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Westchester County Bee-Line System

New Flyer XDE60 #364 operates on Route 21 limited stops towards Bedford Park.
Parent	Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation
Founded	May 1, 1978
Headquarters	100 East First Street, 9th Floor Mount Vernon, NY 10550
Locale	Westchester County, New York
Service area	Westchester County, New York and Putnam County, New York; The Bronx and Manhattan in New York City; and Fairfield County in Connecticut
Service type	Local, Limited, express, shuttle buses
Routes	64
Fleet	327 fixed route 91 paratransit
Daily ridership	111,316 (2013)
Fuel type	Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
Operator	Liberty Lines Transit, Inc. (all fixed routes except 16, 18, and 31) P.T.L.A. Enterprise, Inc. (16, 18 and 31) Suburban Paratransit Service (Mobico Group subsidiary) (paratransit)
Chief executive	Hugh J. Greechan, Jr., P.E., Commissioner
Website	Bee-Line Bus System

The Westchester County Bee-Line 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.

History

The system was founded on May 1, 1978, by the then Westchester County Department of Transportation to consolidate the bus system with thirteen private bus companies and has been given control over the buses, fare structure, routes, and services. By the 1980s, the bus system had an identity problem in who was providing the service. On May 19, 1987, WCDOT officially named the bus service "The Bee-Line System" with a 'bee-in-flight' mascot drawn by cartoonist Jack Davis.

The Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation currently contracts out to two private bus companies to provide service in Westchester County and the surrounding counties: Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc., the main company that either bought out or obtained franchises from the other twelve bus companies over the years, operates buses on all but three bus routes; and Cortlandt Manor-based P.T.L.A. Enterprise, Inc., a small company that operates buses on routes 16, 18, and 31.

Scope of service

Most Bee-Line routes operate seven days a week. There is no service county-wide on two days of the calendar year, Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas (December 25).

Within Westchester

The system's 64 routes are mostly concentrated in the more urban southern portion of the county, with the cities of Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and Yonkers receiving a high frequency of service. White Plains, the county seat and most centrally located city, is a major transportation hub with many routes converging on the city's TransCenter.

Service in the northern portion of Westchester is sparse and is concentrated near slightly populated areas such as Mount Kisco, Ossining, or Peekskill. Areas such as Lewisboro, North Salem, and Pound Ridge receive paratransit service only. During the school year, special bus routes also operate. All but the county's smallest, most rural communities have at least rush hour service.

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 MTA New York City Transit buses and subways; at least one Bee-Line route connects to each subway route serving the Bronx. The Bee-Line System also operates an express route, the BxM4C 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).

Bee-Line operates mostly closed-door service in the Bronx (local service is not provided solely for travel within the Bronx; appropriate MTA Regional Bus Operations service must be used instead). The only exceptions are:

• Routes 40, 41, 42 and 43, which run along White Plains Road north of the Wakefield – 241st Street subway terminal;
• Route 45, which serves the Pelham Bay Park subway terminal, the Pelham Bay and Split Rock Golf Course, and the Bartow-Pell Mansion;
• Route 54, which runs on Mundy Lane along the Bronx/Mount Vernon border, since no other bus routes travel entirely through these areas;
• Routes 60 and 61, which run along US Route 1 (East Fordham and Boston roads in the Bronx).

In addition, Route 12 briefly enters Greenwich, Connecticut along King Street, in which it makes stops in Greenwich and Rye Brook, New York along the New York/Connecticut border; Route 16 briefly enters Putnam County to serve the Mahopac Village Centre; and Route 77 enters Putnam County to serve the US Route 6 corridor between Mahopac and Carmel.

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.

