Nassau County legislators unanimously approved an agreement with Veolia Transportation on Monday night to privatize Long Island Bus that ensured service for more than 100,000 riders after Dec. 31.
But Democrats said the apparent bipartisan unity was prompted by dire necessity.
“The alternative was that we’d have no bus service,” said Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck).
Bosworth said lawmakers were “left with a take it or leave it situation” with the county deal with MTA set to run out at year’s end.
“It was this or nothing and it’s a better deal with the concessions we were able to deliver,” said Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn).
Republicans hailed the agreement as one that will cut county costs and improve rider service.
I”Nassau’s public-private partnership with Veolia symbolizes a new, smarter and more efficient way of providing services in Nassau County,” Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said in a statement issued after the Legislature’s session.
Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) said, “By privatizing bus service we will save our taxpayers over $32 million dollars annually.”
The MTA’s bus contract with the county was $140 million per year. Costs in the first year of the Veolia contract are capped at $106 million.
Democratic legislators hammered out amendments to the five-year agreement with Veolia before joining with Republicans to approve the deal by acclamation.
Those changes included: freezing fares at their current levels for one year; maintaining the Able Ride transit service for riders with disabilities as is for three years, instead of two years, and requiring two public hearings and a 45-day waiting period preceding any changes in fares or routes. A five-member transit committee made up of one legislator from each party and three appointees by the county executive would assess proposed changes.
“We will closely monitor how Veolia runs this bus system and we will hold them accountable for their actions. We can’t leave Long Island Bus riders waiting for buses that aren’t coming,” said Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), the incoming minority leader before the vote was taken.
Questions arose in the wake of that hearing when Veolia’s parent company announced that it planned to spin off its transportation subsidiary, Veolia Transdev, and sell its shares in the venture to a partner company. Vocal bus riders and drivers who came out in force to raise questions last week about the apparent latitude in the contract for Veolia to alter service were absent from Monday’s meeting.
Deputy Chief County Executive Rob Walker told legislators that the planned spinoff of Veolia’s transportation unit would not have any impact on Veolia’s deal to run county bus operations.
“We have no concern in the world the this will work,” Walker said.
He said the county executive’s office had thoroughly researched the company’s financial status.
Dick Alexander, senior vice president for Veolia Transportation, said the company’s operations would be “totally the same.” He said the contract is a legal document that can’t be amended by the company’s stockholders.
Nassau County attorney John Ciampoli said the deal with Veolia would stand up against whatever changes might occur in its corporate structure.
“Should Veolia assign the contract to another entity as part of a restructuring, then it comes to the county for approval,” Ciampoli said.
Patricia Bowden, president of TWU Local 252, expressed concern about forging a new contract for her union’s members in the time remaining before Veolia takes over.
“My members have nothing. No hospitalization, nothing,” she said.
After the vote, Bowden said her members were “being treated like they’re being fired.” She said it normally would take six to nine months to negotiate a contract.
Mike Setzer, a Veolia official who is likely to be chief executive officer of the Nassau County bus operation, said the company is offering jobs to 96 percent of Long Island Bus drivers and mechanics.
Nassau County Legislator Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said the absence of a deal between Veolia and the TWU is a “concern.”
But he noted that the two sides had already been talking and said he thought they could work out terms of a contract in a few weeks.
Wink said the possibility of a strike if a contract is not settled quickly with the 800 members of the Transit Workers Union Local 252 raises the prospect of revisiting the contract.
“If there is a protracted labor dispute that threatens [bus] riders in Nassau County, then I think we have to revisit it,” Wink said. “It’s very possible because one way or the other, the MTA is out on January first.”
