SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, MALONEY, DELGADO ANNOUNCE $7.3 MILLION IN FEDERAL EMERGENCY TRANSIT FUNDING FOR DUTCHESS COUNTY IN HUDSON VALLEY
During Negotiations For Cares Act, Leader Schumer Prioritized & Secured $$$ For Upstate New York Transit; Gillibrand, Maloney and Delgado Shepherded Legislation to Final Passage
Dutchess County Will Receive $7.3M To Support Transit Operations As Counties Respond To & Recover From COVID-19 Pandemic
Reps: Federal Funding Will Keep Hudson Valley Moving Forward
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and U.S. Congressman Antonio Delgado today announced $7,300,000 in CARES Act, emergency federal funding for Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley Region. This federal funding was secured in the CARES Act, allocated by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and will boost essential public transportation services by mitigating the devastating impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on local transit systems.
“As Dutchess County reopens, it’s imperative that it gets all the federal tools it needs to support the recovery process, including help for our vital public transportation systems,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding will offset the devastating financial impacts of COVID-19 on transit operations throughout the region and allow Dutchess County to keep the bus systems clean, safe, timely and efficient for Hudson Valley riders. I’m proud to have fought for this imperative funding to be included in the CARES Act and will continue to fight to make sure that the Hudson Valley has every dollar it needs to recover.”
“The COVID-19 crisis has had major implications on New York’s transportation systems. As our communities prepare for reopening, we must secure reliable transit for the riders who depend on it,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will be used to offset major revenue losses for the Dutchess County Public Transit system and ensure transportation services continue for the many New Yorkers who depend on it every day. I am proud to have fought for this funding in the CARES Act and I will continue to fight for the resources New York communities need to reopen, rebuild, and return to normal.”
“Public transit in Dutchess County is an essential service, helping connect folks with jobs, their families, and the community,” said Congressman Maloney. “As we continue to reopen the Hudson Valley economy, we must continue to support the needs of our public transportation systems - which includes ensuring our transit workers and providers have the resources to sanitize and clean our buses. I’m proud the transportation funding I fought for as a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee was included in the CARES Act, and will continue to work to bring more transit funding to the Hudson Valley.”
“Essential transit workers have kept our rural communities running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and these federal funds will go a long way to ensuring they can continue to provide service in the most remote locations where public transportation is scarce and necessary. I’m glad to support accessibility for our rural communities and pay essential workers who took on great risks to keep Dutchess County moving,” said Congressman Delgado. “As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I have made rural infrastructure a top priority and I will continue to advocate for additional funds that help Dutchess County and all of upstate stay connected.”
"Dutchess County Public Transit is vital to people as they return to work and activities as we continue ‘Restarting Dutchess’,” said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro. “These transportation dollars through the CARES Act will not only provide for the immediate needs of our transit service such as protective barriers for drivers and enhanced cleaning, but also offers much needed financial support of the system as a whole. This federal aid will dramatically reduce the county’s subsidy to the transit system in 2020 and 2021, helping to safeguard transit services for our community.”
Dutchess County will be utilizing the funding to provide enhanced health and safety precautions for drivers and passengers and to dramatically reduce the county’s subsidy to the transit system in 2020 and 2021.
Dutchess County’s public transportation needs are mainly serviced by Dutchess County Public Transit, which took over the operation of City of Poughkeepsie Transit, and connects to Putnam Transit and Ulster County Area Transit to connect Dutchess County with the rest of the Hudson Valley. The busing provided by the Dutchess County Public Transit system is the most utilized form of intra-town public transportation, experiencing 847,800 trips on the county’s 36 fixed bus routes in 2019.
In a recent letter to the Department of Transportation, Senator Gillibrand fought to bring six heavy-duty, 40 foot transit buses to Dutchess County in order to help expand its current system to serve residents who presently have little or no access to public transport.
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