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New committee studies ways to enhance Hudson’s bus services

HUDSON — The Hudson Bus Transportation Committee held it’s first meeting Tuesday, where Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera told those in attendance that the purpose of the committee was to study the city’s bus system, as well as the bus services offered by Columbia County.

In addition to Scalera, attending the meeting were Hudson Common Council President Robert Perry Jr., Alderwomen Wanda Pertilla, I-2nd Ward, and Carrie Haddad, D-1st Ward, Mayor’s aide Carmine Pierro Jr., City Treasurer Eileen Halloran, Department of Public Works Commissioner Jim Folz, DPW Senior Account Clerk Melissa Finn, and Fourth Ward Supervisor William Hughes Jr.

David Katzenstein, the former New Lebanon Supervisor recently appointed by the county Board of Supervisors to develop a transportation plan for the county, was also present in the audience as a “fly on the wall,” offering minor assistance as needed.

“Part of my job is to coordinate all public transportation,” he said.

Scalera said the committee was looking to be more fiscally responsible when it comes to the bus system, something he says is long overdue, as the system is not running as efficiently as it could. “Simply put: we have to do better,” he said.

The city of Hudson has two bus lines: the Red Line, which runs from the Amtrak station to Columbia Memorial Hospital along the Warren Street route, and the Black Line, which travels between the two locations via the boulevard route. The lines are in operation from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Scalera told the committee that there are three full-time drivers and a number of relief drivers.

Finn said the department had been a bit excessive in its use of relief drivers, and that needed to be improved. “Right now we will be right on queue if we remain frugal,” she said.

Finn provided an analysis of the bus system based on a worst-case scenario, which changes the system to one bus with a single consolidated route, operating the same hours, with the possibility of converting the drivers to part-time staff. According to Finn, this would provide a savings of $120,000 per year. She noted that the buses would still have to be properly maintained.

Pierro gave ridership figures for the current system, which sees an average of 60 passengers per day. The most business is seen between 6 and 9 a.m., as well as 3 and 6 p.m. The city currently boasts five buses, and Pierro pointed out that maintenance numbers are based on that amount.

“When you buy a bus with a grant, you have to keep it in service for 10 years,” he explained. Three of the city’s buses have fulfilled this obligation, and can therefore be sold. Finn added that one of these buses is a handicap bus, and would likely bring in more money if sold.

Scalera said he felt the committee should look into the one bus option going forward. “Our people would get picked up, and our people would get delivered,” he said.

Columbia County currently offers a bus service from Hudson to the Greenport shopping area, which is operated by Coxsackie Transport. These services only run in the morning, though Scalera said the company was willing to add routes in the afternoon, as well as go wherever in the city is necessary.

Though some at the meeting felt that Hudson’s system should also include a trip to the Greenport shopping area, Scalera felt this was redundant.

“Redundancy is one thing we always have to look to get rid of,” Katzenstein said. He also pointed out that the current county bus schedule — which includes not only the Hudson to Greenport route, but a daily commuter service from Hudson to Albany — was inherited by Coxsackie Transport from the previous contractor, and that the company would be willing to amend that schedule based on the county’s needs.

“The city needs to realize there is a county coordinator looking into services for the entire county,” Finn said. “The city of Hudson needs to think about the city of Hudson.”

Former DPW Commissioner Michael O’Hara didn’t disagree with this statement outright, though he said that the committee needed to broaden its definition of who the city is. “It’s the citizens who need to get from Point A to Point B.

“The need for public transportation is only going to get more, not less,” he continued. “We need to develop an integrated plan with the county that is seamless from the point of view of the rider.”

Alderwoman Ellen Thurston, D-3rd Ward, also in the audience at the meeting, spoke as a member of the public. She urged those on the committee to consult residents who do not currently use the bus system to see what they need. “I’d ride the bus under certain circumstances,” she said. These circumstances include more information about the bus system, marked bus stops and running the buses more often.

“There needs to be a much broader look at this,” Thurston said.

Pertilla asked what happened to the line that used to run from Hudson to Columbia-Greene Community College, and Scalera said that it was suspended due to lack of ridership.

“We’re working on that,” Katzenstein said, adding that the previous line’s failure may have resulted from a lack of education in the area where it existed. Hughes pointed out that gas prices may have changed the potential ridership as well.

Haddad created several maps suggesting various bus routes, including one that incorporated the Greenport shopping area and one that didn’t. Another map visualized a route to the college, and Hughes requested a copy for the county’s purposes. “We don’t want to scrap any plan,” he said.

Scalera asked Hughes to work with Katzenstein on the county shopping line.

“We’ve gotten this thing rolling,” Scalera said. “It’s going to be up for good, healthy discussion.”

The discussion will continue at the committee’s next meeting, which it scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 29 at City Hall.

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