Legislator Bridget Fleming, who is Chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Working Group took the inaugural ride Suffolk Transit On-Demand, on the first day of the new service. Suffolk Transit On-Demand is a pilot service in Southampton that will allow customers to book bus rides straight from their cell phones. The coverage area of the pilot coincides with the former 10A bus route, which was cut in 2016 because of budgetary constraints. Joining Fleming was resident Elfriede Neuman, who used to take the 10A into Sag Harbor Village from her home in Noyack, and Tom Neely, former Director of Transportation for the Town of Southampton and current member of the Suffolk County Transportation Working Group. Under this ride-sharing pilot program, bus riders can use a mobile app to request a trip within the Town of Southampton. After booking a ride, customers will be provided with a “virtual bus stop,” or nearby corner where they will meet their bus driver.
Service is available throughout Southampton, with popular destinations including Sag Harbor Village, Hampton Jitney, Southampton High School, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Southampton Town Hall, Rogers Memorial Library, Stony Brook Southampton Campus, Shinnecock Health Clinic, South Ferry Station, Sag Harbor S92 Station, and the Southampton LIRR station. Rides cost $2.25, with discounts available for youth, students, seniors, people with disabilities, Medicare card holders, and Suffolk County veterans. The first five rides are free.
Legislator Fleming has always been an advocate for making public transportation more accessible, convenient and responsive to community concerns. Working with the administration of County Executive Steve Bellone, Fleming and the Transportation Working Group have worked to find cost-effective solutions for county residents, particularly residents who do not have a car and who live in communities with limited public transit services. Suffolk Transit On-Demand in Southampton is a pilot program based on the “microtransit” concept emerging across the nation.
For more information, visit https://sct-bus.org/ondemand.html..
