Hearings scheduled on Suffolk bus fare hikes

Suffolk bus riders will have the opportunity to sound off on the county's first fare increase in 20 years at two public hearings this week.

The hearings will be held Wednesday at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge and Thursday at the County Center Building in Riverhead. Both are from 3 to 7 p.m.

The county plans to increase Suffolk County Transit fares from $1.50 to $2. Fares on the S92 and 10C, currently $2, will increase to $2.25. Student and senior fares also will rise by 25 cents.

The new fares will take effect on May 1.

Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Sag Harbor), who heads the county Legislature's Transportation Committee, said the increases will generate about $1 million in fare revenue that is necessary to cover growing operating costs.

"People probably won't like the fact that these fares are going up and no additional services are being provided," Schneiderman said. "Nobody wants to pay more . . . But this is something that we need to do."

The last time Suffolk raised its bus fares was in 1992.