SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $4 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO REPLACE BUSES ON THE BEE-LINE BUS SYSTEM
The Bee-Line’s Bus Fleet Is Aging, and Many Buses are Past Their Useful Life; Schumer And Gillibrand Say New Federal Investment Will Improve the System and Ensure it Continues To Operate With Minimal Interruption
Schumer & Gillibrand: New Articulated Vehicles For Westchester County Will Alleviate Pressures On System & Help Local Economy
Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced a $3,600,000 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant for Westchester County. The funding will be used to purchase new articulated vehicles and modernize the Bee-Line’s bus fleet. The senators said this funding will help the Bee-Line replace outdated vehicles. The Bee-Line Service provides roughly 2.5 million rides to Westchester County residents on a monthly basis and transports over 30 million passengers annually. According to the county, over 65 percent of residents are within walking distance of a Bee-Line bus route, which provides convenient transportation to those who may not be able to access it otherwise.
“The Bee-Line is a lifeline for Westchester County residents and this new vital funding will allow them to replace their crumbling fleet and purchase new vehicles, to the benefit of millions of riders across Westchester County and the environment,” said Senator Schumer. “Investing in transportation infrastructure is critical, and I will keep fighting tooth and nail to ensure that the Bee-Line and other transit agencies across New York have the funding needed to update their fleets so that commuters can have a safer, faster and more efficient ride.”
“These federal funds will allow Westchester Country to invest in new, cleaner-running public buses,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This is a major investment for the Bee-Line’s bus fleet that will help strengthen our transportation infrastructure, making service more efficient for commuters while reducing air pollution.”
“Thank you to Senator Schumer for getting Westchester County the money we need to replace our ageing bus fleet. Millions of Westchester residents depend on the County’s Bee Line buses and it is imperative that they have safe and reliable busses that they can depend on to get them around the County,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration awards capital investment grants for bus and bus-related facilities. This program finances the acquisition of buses, ancillary equipment, and the construction of bus facilities, like maintenance facilities, garages, storage areas and bus terminals. The funding appropriated for the bus capital program is fully allocated to projects designated by Congress.
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