TMD completed the Erie County Route and Fare Structure Review and Strategic Assessment for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) in Buffalo, New York. This project included a detailed review of existing NFTA bus and rail services and fare structures, a community assessment of the market for transit, a significant community participation process that reviewed findings and sought input, and the development of a recommended plan.
This plan sought to enhance public mobility and grow system ridership while improving service efficiency and effectiveness, and was eventually implemented. The plan was developed around a core transit area where the presence of adequate development densities, disadvantaged populations, school and employment destinations, accessible shopping and health care, and where other transit competitiveness factors existed that would result in the critical mass needed to support a network of frequent transit that provides mobility for all trips throughout the week. The final plan included short-, mid-, and long-term service, and capital investment recommendations. In order to help NFTA prioritize significant future investment in transit corridors, the study also included an updated NFTA Strategic Assessment. A series of corridors were identified and recommended for additional study.
Following the completion of the Erie County Route and Fare Structure Review and Strategic Assessment, TMD provided NFTA with implementation support by assisting in the development of route schedules and by providing planning support. This included Title VI and Fare Equity Review of proposed short-term recommendations, a review of ridership and productivity post-implementation of the short-term recommendations, and a discussion paper on Articulated Buses.
