For about two years I tried to ride the bus at least four time (there and back again) a week for my commute to Albany. What I found then was spotty service and a driver workforce as upset about the situation as the commuters. I had recently heard that things were getting better and had even met with Ray Mulleady the Executive Director of Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) to talk about their future plans and what we could do to improve service. It was a great conversation and I think laid a piece of ground work for our future plans here in Bethlehem. Mr. Mulleady said that there really is a “new” CDTA that is being developed. I believe him when he says that. That’s why I always ask whenever a new project is in front of the town board, whether it is mass transit accessible and with few exception the answer has been yes. That is a testament to CDTA and to our town’s great planning staff. It has to be a partnership to make it all work right.
So, when I read this article, I was disappointed. According to the article, new riders face steep learning curves in picking up mass transit and schedules are not as tight as they should be. Anecdotally, I have begun to hear from commuters that they think we need to improve the system.
I will be getting in touch with CDTA to see if we can bring them in to town hall to talk with the public about the present, past and future of CDTA in the coming weeks. I’d love to hear your thoughts on mass transit in the Capitla District. Please email me at mark@markhennessey.comThis was first posted on the TU Bethlehem blog located here:
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