Westchester County says it is proposing a fare increase for Bee-Line buses in 2026 to match changes to MTA fares.
The Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation will open a public hearing Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains to discuss a proposed Bee-Line fare increase by $0.25 in 2026.
The county said in a statement Friday that if passed, the base Bee-Line bus fare would change from $2.75 to $3.00 starting on Jan. 4, 2026, to align with the new changes to the MTA fare system, including implementation of OMNY, a contactless fare system that is set to replace MetroCards.
Reduced fare for seniors and disabled passengers is also proposed to increase from $1.35 to $1.50.
Westchester County says the county is required to maintain fare alignment to ensure “interoperability” between county and city transportation systems, as well as to ensure riders benefit from free transfers and the 7-day OMNY fare cap.
“As the MTA phases out 7-day and 30-day MetroCards, the Bee-Line will adopt the OMNY $35 weekly fare cap for unlimited trips, excluding the BxM4C route,” a spokesperson for the county said.
The Department of Public Works and Transportation public hearing will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the Michaelian Office Building, Room 527 at 148 Martine Avenue from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Virtual attendance will also be available through WebEx conference.
Walk-ins are permitted for in-person public comment, but registration is required for online attendance. Written comments can be submitted at the hearing, emailed to beeline@westchestercountyny.gov, or mailed to the Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation, 148 Martine Ave., 5th Floor, White Plains, NY 10601.
For more information on the hearing, visit the Westchester County website.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Westchester’s Bee-Line could see fare hike, OMNY system in 2026
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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