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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 441-05
November 30, 2005

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH TRANSIT ALLIANCE COMPANIES

All Franchise Private Bus Lines Will Now be Operated by MTA

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Transit Alliance Chairman Jerome Cooper today announced that New York City and the Transit Alliance Companies have signed a contract providing for the transition of the franchise bus service provided by Command, Green Jamaica and Triboro Bus companies to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).  The four bus lines provide more than 70 million rides per year on local service in Brooklyn and Queens and express service to and from Manhattan.  This is the final agreement between the City and the seven operators of the franchise bus lines. Under the agreement, the City will acquire the assets of the four bus lines for $25 million.  In addition, the City will lease four depots from the Transit Alliance Companies for $7.5 million per year.

"I am very pleased we have reached an agreement with the Transit Alliance Companies," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "This is the final agreement with the franchise bus lines and I want to thank Deputy Mayor Marc Shaw, Director of Management and Budget Mark Page, Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations Susan Kupferman and their teams for their hard work.  I look forward to working with the Transit Alliance Companies and the MTA over the coming months on the transition to the MTA operation of the bus lines."

The Transit Alliance Companies operate 700 buses on 50 local and express bus routes across New York.  The MTA will provide service in the areas where Transit Alliance Companies operate upon the closing of the transactions.  Command's transfers will occur on December 5th, Green's on January 9th, Jamaica's on January 30th and Triboro’s on February 20th.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Jordan Barowitz   (212) 788-2958




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