Some Nassau bus riders surprised, will be hit hard by upcoming fare hike
Riders wait at the Hempstead Transit Center. Nassau bus fares will go up as much as 25 cents on Aug. 20. Credit: James Carbone
Some Nassau bus riders were surprised to learn that they, too, will be impacted by the MTA's forthcoming fare increase, and will have to pay up to 25 cents more for a NICE ride by the end of this month.
"It's too much money for people," said Sammy Issa, 50, of Freeport, who was upset to learn about the forthcoming rate hike before boarding a bus in Hempstead Wednesday. "They take from people so much money. Why?"
Bus fares for riders who use MetroCards or cash will increase from the current $2.75 to $2.90 for users of the Nassau Inter-County Express bus system, known as NICE, starting Aug. 20. It's the first increase of the "base fare" in eight years for NICE, which transports about 65,000 riders daily.
For those using NICE’s “Go Mobile” app, a single ride ticket on the app will climb from $3.00 to $3.25. That's priced the same as the MTA's "Single Ride Ticket," which targets customers who don't want to pay the $5.50 minimum for a MetroCard.
Fares will also go up for seniors, people with disabilities, weekly and monthly unlimited MetroCards, and Able-Ride.
Suffolk County Transit, which does not accept the MetroCard, has no plans to increase its bus fare of $2.25, county officials said.
At the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center — a major hub for NICE — riders were caught off guard by news of the forthcoming rate hike, including Keanu Ouedraogo, of Elmont, who relies on the bus to get him to his shoe store job in Valley Stream. He said most NICE riders make "less money" than the average Long Island commuter, but was resigned to the increase.
“Prices go up. I guess I’m going to have to pay more money,” said Ouedraogo, 21, who had a message for NICE decision makers about the bus fare. “I feel like y’all should keep it at the same rate.”
NICE's MetroCard fares have been bound by the fare decisions made by the MTA because it accepts the MetroCard and has maintained free transfers with New York City buses and subways for MetroCard users. Nassau’s bus system seceded from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority 12 years ago. Cash and app fares are not tied to the MTA's changes.
NICE Bus is owned by Nassau County and run by private bus operator Transdev. Nassau’s Bus Transit Committee, whose members are appointed by county lawmakers to oversee NICE, voted on July 17 to raise fares. A spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not respond to a request for comment about the increase.
In defending the increase, NICE CEO Jack Khzouz noted that more than a third of Nassau bus riders transfer to MTA buses or subways. Without keeping the MetroCard and following its fare structure, “the alternative is even worse” than a fare increase, as riders would likely have to pay a surcharge for those transfers, or even a second full fare.
“The increase is relatively minor, but we do understand that it is going to affect some of our riders in a really negative way … but it’s a way to preserve those transfers into New York City,” Khzouz said in an interview. “Unfortunately, it’s the reality of where we live.”
MTA and NICE officials have said the increase is modest and necessary to keep up with growing costs. It’s the first hike in eight years for the base fare, though the cost of a monthly and weekly unlimited MetroCard has gone up in that time.
But transit advocates said it will especially impact bus riders, which tend to include a disproportionately high number of low-income minorities.
According to NICE stats, 88% of its riders are nonwhite. And, although the median household income in Nassau County is more than $120,000, more than half of NICE riders have a household income of less than $25,000, according to NICE and U.S. Census data.
“NICE Bus carries a lot of immigrants … The people who are riding it are more of the day laborers who clean your homes, who cook your food, who do the deliveries,” said Charlton D'souza, president of Passengers United, a transit rider advocacy group, who believes NICE should have kept its non-MetroCard fares at the existing rates. “I feel like it’s really going to be a burden on everyone.”
Beyond the financial strain of paying an extra 15 cents per ride, cash-paying customers will also have to put up with the added inconvenience of finding, and carrying, those extra 15 cents.
“From $2.75 to $2.90 is not that bad, [but] now you have to have the nickels and the dimes,” said Daniel Verdon, 36, as he waited for his bus in Hempstead Wednesday. “We do have to think about those who have to scrape up change for just one ride each day.”
Some Nassau bus riders were surprised to learn that they, too, will be impacted by the MTA's forthcoming fare increase, and will have to pay up to 25 cents more for a NICE ride by the end of this month.
