Public hearing scheduled for proposed Bee-Line bus fare increases

A public hearing will be held on Jan. 23 regarding proposed fare increases for the Bee-Line System, Westchester County’s bus system.

The Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation, owner of the Bee-Line System, will hold the hearing from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Westchester County Center at 198 Central Ave. in White Plains.

Riders of the Bee-Line can use MetroCards to pay bus fares with free transfers between the Bee-Line and New York City’s public transit.

Two proposed fare structures are being considered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. One would hold the base fare at $2.75 but decrease the MetroCard bonus from 11 percent to 5 percent with a $5.50 purchase. A second would increase the base fare rate to $3 and the MetroCard bonus to 16 percent with a $6 purchase.

Both proposals would increase the cost of a 30-day unlimited ride MetroCard to $121 from $116.50. A seven-day unlimited ride MetroCard would rise to $32 under both proposals from $31.
Additionally, senior citizen and disabled reduced fares would be slightly less than half of the base fare under the first proposal and would remain at half of the base fare under the second proposal.
There would be no fare changes on the Bee-Line Westchester-Manhattan Express, and the student MetroCard cost is proposed to increase from $58 to $60 based on the MTA fare increase.

For more information, visit www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus.