MTA Long Island Bus
Overview
MTA Regional Bus Operations
MTA Regional Bus Operations is the surface transit division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , created in 2008 to consolidate all bus operations operated by the MTA.-History:...
for its bus network serving primarily Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
. It also serves parts of western Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
as well as parts of Queens. Long Island Bus is the trading name of Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority, a name which has not been used publicly since 1995, and which is now a unit of Regional Bus as noted above. As of 1 January 2012, the system will be renamed "NICE" (Nassau Inter-County Express), and will operated by Veolia Transportation in a public-private partnership due to Nassau County and the MTA being unable to reach a subsidy agreement (see below).
What is today Long Island Bus began service in 1973 under the name Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority by the combination of 11 private operators:
- Bee-Line, Inc. (N1-N6) and subsidiaries:
- Rockville Centre Bus (N14-N16), and the now-discontinued N17
- Utility Lines (N19; extended to Patchogue along current S40 (Suffolk Transit) route)
- Stage Coach Lines (N71, 73-74, and earlier N70): NOTE: The N70 under Stage Coach was a loop route from Hempstead to Levittown, Bellmore, Wantagh, and back to Hempstead.
- Mid-Island Transit (N78-N81): This operator was acquired by Stage Coach, which would be acquired by Bee-Line.
