Bee-Line Bus System

Bee-Line Bus System

Bee-Line #212 arrives in Yonkers from the Tuckahoe train station, due south to the county line.
Slogan The Way To Go
Parent Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation
Founded 1978
Headquarters 100 East 1 Street
Mt. Vernon, NY 10550
Locale Westchester County, New York
Service area Westchester County and northern Bronx County
Service type Local, express, bus-to-rail shuttle buses
Routes 60
Fleet 347 fixed route
83 paratransit
Daily ridership 110,880 (2010) [1]
Fuel type Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
Operator
  • Liberty Lines Transit, Inc.
    (all fixed routes except 16, 18, and 31)
  • P.T.L.A. Enterprise
    (16, 18 and 31)
  • White Plains Bus
    (paratransit)
Chief executive John J. Hsu, P.E., Commissioner
Web site Bee-Line Bus System

The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract (except for three routes), by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc. The current existence of Bee-Line dates back to the late 1970s when thirteen private providers began running a unified system under the aegis of Westchester County with Liberty Lines either buying out or obtaining franchises for the other twelve. The three routes not run by Liberty Lines: Routes 16, 18, and 31 are run by Peekskill-based P.T.L.A. Enterprise. 2010 ridership for Bee-Line buses was 32,486,925.[1]

Contents

Scope of service

Within Westchester

The system's 60 routes are mostly concentrated in the more urban southern portion of the county, with more sparse service in the northern part of the county, with service concentrated near its slightly populated areas such as Peekskill, Ossining, or Mount Kisco, with paratransit service only in areas such as eastern Bedford, Lewisboro, North Salem and Pound Ridge. White Plains, the county seat and most centrally located city, is a major transportation hub, with many routes converging on the city's TransCenter. Yonkers, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon, the other major cities of the county (all located at the southern end), are the best served. All but the county's smallest, most rural communities have at least rush hour service.[2]

Outside Westchester

Because Westchester County borders on the New York City borough of The Bronx, many of the Bee-Line's routes operate into the Bronx, offering Westchester residents connections to the New York City Subway system. Every subway line in The Bronx is served by at least one Bee-Line route. The Bee-Line System also operates an express route BxM4C[3] from White Plains, Greenburgh, Hartsdale, Scarsdale and Yonkers along Central Park Avenue to Fifth Avenue in Manhattan (return trips operate on Madison Avenue within Manhattan).

While Bee-Line service is largely used by Westchester residents, passengers are allowed to use buses for trips wholly within The Bronx for travel along Boston Road (and from Fordham to and from Boston Road). In addition, the #12 line (Armonk-Purchase-White Plains) briefly enters Connecticut along King Street (though it doesn't have any stops within Connecticut) and the 16 briefly enters Putnam County to serve the Mahopac Village Centre.[2] The entire fleet has been equipped with fareboxes accepting MetroCards.

Fares

All fares require exact change or MetroCard. All transfers are free with payment of fare. Dollar bills are not accepted on any Bee-Line System buses.[4][5]

Route Full fare Senior/
disabled fare
Transfer
All transfers good for 2 hours
7-day unlimited ride MetroCard 30-day unlimited ride MetroCard
All except BxM4C $2.25 $1.10
  • Cash: Valid on MTA Bus local buses, NYC Transit local, limited stop, and Select Bus Service buses, CT Transit, the Tappan ZEE Express, Orange Westchester Link, or Putnam Transit
  • MetroCard:
    • free to MTA local buses, subways, and other Bee-Line services
    • $3.25 for transferring to an MTA Bus express route
$29.00
$17.50 with Reduced Fare ID
$104.00
$52.00 with Reduced Fare ID
BxM4C $7.50 $3.75
(Off peak only)
  • No transfers accepted, transfers are issued as follows:
    • Cash: Valid on MTA buses, other Bee-Line buses, Orange Westchester Link or the Tappan ZEE Express.
    • MetroCard: Valid on MTA buses and subways, other Bee-Line buses, Orange Westchester Link or the Tappan ZEE Express.
No Unlimited-Ride MetroCards accepted
Notes:
  • Customers wishing to transfer to Short Line's Tappan ZEExpress or Orange Westchester Link, CT Transit's I-Bus or Route 11, or Putnam Transit must ask for a paper transfer, even if paying with MetroCard.
  • There is a $1.00 "step-up" charge for customers transferring from CT Transit Route 11 to Bee-Line buses in Port Chester. This charge must be paid in coins.
  • For the BxM4C, off-peak is:
    • Last two trips to Manhattan (10:30 AM and 12 PM departures from Central and Harding Avenues)
    • First two departures from Manhattan (12 PM and 2 PM departures from Madison Square)
    • Last two departures from Manhattan (7:15 PM and 8:15 PM departures from Madison Square)

Fleet

Active fleet

This roster only lists buses and shuttle vans used in fixed route service. Paratransit vehicles are not listed. All buses are wheelchair accessible.

Year Builder and
model name
Photo Length Width Powertrain
(Engine and transmission or propulsion)
Numbers Notes
2002-
2003
Neoplan USA
AN460 (articulated)
60 ft (18.29 m) 102 in (2.59 m) 501-578
  • Used on heavier-use routes in southern and central Westchester County.
  • Replaced the MAN SG310 fleet.
2002 Orion Bus Industries
05.505
32 ft (9.75 m) 96 in (2.44 m) 101-115
  • Used on Shuttle Loop routes, bus-to-rail shuttles, and lower-use routes.
  • Replaced older shuttle vans.
2005 Orion Bus Industries
05.505
32 ft (9.75 m) 96 in (2.44 m)
  • Detroit Diesel series 50
  • Allison World B-400R
116-136
  • Used on Shuttle Loop routes, bus-to-rail shuttles, and lower-use routes.
  • Replaced older shuttle vans.
2006 Orion Bus Industries
05.501
40 ft (12.19 m) 102 in (2.59 m) 601-704
  • Used county-wide.
  • Replaced the 1989 Flxible Metro-B stock.
2006 Orion Bus Industries
07.501 (semi low floor
electric hybrid)[6]
40 ft (12.19 m) 102 in (2.59 m) 201-204
  • Used in southern Westchester County.
2008 Orion Bus Industries
05.501 (single-door,
commuter coach)
40 ft (12.19 m) 102 in (2.59 m) 801-830
  • Used on the BxM4C, 43, and 77 only.
  • Replaced the MCI 102A2s.
  • Last diesel Orion V buses produced.
2009 North American Bus Industries
40LFW (semi low floor
electric hybrid)
40 ft (12.19 m) 102 in (2.59 m)
  • Cummins ISL
  • Allison EP-40 Hybrid
205-299
  • Used county-wide.
  • Replaced the 1995-1996 Orion Vs, with 7 buses for service increases.[7]

Past fleet

Year Builder and
model name
Length
(feet)
Width
(inches)
Engine Numbers Retired Notes
1978 General Motors Corporation
RTS-03 TH-7603
35 96 Detroit Diesel 8V71N 101-106,
189-190,
194-205
1996
  • Originally ordered for 11 operators and buses were delivered with wheelchair lifts.
  • Only 35' 96" foot buses ordered by the Westchester County Department of Transportation.
1978 General Motors Corporation
RTS-03 TH-8603
40 96 Detroit Diesel 8V71N 107-188,
191-193
1996
  • Originally ordered for 6 operators and buses were delivered with wheelchair lifts.
  • Only 40' 96" buses ordered by the Westchester County Department of Transportation.
1983 MAN
SG-310-16.5-2A
(articulated)
60 102 MAN D2566 MLUM 600-661 2002
  • These were Bee Line's first articulated buses and were used throughout southern Westchester County.
  • 661 was originally NYCTA demonstrator bus 8990.
1986-
1987
Motor Coach Industries
102A2
40 102 Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 901-936 2009 Last non-accessible Bee-Line buses on the active roster.
1989 Flxible
Metro-B 40102-6T
40 102 Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 760-874 2007 These were Bee Line's last buses without wheelchair lifts.
1989 Flxible
Metro-B 40102-6C
40 102 Cummins L10 875-879 2001 These were Bee Line's first buses with four-cycle engines.
1994 Startrans Supreme
Senator
25 96 Navistar T444E 301-310 1999
  • These buses were the first rail-to-bus commuter shuttles.
  • These were also Bee Line's first buses to have wheelchair accessibility for the duration of their lives.
1994 Orion Bus Industries
02.501
25.92 96 Navistar T444E 311 2000 This bus would be the only Orion 2 ever ordered. It was used on bus-to-rail shuttles.
1995-
1996
Orion Bus Industries
05.501
40 102 Detroit Diesel series 50 401-484 2009
  • Replacements for 1978 RTS stock.
  • Sold to the MTA in 2009.
  • Replaced by North American Bus Industries 40LFW (semi low floor electric hybrid) buses.
1997 Startrans Supreme
Senator
25 96 Navistar T444E 313-332 2004 These buses expanded the shuttle fleet.
1999 Startrans Supreme
Senator
25 96 Navistar T444E 333-361 2005 These buses expanded the shuttle fleet, and were replacements for the first 11 shuttle vans.
2005-
2007
Coach and Equipment
Phoenix
25 91 Navistar T444E 301-320 2010
  • Replacements for the Startrans vans.
  • Retired without replacement with 2010 service cuts.

Historical Honors on Fleet

In October 2004, then-Westchester County Executive Andrew J. Spano launched a month-long celebration of local history by unveiling the top 15 winning names, which were applied on all of the 2002 Orion 05.505 buses. Since 2005, these buses each bore the name of a person, place, or thing that played a role in the development of Westchester County.

Bus Number Named after
101 The Toonerville Trolley
102 Rosa Parks
103 Amelia Earhart
104 Ella Fitzgerald
105 Horace Greeley
106 John Jay
107 Old Bet
108 The Spy Catchers
109 Eliza A. Horton
110 General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell
111 Michael Schwerner
112 Washington Irving
113 Chief Gramatan
114 The Dragon Coaster
115 Elisha Graves Otis

References

External links