CDTA Announces Service Improvement Changes
The Capital Transportaion Authority (CDTA) have announced a series of significant improvments to the Albany County service. The plan, based on input from riders, residents and stakeholders through meetings, surveys and interviews includes changes to more than a dozen Albany County bus routes. The new routes will better connect customers with major destinations, health services and jobs, and will go into effect on Sunday, November 13th.
The original plan was presented to the public last spring, and has been adjusted to meet top customer requests. Here is a summary of the plan, provided by www.cdta.org:
- Improved Trunk Routes - CDTA trunk routes operate seven (7) days a week, from early morning until late night. Customers using Routes #6, #7, #12, & #18 will see increased frequency, later night and New Sunday service and consistent trip patterns with no deviations.
- New Neighborhood Network - Neighborhood routes will improve service to destinations outside of downtown Albany by:
- Establishing additional cross-town service
- Increasing level of service on streets with high ridership
- Providing new service to areas with high demand
- Improved Commuter Routes - Provide more direct, peak period connections throughout Albany County to customer-requested locations including Albany International Airport, Corporate Woods, Harriman State Campus, Ohav Shalom and Stonehenge Apartment Complexes along with Patroon Creek Boulevard.
This plan is budget neutral, and will transfer funds and resources from one area to another, which will help provide services where people are more likely to use them. New route numbers and names will reflect the type of service, as well as the destination. There will be three main categories: Communter routes (three digit number starting with '7', with an orange indicator), Neighborhood routes (three digit number with Albany County routes starting with '1', and a green indicator), and Trunk routes (two digit number with a blue indicator).
CDTA is planning a comprehensive public education campaign called "What's Your Number? Learn, Ride and Connect" to assist customers in understanding the new routes and connections. The map below expands into a larger map when you click on it, and should offer some explanation on what to expect. If you need any additional information on the plan, you can contact CDTA's Customer Information Center at 518-482-8822, or visit www.cdta.org.
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