Shelter Island Bus? Board hears suggestion for service

A pitch for a bus service on Shelter Island was made to the Town Board at its work session Tuesday.

Samantha Capello, 18, went before the board to ask if there could be something done for those without cars who have to travel to work, school or other places on and off-Island and find the minimum taxi fare of $12 too steep.

Ms. Capello suggested a bus running between North and South ferries, with periodic stops along the route. She noted that many young people were without cars and transportation was a daily challenge.

After the meeting, Ms. Capello, who works at the IGA and lives on New York Avenue, said that when the weather turns bad it’s a miserable walk to her job.

“And now the cold weather’s coming,” she said.

Councilwoman Chris Lewis noted that the idea of a bus service on the Island had been discussed before, with the same route as Ms. Capello outlined. But when the idea was suggested several years ago, regularly scheduled buses would be to mainly serve the senior community.

At that time, there were a “great number of people” who felt a bus service would be “intrusive,” Ms. Lewis said, and the idea went nowhere.

However, times have changed, she added, and a need for public transportation might exist.

There are “a lot more people,” especially young people, “who walk to jobs” than the last time the idea came around, and bus service “could be explored again,” Ms. Lewis said.

Councilman Paul Shepherd wondered about the cost.

Supervisor Jim Dougherty said that a feasibility report was done in 2008 and Ms. Lewis said it would be worthwhile to review it.