KINGSTON, N.Y. — The Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC) and Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) will present the final draft of the County’s Route Optimization Plan at two public sessions on Thursday, Nov. 6, inviting residents to review proposed bus routes and schedules, ask questions, and share feedback.
The sessions — held at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Kirkland/RUPCO Offices, 2 Main St., Kingston, and available remotely via Zoom — will showcase the culmination of more than a year of data analysis, public engagement, and field testing. Doors open at 3 p.m. for early review of maps and materials, and real-time Spanish translation will be available for Zoom participants.
The Route Optimization Plan is designed to make UCAT’s bus network more efficient and reliable by reducing transfers and travel times while supporting Ulster County’s goal of fully electrifying its transit fleet by 2035.
“After a year-and-a-half of analysis and public engagement, we’re excited to move to this final phase of the process,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “Public participation remains vital to the success of this effort, and I encourage residents to join us for public review and comment on the recommendations on November 6.”
Officials said the draft proposals reflect community input collected throughout 2024 as well as technical findings from summer fieldwork. While the recent changes to service following the loss of the Kingston Plaza transfer point were not part of the optimization plan, feedback on those adjustments will inform both near-term fixes and long-term service planning.
Residents can view proposed routes and schedules, register for the virtual sessions, and submit feedback through the end of November at participate.ulstercountyny.gov/ucat-route-plan.
There is currently no set timeline for implementing the changes. Once public comments are reviewed, final proposals will be submitted to UCAT for consideration.
I wish you would post the proposed routes. There are many of us that cannot get there to review them but depend on the bus system to get around. The schedule you have now is terrible. If you live in any of the Kingston housing communities, you can’t get a bus to shop for food. It is an all day trip because you have to take at least two buses, and the wait in between is long. Plus those of us that are not only poor but are seniors or disabled cannot spend the whole day traveling around to buy food. It’s discrimination of the worst kind.