Capital District Transportation Authority
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CDTA Gillig Low Floor BRT hybrid #4013H in Schenectady, NY, on the 55 line in iRide branding. |
|
Slogan | It's my ride |
---|---|
Founded | 1970 |
Headquarters | 110 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206 |
Locale | Capital District |
Service area | Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schectady counties |
Service type | Local bus service |
Routes | 60 |
Fleet | 295 |
Operator | CDTA (all except Northway Express) Upstate Transit (Northway Express only) |
Chief executive | Raymond Melleady |
Web site | www.cdta.org |
The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) is a public benefit organization which provides transportation services to the Capital District of New York State (Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties). CDTA was formed in August in 1970 by a state act of government which also formed three similar agencies in Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo; CDTA took over the area's four private operators between 1971 and 1972. The function of CDTA is to operate public transportation as well as to operate two Amtrak stations in the service area (Albany-Rennselaer and Saratoga Springs). CDTA bus operators, dispatchers, and supervisory staff are organized in Local 1394 of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).
Contents |
[edit] Fixed route services
CDTA operates 60 different routes, many of which connect neighborhoods to downtowns or downtowns to shopping areas with six routes linking key towns together. Two routes, 11-SUNY Shuttle and 86-RPI Shuttle, are shuttle services for area universities which are also open to the public. Service mostly runs from 5:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m. weeknights, 6:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Saturdays, and 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Sundays with the college routes running until 2:00 a.m. in Albany and Troy (with several RPI-only runs running until 4:00 a.m.).
[edit] Albany Division
Before CDTA, many of these routes belonged to the Albany-Nassau Bus Company (Routes 32/33) and United Traction. Buses run out of Capital Depot adjacent to CDTA's headquarters on 110 Watervliet Avenue in Albany.
|
|
Albany Division also operates half of Routes 55 (with Schenectady Division) and 90 (with Troy Division) plus the ShuttleBug and Shuttle Fly.
[edit] Schenectady Division
Before CDTA, many of these routes were run by Schenectady Transit (which itself was taken over in the late 1960s by Schenectady Countyafter that company became insolvent). Buses run out of the Electric Depoton 2401 Maxon Road Extension in Schenectady. Only the 50, 55, and Saratoga routes run on Sundays.
|
|
[edit] Saratoga Service
Also run out of Schenectady Division are the Saratoga Springs services. These routes run seven days a week.
- 50 - Route Fifty
- 471 - Union Avenue
- 472 - Lake Avenue
- 473 - Jefferson Street
- 875 - Saratoga Trolley (no Monday service; summers only)
[edit] Troy Division
Before CDTA, most of these routes were operated by the Troy-Fifth Avenue Bus Company. Routes 71 and 72 in Saratoga Springs (originally Routes 98 and 99) Mary routes CDTA created in 1974. Buses run out of the Uncle Sam Depotat 40 Hoosick Street in Troy.
|
Troy Division also operates parts of Routes 22, 24, and 29 with Albany Division and Route 70 with Schenectady Division as well as the ShuttleBee (see below).
On the drawing board is the purchase of five more buses, some or all of which are hybrid[1], and the possible expansion of routes to areas currently not served by CDTA.
[edit] Other Services
[edit] Shuttles
CDTA also operates three suburban shuttles, all using smaller "cutaway" vehicles and providing services to offices and major points of interest not on main CDTA routes.
|
[edit] Saratoga "Trolley"
In cooperation with the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, CDTA operates an open-air trolley service from June to September along Broadway, from Skidmore College to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. While not marked as such on the vehicles, this service appears as Route 875 on the Saratoga Service map.
[edit] STAR Service
In 1981, CDTA began providing paratransit services to riders who are medically unable to take regular transit services. This service was supplemented with the addition of wheelchair-accessible buses in 1988; since 2004, all CDTA routes have been handicapped accessible. Star's fleet has had a variety of minibuses, for most of its history has been dominated by the Orion II low-floor minibus though with that model out-of-production STAR has replaced older models with Startrans "Senator" cutaway vehicles. Others in the fleet include Ford "ELF" minibuses and several transfers from suburban shuttle routes (see below).
[edit] NX: Northway Xpress
The NX: Northway Xpress is a group of express routes that links Albany to towns in Saratoga County which is operated under contract to Upstate Transit (which had owned the service until 2006). These routes run from Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, and Clifton Park Mechanicville, and South Glens Falls to downtown Albany with a single roundtrip each day serving both the Wolf Road corridor and the Harriman State Office Campus and nearby buildings.
[edit] Fleet
[edit] Active Fleet
All buses are wheelchair accessible.
