April 01, 2015
Additional Dollars Address Record Ridership & Growing Demand
ALBANY, NY (April 1, 2015) The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) will receive an additional $1,798,000 in State Operating Assistance (STOA) as part of the 2015-16 New York State Budget. The addition brings CDTA’s STOA funding package to $33.93 million. An additional $2,697,022 will be provided to support Capital needs in FY2016, bringing the total new funding to $4,495,022.
“We applaud the efforts of the Legislature and the Governor for recognizing the important role transit plays not only here in the Capital Region but across upstate New York communities,” said CDTA Chairman, David M. Stackrow. “Transportation means business anywhere people are looking for opportunity. Without these funds, transit systems like CDTA would not be able to continue the work we have been doing to connect people to employment and spur economic vitality.”
CDTA is on track to serve a record 17 million riders this fiscal year with ridership gains and system improvements driven by an innovative transit system. Later this year, CDTA’s Navigator will be fully implemented and customers will use smart cards and mobile ticketing as a new way to pay. Progress continues on 40-miles of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the Western/Washington Corridors (Purple Line) and the River Corridor (Blue Line) which runs along the Hudson River on Routes 32 and 4. State-of-the art transit centers in downtown Albany and Crossgates Mall continue to move forward. Both centers will serve as a catalyst for economic development, provide needed services for the community and enhance the overall rider experience.
New York State provides transit operating assistance through the Statewide Mass Transportation Operating Assistance (STOA) program. New York State transit systems carry nearly one-third of the nation's transit riders and provide nearly one-quarter of transit services nationwide. Over the past five years statewide ridership has increased by 13%; more than 70% of these trips are work related.
ABOUT CDTA: The Capital District Transportation Authority (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. CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, providing local, express, commuter and bus rapid transit services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations. Today, nearly 650 people work to deliver a transit system that transports nearly 60,000 customers each weekday.