Daily News from New York, New York • 720

ij' lft Summon; News, Sunday, August 10, 1980 Bus riders will get relief, but i i -v --A I 'V tote's at local pace By MARY ENGELS i TATEN ISLAND BUS commuters, fed up with antiquated buses and unreliable service, will have something to be happy about with the of maintenance procedures for the whole bus We've been working with a system that's 20 years old. The new buses are much more complex in terms of maintenance," he explained. THE TA RECENTLY came under fire from the New York State Office of the Controller which did a survey on the maintenance and operating procedures of the express bus fleet on Staten Island and found it unsatisfactory. Several hazardous safety conditions were cited such as improper and under-inflated tires, missing fire extinguishers, and broken emergency escape hatches. Courtney said the problems had been addressed and, for the most part, corrected.

"However, we always are fighting the problem of vandalism; and things do happen that are beyond our control," he said. Staten Island Councilman Mary Codd has called on Neil Goldschmidt, the Secretary- of the U.S. Department of Transportation, to investigate the "unsafe conditions of the express buses operated by the Transit Authority." She cited the controller's audit as a basis for the investigation. CODD CALLED THE unsafe conditions "not mere technical violations which can be ignored, but those that represent serious and substantial safety hazards which put the lives of passengers, drivers, and other motorists in danger," The TA also came under fire recently from residents of the Island who disapproved of their, Staten Island study, conducted by TA official Harris Schechtman, over a two-year period. It sought to improve commuter service throughout the island.

Additional bus routes were proposed, while the elimination of some other routes were -considered. A series of public hearings brought out hundreds of islanders who protested against the plan. COURTNEY CONCEDED, "It was a case of trying to do too much too soon. "Implementation should be done in stages. One can't go ahead and hit people with an immense re-structuring job at one time.

Staten Islanders got hot about it Any borough study is bound to be a shock to the operation and the people." However, he admitted that the study "had several good points, and the authority is looking at ways to administer them." John Courtney shows model of new Staten Island Bus Depot now under construction. One area in need of improved service, the study showed, is the Staten Island Mall, one of the largest shopping complexes in the city, with over 200 stores. Starting in September, every other bus of the No. 103 and 102 bus lines which serve the South and North shores of the island will be re-routed to cover the Mall. r' "I do feel there is a need for improved Service to Staten Island Mall with a main bus terminal at some location there," Courtney said, without being more specific.

NEXT FRIDAY, visitors to the Mall will be able to get a look at the new express bus, which will be parked in front of the center mall. In addition, shoppers will be given an added bonus, a free ride around the mall on the TA bus which will leave every 20 minutes. Courtney emphasized that there would be no elimination of any bus routes. Looking down the road for future transportation needs, he said the Transit Authority is giving a thought to the use of articulated buses. "They seat 90 people and have been used successfully in Europe for several years.

They would certainly serve the purpose of providing service to more people which is basically what any good bus operation is all about" The new buses to be put into service can hold about 45 people. They are arriving slowly, and seven are now being used for express runs. addition of 102 new buses plus a new bus garage and depot on the island, promises Transit Authority official John Courtney, the assistant general superintendent in charge of surface planning. "The Transit Authority's main concern is to improve the reliability of buses serving Staten Island," he said. "The new buses should go a long way toward accomplishing the goal.

"The island will receive 102 out of a total of 837 buses being distributed throughout the city. It will bring the total complement of buses, serving local and express routes, to 400 on the island." THE NEW BUSES will be housed in the Castleton Ave. and Edgewater Depots until the new Yukon Ave. Bus Garage and Depot in New Springville is completed. The new depot, which costs $14 million and has been almost two and a half years in construction, is expected to open by January 1981.

"We are entering an age of a whole new technology in buses that require a great change in the way we handle our fleet," Courtney said. "The Yukon Ave. Depot is ideal in terms of size and capability. It will be able to do everything including heavy repairs, whicl. will save time and' money." At present, buses inspected at the Castleton Ave.

or Edgewater Depots are sent for major repairs to the Brooklyn Depot For years, it was difficult to provide adequate service because of countless breakdowns. "The TA is nowy going through a detailed review 11 i--4 JlmHheiDallyNww New Transit Authority Bus Depot on Yukon Avo.fMew Sprlngvflle, has been under constructloh foPtwo years and Is expected to be opened In January 1 S3t. tt cost $14 million..