STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- South Shore commuters who rely on the X23 and X24 buses can rest easy -- there will be bus service come Thursday after Atlantic Express Transportation Corp., which formally operated the routes, goes out of business on Tuesday.
But X23 riders will need to have cash in hand, as fare boxes are installed on the buses which are being taken over by Academy Bus Company.
"We anticipate that all buses operating on the X24 will have fare boxes and will be able to accept both Metrocards and cash fares...Unfortunately, we do not anticipate having fare boxes installed on the buses operating on the X23 at the start of service," wrote Academy Bus Co. in a customer notice.
The notice didn't provide a time frame for when the fare boxes will be installed on the X23 buses. When reached by the Advance on Tuesday, an Academy Bus Co. representative said there wasn't anyone available for comment.
The memo notes that the schedules and bus service on the two commuter routes will remain the same.
South Shore Councilman Vincent Ignizio said he was informed that many drivers who formerly worked for Atlantic Express will be hired by Academy Bus Co. to operate the two commuter routes.
"Academy is in negotiations to hire many or most of the drivers," he said. "This is bitter sweet for me because I would have preferred that the MTA took over the routes because it has more structure ... But we weren't going to leave commuters out in the cold, and there will be bus service for them."
Staten Island elected officials had begun discussions with the MTA earlier this month with hopes it would take over the two South Shore commuter routes. But at the time, the MTA only committed to manning the routes temporarily.
Port Richmond-based Atlantic Express Transportation Corp. and its unionized drivers were unable to reach an agreement on Dec. 4, and as a result, the firm that has operated buses in the borough for more than 40 years, said it will shut down.
Atlantic Express Transportation Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 5. The company, which has operations in New York, as well as various other states, sent letters to its 5,500 employees last month stating that there will be a "complete shutdown of its operations," come Dec 31.
In addition to the commuter routes, Atlantic Express formerly operated 109 school bus routes on Staten Island, which will also be taken over by other bus companies.