SCHENECTADY Effort seeks to get workers to take the bus CDTA, DSIC initiative includes free Swiper cards for filling out survey BY STEPHEN WILLIAMS Gazette Reporter
The Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. and the Capital District Transportation Authority have launched a new effort to encourage downtown workers to ride the bus. The Schenectady Try Transit initiative — in which CDTA is offering free bus passes just for filling out a survey on individual travel patterns — is coming as CDTA is launching BusPlus, a new rapid-transit bus service between the downtowns of Schenectady and Albany. “I think right now, this seems to be an exciting time for public transit,” said James Salengo, executive director of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. “There’s a lot of new focus on public transportation. There’s an interest in doing things a little greener.” Salengo said he expects the launch of CDTA’s new BusPlus service today to spur interest in riding to and from downtown Schenectady. Workers who fill out a survey for the Try Transit program will receive two free 31-day Swiper cards from CDTA, good for unlimited bus use during a month. Swiper passes normally sell for $65. CDTA spokeswoman Margo Janack said about 30 people have filled out the survey, so far, including workers at the Schenectady County departments of Social Services and Public Health, Northeast Parent and Child Society, Foresight Architects, Synthesis and the State Street McDonald’s. “We have a variety of businesses that are interested. Basically, this is the first round of introduction,” Janack said. The effort is being underwritten with an $11,500 Travel Demand Management grant from the Capital District Transportation Committee, the region’s federal transportation planning agency. The hope is that employers will buy Swiper passes on behalf of their employees. Employers can get Swiper passes at a discount under a corporate customer program. If the program is successful, Janack said it could be used elsewhere in CDTA’s four-county region. ..................................>>>>...........................>>>>.........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1
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