The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently approved a grant to the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) in New York state for $25.4 million. These funds will assist the CDTA in expanding its fleet of electric buses, along with advancing development of its charging infrastructure to lower emissions. The project will improve service reliability and air quality for residents in Albany, Rensselear, Saratoga and other nearby communities. Funding comes from FTA's $1.1 billion national competitive discretionary buses and bus facilities program.
It was my experience while working for the FTA Region 2 Office (serving 36 transit operators in New York and New Jersey) for more than three decades that my old friends at CDTA ran one of the most cost-effective transportation services in upstate New York.
They had a proven track record of completing FTA funded capital projects on time and within budget. Any contract change orders were documented, fair and reasonable.
CDTA bus services continue to be one of the best bargains around. It is a model cost effective urban/suburban bus operation that others should emulate. I congratulate the hard working men and women of CDTA, especially those who manage the federal and state grant programs who made all of this possible. This includes periodically winning extra federal transit dollars. Best of luck to my old colleagues at CDTA in winning even more 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 writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for the MTA, NYC Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Rail Road MTA Bus, New Jersey Transit along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.
