May 03, 2011
(Albany, NY) – The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was presented with 2011 Champion Award from the New York State Bicycle Coalition in recognition of notable achievements promoting bicycling in New York State at its annual New York State Bike Summit on April 28th at West Capital Park next to the State Capital.
“We are pleased to be recognized by our cycling partners for this prestigious award that calls attention to the many benefits of environmentally friendly travel options,” said CDTA Chairwoman Denise Figueroa. “Bikes and buses go hand in hand, helping to increase our mobility options, and strengthen our connections and offer smart solutions to the larger challenges we face in our society including pollution, congestion, and high commute costs due to escalating gas prices at a time of economic recession.”
“CDTA was selected for this year’s NYBC Champion award because it’s clear that they are committed to supporting cyclists for the long haul,” said Brian Kehoe, NYBC President. “Installing bike racks on their buses and providing safe bike parking are strong examples of their willingness to invest in programs that improve the lives of cyclists, increase accessibility and support green initiatives. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with CDTA on ways to integrate bicycling and transit well into the future.”
CDTA has worked with the community in many ways to increase accessibility through public transportation and bicycling in the Capital Region, with highlights listed below.
Bikeable bus Program
In 2007, CDTA expanded its Bikeable bus pilot program from operating on ten major routes to all 220 regular route buses. Now, every regular route bus has a bike rack installed in front of the bus, including the new BusPlus buses on Route 5, and its use grows dramatically every year. Last year over 50,000 bikes on bus rides were taken as compared with less than 20,000 in FY 07-08.
Bike Rack Use Education
To encourage people to use the bike racks, CDTA created a one minute training video on how to load bicycles on buses. The video is posted on the CDTA website as well as bicycle group websites.
Bike rack program
For the last two years, CDTA teamed up with the Capital District Transportation Committee to offer free or discounted bike racks to businesses and organizations in the community, supported through Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds, as a way to increase accessibility in the community. Provision of appropriate bicycling amenities, such as safe parking, encourages people to bike and adds convenience for the entire cycling community: businesses, commuters, shoppers, messengers and food deliverers and students. Close 600 bike racks have been installed through the Capital Region through this program, providing thousands of safe parking spaces in areas close to CDTA bus routes. Bicycle rack installations can earn LEED credits to be used toward LEED certification by the Green Building Council.
Collaborative Green Initiatives
CDTA is an active participant in Bike to Work and Earth Day events and programs. Most recently, CDTA joined the Capital District Transit Network and dozens of cyclists to kick off their Earth Day bicycle parade in Albany’s Academy Park. CDTA offers participants in NYS Let’s Commute and Dump the Pump programs opportunities to win free CDTA passes.
To highlight the 2010 National Bike to Work Day, Customers who boarded CDTA buses with their bikes rode free on May 21st.
About CDTA
CDTA was created in 1970 by the New York State Legislature as a public benefit corporation to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. Today CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, operating regular route bus service, shuttle systems, Northway Commuter services, and STAR services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations, and is a leader in the proposed upgrade to the Schenectady Station. CDTA promotes vanpool and carpool use, works with human service agencies to expand transportation options and linkages, and is a strong advocate for smart growth, pedestrian friendly site and road design, and bicycle accommodations.
CDTA is a flexible and innovative company that responds to the changing needs of the Capital Region. Today, over 700 people are part of the organization all working together to deliver a system that transports more than 45,000 customers each weekday.
For more information regarding CDTA services, visit www.cdta.org or call 482-8822. Information operators are on duty 6am-7pm weekdays and 8am-6pm weekends and holidays
