BusTalk

[upperharlemline4ever]

Does anyone recall an old plan that the MTA came up with in the mid to late 1980's to extend the BX 4 (now BX 32) and/or the BX 16 into Yonkers and Mount Vernon? It was supposed to provide frequent bus service between the Bronx and the Mount Vernon West and Mount Vernon East railroad stations. The 4 or 16 would have continued down Bronx River Road to Yonkers/Mount Vernon Avenues, past the Mount Vernon West RR station and then to the Mount Vernon East RR station. Public hearings were scheduled. I remember the County of Westchester threatening to sue if the MTA proceeded with the plan and MTA countering with the fact that it could run services to provide better services between two stations of it's railroad operations. There were even stories of bus drivers at the end of the BX 16 run being ticketed by Westchester County PD who had been stationed there for that very purpose for crossing over a double solid line when they turned their buses around (they went into Mount Vernon to make the turn). That was the last I ever heard of it. Obviously the plan never materialized but I never heard why it was dropped. Anyone have any information?

[irtredbirdr33@yahoo.com]

This may or may not be germain to what you are asking but the orginal Surface Transit Bronx Route numbers left a gap between the Bx 42 (the Westchester Av) and the Bx 49 HighBridge routes for eventual inclusion of certain Westchester County routes.

Larry, RedbirdR33

[upperharlemline4ever]

Thanks for that bit of historical information. While not germain to my inquiry, it's surely an interesting bit of information. When STS operated the buses and they owned Westchester Street, why couldn't they just renumber the buses? It was their routes. They could number the routes whatever they wanted to. I still wonder why the MTA just dropped the plan. What was strange was that there were announcements on the buses and in the newspapers at the time of public hearings to be held on the issue. Then it just died. Never heard if the hearings were actually held and if they were, what was the outcome. Would love to hear from someone on this. BTW, does anyone know how Liberty Lines got these routes from STS (Westchester Street) because now Westchester County says Liberty Lines holds the franchises on these routes and that basically no one can take them away from them (Liberty Lines). How did they get them from STS? Just another side inquiry, besides Westchester Street (STS), there was another company called Westchester Surface Ways. Buses were painted the same livery as Westchester Street but don't think they were any part of STS or were they. Does anyone know?

[irtredbirdr33@yahoo.com]

This is an incomplete answer to your question but perhaps this information will help to fill in some of the gaps.

In the middle 1960's there were five Westchester County Bus Companies operating into The Bronx, from West to East they were Yonkers Transit, Club Transportation, Westchester Street Transportation Company , West Fordham Coach Lines and Westchester Surface Ways Inc. Like the private bus lines in Queens there was some overlaping of routes. There was also a company called Liberty Coaches which in February 1969 took over most of Westchester Street's White Plains Division. In August 1972 Liberty Coaches took over the routes of Yonkers Transit after they went out of business.

There was a group called Bus Associates Inc which in 1969 acquired Westchester Street from Fifth Avenue Coach Lines and then took over the route of the West Fordham Coach Lines. In 1971 they acquired some of the route of Westchester Surface Ways. Around June of 1982 Bus Associates Inc merged Liberty Coaches, Club Transportation and Westchester Street into a combined company known as Liberty Lines Transit Inc. This company today operates almost all the routes in Westchester County as the "Bee Line System."

I hope this helps.

Larry, RedbirdR33

[The Don of All Buses]

This is just the type of info I was looking for! Great Westchester County Transit history! Thanks!