During the past few years, many people have come to realize that protecting the environment is not just something to think about, but something to act upon. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contribute to global warming, and in the United States a large portion of GHG is released through transportation -- specifically, cars and trucks. The FTA released a great paper comparing the emissions from various forms of transportation and ways that transit agencies are working to increase the number of riders and reverse the effects of climate change.
Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, the firm retained by Ontario County to complete a transit needs assessment and development plan, has a strong track record in the New York State region in these types of efforts. We just completed a transit development plan for Greater Glens Falls Transit, which operates fixed route and Dial-A-Ride service for the city of Glens Falls as well as Fort Edward, Hudson Falls, Queensbury, and portions of Kingsbury. During the summer, GGFT runs a popular trolley service to vacation spot Lake George Village.
Please check out the following post for details on our Glens Falls work:
The evening of April 28th, Ontario County planner Lindsey Withrow and the consultant team hired by the county – David Sharfarz of IBI Group and myself, Ellen Oettinger of Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates – held an informational meeting open to the public at Canandaigua City Hall. There were 15 participants, all residents of the county who either use CATS service often or are involved in transportation issues and planning in the County. David gave an overview of the study we’re conducting on behalf of the county, including information about county demographics, major destinations in the county, and ridership figures for the CATS routes and Dial-A-Ride service. Looking at all of this together, the team is trying to find out more about how CATS can better serve the people who ride it most. The project team had spent Tuesday and Wednesday riding CATS buses handing out surveys to everyone on board. Our goal is to get as much feedback as possible from people who use the CATS service, and to find out what changes would benefit current riders as well as encourage more people to ride.
Several participants had questions relating to their experiences using CATS buses. David and Lindsey discussed some of these issues. Following this more formal question-and-answer session, we all broke up into smaller groups to talk about the study and CATS service overall. Everyone attending was encouraged to take the survey, which can also be found online here: www.transitsurvey.info.
At the Eastview Mall in Victor, around 40 businesses had set up shop to find area residents qualified to fill various positions in their firms. We set up a table about CATS, with service information as well as surveys and maps depicting the routes throughout Ontario County. A couple hundred people attended the job fair, and more than half stopped at our CATS table.
Some folks attending the fair were unfamiliar with CATS, either because they owned an automobile or lived in another county. Many others had either ridden CATS fixed-routes or used the Dial-A-Ride service, which picks riders up at their doorstep and takes them exactly where they want to go. We were able to help several Ontario County residents learn about which CATS services could help them get around the county. In fact, one woman was delighted to learn that her elderly mother could use the Dial-A-Ride service’s senior discount to go to appointments and to run errands.
A few people who stopped at the table filled out our survey, which is a brief series of questions asking about a person’s familiarity with the bus routes, use of CATS, and changes he or she would like to see to make the service better. An online survey is here: www.transitsurvey.info. We encourage everyone to follow the link and tell us what you think!
Ontario County Area Transit System (known as CATS) operates bus service and dial-a-ride service throughout Ontario County (system map below).
In order to assess the efficiency of the current system and elicit ideas for service improvements, Ontario County has begun a route analysis and improvement study. The study will include a survey of current passengers, public meetings, and assessment of each route. Look out for surveyors aboard buses today and tomorrow!
