1953
Bernacchia Brothers begin bus service with four vehicles.
Our Company
For over 60 years Liberty Lines has been privileged to develop and operate one of the most effective and efficient Transit systems in the country. Today Liberty operates over 300 vehicles on 60 routes and carries almost 30 million passenger over 10 million miles annually. We believe our 700 union and non-union employees are the best transit workers in America. Our employees are our greatest asset and earn excellent wages, health and pension benefits. The Liberty workforce is foundational to the local economy.
Since its meager beginnings in 1953 as a 4 vehicle operation, Liberty Lines has grown through merger and acquisition to become one of the largest privately owned transportation companies in New York State. Today, the company, which is headquarted in Yonkers, operates out of 2 state of the art facilities, employing approximately 610 union and 140 non-union employees and operating a fleet of 350 vehicles from 25 foot passenger vans, to 60 foot articulated and hybrid buses.
In conjunction with the Westchester County Department of Transportation, Liberty Lines provides safe, reliable and efficient local bus transportation services throughout the County on 59 routes. Each year, the company transports 30 million passengers and covers over 10 million miles.
Regarded as the most efficient and well run carrier in the New York Metropolitan area, the company’s steadfast commitment to excellence and efficiency is well known. Liberty is a past recipient of the prestigious American Public Transit Award which recognized Liberty Lines as the most efficiently run system of its size in North America.
In 1998, Liberty received two awards from the NYS Public Transit Safety Board; the first in recognition of the development and implementation of an Innovative Safety Program and the second in recognition of Superior Achievement in Preventive Maintenance.
“The most efficient and well run carrier in the New York Metropolitan area.”
Executive Management
Board of Directors
Gerard Bernacchia, Managing Director
Bruce Bernacchia, Managing Director
Joseph Murphy, Managing Director
Brian Bernacchia, Managing Director
Officers
Thomas Murphy, President
Patrick Campbell, Vice President, Operations
Nestor Martinez, Vice President, Maintenance
Kathy Santaniello, Vice President, Finance
Melissa Santiago, Vice President, Human Resources
Facts & Figures
Number of Employees:
Liberty Lines Transit, Inc. employs a workforce of 750 dedicated, service oriented professionals which includes; 460 bus operators, 152 mechanics, building and vehicle cleaners and maintainers, and 138 executive, management and clerical personnel.
Number/type of vehicles operated:
| 78 | Sixty foot New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 Articulated Buses |
| 4 | Thirty five foot New Flyer Xcelsior XE35 Articulated Buses |
2 |
Thirty five foot New Flyer Xcelsior XE40 Articulated Buses |
1 |
Forty foot New Flyer Xcelsior XDE35 Articulated Bus |
10 |
Thirty two foot Orion V Buses |
103 |
Forty foot Orion V Buses |
4 |
Forty foot Orion VII Hybrid Buses |
95 |
Forty foot NABI Hybrid Buses |
27 |
Forty foot ORION V Coaches |
Liberty Lines History
The history of Liberty is largely the history of two families that have worked to build, consolidate and evolve the system over decades. The Ray Murphy, George Bernacchia and Arthur Bernacchia began working together in the early 1960’s. Together the company founders developed the systems, procedures and management principals to establish Liberty as a leader in the transit industry. Although Liberty was formally established in 1953, the families have a history in transit that extends back over 120 years.
Moving People for 70 Years
70 years ago, Liberty Lines started as a 4 vehicle operation. Since 1953, Liberty Lines has grown through merger and acquisition to become one of the largest privately owned transportation companies in New York State
1956
Bernacchia Brothers Bus company became Liberty Coaches Inc.
1969
Bus Associates Inc is founded and acquires West Fordham Trans. Co., Mount Vernon, and White Plains Routes from Westchester Street Trans. Co. Ray Murphy (Westchester Street Transportation) joins forces with Bernacchia Brothers.
1970
Liberty and Westchester County form a partnership.
1972
Yonkers Transit Routes are acquired by Liberty Coaches, Inc., Club Trans., and Westchester Street.
1975
Liberty acquired Riverdale Transit.
1981
Liberty acquires Club Transportation.
1982
Liberty designs and coordinates re-construction of a Central Maintenance and Operations Facility in Yonkers, NY to consolidate all its transit services, officially opened in 1982.
1983
60 Foot articulated buses are introduced to Westchester and the NY Metropolitan area.
1985
Liberty transfers Charter and Atlantic City services to Vanguard Tours.
1993
Liberty begins operating North-County services from Westchester County’s Cerrato Facility in Valhalla.
1998
Liberty received two awards from the NYS Public Transit Safety Board; the first in recognition of Superior Achievement in Preventive Maintenance , the other in recognition of the implementation of an Innovative Safety Program.
1999
Liberty acquires Hartsdale Bus.
2005
Liberty transfers express services between the Bronx and Manhattan (Liberty Lines Express) to MTA Bus Company.
2006
Low Floor-Hybrid (diesel-Electric) buses are introduced to Westchester.
Liberty Lines Bee-Line Route Maps
Showing genesis of Bee-Line transit routes assembled into the present network by Liberty Lines.