Bee-Line Bus started accepting MetroCard on April 1, 2007. The fare for the BxM4C went down from $7 to $5. The regular fare was $2 for MetroCard, and $1.75 if paid in cash. Dollar bills, passports, and ticket books were no longer accepted for fare payment after this date. MetroCard Vans made stops on heavily used routes to help people get ready for the MetroCard. On July 23, 2019, it was announced that the Bee-Line bus fare system on all buses would be upgraded to the OMNY fare system in 2021–2022, replacing the MetroCard. The Westchester County Department of Transportation states that "OMNY is targeted for introduction on the Bee-Line Bus System beginning in 2022 at the earliest." OMNY hasn't been installed as of 2023, but is expected to be installed in late 2023 to early 2024. MetroCard will continue to be accepted by New York City Transit subways and buses and Bee-Line service until 2024, enabling Bee-Line passengers to have the option of using MetroCard or OMNY during the transition phase. By 2024, MetroCard will be discontinued and all Bee-Line passengers will then use OMNY. The Reduced-Fare MetroCard Program will also be converted over to OMNY."

For certain periods during the summer and winter of 2022, the buses were fare-free. As of the summer of 2023, buses are fare free until Labor Day 2023.

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.

Fleet numbers	Year	Photo	Manufacturer	Model	Length	Width	Notes
116–136	2005		Orion Bus Industries	Orion V 05.505	32 ft (9.8 m)	96 in (2.4 m)
801–830 (30 total) (19 active) retiring	2008		Orion Bus Industries	Orion V 05.501	40 ft (12 m)	102 in (2.6 m)	828–830 were retired in January 2012 and sent to Downeast Transportation & Shuttle-Bus Zoom in Maine, 829 went to Downeast Transportation as a parts bus.
205–299 (95 total) (all active)	2009		North American Bus Industries	NABI 40-LFW HEV
301–378 (78 total) (all active)	2018–2020		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XDE60 articulated	60 ft (18 m)		Replaced 2000–03 AN460. First Hybrid articulated buses in the fleet.
100–110 (6 delivered)	2023–2024		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XDE35	35 ft (11 m)
141–144 (4 total) (all active)	2021–2022		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XE35	35 ft (11 m)		First electric buses in the fleet
145–146 (2 total) (all active)	2021		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XE40	40 ft (12 m)
398–503 (106 total) (all active)	2021–2022		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XDE40
504–515 (11 delivered) 516-555? (future deliveries; numbers unknown)	2023–2024		New Flyer Industries	Xcelsior XDE40			Expected to retire all 2008 Orion V Suburbans

Past fleet

Year	Builder and model name	Length (feet)	Width (inches)		Numbers	Year Last Retired	Notes
1978	General Motors Corporation RTS-03 TH-7603	35	96		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		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		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. Replaced with 2000–03 AN460
1986– 1987	Motor Coach Industries 102A2	40	102		901–936	2009	Last non-accessible Bee-Line buses on the active roster.
1990	Flxible Metro-B 40102-6T	40	102		760–874	2007	These were Bee Line's last buses without wheelchair lifts.
1990	Flxible Metro-B 40102-6C	40	102		875–879	2001
1994	Startrans Supreme Senator	25	96		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		311	2000	This bus would be the only Orion 2 ever ordered. It was used on bus-to-rail shuttles.
1995	Advanced Vehicle Systems AVS22	22	102		312	Unknown	This was Bee-Line's only electric-powered bus. It was used for the Shoppers Shuttle service within White Plains.
1995– 1996	Orion Bus Industries 05.501	40	102		401–484	2009	Replacements for 1978 RTS stock. Replaced by North American Bus Industries 40LFW buses in 2009. Sold to the MTA.
1997	Startrans Supreme Senator	25	96		313–332	2004	These buses expanded the shuttle fleet.
1999	Startrans Supreme Senator	25	96		333–361	2005	These buses expanded the shuttle fleet, and were replacements for the first 11 shuttle vans.
2000–2003	Neoplan USA AN460 "Transliner" articulated	60	102		501–578	2020	501 was a 2000 model Replaced all Man SG310 buses Replaced by New Flyer XDE60 buses between 2018 and 2020. 577 as the last unit 14 units sold to Virginia Alexandria Transit Company's DASH for use on the WMATA Yellow/Blue line shuttle bus service. Option to order AN440 buses there 40 ft versions 601/602 test units until Neoplan announced a shutdown.
2002	DaimlerChrysler Orion 05.505	32	96		101–115	2012	Replaced older shuttle vans. Retired without replacement with 2012 budget cuts in maintaining the fleet and were sold to the following transit agencies: 4 units were sold to Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit. 5 units were sold to Community Connector. 2 units were sold to South Portland Bus Service. 4 units were sold to Housatonic Area Regional Transit.
2005	Coach and Equipment Phoenix	25	91		301–318	2010	Replacements for the Startrans vans. Retired without replacement with 2010 service cuts.
2006	Orion Bus Industries 07.501 (hev)	40	102		201–204	2022	Replaced with XDE40's and XE40ng First hybrid buses
2006	Orion Bus Industries 05.501	40	102		601–704	2023	Order was originally for 2005 AN440(oh) until Neoplan went bankrupt Replaced 1990 Flexible Metro B Replaced by XDE40 and XE40ng
2007	Coach and Equipment Phoenix	25	91		319–320	2010	Retired without replacement with 2010 service cuts.

