BusTalk

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 858 Location: Long Island

Current LI Bus Routes N54 and N55 were purchased from Jerusalem Avenue Bus Line in the early 1970's. With the opening of Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, Seaford lost the route shown in this photo, as it became the N54. The private route (which I rode once) went on a diagonal from Seaford through Wantagh and Bellmore to Jerusalem Avenue and thence to Hempstead.
Let's see if I can post a photo. I have had Error 500 when I try to add to the gallery.

Note the route sign that does not require changing at a terminal.
Hart Bus has given me the model number TDH 5304.
Thanks. Joe

scatman · Age: 51 Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 93

nice pic tho, looks like an old msba flex with those colors

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 858 Location: Long Island

I snapped this photo in 1973 before the trees grew leaves. Sometime in that year, MSBA purchased the lines. Note the lettering, "Jerusalem Avenue Bus Line" and lack of MSBA's symbol. The orange stripe puzzles me, as that is one of the two county colors, and I don't remember the Jerusalem Avenue buses with that stripe. (Here evidence contradicts my memory.)
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In hunting through the NY Times files, I came across a 1970 story saying that the state had granted $480,000 to help maintenance on ten companies in Suffolk and nine in Nassau. The nine listed for Nassau are: Jerusalem Ave. Bus Line of North Merrick, Schenk Transportation Co. of Floral Park, Hempstead Bus Corp. of Garden City, Mid-Island Transit System of Westbury, Semke Bus Lines of Hempstead, Universal Auto Bus Service of Great Neck, Roosevelt Bus Line of Valley Stream, Branch Bus Corp. of Inwood, and Stage Coach Lines of Farmingdale.
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Of that list, the company I used most was Stage Coach from Hicksville to Wantagh, with cash-register fare collection.
Joe McMahon

Hart Bus · Age: 74 Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 1150

Joe,

Since I lived in NYC at the time, I cannot comment on the livery, but the bus was delivered new to Jerusalem Ave Bus in 12/63 and is a TDH 5304.

Al

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 858 Location: Long Island

Many thanks, Al, for the year and model. Much appreciated.
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I came across a 1930 article in the NY Times, explaining that the Village of Hempstead had annexed territory (presumably eastward) and a judge gave Jerusalem Avenue Bus Line permission to charge an extra five cents for travel to that annexation. Therefore, we know the company existed in 1930.
Thanks and best wishes to the helpful people on this board.

ripta42