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August 15 , 2006
GOVERNOR: CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RECEIVES
EXCELLENCE AWARD

National Award Recognizes Central New York's High-Quality Transit System
Governor George E. Pataki today announced that the Central New
York Regional Transportation Authority (CNYRTA) has received the American
Public Transportation Association's (APTA) "Outstanding Public
Transportation System Achievement Award" of 2006 for their superior
performance in efficiency and effectiveness. The APTA is a national
public transportation advocacy organization that works to ensure that
public transportation is available and accessible for all Americans in
communities across the nation. >
"I want to congratulate the team at the Central New York Regional
Transportation Authority for their commitment to providing Central New
York residents with a high-quality transportation system," Governor Pataki
said. "We look forward to building on this important recognition and
continuing to help ensure that New Yorkers enjoy the safest and most
efficient transportation system possible." The APTA award, which will be presented at the association's
annual meeting in October, highlights transportation systems that provide
between 4 million and 30 million passenger trips annually. Nominees are
considered based on their performance in safety, operations, customer
service, financial management, employee costs, minority and women
advancement, marketing, policy and administration, and community
relations. The award builds upon the CNYRTA's record of accomplishment, which
includes receiving the U.S. Department of Transportation's United We Ride
Leadership Award of 2005 for improving coordination between public and
human service agency transportation, receiving the Federal Highway
Administration's (FHWA) Environmental Excellence Award of 2001 for air
quality improvements, the successful transition of both the Utica Transit
Authority and City of Rome's VIP Public Transit into Centro of Oneida
subsidiaries, and being acknowledged by the State Comptroller for having
model internal controls and financial operations. Over the past 11 years, State support for public transportation operating
assistance has nearly doubled since 1995 to more than $2.5 billion
annually, including the current fiscal year, with the CNYRTA receiving a
significant increase in its Statewide Mass Public Transportation Operating
Assistance, boosting aid from $7.3 million to $24.8 million - - an
increase of more than $17.4 million. In the 2006 Executive Budget, the Governor proposed, and the legislature
adopted, $24.8 million in State transit operating assistance for the
CNYRTA this year, in recognition of the difficulties the Authority faced
and the critical role it plays in the regional economy. In addition to this year's operating aid, funding from the Omnibus
program, which assists in matching Federal aid, the Dedicated Fund
Program, which provides money for certain qualified projects and the
Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act program for transit
systems utilizing clean-fuel technologies will be made available to the
CNYRTA to help it meet its capital investment needs. In February of this year, the Department of Transportation announced
funding availability for the first several years of this Bond Act program.
In total, CNYRTA has been allocated approximately $3.8 million through
State Fiscal Year 2008-09. Department of Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Madison Jr. said,
"Increasing the mobility of residents through a safe, reliable public
transportation system goes a long way towards increasing a region's
economic vitality. Coordinating the public transit system is a crucial
responsibility that is accompanied by many challenges, but CNYRTA has
proven to be a leader in keeping central New York's population on the
move." Bond Act funding is being used to help transit systems bear the
incremental cost associated with mainstreaming hybrid-electric and other
alternative fuel bus technologies into public transportation fleets.
These new technologies will help us build a cleaner environment and move
us toward energy independence.
Established in 1970, the Central New York Regional Transportation
Authority provides public transit services in Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and
Oswego counties
.
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