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Margo Janack Margoj@cdta.org Capital District Transportation Authority 518-437-6842 110 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206 |
Ridership Increases, New Technologies & Faster Service Highlight Upstate NY’s First BRT Line
(Albany, NY) – The Capital District Transportation Authority’s (CDTA) BusPlus service will turn the wheel on its first full year of operation on April 3, 2012. The innovative limited stop service has increased ridership on NY Route 5, offers customers real time information and ushered in a new era of public transit choices.
“BusPlus has been even more successful than we originally envisioned and has become a valued service to the community,” said CDTA Chairwoman Denise Figueroa. “In just one year of its operations, we’ve seen more than a 25% ridership growth. BusPlus has allowed us to improve on our mission of getting people to work and helping our economy to get back on track.”
The NY Route 5 Bus Rapid Transit project, the first of its kind in upstate New York, was launched in April 2011. Known as BusPlus, this limited stop service features cutting-edge technology including transit signal priority, real time passenger information displays, GIS-based mobile data communication, queue jumpers, CCTV surveillance, and pylon signs that connect to a fiber optic network. BusPlus technology gets customers information quicker, offers faster travel and enhancements for a new rider experience.
BusPlus is the most heavily travelled route on the NY Route 5 corridor and within the entire CDTA system and averages between 12,000-13,000 rides per weekday. One out of every ten trips taken on the CDTA regular route network is on BusPlus, with 70% of riders using the service to get to work. Ridership along the corridor (BusPlus and local services combined) has increased 13% over the past 12 months.
On the travel side, customers may experience up to a 25% time savings over local service and a 10% increase in one time performance. This time savings can be attributed to the implementation of queue jumper bus lanes and transit signal priority systems that advance buses throughout the corridor.
BusPlus is a collaborate program between CDTA, NYSDOT, City of Albany, City of Schenectady, Town of Colonie, and Town of Niskayuna. BusPlus connects with about 30 other routes within the CDTA transportation network. BusPlus on NY Route 5 is the first part of 100 miles of BRT plan for the Capital Region. An alternative analysis is currently underway to extend BRT service to the Western and Washington Avenue corridors.
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