"It's too much money for people," said Sammy Issa, 50, of Freeport, who was upset to learn about the forthcoming rate hike before boarding a bus in Hempstead Wednesday. "They take from people so much money. Why?"
Bus fares for riders who use MetroCards or cash will increase from the current $2.75 to $2.90 for users of the Nassau Inter-County Express bus system, known as NICE, starting Aug. 20. It's the first increase of the "base fare" in eight years for NICE, which transports about 65,000 riders daily.
For those using NICE’s “Go Mobile” app, a single ride ticket on the app will climb from $3.00 to $3.25. That's priced the same as the MTA's "Single Ride Ticket," which targets customers who don't want to pay the $5.50 minimum for a MetroCard.
WHAT TO KNOW
- The cost of riding a bus in Nassau County will go up beginning August 20, as NICE enacts a fare increase similar to that recently approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The "base fare" of $2.75 will climb to $2.90.
- Although NICE is not part of the MTA, it accepts the MetroCard and has to follow its fare structure in order to continue offering free transfers to and from New York City buses and subways, NICE officials said.
- NICE officials said the increase is minimal, but riders and advocates noted that the majority of Nassau bus riders come from low-income households that could struggle to afford the new rates.
Fares will also go up for seniors, people with disabilities, weekly and monthly unlimited MetroCards, and Able-Ride.
Suffolk County Transit, which does not accept the MetroCard, has no plans to increase its bus fare of $2.25, county officials said.
At the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center — a major hub for NICE — riders were caught off guard by news of the forthcoming rate hike, including Keanu Ouedraogo, of Elmont, who relies on the bus to get him to his shoe store job in Valley Stream. He said most NICE riders make "less money" than the average Long Island commuter, but was resigned to the increase.
“Prices go up. I guess I’m going to have to pay more money,” said Ouedraogo, 21, who had a message for NICE decision makers about the bus fare. “I feel like y’all should keep it at the same rate.”
NICE's MetroCard fares have been bound by the fare decisions made by the MTA because it accepts the MetroCard and has maintained free transfers with New York City buses and subways for MetroCard users. Nassau’s bus system seceded from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority 12 years ago. Cash and app fares are not tied to the MTA's changes.
NICE Bus is owned by Nassau County and run by private bus operator Transdev. Nassau’s Bus Transit Committee, whose members are appointed by county lawmakers to oversee NICE, voted on July 17 to raise fares. A spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not respond to a request for comment about the increase.
In defending the increase, NICE CEO Jack Khzouz noted that more than a third of Nassau bus riders transfer to MTA buses or subways. Without keeping the MetroCard and following its fare structure, “the alternative is even worse” than a fare increase, as riders would likely have to pay a surcharge for those transfers, or even a second full fare.
“The increase is relatively minor, but we do understand that it is going to affect some of our riders in a really negative way … but it’s a way to preserve those transfers into New York City,” Khzouz said in an interview. “Unfortunately, it’s the reality of where we live.”
MTA and NICE officials have said the increase is modest and necessary to keep up with growing costs. It’s the first hike in eight years for the base fare, though the cost of a monthly and weekly unlimited MetroCard has gone up in that time.
But transit advocates said it will especially impact bus riders, which tend to include a disproportionately high number of low-income minorities.
According to NICE stats, 88% of its riders are nonwhite. And, although the median household income in Nassau County is more than $120,000, more than half of NICE riders have a household income of less than $25,000, according to NICE and U.S. Census data.
“NICE Bus carries a lot of immigrants … The people who are riding it are more of the day laborers who clean your homes, who cook your food, who do the deliveries,” said Charlton D'souza, president of Passengers United, a transit rider advocacy group, who believes NICE should have kept its non-MetroCard fares at the existing rates. “I feel like it’s really going to be a burden on everyone.”
Beyond the financial strain of paying an extra 15 cents per ride, cash-paying customers will also have to put up with the added inconvenience of finding, and carrying, those extra 15 cents.
“From $2.75 to $2.90 is not that bad, [but] now you have to have the nickels and the dimes,” said Daniel Verdon, 36, as he waited for his bus in Hempstead Wednesday. “We do have to think about those who have to scrape up change for just one ride each day.”
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
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