Nassau bus system hearing moved to Dec. 5

Nassau County has moved up the date of a public hearing on its new bus system to Dec. 5.

The hearing will be held at 1 p.m. in the legislative chambers of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Franklin Avenue in Mineola. The county previously had set the public hearing for Dec. 12.

Speakers will have the opportunity to weigh in on Nassau's plan to hire Veolia Transportation, of Lombard, Ill., to operate the county bus system, which will be renamed the Nassau Inter-County Express Bus, or NICE.

The system, now known as Long Island Bus and operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, serves 100,000 weekday riders.

Veolia is scheduled to take over the system on Jan. 1 pending approval by the county legislature and the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.

The legislature's Rules Committee is expected to consider the contract Monday. The full legislature is slated to vote on the proposed contract Dec. 19.

The MTA has operated Nassau's bus system since 1973, but the agency and the county parted ways earlier this year because of a funding dispute.

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has said privatizing operation of the county's bus system will save taxpayers millions and avoid massive service cuts that the MTA said were necessary unless the county significantly increased its contribution.

But opponents of the plan have said they worry that the privatization could result in steep fare increases and service reductions.

Veolia representatives are expected to attend the hearing and field questions from the public, according to county officials.