LI Bus service cuts are in effect

Commuters hoping for a last-minute reprieve from cuts to Long Island Bus lines are out of luck.

Service on the N3, N17, N28, N53, N65, N66, N67, N87, N93, N94 and N95 lines ended as scheduled at midnight Sunday and reductions on the N1, N2, N14, N23, N25, N26 and N88 lines took effect as well, due to an $800-million MTA budget shortfall.

LI Bus spokesman Jerry Mikorenda said the service reductions had been advertised since January.

"We feel we've done a good job communicating the service reductions to people," he said.

Notices have been posted on buses for weeks, Mikorenda said, and were e-mailed to customers. Bus stops no longer serviced have decals indicating alternative means of transportation. Most customers will have other commuting options, he said, as many of the canceled lines run near unaffected routes.

The cuts are expected to save LI Bus about $1.6 million a year.

Anyone with questions about the cuts should go to MTA.info or call 516-228-4000 for assistance, Mikorenda said.