June 25, 2020
Front Door Boarding and Fare Payment to Follow Shortly
ALBANY, NY (June 25, 2020) CDTA is preparing to introduce an updated service plan that will increase frequencies on major trunk routes and gear the system up for people returning to work as the region enters Phase 4 of its reopening process. All measures are part of a thoughtful and phased approach to help customers feel safe secure as they ride with CDTA.
“As the region responds, so is CDTA,” said CDTA CEO, Carm Basile. “We have developed a reopening plan that covers employee safety, service deployment, maintenance, cleaning protocols employee and customer safety and communication."
The plan provides a phased approach to restoration. CDTA will make major changes to service levels on Sunday, July 12, 2020, when most trunk routes will return to full service. Some trunk routes will see more frequency than pre-COVID as we work to ensure social distancing can occur. At the beginning of April, average weekday ridership went from 55,000 to under 25,000. Boardings have slowly inched back to over 30,000 per day. The service additions in July are designed for at least 40,000 boardings as we anticipate people returning to work and normal activities resuming. Social distancing and the safety of bus operators are top priorities and area factored into our anticipation of ridership, capacity and the resources we need to move forward.
In late July, early August, CDTA will return to front door boarding and resume fare collection on all buses. Specific details will be provided in the coming weeks. In the next few weeks, CDTA will begin to install protective barriers on all buses. This will protect bus operators and improve the safety and security of our system. Once the installation of barriers begins, the fare collection process can resume. CDTA has not collected fares since April 6 when it instituted rear door only boarding.
Cleaning protocols have been enhanced and formalized for the entire fleet and in CDTA facilities including the Saratoga Springs Train Station and the Rensselaer Rail Station. These protocols include daily cleaning, disinfecting and a quarterly process called Stera-Mist. This hydrogen-peroxide based mix product kills bacteria and inactivates viruses on contact. CDTA continues to monitor the market and adjust cleaning protocols as new information is provided and new products are introduced.
Updated service information and COVID-19 response can be found at www.cdta.org and our social media channels Facebook (@ridecdta), Twitter (@cdta), Instagram (@cdta), YouTube (CDTA) and Linked In (Capital District Transportation Authority)