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The county will use a competitive procurement process, or a request for proposals for companies to operate as many as 61 lines on the Bee-Line starting in 2014 or early 2015.
Westchester's public bus system is unique in that the county owns the busses, but all but three lines are run by Liberty Lines, a private company that supplies the drivers. Liberty has been operating most Bee-Line buses since the 1970s.
The RFP will be issued in early September for a five-year contract, with an option to renew for five years, awarded in December.
In the event that the new contract is not awarded to Liberty Lines, the company has the option to manage the Bee-Line system under a bridge contract for up to one year to ensure a smooth transition to the new operator.
"Price and service are the core of any Bee-Line bus contract, and we now have a foundation for both," Astorino said in a statement. "The request for proposals process will keep costs down and federal aid in place. The bridge contract provides insurance against the interruption in the quality of service."
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