Utica, NY – Due in part to significant customer feedback, Centro will continue to provide service on its 14 /114 Mohawk-Burrstone route, abandoning a plan to completely discontinue the bus route.

     In November, Centro announced that it would discontinue the 14 / 144 Mohawk-Burrstone bus route in an effort to help close a $6 million budget deficit caused by the continuing reduction of New York State subsidies which fund a significant portion of Centro’s operating budget. 

However, since that announcement, Centro has reworked its original plan, designed to save nearly $600,000 in annual operating costs.

    “Our redesigned concept will save close to that amount,” said Centro of Oneida General Manager Ron Bucciero. “Most importantly, we have preserved bus routes to all the areas we currently serve.   However, some of those services will run less frequently.”

     Under the new plan, Centro will continue to operate weeknight service along the Mohawk – Burrstone corridor, but will reduce its weekday service to mid-days only.  The weeknight service will be a consolidation of Centro’s 15 James St. and Mohawk-Burrstone routes.  The weekday service will be identical to the current Mohawk–Burrstone bus route.

     In addition, Centro will adjust the rush hour frequency of its South Street bus service to match the frequency of most Centro routes.

     “Nearly all of our bus routes currently operate on a 40 minute frequency.  The South Street Service, which currently operates every 20 minutes, will now match those bus routes,” said Bucciero.  Bucciero also says all South Street trips that are through routed to Lenox Avenue will be retained and only the shorter trips that end downtown will be discontinued.

     By redesigning the service reductions and continuing service along the Mohawk – Burrstone corridor,  Centro will continue to provide critical evening transportation services for employees at nearby hospitals and provide direct service for students and other East Side resident who wish to travel to/from Utica College, Mohawk Valley Community College, Consumer Square and other locations.

     “The feedback from individuals who would have been most affected by our original proposal has been helpful,” said Bucciero.  “In coming weeks, we will work with organizations such as local colleges to determine the exact trip times of the mid-day service along the Mohawk –Burrstone corridor.”

     The redesigned bus routes are scheduled to go into effect on March 29, 2010.  Centro will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes on Tuesday, January 26, 2010.  The hearing will be held at the Radisson Hotel from 4pm -7pm .