Letter to the Hon. Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation - Modernize Western New York's Public Transportation and Secure Federal Funding

Letter

Dear Secretary Chao:

I write to express my full support for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority's (NFTA) application to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for funding through the Section 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities Program to support their CNG Bus Fleet and Fueling Facility Upgrade project. Through this proposed project, the NFTA will purchase 24 replacement Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, install two new CNG fueling compressors at their Frontier Bus Fueling Station, and upgrade the electrical system at the station for expanded fueling operations.

The NFTA is at a pivotal moment in the management of its bus fleet. With almost a third of its buses beyond their FTA useful life in both age and miles, and over 40 buses out of service each month for repairs, the NFTA has been forced to dedicate all federal formula funding to preventive maintenance activities. This has put a strain on the overall capital budget and has led to a significant backlog of deferred capital projects across the organization.

This project will allow the NFTA to replace life-expired buses with new CNG models, helping them to reduce their overall average fleet age and achieve their long-range state of good repair goals. In addition, it will allow the NFTA to expand the fueling capacity at their Frontier Bus Garage to accommodate newer CNG buses as older diesel models are replaced from the active bus roster. Together, these bus fleet and facility upgrades will help increase the availability of clean, efficient, and reliable public transportation options for transit-dependent and choice riders across Western New York.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

Source