It took another five years for competitors to introduce a comparable service.

Two companies involved in the bidding process protested award of the contract, one having offered comparable services for half as much.

The nearest centers offering comparable service are in Manhattan and Boston.

Other comparable services include bridgealliance.com, abroadband.com and iphonetrip.com.

But they might also save money by offering comparable services on a smaller scale, the commission said.

A younger employee with comparable service and salary would have received $355 a month in disability benefits.

Banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions are already offering comparable services.

Without public transportation, he said, it would cost $150 per day for comparable service using private ambulettes.

"We are the only neighborhood on earth that has a boys-only boys club and no comparable services for girls," she proclaims.

To build a comparable service would require an additional $15 to $20 million in start-up costs.