COOPERSTOWN - Otsego County's reduced public bus service will begin today under new operator Birnie Bus of Rome.

The route that runs between Cooperstown and Oneonta on routes 205 and 11, will remain the same.

The route that runs between Richfield Springs and Edmeston, providing service to New York Central Mutual Insurance Co. and arriving in Cooperstown shortly before 8 a.m., also will stay the same, according to Diane Carlton, county director of planning.

The route that connects Oneonta to East Worcester along state Route 7 will run one day a week using the same schedule as it has for years. Service will be available on Tuesday.

The route that connects Oneonta and Sidney, with service to Gilbertsville and Morris, also will run one day a week following the existing time schedule. Service will be available Wednesday.

There will be one trip from Richfield Springs to Cooperstown each morning and one back to Richfield Springs in the evening. This route will serve commuters who use the route for work and will operate five days a week. Buses will continue to leave Richfield Springs at 6:15 a.m., arriving at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital at 6:45 a.m. The afternoon commute home will continue to leave Cooperstown at 4:20 p.m.

The route that connects Cherry Valley and Cooperstown also will have a morning run and an evening run to assist commuters five days a week. It will leave Cherry Valley at 6:50 a.m. and arrive at Bassett Hospital at 7:45 a.m. and at the County Annex at 7:50 a.m.

In addition, both Richfield Springs and Cherry Valley will have bus service all day, once a week. Richfield Springs will be served on Thursday and Cherry Valley on Friday.

The route between Oneonta and Edmeston has been eliminated.

The phone number for Otsego Express remains (800) 388-9853. Fares also remain: $1 for most routes, $2 for route deviation, 50 cents for seniors, 30 cents for a transfer to Oneonta Public Transit, $3 for dial-a-ride service and $30 for a monthly pass.

For further information about the new service, contact the planning department at 547-4225.