The state’s new Hartford-New Britain busway has kicked off its inaugural run with much fanfare and hope that the 9.4 mile thoroughfare will help alleviate highway traffic and make it easier for commuters to get in and out of the Capital City.
But a key part of CTfastrak’s long-term success will depend on whether or not the region’s employers and colleges embrace it by encouraging or even incentivizing workers and students to trade in their motor vehicles for a bus ticket.
“I think it has caught on already, but we will have a real idea on participation once we start charging [fares] and have had a chance to study who is using the system,” State Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said. “But so far, we are happy with what we have seen.”
CTfastrak is designed to supplement the CTrides program, a state initiative that encourages and partners with employers to offer workers telecommuting, carpooling, and transit subsidies. In recent years, CTrides has been pushing for greater business participation as bus and rail ridership has stagnated.
The hope is that CTfastrak will encourage a new a wave of bus riders, but it may have to come at the urging of many employers. Whether that happens remains to be seen.
The most popular aspect of CTrides is the bus service with stops along the Interstate 91 and 84 corridors, which companies like Aetna and Travelers have embraced for years.
Aetna, for example, offers a pre-tax monthly subsidy for eligible employees to use mass transportation including van pools, buses and now the CTfastrak system, said the health insurer’s spokesman Matthew Clyburn. Depending on eligibility, an employee can receive up to $50 each month to cover a portion of the money spent on mass transit.
Mike Marshall, Aetna’s vice president of global real estate services, said he thinks the new busway will encourage more people to ditch their cars.
“There clearly has been local interest among employees and community residents about the new CTfastrak system,” Marshall said. “I have spoken to a number of people who have taken advantage of the free ride period to check the system out, and everyone seems impressed.”
Small business impact
Some Hartford businesses say they are already noticing a positive impact from the new busway.
Black Eyed Sally’s restaurant owner James Varano said he’s had several groups of customers visit in recent weeks who said they came to eat and drink via CTfastrak. Customers, he said, liked the idea of enjoying a night out without having to worry about driving home.
Varano said several families took advantage of a promotional deal out of West Hartford for kid’s discounts if a family rode in on CTfastrak. He said two staff members are also abandoning their cars to take the bus in from New Britain.
“This could work out,” Varano said of the busway’s impact.
One key question is what ridership will look like as the free fare period expires. State officials hope the convenience of the busway will spread by word of mouth, but they are also launching a rewards program to incentivize people to take the bus. It will offer retail and business-to-business perks for transit riders and help promote businesses in the CTfastrak corridor, said busway spokesman Ron Dresner.
College impact
One surprise early on has been the popularity of the busway along the New Britain line. Redeker said Central Connecticut State University had a huge contingent riding the busway over the first few days. Some students were curious, while others just didn’t want to drive.
CTfastrak could help draw a closer linkage between the state’s colleges and Capital City. The connection to CCSU is obvious since the busway has a direct route there.
But state officials are looking for ways to connect UConn’s main campus in Storrs to Hartford. In fact, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s 30-year transportation proposal has UConn in its sights.
Redeker said expanding the busway to Storrs is merely conceptual at the moment, but giving UConn direct access to the commuter lot in Tolland is realistic.
Redeker said he does envision direct access from UConn to Hartford and back.
“We can have a dedicated right of way serving the university — even part of the Fastrak system,” Redeker said.
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