NYPYA President and Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) CEO Carm Basile appeared on Time Warner Cable’s Capital Tonight to discuss upstate infrastructure funding. Basile said infrastructure includes public transit.

Governor Andrew Cuomo pledged a major investment in mass transit in the New York City metropolitan area. “The heart is the MTA,” Cuomo said at an announcement at the Transit Museum. “You know what the future is? The future is mass transit.” This includes enabling all underground subway stations with WIFI and cell-phone coverage by next year. “It’s not a luxury anymore,” said Tom Prendergast, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, “It’s what our younger customers and many more people find to be an expectation. The station of the future will be a connected one.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled the sixth signature proposal of his 2016 agenda: transform Penn Station and the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a world-class transportation hub. The project, known as the Empire Station Complex, will feature significant passenger improvements, including first-class amenities, natural light, increased train capacity and decreased congestion, and improved signage to dramatically enhance the travel experience.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he wants to put $22 billion toward upstate’s aging roads and bridges while spending another $1 billion to freeze tolls on the state Thruway. He also proposed spending an extra $30 million on upstate New York’s public-transportation systems, on top of the state's usual transit spending.

Officials at state departments of transportation have begun to ask for details about the pending release of decade-old, unused project earmark funds they will be able to activate and spend elsewhere under the fiscal 2016 omnibus spending bill that Congress passed in December. The Federal Highway Administration is in the process of counting up the congressionally earmarked funds that qualify for repurposing under the new appropriations measure.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get healthier in 2016, here’s some advice: in addition to eating better and getting more exercise, try transit. Sitting on a bus or a train may not strike you as being especially active, but, in fact, researchers have found that people who regularly use public transportation actually walk a lot more than those who don’t.

There's a big push to prepare for an onslaught of riders during the week of Super Bowl 50, which is  one month away. The big game will bring big crowds to the Bay Area and, according to Caltrain, also a big financial loss. Planners are estimating up to 1 million people will be travel between San Francisco and the South Bay during Super Bowl. "Certainly Caltrain, VTA, are very happy to provide additional support," said Joint Powers and VTA boardmember Ken Yeager. "We're all sort of looking forward to this. But without any question, when the whole thing is over, it will have cost us a great deal of money."

All SEPTA Transit Police began wearing body cameras at the beginning of the year, a step Chief Thomas Nestel says will ensure that the public's constitutional rights are upheld while also protecting officers from false claims of abuse. "This is going to be very good for the public and for the police," Nestel said during a press conference Friday morning. "Cameras are going to make good cops great cops and make the rest of them follow the rules."

Register today to be a part of this important pro-transit event at the Capital in Albany on February 2nd. Lend your voice and help us communicate the importance of public transit in communities all across our great state!

The programs include a review of key initiatives, meetings with legislators, transit displays, and the critical Public Transportation Summit. Be sure to schedule meetings with your local legislators and make the most of your time in Albany. Click here to download the registration brochure.

Become a Sponsor!

Do you work with New York State’s public transit agencies, or serve as a subcontractor to equipment manufacturers, parts suppliers or contractors? If so, your company is a key contributor to New York State’s economy. Consider supporting our year-long advocacy efforts. Click here for more information on sponsoring Transit Awareness Day. 

Need a Hotel Room? Book Now!

A block of rooms has been reserved for Monday, February 1 and Tuesday, February 2 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Albany-Downtown. Make your reservations today by calling (518) 432-7000. Use NYPTA Group Code to receive the $159.00 room rate. The rate includes a discounted parking rate of $7/day. Space is limited and will sell out. Make your reservations today.