Transportation advocates take 2-day bus ride from Jamaica, Queens, to Montauk
Nassau County Legis. Laura Curran, right, joins members of the Long Island Bus Riders Union as they walk from the Roosevelt Field Mall terminal to NICE Bus headquarters on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. They are continuing to travel from Jamaica, Queens to the Montauk Lighthouse using only public transportation to highlight the lack of accessibility for bus riders across Long Island. Credit: Uli Seit
And you thought your commute was long.
A group of public transportation advocates Wednesday started a two-day sojourn from Jamaica to Montauk using only public buses. The trip involves 18 different bus routes, and aims to raise awareness about the importance of making additional investment in transit.
"The purpose of this trip is to say, 'Yes, there are issues. But when it works, you can get almost anywhere," said Aaron Watkins-Lopez, of the Long Island Bus Riders Union, which organized the trip.
The group planned to get as far as Stony Brook Wednesday night, before resuming their ride Thursday morning.
The advocates also say Nassau and Suffolk need to do more to make their systems accessible to all riders, including ensuring all buses have working audio and visual announcements, and Braille signs at bus stops.
A spokesman for the Nassau Inter-County Express, or NICE Bus, said the agency believes it complies with all Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
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