Seneca Transit Services Celebrates 2nd Year Success
Waterloo– New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio andthe Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority announced today at a press conference celebrating the second anniversary of public transportation service in Seneca County that ridership exceeded 65,000 customers this week heading towards a record breaking year.
“The addition of bus service in Seneca County has been an unquestioned success and I congratulate Seneca Transit Service on this momentous occasion,” stated Senator Nozzolio. “Thousands of residents of Seneca County have taken advantage of convenient, affordable bus service to go to work, go shopping, travel to appointments and visit other Seneca County attractions. Our hard work two years ago to establish bus service in Seneca County has certainly paid off and the continuing increase in riders is extremely gratifying.”
Senator Nozzolio has long been a supporter of affordable public transportation as part of economic development planning - be it for the redevelopment of the Seneca Army Depot or new economic opportunities to partner with private businesses and public services in the region. Senator Nozzolio was aggressive in seeking funds for new buses for STS and took the lead in working with the County on the acquisition of Building 103 for the STS Operation Center.
“STS saw a 74% increase in ridership of over the first year” said Mark Aesch, Chief Executive Officer of RGRTA. “Demand for public transportation in Seneca County has far exceeded our expectations for the first two years".
Over the course of two years, STS has provided safe, affordable, and reliable transportation to 65,000 customers at the cost of only $62,478 to Seneca County. The economic benefits to the county and it’s residents has been over $1.2 million invested in the local economy, the creation of 12 permanent jobs and $239,515 STS spent for fuel, rent and maintenance of the operations facility in Romulus.
“Clearly, the demand for public transit service in Seneca County existed when Senator Nozzolio and the Board of Supervisors approached RGRTA. People need to get to jobs, to medical appointments and to shopping centers every day,” said Mark Aesch.
At the end of the day, Seneca County taxpayers made $177,037 and have a public transportation system that is customer focused, fiscally responsible and technologically innovative.
The increase in discretionary ridership has been influenced by the significant increase in gas prices in Seneca County. “Families and seniors with budgets already strained because of increases in utility costs and health insurance costs have made an economic choice to use STS and save money,” said Aesch.
Serving the heart of the Finger Lakes Region, STS provides safe, affordable transportation along five fixed routes and a county-wide Dial-A-Ride service. Customers can ride from Seneca Falls to Geneva Hospital via Waterloo and from the County Office Building down the Finger Lakes Wine Trail to Lodi and Interlaken. STS also makes 4 trips a day, Monday through Friday, to the Premium Outlet Mall. For more information, please call toll free in Seneca County at 866-3220 or 607-869-2304, or visit us at www.rgrta.com.
