Wednesday Headlines: RTS Says Less Less Less Edition
It’s almost like we were warned.
Regional Transit Service, which provides the Rochester area’s bus service, announced that it would begin rolling back its on-demand offerings, eliminating weekend service and weekday service after 8 p.m. as it faces budget headwinds.
“While the decision to make these changes was difficult, it was also necessary to help us ensure the long-term financial health and sustainability of the transit system as a whole,” said Regional Transit Service CEO Miguel Velázquez in a statement.
To anyone following Velázquez and his upstate counterparts’ pleas for additional state funding for transit authorities, this isn’t exactly surprising. They warned that without a significant bump, they would likely need to reduce service offerings.
The state approved $374.5 million in upstate transit funding in its latest state budget, but transit authorities and state lawmakers had pushed for $400 million.
Elsewhere in the Empire State:
- Northwell Health is lining up to be an anchor tenant at the Station Yards project surrounding the Ronkonkoma LIRR station. (Newsday)
- The MTA is removing three of Long Island’s busiest LIRR grade crossings in Brentwood, Central Islip and Wyandanch. (News 12 Long Island)
- Two teens crashed a stolen SUV into a Staten Island home. (The Daily News)
- Former New York City Council Speaker and Lt. Gov. candidate Adrienne Adams was hit with a campaign finance violation for travel to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. (The New York Post)
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-Rockland County) raked in $5 million as he faces a tough reelection campaign. (The New York Post)
- The MTA sued Transit Workers Union Local 100 to stop them from interfering in the disciplinary process of one of its bus drivers. (amNY)
- The Metro North’s Hudson Line will operate a modified weekend schedule between July 25 and Sept. 13 to complete track maintenance. (The Times Union)
- State DOT told Troy it doesn’t have the authority to place anti-panhandling signage on a stretch of State Route 7. (WAMC)
- All hail Beacon’s famous dummy light. (Highlands Current)
- How did Onondaga County Legislator Mo Brown get involved in politics? (Syracuse.com)
- Red pavement went over like a lead balloon in Niskayuna. (The Times Union)
- The annual Cycle the Erie Canal Tour is making a stop in Seneca Falls. (Finger Lakes Daily News)
