KINGSTON, NY – Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) and the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC) are asking for public comment on two preliminary plans to improve bus service, including routes, schedules, and services. The public can review and comment on the plans through December 20, 2024, using an online tool called “Maptionnaire.”
The plans are the result of a year-long Route Optimization Plan process, which has included gathering public input to help shape potential improvements. The project team used public feedback, along with demographic information, travel patterns, market analysis data, and service route performance data to develop the two preliminary scenarios.
“We have gotten great input from residents throughout this process, and we’re now in the final stretch and seeking feedback on these two potential scenarios,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “I encourage residents to take a few moments to check out the Maptionnaire Survey for the Optimization Plan and help us make our public transit system the best it can be.”
The goal of the Route Optimization Plan is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of UCAT by identifying the best way to arrange bus routes to reduce travel times and delays. The plan also supports Ulster County’s goal of fully electrifying its bus fleet by 2035.
Public input from the survey will be used to refine the service improvements, which will then be presented to the public again before implementation.
“This planning effort represents a fantastic opportunity for the public to have their say on how their bus system can be improved so it works better for them,” said Brian Slack, UCTC Principal Transportation Planner. “We had some great conversations at our November 13th meetings, with more than 60 people joining us in person and online. We look forward to assessing everyone’s comments, including riders and non-riders, and coming back with some new and improved route scenarios for the public to review.”
The online survey can be found at https://app.maptionnaire.com/q/ucat-rop. For more information, visit https://participate.ulstercountyny.gov/ucat-route-plan.