'We are basically at capacity'

After the strike went into effect Saturday, demand for seats aboard the Hampton Jitney have shot through the roof, company president Geoffrey Lynch said.

"Starting on Saturday, the day the strike began and certainly extending into today, we are basically at capacity," said Lynch, head of the Calverton-based business known for ferrying summer travelers between Manhattan and the East End. "We’ve added 30% to 40% capacity on our existing schedule."

Lynch said business this week is up by 50% to 60% compared to the same week last year, a an increase he attributed to the impact of the strike.

"We are adding trips tomorrow westbound to help East End commuters heading into the city," he said.

Lynch said that for its North Fork and Westhampton routes, it's seeing a major uptick in customers using the bus for commuting purposes, not for leisure.

"Those regions that utilize Speonk and Ronkonkoma train stations quite a bit, there is no access to those stations during the strike," he said. "We're seeing more of an increase in that active commuter." 

While the rise in ticket sales is good in the short-term, he said, it creates logistical hurdles.

For one, the company is working with contractors and other bus companies to try to meet the demand, a process that takes time and money. Additionally, with increased traffic on the road slowing down arrival times, drivers are having to be switched out to comply with "hours of service" restrictions that cap the number of hours drivers can be on the road.

"We are neck deep in the traffic that the strike has caused," Lynch said. "It makes our schedule and logistics a little more difficult. ... It means we need more drivers."