• Bi-State Coalition exploring ferry service to relieve congestion
  
  The coastal link brings seamless bus service to Route 1 corridor.
  
  
• NYSDOT and Westchester on track with the Bee-Line's "LIKE-RAIL" - FDR To White Plains Express.
  
  
• Regional survey provides a look at commuter choices.
  
  
• Many people don't travel to work anymore - they are already there.
  
  
• Highway Advisory Radio on the air in Connecticut's southwest corridor.
  
  
• New web site helps Hudson Valley travelers get around.
  
  
• New Transportation guides available in Connecticut and New York.

Three transit districts make history October 31st as they inaugurate a new approach to serving bus riders in the Route 1 corridor. Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority, Milford Transit District, and Norwalk Transit District will provide hourly bus service that allows riders to travel between Milford and Norwalk for one low fare without having to transfer.

Thanks to the new service, dubbed the Coastal Link, budget-conscious commuters can conveniently travel the 20-mile stretch for $1, Monday-Saturday from 6:00am to 10:00pm, and Sundays from 9:00am to 7:00pm. The $1 fare, along with the convenience of crossing transit district boundaries without the hassle of transferring buses, make the service especially helpful for people moving from welfare to work.

"This new seamless service is much more convenient for passengers, allowing them to ride through all three jurisdictions," said John Capell, Interim Transit Manager of the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority. "It's much more customer friendly. We're excited about it!"

Capell said he anticipates a 10 percent growth in ridership along the Coastal Link's route. "I expect it will happen fairly quickly," he added.

"We wanted to introduce regional bus transportation into the mix," Capell explained, noting that the three transit districts, which border one another, have been working closely together as a result of the People to Jobs Regional Transportation Task Force.

"We're looking forward to the initiation of the service," said Henry Jadach, Administrator of Milford Transit District, "and I'm confident it will be a success." Jadach noted that the same route was popular decades ago when a private company operated service through the corridor.

Lou Schulman, Administrator of the Norwalk Transit District, agreed. "We're anxious to have this succeed, in part to show that transit services can work together, and because this is a very important service for so many people."

"The People to Jobs Regional Transportation Task Force has enabled transit providers and job placement people to get together to communicate and agree on where service should go and be expanded," said Tom White of The WorkPlace, Inc. A seamless bus connection along U.S. Route 1 has ranked high on the list of needed services.

The WorkPlace organized and submitted the proposal for services throughout Southwestern Connecticut as part of its role as administrator of People to Jobs. The Connecticut Department of Transportation assembled proposals from collaboratives throughout the state and submitted one unified application to the Federal Transit Administration.

To qualify for a grant, the services had to be designated and coordinated by a collaborative effort, such as the People to Jobs Regional Transportation Task Force. Consensus was vital.

"The grant proposal had to be for transit, it had to be a new program, and it had to come out of a collaborative process," said White. FTA agreed to provide a $792,606 grant over a 15 month period from its Job Access Program. Funding for the new service flows directly to the transit providers from the grant. The Task Force will monitor and evaluate the service. The grant enables the three transit agencies to establish and operate the seamless service for a period of time, however, the hope for the long term is that the service will be incorporated into the fixed route system. MetroPool is working with the transit operators to help promote the service.

For route and schedule information on the new seamless service, contact:
Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority - 203-366-7070
Milford Transit District - 203-783-3258
Norwalk Transit District - 203-853-3338

For details about Job Access transportation initiatives in Southwestern Connecticut, contact:
The WorkPlace, Inc. - 203-576-7030