NY: Micro-transit pilot program planned for Ellenville

A new public transportation program is on the horizon to help Ellenville residents get to the places they need to be.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced that Ulster County was awarded a $1.06 million grant to launch an on-demand micro-transit program in Ellenville through the state’s Innovative Mobility Initiative.

At a press conference held Wednesday in the Ulster County Area Transit garage on 1 Danny Circle, Dominguez said Ulster County is one of five counties to share in a $6 million pot of funding under the program.

“What we’re trying to do is provide alternatives to people,” said Dominguez. “We want to make sure we’re giving them the ability to move how they want to move to access to transportation how they want to access it and have it available to them.”

“Innovative Mobility programs provide equity and accessibility by expanding transit options for underserved communities and riders with limited access to traditional public transit,” she said.

State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D- Saugerties, said the new service will “connect people to where they want to go when they need to get there.”

Under the program, the county will have two small UCAT buses stationed at the Trudy Farber Resnick Center in Ellenville to respond to on-demand calls for transportation.

Residents will be able to download an app to schedule transportation from their homes to either a fixed bus route or to their destination.

Like the county’s traditional UCAT service, the micro-transit program will be free for users.

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said the program will be “life-changing” for residents and “great for the local economy.”

“Ellenville has a higher percentage of residents who don’t have personal transportation. This is a huge barrier that can affect your health … your quality of life … your relationship with your kids and grandkids…. just life,” she said.

“We have great fixed route service, but it’s a fixed route and it doesn’t get to everywhere you need to go,” she said.

“We’re very, very excited to pilot this on-demand service,” said Metzger. “This is an experiment. It’s taking it to a new level with tech with getting the program in place to get an on-demand service in place, but it’s going to be life-changing for people and we’re really excited to do it.

UCAT Director Toni Roser said because it will take significant time to set up the program, she has no anticipated launch date, although she said it would not begin this year.

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