Future fleet

In February 2020, it was announced that Westchester County's Bee-Line Bus fleet would be expanding with 78 hybrid-electric 60-foot buses (all delivered by summer 2020), 106 hybrid-electric 40-foot buses and two 40-foot battery-electric buses – all built by New Flyer Industries – under a plan to have the entire transit bus fleet running on either fully electric or diesel-electric hybrid technology by 2025. As of July 2020, 106 40-foot diesel-electric buses and two 40-foot battery-electric are planned to be delivered between 2021 and 2025. Four 35-foot battery-electric buses are also planned to be delivered, totaling 6 battery-electric buses by 2025.

References

1. "National Transit Database Program Filing for The Bee-Line System, 2013" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2015. (139 KB)
2. "Variable Fares for Elderly & Handicapped Transit Riders: An Analysis of Westchester County" (PDF). (1.25 MB)
3. Kriss, Gary (May 24, 1987). "Bus System Gets a Name And a Logo". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
4. ^ "Bee-Line System Map" (PDF). transportation.westchestergov.com. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2012. (4.64 MB)
5. Fares and MetroCard
6. "MTA NYC Transit MetroCard – Westchester Bee-Line Buses". mta.info. April 2007. Archived from the original on May 28, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
7. "All About MetroCard in Westchester". westchestergov.com. April 2007. Archived from the original on August 31, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
8. "MetroCard Van Schedule". westchestergov.com. April 2007. Archived from the original on September 1, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
9. "Omny". transportation.westchestergov.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
10. "County Executive George Latimer Announces Free Rides on the Bee-Line Bus for the Holiday Season" (Press release). Westchester County. November 16, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
11. Coyne, Matt (August 1, 2016). "Westchester Legislators OK New Bee-Line Buses". lohud.
12. Malouff, Dan (July 8, 2019). "DASH Is Running the First non-WMATA Articulated Buses in Washington Area Transit". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
13. ^ "Community Buses Roll Into Maine". MaineDOT. January 24, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
14. "Connecticut Public Transportation Commission" (PDF). (97.9 KB)
15. "Westchester Awarded $3M For Hybrid-Electric Buses From New York State". westchestergov.com (Press release). February 4, 2020.
16. "Westchester County to Expand Its Electric Vehicle Fleet with $1.5M Grant from the US Department of Transportation". westchestergov.com (Press release). June 5, 2020.
17. "Going Green: County Approves Nearly $4.5M Bond For Electric Buses". westchestergov.com (Press release). July 21, 2020.

External links

• Bee-Line Bus System
• Bee-Line Roster as of 2002

• 1978 establishments in New York (state)
• Bus transportation in New York (state)
• Paratransit services in the United States
• Surface transportation in Greater New York
• Transportation in Westchester County, New York
• Transportation in Yonkers, New York