The Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) recently approved a $25.4 million grant to the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CDTA). These funds will help CDTA expand its fleet of electric buses as well as advance the development of charging infrastructure to reduce emissions. The project will improve service reliability and air quality for residents of Albany, Renselia, Saratoga, and other nearby communities. Funding will come from the FTA’s $1.1 billion nationwide competitive discretionary bus and bus equipment program.
With over 30 years of experience working in the FTA Region 2 office (serving 36 carriers in New York and New Jersey), an old friend of the CDTA found one of the most cost-effective transportation services in upstate New York. was operating.
They had a track record of completing FTA-funded capital projects on time and on budget. The contract modification order was documented, fair and reasonable.
The CDTA bus service continues to be one of the best bargains. This is a model of cost-effective urban/suburban bus operation that others should emulate. Congratulations to the hard working men and women of the CDTA, especially those who manage the federal and state grant programs and make all of this possible. This includes earning additional federal transit dollars on a regular basis. We wish her old CDTA colleagues the best of luck in earning more of her future FTA Discretionary Bus Grants in Federal Fiscal Year 2023 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023).
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Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian, and author who previously worked for the Federal Transportation Administration’s Second Regional New York office. This includes developing, reviewing, and reviewing billions of capital projects and programs for the MTA, NYC Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Rail Road MTA Bus, New Jersey Transit, and 30 other transit agencies in NY and NJ. , approval and monitoring.
