Posted by Like I had dozens of times before, I stepped off my Amtrak and on to the Schenectady train platform. I descended into the “new” train station, taking a moment to marvel at the stunning design.
I walked the short distance toward State Street, under the railroad bridge in an effort to catch the 905 BusPlus Red Line to Albany. I would have loved to get a dramatic shot of the bus as it entered the “station” but it arrived seconds after I did… I scrambled for my phone so that I could pay the $1.30 fee as I boarded the urban transport.
A little background. The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) now features 3 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines that compliment their already-robust transit network. These three lines feature very frequent, limited stop service between Albany, Schenectady and Troy, and all points between. The routes connect residential communities, retail corridors and academic institutions, and boast a robust 8 million boardings per year according to the CDTA website.
I found a seat on the right side of the vehicle. As buses go, this was no different. No glitz or glamor, no frills… it was like every other bus I had ever been on, but with limited stations stops and express service every fifteen-or-so minutes (depending on the time of day) along Route 5 between Schenectady and Albany, approximately 15 miles.
Along the way, each station stop featured an iconic bus shelter that added uniform visibility and cover from precipitation. I would have liked to see fare machines, raised platforms that were flush with the bus entrance, and heat lamps for the winter months, but the shelters were a wonderful upgrade from a single bus stop sign next to the busy thoroughfare.
The ride was, well, as a bus ride should be. I was surprised to see a handful of families board during the ride. In fact, I found the ridership on my round trip to Albany and back to be a delightful cross-section of ages and ethnicities. The route featured a seemingly endless commercial stretch of big box retail and locally-owned businesses.
But the streets adjacent to Route 5 were surprisingly dominated by what appeared to be approachable residential dwellings.
This line was truly the just-right connector between two cities, retail establishments and most importantly, residential neighborhoods.
Once in Albany, I walked around Lark Street, the Plaza and even enjoyed some food and drink at The City Beer Hall, a truly unique establishment!
Shortly after, I walked to the nearest BusPlus Red Line station and my bus arrived in a matter of minutes, whisking me back to Schenectady where I met up with an old friend.
CDTA BusPlus BRT is like a regular bus, but features frequent service, usually every 15 minutes. The stops are limited but meaningful, mimicking subway and elevated rail lines in larger cities like New York, Chicago and Boston. The frequent service allows riders to simply “show up” to the station and wait an acceptable amount of time for the next bus without the need to check a schedule or open an app. This is in contrast to transit networks that feature a bus every half an hour to an hour.
Future improvements might include more iconic buses and dynamic seating, in-station ticketing machines, raised platforms, and heat lamps for winter service. But for now, the CDTA BusPlus service provides uniquely-frequent service connecting the Capital Region with transcendent transportation between three major metros and all destinations in between. Its popularity also shows just how important more frequent service is to the lifeblood of public transit and the communities it serves.