Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced the return of front-door boarding for Suffolk County Public Transit buses. As Suffolk County has now moved into Phase III of reopening, Suffolk County Transit has reinstituted front-door boarding and fare collection.
“As we move from phase to phase, we continue to re-evaluate policies and procedures where it makes sense,” said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. “While we transition back to front-door boarding, we need the public to remain vigilant and follow all the guidance to ensure we continue to stop the spread.”
Protective barriers have been installed on all Suffolk County Transit buses to help keep the bus drivers safe from infection. Passengers are still required to wear face coverings while on board the bus, as per Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order. The installation of these barriers has allowed Suffolk Transit to eliminate the larger cordon areas near the front to allow for more seating onboard buses.
On March 23, as a measure to protect both citizens and bus operators from the spread of COVID-19, Suffolk County Transit implemented a rear-door boarding policy on fixed route bus service. Riders were required to board using the rear entrance of the bus, and the first few rows of the bus were isolated to create a safe social distance between the riders and the driver.
Additionally, all Suffolk Transit customers were encouraged to go cashless with the Suffolk FastFare Mobile App to help limit contact between the driver and passengers. The app, which is available for download in both the Apple Store and Google Play, is available for use on all Suffolk County Transit buses and allows riders to easily purchase tickets on their smartphones anytime, anywhere. Passengers using Suffolk FastFare can pay for tickets using a credit or debit card, or via digital payment services such as Apple Pay.
Elsewhere across the County, summer-only S47 service has resumed between the Babylon Long Island Rail Road Station and Robert Moses State Park. Service operates weekdays from 8:30 AM to 6:55 PM and Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM. In addition, effective, today, S92 service has transitioned to a Summer schedule in response to growing ridership and traffic on the East End.
