There are going to be some bigger buses making stops on the right side of the road. The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) unveiled its new articulated bus, which holds roughly double what a normal 40 foot bus does. This is a monster bus. It is 60 feet long, and can hold 100 people. CDTA says more people are using their buses nowadays, and that's why they need to put these types of vehicles on the roads.

The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) continued its strong performance connecting the Capital Region to work, play and what matters throughout 2015. CDTA’s ridership remained at or near record levels with progress made on key projects and system upgrades that will give back to the Capital Region for years to come.

Greater Glens Falls Transit (GGFT) marked record ridership in 2015, up +10.2% overall
from 2014 (0ver 376,000 riders). The greatest growth was seen in its seasonal trolley
operations which were up over +21% from the previous year. Year round, fixed route bus
ridership was also up +5.8%. GGFT did not implement any significant service expansions
or changes in 2015, the growth can be attributed to a strong summer tourist season and
the strengthening of established relationships with Adirondack Community College and
other area employers.

2015 also marked the 32nd year of GGFT’s operation. Since its inception, GGFT has
provided more than 9,000,000 rides (9,187,000 through 12/31/15) to the Glens Falls
urbanized area, which covers portions of Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties.

The MTA’s four-weekend Nostalgia Train runs ended with record crowds being carried aboard the vintage IND subway train dubbed the “Shoppers Special.” The “Shoppers Special” is a train of subway cars manufactured in the 1930s. They remained in service, running along the lettered lines, until the late 1970s. “Many, many families, tourists, couples, people just out to see the fuss, were all having a great time while crowded aboard and were actually smiling about the experience,” said NYC Transit’s Bill Wall, who supervised the operation. “The only thing that I have seen like it is riding a jam packed cable car in San Francisco. People loved the experience.”

Don’t get the wrong idea. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top guy at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey doesn’t want to make things any harder for New Jersey’s commuters to get into the 42nd Street bus terminal. Yes, Scott Rechler knows a new bus terminal is needed, because the old one is notoriously unpleasant and the concrete slabs that support it are weak. He just doesn’t understand why there’s such a headlong rush to build that terminal one block west of the existing one — in the middle of one of the most congested parts of New York City’s densest borough — without first thinking through all the options.

Millions of motorists use the more than 610,000 bridges in the U.S., but most are unaware of the frightening state that some of these structures are in. Experts say many bridges are dangerously dilapidated. The Government Accountability Office found that nearly 25% of them are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The transportation bill passed by Congress in December authorizes $305 billion in spending over the next five years for road and transit upgrades. Lawmakers say the legislation provides flexibility for states to carry out infrastructure priorities.

Santa Clara, CA -- A program to train much needed transit operations and maintenance workers is taking shape thanks to a one-million dollar grant from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.  New Department of Transportation studies show that over the next 10 years the public transit industry will need to hire and train new workers equivalent to 126% of today’s total workforce.

Minneapolis, MN -- This month, a "first-of-its-kind" transit service will be offered in several parts of the metro. The focus isn't downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul. Instead, it caters to the suburbs. "The bulk of our routes go to downtown," said Jane Kansier with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority. But soon, the suburb to suburb transit service along Route 494 will provide a boost to thousands of commuters in the suburbs.

Have you registered to join us at the Capital in Albany February 2 for NYPTA’s 2016 Transit Awareness Day? We need your can help in bringing lawmakers a unified message on the importance of investing in transit infrastructure.

The Governor and Legislature need to take the lead on securing resources to fund critical infrastructure investments necessary for safety and meeting increased public demand. We need a unified voice, we need to be heard and we need you make it happen!

Our industry partners can play a key role, too. Become a Transit Awareness Day sponsor and secure a prominent position on Transit Awareness Day 2016!

Register now! Be in Albany on February 2nd.

• Natalie English, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte, NC
• Kathleen Osher, Transit Alliance, Denver, CO
• David Johnson, Kansas City Streetcar, Kansas City, MO

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register now!