June 15th, 2011 at 7 PM (3rd Wednesday)
Location: Albany Public Library - Main Branch
161 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
Speaker: ROSS FARRELL - CDTA Spokesperson
Come talk to Ross about the new bus routes, new buses, and other proposed changes. Now would be the time to discuss problems, solutions, stop changes, etc...
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
CDTA Rate Hikes- Part Two
Citizens for Public Transportation believes buses are important for the economy, the environment, social equity and oil independence.
First, any current shortfalls should be made up at the Federal, State or local levels, not at the toll box.
Second, rates should be kept low, or even lowered.
Third, routes shouldn't be cut. We should be growing coverage.
Fourth, STAR coverage shouldn't be reduced or limited based on the main routes. It hurts planning for both services. We need to, at the very least, grandfather STAR coverage catchments. We need more accessible cabs to work with STAR.
Fifth, we need benchmarking and/or sliding fees for the poorest people in our community.
First, any current shortfalls should be made up at the Federal, State or local levels, not at the toll box.
Second, rates should be kept low, or even lowered.
Third, routes shouldn't be cut. We should be growing coverage.
Fourth, STAR coverage shouldn't be reduced or limited based on the main routes. It hurts planning for both services. We need to, at the very least, grandfather STAR coverage catchments. We need more accessible cabs to work with STAR.
Fifth, we need benchmarking and/or sliding fees for the poorest people in our community.
Friday, November 28, 2008
CDTA Rate Hikes
CDTA Rate Hikes!!! Yikes!!!
CDTA is raising their fares!!!! A lot!!! They are holding public meetings. We need you to turn out at the hearings and let them know what you think.
Saratoga Public Library
December 1, from 4:30 to 8 pm.
December 2, from 4:30 to 8 pm
Albany Public Library
December 4, from 4:30 to 8 pm
Schenectady County Public Library
December 8, from 4:30 to 8 pm
How much are they raising the rates? Well, here are a couple examples:
The 7 Day Swiper is going from $44 to $65
They are going to cut routes, (and that means STAR buses will get cut too)! Tell everyone you know. Put it on flyers. Put it in leaflets. Blog about it.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
My Own Thoughts
This post is my own. It doesn't necessarily represent the views of the rest of Citizens for Public Transportation. I'd like to start a discussion about some ways that we can improve mass transit in general. These are just ideas I'm putting out there for comment.
Nathan Smith
There is a proposal floating around out in the world that would give gas consumers a holiday from the gas tax. The idea is it will put money back into the pockets of drivers. A lot of economists are attacking the idea. -What is to keep oil companies from pocketing the money? -Won't this just increase demand, which will in turn send the prices higher? -Won't this take money away from alternatives?
Here is my counter suggestion. Give the money to mass transit. Not transit in general, but mass transit. Here is why-
1. Buses get more people from point A to point B on the same amount of fuel. It's efficient.
2. Buses create less congestion and pollution per passenger than cars.
3. Buses encourage dense growth. Dense growth uses less energy.
4. Buses are cheaper per ride than cars. Getting people around encourages economic activity.
5. Gas prices really hurting? Take the bus! And the best part is that that person driving a Humvee will be partially subsidizing your trip!
But I live in the suburbs, there are no buses!!! Funny, my suburb has buses. They don't run quite as often as I'd like, but if more people as a percentage ride the bus, more buses can run economically. There is always park and ride. Pay a little gas tax on the way to the park and ride, and get it back in a cheaper fare on the rest of the trip!
You'll get my car keys when you pry them from my cold dead fingers!!! Actually, I have a car. I drive it lots of places. I'm working on that. I'm poor and after I pay my car insurance I have a lot of money invested in driving my car. Bus fares add up, but gas prices are going up. This could help us bring bus fares down. We all tend to act in our own best self-interest, particularly when things are tight. Lets line up the economic incentives to do what is also right for the oil independence, the economy and the environment.
(Did I mention, those of you driving around in SUV's should be in favor of this too. Every person who takes the bus instead of driving saves a little gas for the rest of the world. Remember that supply and demand thing you learned in economics in high school? If we decrease the demand, the price will go down. That guy riding the bus is making your gas cheaper!!!)
Nathan Smith
There is a proposal floating around out in the world that would give gas consumers a holiday from the gas tax. The idea is it will put money back into the pockets of drivers. A lot of economists are attacking the idea. -What is to keep oil companies from pocketing the money? -Won't this just increase demand, which will in turn send the prices higher? -Won't this take money away from alternatives?
Here is my counter suggestion. Give the money to mass transit. Not transit in general, but mass transit. Here is why-
1. Buses get more people from point A to point B on the same amount of fuel. It's efficient.
2. Buses create less congestion and pollution per passenger than cars.
3. Buses encourage dense growth. Dense growth uses less energy.
4. Buses are cheaper per ride than cars. Getting people around encourages economic activity.
5. Gas prices really hurting? Take the bus! And the best part is that that person driving a Humvee will be partially subsidizing your trip!
But I live in the suburbs, there are no buses!!! Funny, my suburb has buses. They don't run quite as often as I'd like, but if more people as a percentage ride the bus, more buses can run economically. There is always park and ride. Pay a little gas tax on the way to the park and ride, and get it back in a cheaper fare on the rest of the trip!
