Ditch the pump, catch a free bus throughout Westchester County this summer

Eduardo Cuevas, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·2 min read

Residents can ditch gas pumps for the summer in place of free bus rides throughout Westchester County.

Beginning Wednesday, Bee-Line buses are free until Labor Day, according to an announcement from County Executive George Latimer’s office.

“Leave the driving to us and save some money this summer,” Latimer said in a statement. “From Yorktown to Yonkers, we have a robust system that can get you where you need to go.”

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The free bus rides came through executive action by Latimer to suspend fare, which is expected to cost Westchester $7 million in revenue. But county sales taxes, along with those on mortgages and properties, have overperformed estimates, allowing the county to cut costs for riders, Latimer explained in a phone interview.

Even more, with drops in ridership during the pandemic, the free rides are meant to incentivize people back onto the bus, he said. It also helps people cut costs during record inflation.

"This is a decision that has an element of being hardheaded about finance and having a heart to understand where people are at as a society," he said.

The free bus rides came as Latimer also signed a county law that capped collecting sales tax on gas purchases to 12 cents per gallon. The gas cap took effect Wednesday and lasts through August.

Meanwhile, New York state also implemented its gas tax holiday on Wednesday that lasts through the rest of the year. It’s expected to cut gas cost for drivers by about 16 cents a gallon at New York gas stations. 

As of Wednesday, AAA says, a gallon of gas costs on average over $5 in White Plains. That’s slightly higher than the New York State average at $4.93 or the national average at $4.67.

Bee-Line #40 bus driver Leroy Clarke, who has been delivering dozens of workers to Westchester Medical Center throughout the pandemic, at a stop in White Plains May 13, 2020. Clarke, 61, has been driving for Bee-Line for 23 years. His mother recently died from COVID-19 but he continues to drive because he feels he owes it to his riders to get them to work every day.

Westchester joins Rockland County in offering free buses. Rockland has allowed free rides after suspending fare at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bee-Line's free rides are also valid on the Bee-Line ParaTransit system, as well as the BxM4C express bus into Manhattan. The BxM4C has stops in White Plains, Greenburgh and Yonkers before going down the Major Deegan Expressway into New York City. However, riders must pay to transfer onto New York City buses and trains.

The Bee-Line serves over 27 million passengers annually as New York state’s second largest public bus fleet. There are over 3,300 bus stops and almost 60 routes.

For more information about the free rides program, call 914-813-7777 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This story was updated with more information.

Eduardo Cuevas covers diversity, equity and inclusion in Westchester and Rockland counties. He can be reached at EMCuevas1@lohud.com and followed on Twitter @eduardomcuevas.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Westchester's Bee-Line bus rides are free this summer until Labor Day.