CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546

FOR RELEASE: March 28, 2016

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

GOV. MALLOY: ONE YEAR AFTER CTFASTRAK’S LAUNCH, SURPASSING RIDERSHIP GOALS

New System Provided Over Three Million Passenger Trips

      Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, along with Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James Redeker and other state and local officials, today marked the first anniversary of operations for the state’s first Bus Rapid Transit system CTfastrak. Over the last year, the CTfastrak system surpassed its first year ridership goal of 11,180 daily passenger trips and has doubled the daily ridership in the corridor.  As of March 2016, CTfastrak riders have made over 3 million trips using the system. CTDOT also released an executive summary of CTfastrak’s Year One Report (Updated March 2017) which gives an overview and highlights of the system’s operations since it opened in March 2015.

      “This is a system that is no doubt helping local economies and one that is no doubt going to help us grow,” said Governor Malloy. “Year One was a clear success as ridership soared. But we must continue to look forward – not backward – and to view this project as just the beginning. Our goal must be to build upon our successes, help facilitate transit oriented development projects, and make this system all it can be as we develop other projects that help make Connecticut’s transportation systems best-in-class.”

      “CTfastrak is part of a larger vision to modernize how Connecticut uses transit—smart technology allows riders to plan their trips and stay connected even while commuting,” said Lt. Governor Wyman. “It demonstrates Connecticut’s overall commitment to transportation and economic development.”

      “By creating new access to employment opportunities, healthcare, education and shopping, while decreasing travel time for the public, CTfastrak has delivered on its promise to provide a fast and very affordable transit system, seven days a week and up to 21 hours a day,” said CTDOT Commissioner Redeker.  

      Highlights from CTfastrak’s Year One Report (Updated March 2017) include:

• Weekday passenger trips now average between 12,000 and 16,000 trips, doubling the previous daily ridership in the corridor.

• Achieved 99.4 percent fare compliance.

• Employed more than 200 people including bus operators and mechanics.

• Added 24 parking spaces at the Elmwood Station in December 2015.

• Celebrated millionth rider on September 9, 2015.

• Over 750 runners participated in the CTfastrak’s first-ever 15K and Relay race on May 3, 2015.

• Introduced event service to UConn Football games at Rentschler Field in September 2015.

• Participated in over 100 public outreach events.

      Other officials in attendance at CTfastrak’s One-Year Anniversary event included, Newington Mayor Roy Zartarian, West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka, West Hartford Deputy Mayor Shari Cantor and Lyle Wray executive director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments.

      The CTfastrak Bus Rapid Transit system provides direct service to and from Waterbury, Cheshire, Southington, Bristol, Plainville, New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, Hartford, East Hartford and Manchester with routes that take advantage of the bus-only CTfastrak roadway. The CTfastrak system offers a one-seat, no-transfer ride to many major regional employment, education, shopping and healthcare destinations as well as connections to the New Haven Line-Waterbury branch rail in Waterbury and Amtrak service in Hartford.  A new 4.5 mile multi-use trail runs parallel to the CTfastrak bus-only roadway from New Britain to Newington Junction.

      For information about CTfastrak, visit www.ctfastrak.com, connect via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ctfastrak or via Twitter at @ctfastrak.  Route timetables are available at www.cttransit.com under the “Schedules/CTfastrak” tab and the latest information on the more than 60 businesses participating in the CTfastrak Rewards program is available at www.ctfastrak.com/rewards.