You'll get my car keys when you pry them from my cold dead fingers!!! Actually, I have a car. I drive it lots of places. I'm working on that. I'm poor and after I pay my car insurance I have a lot of money invested in driving my car. Bus fares add up, but gas prices are going up. This could help us bring bus fares down. We all tend to act in our own best self-interest, particularly when things are tight. Lets line up the economic incentives to do what is also right for the oil independence, the economy and the environment.
(Did I mention, those of you driving around in SUV's should be in favor of this too. Every person who takes the bus instead of driving saves a little gas for the rest of the world. Remember that supply and demand thing you learned in economics in high school? If we decrease the demand, the price will go down. That guy riding the bus is making your gas cheaper!!!)
Sunday, May 13, 2007
The Trouble With Colonie Center
Citizens for Public Transportation is unhappy with the renovations at Colonie Center Mall. They have moved the bus stop shelter away from the building up to Wolf Road. This creates an undue hardship for riders with disabilities and means that people taking the people will have to wait in the cold to catch a ride.
You may say, 'There are some parking spaces out that far, why should bus riders get special treatment?' Well, if you walk out to your car, dragging your shopping bags, do you have to stand around for another 15 minutes in the cold before you can get into a vehicle? If you have a disability and are lucky enough to still be able to drive, you get to park in the close in handicapped accessible parking. The Mall will tell you that the Star Bus for people with disabilities will still come up to the front entrance (but only the front entrance). The Star Bus is MUCH more expensive both for CDTA to operate, and for passengers to ride than the main line buses. How often have you been glad someone in your family could pull the car up to the curb so you didn't have to carry your shopping bags all the way through the parking lot?
Do you want to have to stand along Wolf Road late at night waiting for a bus?
And all for what? Well, Colonie Center won't say for sure. Sometimes they say it's to reduce congestion around the mall parking lots. Of course, that argument doesn't hold up. Buses reduce congestion. Every time your behind them remember that all the people on the bus are trying to get somewhere, and if they weren't on a bus they'd probably be driving one person to a car in front of you. They've said buses are an eyesore, that they smell. Well, so do giant sprawling parking lots, and the new cleaner buses CDTA is introducing will make this even less of an issue in the future. They say that they are upscaling the mall, that they are trying to attract a wealthier clientèle. That's fine, but if they do it at the expense of the community, the Federal, State, County and Town communities that pay for the roads that people come to shop at their mall on, well shame on them.
If you want to help us in our fight, write Colonie Center and let them know what they are doing is wrong. Write your local, state and national representatives. Write your local papers. They have already said they will not do the right thing because it is right. That leaves us with making them do the right thing by keeping the pressure on them, organizing protests, organizing boycotts and letting them, and the politicians know we are watching.
You may say, 'There are some parking spaces out that far, why should bus riders get special treatment?' Well, if you walk out to your car, dragging your shopping bags, do you have to stand around for another 15 minutes in the cold before you can get into a vehicle? If you have a disability and are lucky enough to still be able to drive, you get to park in the close in handicapped accessible parking. The Mall will tell you that the Star Bus for people with disabilities will still come up to the front entrance (but only the front entrance). The Star Bus is MUCH more expensive both for CDTA to operate, and for passengers to ride than the main line buses. How often have you been glad someone in your family could pull the car up to the curb so you didn't have to carry your shopping bags all the way through the parking lot?
Do you want to have to stand along Wolf Road late at night waiting for a bus?
And all for what? Well, Colonie Center won't say for sure. Sometimes they say it's to reduce congestion around the mall parking lots. Of course, that argument doesn't hold up. Buses reduce congestion. Every time your behind them remember that all the people on the bus are trying to get somewhere, and if they weren't on a bus they'd probably be driving one person to a car in front of you. They've said buses are an eyesore, that they smell. Well, so do giant sprawling parking lots, and the new cleaner buses CDTA is introducing will make this even less of an issue in the future. They say that they are upscaling the mall, that they are trying to attract a wealthier clientèle. That's fine, but if they do it at the expense of the community, the Federal, State, County and Town communities that pay for the roads that people come to shop at their mall on, well shame on them.
If you want to help us in our fight, write Colonie Center and let them know what they are doing is wrong. Write your local, state and national representatives. Write your local papers. They have already said they will not do the right thing because it is right. That leaves us with making them do the right thing by keeping the pressure on them, organizing protests, organizing boycotts and letting them, and the politicians know we are watching.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
How to Contact Colonie Center
There are lots of ways to contact Colonie Center. Use as many as you would like, but don't forget Joe Millet is the point man on the project right now. Larry Feldman is his boss.
Fax: (516) 684-1239
The best way to contact Colonie Center Management by Email is jmillet@feldmanmalls.com.
Feldman Mall Properties, Inc.'s Email is momentum@feldmanmall.com.
You could also probbably annoy James Meyer, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management, at Heitman Properties, Feldman's buisiness partners at, James.Meyer@heitman.com.
Joe Millet
Colonie Center Mall Office
1417 Central Ave Albany 12205
(518) 459-9090
Chairman & Chief Executive Director
Larry Feldman
Feldman Mall Properties
1010 Northern Blvd.
Suite 314
Great Neck, NY, 11021
Fax: (516) 684-1239
The best way to contact Colonie Center Management by Email is jmillet@feldmanmalls.com.
Feldman Mall Properties, Inc.'s Email is momentum@feldmanmall.com.
You could also probbably annoy James Meyer, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management, at Heitman Properties, Feldman's buisiness partners at, James.Meyer@heitman.com.
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