Trillium CNG(TM) has signed a letter of agreement to design, build, operate and maintain a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) in Buffalo. The agreement letter also calls for Trillium CNG to provide station maintenance for ten years. Trillium CNG and NFTA expect to break ground in August with the station fully operational by the end of 2015.

Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority has announced that Geoffrey Astles has been appointed to the RGRTA Board of Commissioners, effective July 1, 2015. Astles will serve a five-year term. Astles joins the 14-member Board, which establishes policy and sets direction for management of the Authority. Astles will represent RTS Ontario, RGRTA’s regional subsidiary in Ontario County.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority announced it is participating as an employer in the Buffalo Urban League's Earn and Learn Program this summer. The Earn and Learn program was designed to allow high school students the opportunity to work at organizations within Erie County as part of a career progression pathway for young individuals. In conjunction with its workforce development initiatives, the NFTA will be accepting two students who will work with supervisory employees throughout the authority.

The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) is celebrating an Anniversary. On August 1, 1970 CDTA was created by the New York State Legislature, as a public benefit corporation, to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. CDTA subsidiaries own and operate the Rensselaer Rail Station and the Saratoga Springs Train Station. CDTA also operates the Northway Xpress (NX) Commuter Service between Saratoga County and downtown Albany.

On Wednesday July 22, New York State Senators Tom O'Mara and Jim Seward held a public forum in Cooperstown on the challenges facing rural public transportation systems as a result of changes in the state's Medicaid policy.  The change in how Non Emergency Medical Transportation is delivered has resulted in significant declines in transit riders and revenues for many upstate rural counties. The forum was an opportunity for rural county representatives to describe the impacts of the changes on their individual county transit systems.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said the financial resources the state and New York City will devote to closing the $11 billion deficit in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's capital plan will earn support from upstate lawmakers. Approval will come because it will help the state's major population center and it will be balanced by continued spending on upstate roads and bridges. “We have a big, robust roads and bridges program which we had last year and we're going to propose next year," Cuomo said. "And that will be addressing the need for upstate, and the MTA is downstate."

The proposal for an $8 million apartment project in downtown Farmingdale has been approved and is expected to give Nassau County a $21.4 million economic boost, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency announced Wednesday. Mangano said his administration has made it a priority to increase the number of transit-oriented housing options across Nassau County.

Congress sent President Barack Obama a three-month bill to keep highway and transit money flowing to states on Thursday, one day before the deadline for a cutoff of funds. Earlier in the day, the Senate passed a sweeping, long-term transportation bill, setting up discussions with the House this fall on what the future course of transportation policy should be and how to pay for programs. Lawmakers said they hope the 3-month patch — the 34th short-term transportation extension since 2009 — will be Congress' last.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation for its seventh round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants totaled $9.8 billion, almost 20 times the $500 million set aside for the program, demonstrating the continued need for transportation investment nationwide. The demand for infrastructure investments from across the nation, and for all types of transportation projects, has been overwhelming.

Chicago, IL -- While Chicago's Loop and select neighborhoods are growing, most of the city has lost population since 2000. Not coincidentally, for several decades the region has grown away from its transit system. Reversing these related trends is critically important: More people will mean more home sales, local purchases and revenue to support retail, city services and infrastructure—and more people living near transit is the most efficient way to accommodate that growth.

The NYS Public Transit Industry CONNECTIONS Fall Conference Registration Brochure Now Online!   
This year's program is packed with a broad-range of topics and valuable training for everyone in your agency. Our interactive Connections Expo showcases the latest products and services to help improve your agency's operations.  Watch your mailbox and check it out!

Don’t Want to Wait for the Mail?  Click on the brochure cover!

Register now for an exceptional professional development experience, October 27-29 in Rochester! Make valuable connections with exhibitors, sponsors and speakers who are in the know.

Sponsors, attach your company name to our CONNECTIONS events and show our public transit professionals you support the work they do! Sponsorships are still available. We can customize a sponsorship to fit your company needs. More details here.

Exhibitors, reserve your spot on the Expo floor now! Click here to bring your product or services to your marketplace.

Click here for conference website with all your need to know info! For Questions, contact NYPTA at 518-434-9060 or email info@nytransit.org.

Amtrak Discount Offered to NYPTA Attendees
Amtrak offers a 10% discount off the best available rail fare to Rochester between October 24 through November 1.  To book your reservation call Amtrak at 1-800-872-7245 or contact your local travel agent. Reservations cannot be booked via Internet.  Please be sure to refer to Convention Fare Code X15Y-931 when making your reservation.  (Limitations apply.)