Big batch of upcoming CDTA schedule adjustments
CDTA has a bunch of schedule adjustments set to start August 28. The transit org is touting the adjustments as "the largest set of service enhancements" it's rolled out during the last five years.
Many of the adjustments are aimed at increasing the frequency of buses. One that caught our eye right away: During the UAlbany school year, the #12 bus that runs along Washington Ave between downtown Albany and Crossgates will have a frequency of every 8 minutes from 2-6 pm on weekdays (current frequency is 10 minutes). If CDTA can keep that up, it would be a remarkably short time period between buses.
A list of the service adjustments is after the jump.
CDTA is coming another fiscal year in which it posted record-high ridership, thanks in part to the "universal access" agreements its reached with many institutions during the last few years. Ridership is up 25 percent over the last five years.
By the way: If you ride the bus and have a smartphone, it's definitely worth downloading the CDTA iRide app which has realtime projections of when buses will arrive at specific stops. (Tip: Save your frequent stops in the app's favorite stops listing. Next time you're at the stop, just punch in the code number for the stop -- it's printed on the bus stop sign.)
We use it all time, and it's become such an automatic check that it's hard imagine riding the bus without it.
From a CDTA press release:
Service Improvements:
+ Route #10 (Western Avenue): Weekday frequency between 1:30pm-3pm will increase from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes.
+ Route #12 (Washington Avenue): Weekday frequency between 2pm-6pm during UAlbany school year will increase from every 10 minutes to every 8 minutes.
+ Route #13 (New Scotland Avenue): All buses will serve Albany Medical College on New Scotland Avenue. New waiting areas and amenities have been installed adjacent to the facility.
+ Route #22 (Albany-Troy-Watervliet): Weekday frequency will be improved throughout the day, mostly increasing from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes.
+ Route #85 (Waterford-Troy): Weekday frequency between 7pm-9:30pm will increase from every 45 minutes to every 30 minutes. Sunday service will operate from 8am-9:30pm.
+ Route #100 (Mid-City Belt): Weekday frequency between 6am-7:30am and 10am-2:30pm will increase from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes. Sunday service will operate from 7:45am-9:45pm.
+ Route #370 (Troy-Schenectady): Frequency on Saturday between 8am-5pm will increase from every 60 minutes to every 40 minutes.
+ Route #905 (Albany-Schenectady): Weekday frequency will be improved throughout the day, mostly increasing from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes. Weeknight service will extend to 1:15 a.m.
Service Reductions:
+ Route #116 (Mt. Hope/Albany South End): Weekday trips between 10:10am-11:18am and 1:10pm-1:55pm will be discontinued.
+ Route #155 (Suburban Circulator): Weekday trips between 9:00am-11:15pm, 12:30pm-2:15pm, and after 6:30pm will be discontinued. Saturday service between 6am-7pm will be reduced from 45 to 90 minutes.
Minor Adjustments:
+ Route #182 (Troy-Cohoes-Latham): minor time adjustments will be made throughout the schedule to improve service reliability.
+ Route #351 (VanVranken and Broadway): Franklin Street stops will be removed. Reroute along State Street.
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Comments
These changes are so exciting! 8 minute headways on the 12 while UAlbany is in session, 15 minute headways on the 10 for more of the day. Not to mention the 13 swinging by Albany Med, giving me Panera's soup on a rainy day without a soggy walk. :)
In addition to the excellent app CDTA has created (the easy access to schedules alone sold it for me), I'd also recommend Google Maps as a supplement. Click on a bus stop icon and it will list real time information that is identical to the CDTA app. Each app has its place - CDTA's is perfect for finding close stops with routes listed, or a quick check leaving the house to see how fast I need to walk. Google is good if you have a choice of two routes to get you to the same place or on a similar corridor (10/12, 1/905, 13/18), and want to see arrivals listed in order.
... said JayK on Aug 9, 2016 at 12:48 PM | link
I concur with with @JayK, that these are some exciting changes, especially since I frequently use many of these routes. CDTA has been doing some impressive changes over the past 7 years I've been using the system and I think this next step to add frequency to the popular routes will help retain and enhance services for existing users and attract new users who may have been iffy on having to wait every 15 minutes for a bus (now you can show up and be guaranteed a bus isn't far behind that email you read or tweet your shot off).
These upgrades, along with the pending roll out of the busplus model for the Western-Washington and Troy-Albany corridor will also help to improve efficiency across a good chunk of the system. Hopefully, through the help of local jurisdictions, some true bus rapid transit infrastructure can be overlaid with the groundwork CDTA has invested in through the busplus concept.
... said Rich on Aug 9, 2016 at 1:35 PM | link