Courtesy CDTA
CDTA, which oversees public transportation in the Capital District, is working hard in 2023 to expand its services. In a State of CDTA meeting on March 2, officials said merging with the Glens Falls Transit District was among its priorities.
A new transit line and electric bikes and an expansion are also among the changes on the horizon, officials said.
The event recognized how CDTA is “entering 2023 from a position of strength, innovation, and confidence,” officials said.
According to CDTA, “ridership is rebounding quickly. For the past year, ridership is up 20 percent, fueled by universal access agreements with even more major employers, colleges and other partners.”
Total ridership for the first 10 months of the CDTA fiscal year is 11.4 million. This brings the CDTA ridership count to more than 90 percent of what it was before the COVID pandemic began, officials said.
Establishing new regional mobility hubs remains a top priority for the transit association. Merging with the Glens Falls Transit District to provide transportation services would make Warren County its sixth county partner. The partnership would provide Warren County residents with access to other municipalities.
“CDTA has a progressive vision for 2023 to introduce new services and projects to make the regions more connected than ever,” CDTA Board Chairman Jayme Lahut said. “I am proud of the milestones recognized today and bold plans for the future as we work with community partners to support the region’s economic development.”
CDTA announced electric bikes will be added to the CDPHP Cycle! fleet during season seven.
“It is amazing to witness the impact and growth we have had on the region during a pandemic,” said CDTA CEO Carm Basile. “Our Bus Rapid Transit lines, the only BRT network in upstate New York, span nearly 40 miles. We have a network of electric vehicles, which now includes carshare, and electric bikes, and we are expanding our footprint to provide even more connections to the Capital Region.
“We have emerged from the pandemic with forward-thinking ideas that reimagine mobility and transportation, but none of them would be possible without our community partners. I am beyond appreciative to those who have helped us get to this point and can’t wait for all that’s to come in 2023 and beyond.”
Over the last 50 years, CDTA has grown into an organization with 750 employees, a budget of $115 million and served approximately 16 million customers annually, pre-pandemic. It has also grown its fleet to 330 buses and vehicles, which travel 10 million miles annually on more than 50 different routes.