TCAT’s Transit Development Plan 2020-2021
(updated June 26, 2021)
About our Consultant
Sam Schwartz Consulting, NY, NY
If you follow transportation news, chances are you have heard of or read about Sam Schwartz. Some may know him as a former New York City Traffic Commissioner, while others may know him by his moniker “Gridlock Sam”, owing to his popularization of the term “Gridlock” to describe crippling traffic jams. Sam and his eponymous firm employing talented engineers and designers, are well known as visionaries in figuring out how to get people where they need to go while considering quality of life and the environment.
TCAT is pleased to have selected the Sam Schwartz firm to help us redesign our bus system, making the journey better for Tompkins County residents in the future. https://www.samschwartz.com/
Media Archives – Fall 2020 to Present
- 6/23/21: Tompkins Weekly’s Jessica Wickham interviews Matt Yarrow, TCAT’s Asst. Gen. Manager: https://www.tompkinsweekly.com/articles/tcats-transit-redesign-in-final-stages/
- 6/15/21: Town of Dryden Newsletter: http://dryden.ny.us/2021/06/15/tcat-transit-development-plan-focus-groups-slated-through-june-15/
- October 2020: WHCU’s Joe Salzone interviews Matt Yarrow, TCAT’s Asst. Gen. Manager: https://whcuradio.com/news/025520-tcat-wants-your-help-to-shapes-its-future/
- October 2020: Tompkins Weekly: https://www.tompkinsweekly.com/events/united-states/ny/lansing/tcat-transit-development-plan-2020-virtual-open-house/
From May 25 to June 25, 2021, TCAT staff collected feedback from the Tompkins County community on the Transit Development Plan (TDP) 2020-2021 draft system redesign. Residents participated in a variety of programs ranging from large virtual open houses to smaller virtual focus groups. Our team of transit ambassadors reached out and held one-on-one conversations with community members. Surveys were conducted and many submitted comments on our draft plan through our online planning tool.
Next steps include a review of the proposed system redesign by TCAT’s TDP Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of municipal leaders and transit stakeholders. TCAT’s TDP consultant, Sam Schwartz, will use both committee and public feedback before submitting a final plan that will be presented to the TCAT Board of Directors later this summer.
System changes will be implemented gradually, starting in early January 2022. The public will be notified in advance of any substantial route changes. Please, stay tuned by checking this webpage!
Press Releases Fall 2020 to Present
The TDP is a Best Practice
The majority of U.S. public transit agencies undertake a TDP process generally every 10 years, and TCAT strives to adhere to this industry-wide best practice. In 2009, TCAT conducted its most recent TDP, which resulted in a number of service changes in January 2010 that streamlined routes, introduced route interlining to turn transfers into one-seat rides, and it saw the introduction of TCAT’s first-ever demand-and-response service, the route 41. Some veteran TCATers may remember this well!