BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

Hempstead Bus Corporation, a medium sized private transit and charter operator based in Uniondale on Long Island, had its beginnings in 1926 as a successor to the New York and Long Island Traction Company.

Hempstead's routes, which radiated from a transit hub in the Village of Hempstead, basically serviced Nassau County's south shore with commuter connections to Jamaica in Queens.

From its inception, the company was partial to White equipment but did dabble with various makes before settling upon Mack from the late forties through the fifties followed by 'New Look' orders from both GM and Flxible before the company's sale to the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority (MSBA) in the early seventies.

In a photo taken circa 1946, we see fleet number 215 - a single door Ford Transit with an unknown birth date and model number although it could well be a 29B which was very popular at the time.

While these buses did carry a genuine Ford chassis, the bodies were built for Ford by Union City Body Company of Union City, Indiana.

The little Fords were perfect for low volume routes and thousands were sold between the late thirties and GM's ramp up of a competitive model after the war.

# 215 is signed for Hempstead/Mineola with a placard in the windshield indicating Old Country Road as its route.

Behind 215 is a company 1942 Mack Model LD-3G also destined for Hempstead.

Credit with photo.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Mr. Linsky]

Seen in 1949 (as evidenced by the brand new 49 'Futuramic' Buick Fastback - lower right of the frame) at its company's facility and readying for the shredder is fleet # 177 - an early thirties 38 passenger White Motor Company 54A chassis carrying a custom body by Bender of Cleveland and operating for Hempstead Bus Corporation of Uniondale, New York.

#177 and several other prewar Whites in the same frame had served the company well through the war years and until groups of new Macks arrived in the late forties.

As shown, #177 had been relegated to school duties in its final days.

White's extremely popular 54A chassis, with over 700 built between 1929 and 1938, was a mainstay of a number of New York metropolitan area operator's fleets through the thirties and second only to Twin Coach in sales.

Photo courtesy of 'autolit' and is available at eBay as item # 351040919079.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York