Nassau officials urge MTA to give Able-Ride another year

As many disabled bus riders take their last door-to-door trips on Able-Ride Wednesday, Nassau County officials are hoping to persuade the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to put off its cuts to the system for another year.

The changes to the MTA Long Island Bus' transportation service for the disabled technically took effect last week, after a federal judge threw out a lawsuit that sought to prevent the cuts. But Able-Ride honored all reservations that had been made through May 26. The last of those reserved rides would take place Wednesday.

That means that scores of disabled riders, as of Thursday, will have to figure out how to get to and from medical appointments, jobs or anywhere else if they live in or are traveling to what Able-Ride officials call a "non-ADA zone."

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act requires that transit agencies provide door-to-door bus service for all locations within three-quarters of a mile from a fixed bus route. The MTA's cuts would eliminate Able-Ride service in portions of the Town of Oyster Bay - including Bayville and Syosset - and in pockets elsewhere in the county, such as Lido Beach.

Nassau Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) said several interested parties, including representatives from the office of Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, met Friday to discuss ways to stop the cuts. She said they came up with a proposal to put together $1.2 million - the amount the MTA says it will save through cuts to Able-Ride - in county, state and federal funds and offer it to the MTA in exchange for a one-year reprieve from the service cuts.

Jacobs said "buying a year" could allow the MTA, the county and private companies to work together to come up with better solutions to the agency's financial problems. That could include selling advertising on Able-Ride buses and contracting taxi companies to transport some disabled riders.

"We're looking at this as something that could be a workable solution," Jacobs said. "The bottom line is that if we can't make this happen within a year, it's not going to happen."

MTA officials would not comment Tuesday on the proposal, which has not been formally presented to them. They have said repeatedly that Nassau has contributed to the MTA's financial problems by not properly funding LI Bus, which the county owns.

Mangano's office did not return calls for comment.