CDTA to expand service in Montgomery County
Routes will connect Amsterdam customers to the Capital Region Please see CDTA B10 ▶
The Capital District Transportation Authority is launching services in Montgomery County, with bus routes that run through Amsterdam and bring riders into Albany.
The extension will create four intersected routes: three local buses that will run through Amsterdam and a fourth, an express line, that will connect the city to the Capital Region.
Carm Basile, CDTA CEO, said the service will begin operating just before Labor Day. The authority hasn’t settled on a specific date because it is still working out the routes’ schedules and times.
“CDTA will be providing Montgomery County with a fortified route system that will further connect the community and boost economic opportunities,” the authority said.
CDTA officials opted to make the move after the municipally operated bus service was cut in 2018, leaving city residents with limited options to get around.
High school students will be allowed to ride new buses for free.
Amsterdam Mayor Michael Cinquanti called it a “big deal” for the city.
While he said it will take time and patience to get the routes properly calibrated and marketed to locals, it means there is finally a way to connect transit in Amsterdam to the Capital Region and get people
where they need to go.
“More mobility means more freedom,” Cinquanti said.
The services will cost about $6.5 million to operate annually; the CDTA was allocated $4.3 million from the state’s budget to get the project off of the ground, Basile said.
He expects the extension will create an additional 20 jobs within the organization.
After launching the initial phase in August, the authority hopes to introduce other mobility options to the county, such as its bike and scooter share programs. CDTA also plans to bring public transportation options to neighboring Fulton County.
“Get on board, Amsterdam; here we go,” Cinquanti said.