Year | Builder | Model | Length (ft) | Width (in) | Seating | Numbers | Operators |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | MCI | 102AW3 | 40 | 102 | suburban | 311 | Upstate Transit |
1996 | MCI | 102DW3SS | 40 | 102 | suburban | 313-315 | Upstate Transit |
1996-1997 | Orion | 06.501 | 40 | 102 | Transit | 2000-2020 | CDTA Albany |
1998 | Orion | 06.501 | 40 | 102 | Transit | 2021-2102 | CDTA Schenectady, Troy |
1999 | Nova Bus | LFS TL40-102 | 40 | 102 | Transit | 9901-9949 | CDTA Albany |
1999 | Nova Bus | LFS TL40-102 | 40 | 102 | Suburban | 9950-9959 | CDTA Albany |
1999 | NABI | 35LFW | 35 | 102 | Transit | 9960-9984 | CDTA Albany |
2000-2003 | Coach & Equipment | Condor & Phoenix | 25 | 96 | transit | various numbers in 100 series | CDTA Albany, Troy |
2000 | Nova Bus | LFS TL40-102 | 40 | 102 | suburban | 3001-3011 | CDTA Albany |
2000 | Nova Bus | LFS TL40-102 | 40 | 102 | transit | 3021-3030 | CDTA Albany |
2001 | Molly Trolley | N/A | 30 | 96 | transit | various, high 800s | CDTA Troy |
2002 | MCI | D4000 | 40 | 102 | suburban | 316-319 | Upstate Transit |
2004 | Coach & Equipment | Condor | 25 | 96 | transit | 401-402 | CDTA Albany |
2005 | Supreme | Senator | 25 | 96 | paratransit | 200-219 | CDTA Albany, Schenectady, Troy |
2006 | ElDorado | AeroElite | 25 | 96 | transit | 403-408 | CDTA Albany, Schenectady |
2006 | MCI | D4500CL | 45 | 102 | suburban | 320-324 | Upstate Transit |
2007 | Gillig | Low Floor T-40 | 40 | 102 | transit | 4000-4007 | CDTA Albany |
2007 | Gillig | Low Floor T-40 BRT hybrid | 41 | 102 | transit | 4008H-4013H | CDTA Albany, Schenectady |
2007 | Gillig | Low Floor T-30 | 30 | 102 | transit | 3100-3107 | CDTA Schenectady |
2007 | Supreme | Senator | 25 | 96 | paratransit | 220-229 | CDTA Albany, Schenectady, Troy |
2008 | ElDorado | AeroElite | 25 | 96 | transit | 409-415 | CDTA Albany |
2008 | Gillig | Low Floor T-40 hybrid | 40 | 102 | transit | 4014H-4035H | CDTA Albany |
[edit] Future Fleet
- 2008 Gillig Hybrid (22 buses, sizes and styles unknown, 40' models to start with 4014H)
- 2008 MCI D4500CL (replacement for 102AW3 311, probably to be numbered 325)
The Gillig buses are the second in a five-year deal between CDTA and Gillig.[2] and will replace most of the 1996 Orion VI fleet.
[edit] Transit Development Plan
In 2005, CDTA commissioned a transit development plan[3] in order to better fit the agency's services, much of which unchanged from its predecessors. Parts of this plan include the following:
- Replacing 1/12th of the CDTA fleet on a yearly basis rather than buying large orders at once, a move implemented starting in 2007 which will reduce the costs of maintaining an aging fleet.[4]
- The replacement of all Orion VI buses by 2012 and of the NABI and NovaBus LFS buses by 2016 as well as the midlife overhaul of the NovaBus and NABI fleets (which have included the installation of LED destination signs).
- The expansion of service in Saratoga Springs, which took place in July 2007, plus further expansion into Saratoga County including the building of a garage in Saratoga Springs.
- Redrawing bus routes system wide to better serve ridership, starting with Schenectady-based routes in the second half of 2007.
- The implementation of a new three-digit route system, in which the first digit will serve as an indication of its base; this system is already in place in Saratoga Springs.
[edit] Bus Rapid Transit line on Route 5
The 2005 plan included the development of Bus Rapid Transit on the busy Route 5 corridor, in turn supplementing the current 55 bus (which is responsible for 20% of CDTA's ridership). Such a plan would also lead to a refocusing of the current routes 1 and 2 and potentially the current ShuttleFly (which would be extended to serve SUNY Albany and Crossgates Mall). Such a system could lead to the purchase of articulated buses for this line as well as for possibly CDTA's other busy routes. As of mid-2007, this part of the 2005 plan was placed on hold.[5]
In early 2008, the CDTA announced that it was going forward with the Bus Rapid Transit line on Route 5, which will include twenty upgraded stations.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Crowe, Kenneth C. II (2006). CDTA bus service to grow in Saratoga style. Albany Times-Union. Retrieved on 2006-03-14.
- ^ Durr, Eric (2006). CDTA board approves $8.3M bus deal. Capital District Business Review. Retrieved on 2006-04-27.
- ^ transit development plan
- ^ Woodruff, Cathy (2006). CDTA budget aims to revitalize fleet. Albany Times-Union. Retrieved on 2006-03-30.
- ^ transit development plan
- ^ Cathy Woodruff, "CDTA rapid service advances: Bus transit line between Albany, Schenectady will have upgraded 'stations'", Albany Times-Union, Jnauary 15, 2008, found at Albany Times-Union story on Bus Rapid Transit line. Accessed January 17, 2008.