Bee Line Bus is a pretty reliable system on weekdays, and the schedule in many places is far more frequent than one would imagine for the suburbs. Much of Westchester was built around now abandoned trains and trolleys, so those living in those pre-WWII, transit-oriented areas will probably live close enough to a corridor with a bus route. And don't think ZipCar will help you, b/c they are not in too many places. (If you're moving back home with your parents, get them to move closer to the local downtown where there probably is good bus service.)
Two changes in recent years that have been a big help: map apps like Transit, CityMapper, and Google and Apple Maps have finally included Bee-Line Bus schedules; and, the acceptance of the same MetroCard used by NYC subway and bus, so you can get it refilled online and automatically if you want. Many stores sell MetroCards, and if they don't, you can ask them to start, but there is no way to refill an existing card except by going to a NYC subway station -- which can be a long trek for many in Westchester.
Still waiting for Bee-Line to have real-time arrival data, like MTA BusTime.
Weekday problems come from a lack of dedicated bus lanes on Westchester streets. So the bus gets stuck in car traffic congestion. Plans for dedicated lanes (like Select Bus Service in NYC) along Central Avenue and Route 119 seem to be shelved or severely scaled back for now.
Unfortunately, a passable system on weekdays becomes a virtually non-existent one during nights and weekends. It is like the bus map was drawn with invisible ink that fades away during certain hours and days. Routes that run 3 or 4x/hour suddenly run once every 2 hours, or disappear altogether.
Like the NYC buses, and unlike every other city in America, Bee Line does not allow bicycles on its buses and has no bike racks in the front. In a hilly county, this would be exceedingly welcome. Efforts to change the bicycle policy a few years ago went nowhere.
Finally, the bus stops are really poor. Many are just on a muddy patch of dirt, or grass that can grow pretty high. When the snow piles high, riders have to stand in narrow car lanes and pray not to get killed. Reaching the bus stops can be exceedingly dangerous, as most streets in Westchester are designed for motorists, not transit riders or pedestrians. Unlike MetroNorth platforms which have fully-enclosed shelters with push-button heaters, most Bee-Line stops don't even have shelters or seats. read more
