition, but we’re going to be very much involved with what’s happening and making sure that our riders are getting the best possible service that they can.”
MetroCards are available for purchase at vending machines, subway stations and through designated local merchants. The MetroCard offers reduced fares, as well as transfers between subways and buses, according to the county executive office’s news release.
“The MetroCard agreement is a big win for both MTA and NICE riders because we share so many customers” Setzer said in the news release. “For all the Nassau County residents heading into the city to work, there’s a nearly equal number of city residents heading to Nassau County – this is an example of two transit systems collaborating to serve shared customers.”
