Williamsburg, NY – The ride home from work would be a challenge for 40-year-old Mildred Escobar, even if the B-39 bus weren’t on the chopping block.
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She already takes three buses — the M15 up Bowery, to the B-39, to the B-24 out to her home in Greenpoint — and the commute takes her 90 minutes.
But the middle portion of her trip will soon be gone for good. The MTA is scrapping the B-39, which runs from Delancey Street in Manhattan over the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn, to save a million dollars in tough economic times.
That’s not good enough for Escobar. “I was angry,” she told NBCNewYork. “If they cut that bus, there’s no way to come into the city.”
The MTA counters that disabled riders do have an option: The J,M and Z stop at Marcy Avenue has an elevator, allowing a passenger in a wheelchair to access the station.
But critics like Anthony Trocchia, another disabled rider, say that’s not enough because many of the Manhattan stops, like Essex Street, have no handicapped access.
“I’m not getting on because there’s nowhere to get off,” says Trocchia.
Another option for riders worried about the cut is access-a-ride, which provides transportation for disabled commuters, by reservation only.
Every special interest group yells gevalt about losing services that are important to them but offers no ideas on where the money will come from. Sorry, but the City and the MTA are broke. Get used to less service.
I think if they cut all busses then they will save even more
This line made no sense with the subway running the same route. As far as her poor commute, I am sure she could do better if she took the Subway for a portion of the trip (and I mean more than just the part over the Willy Bridge).
The MTA is clearly going after the Jewish rider. They are also eliminating the X-29 which has been in operation for over 40 years. This bus runs through heavily Jewish areas in Brooklyn and takes them to Manhattan only during rush hours. While at the same time the X-27 and X-28 which run through heavily Irish and Italian areas are not being eliminated.
Ideas where MTA can cut money from. You must be joking! Every project the MTA is involved has cost overruns by HUNDREDS of millions of dollars due to mismanagement. Saving a million dollars by cutting a bus here and there does nothing to reduce their deficit. It does however destroy lives.
The chutzpah with the MTA is that there is a lot of fat in their budget. I remember so many times they fought for fare hikes only to shortly announce massive surplus. This agency is autonumous. It seems like instead of maintaining older busses (like EMS does), they scrap them for new ones (probably with massive kickbacks). They have multiple negligence law suites for neglect that can easily have been averted. And for the name of saving money they are cutting this line that is the only bus route thet connect williamsburgh to the city.
I personally know some m$entally handicap people that is their only way to get tot the city as they are petrified of trains.
The best way for the city to save money would be to oversee what their workers do on the job… Coffee break lunch break and allot of waiting around
Personally, I think it would be great for Williamsburg if they extended the B44 to continue over the bridge. Get on it, Isaac!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the only city bus that crosses the bridge.
It’s a shame to cut it, but who cares about our needs… After cutting the B39, Bloomberg, please install the bridge tolls for cars to get into Manhattan. I mean, really, to push us towards public transportation. What a sham!
The bigger picture, so to speak is, that this is what you get from a goverment run entity, look at how ineffective it is.
Now lets look down the road to 2014 and compare this with, say a goverment run health system. oh sorry we can’t afford this test, or that treatment…… will you also feel that they should make the necessary cuts? sure.
How many times thr bus driver said my card reader does not work – “please get on for free”. Wonder how much that costs them?
It has been said that “a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.” That link for many is the B39 connecting Brooklyn & Manhattan. Subway is not always a viable option. Think outside the box. Find a creative way to keep a good thing going. There must be a solution. Invite NYC problem-solvers to tackle the issue. They are more that equal to the challenge, I am sure ! Thank you.