McMahon's spokeswoman, Lauren Amendolara, said her boss worked very closely with St. John's in
preparing the initial request that led to inclusion of the shuttle funds in an omnibus bill that passed the
House on July 23.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the expenditure and the full Senate will vote on the
omnibus bill when it reconvenes.
"This funding will provide for a convenient way for students to get to school without burdening their
budget," McMahon said. "It is also an environmentally friendly program - getting more cars off our
roads and alleviating the congestion in our already crowded parking lots. This shuttle service will
provide a long-await benefit for Staten Island students."
Schumer extolled McMahon as "a leader in the House. ... I am happy to work with him to get this
done. I couldn't have a better partner."
When she lived on campus, St. John's senior Fortune Attardo of New Dorp said the shuttles were
more convenient than transferring between city bus routes. Plus, the trip can take less than 10
minutes, depending on traffic. "This was my way to get to the city, and pretty much get off the hill,"
she said.
"In this ever-tightening economy, and given the increased transportation costs faced by our students,
faculty and staff, I applaud Sen. Schumer for his support of our collaborative efforts to move more
Staten Island campus students around in a quick, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly manner,"
St. John's President the Rev. Donald J. Harrington said in a statement.
Schumer pledged to do whatever he can to make the funding permanent after the two years are up.
Wagner President Richard Guarasci said in a statement that the shuttles will help students experience
"the best of both worlds: A traditional campus on a beautiful park-like borough and easy access to
Manhattan."
The College of Staten Island runs its own shuttle bus between its Willowbrook campus and the ferry,
and also has benefited from federal funding, granted through the state Department of Transportation,
though this year's grant was smaller than the year before, and doesn't cover the entire cost of operating
the buses, said CSI professor and transportation expert Jonathan Peters. CSI, like Wagner and St.
John's, is also seeking a more permanent funding source. Schumer said CSI need only reach out to his
office to get in the running for other federal dollars.
The CSI shuttle was initially given a $410,000 Job Access and Reverse Commute Program grant to
get the service up and running, but received just $187,000 this year, Peters said, "reducing the amount
when we were actually looking for more."
The CSI shuttle buses carry between 1,400 and 1,600 riders a day, with a large chunk of those
newcomers to transit, Peters said.
-Contributed by Maura Yates
Page 148 of 179
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