New City, NY - "We appreciate that MTA has responded to our pleas for the past 20 years to expand the ferry service but are disappointed that there is no increased weekday service for our commuters.  Rockland County commuters have very few public transit options to the city, and the current ferry service’s extremely limited “peak only” schedule simply doesn’t work for folks who need to travel later in the morning, midday, early afternoon, later at night or on weekends.

This is a great first step towards improving and expanding transit service from Rockland County, as was required by the State's congestion pricing authorizing legislation. We look forward to MTA’s next step, which should be making a funding commitment in its Capital Plan for the Gateway and Bergen Loop projects and the corresponding Pascack Valley line investments that must be made in order to provide Rockland County’s one-seat-ride.

Discounting the Hudson Link and ferry Uniticket is good news as well, as are parking discounts for Rockland residents at White Plains.  But with Rockland County's existing $40 million annual value gap, fares and parking should really be free.  I sincerely hope that MTA gets to work soon to expand weekday ferry service and improve the quality of existing rail service from Rockland County so that our residents start to receive some level of equity for what they pay to the MTA."

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