Transit Briefs: NYMTA, DART, Transdev Canada, Valley Metro, Calgary Green Line LRT
NYMTA
The MTA on Jan. 29 released data on traffic volumes, travel times, and transit ridership from the first three weeks of the nation’s first Congestion Relief Program, which took effect on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
Data indicates that travel times at inbound crossings and within the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ) continue to be significantly faster than last January. Bus riders and especially express bus riders have benefited from less gridlock and are continuing to experience faster and more reliable commutes, according to the data. In total since the program was launched on Jan. 5, more than one million fewer vehicles have entered the CRZ than they would have without the toll.
Data provided by TRANSCOM shows inbound trips times on all Hudson and East River crossings are now 10% to 30%, faster or more, than they were in January 2024. Motorists crossing via the Holland Tunnel are experiencing the most improved daily time crossings, with a 48% reduction on average during peak morning hours, followed by the Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges, which are both experiencing an average of 30% faster trip times, according to the data. Travel time savings are also beginning upstream of the crossings, with motorists on the Long Island Expressway, Flatbush Avenue, NJ 495 and other roads leading up to the crossings also seeing improved speeds. Drivers in the CRZ are experiencing travel time improvements especially during afternoon peak hours with reductions as high as 59%.
Transit Customer Experiences:
Subway ridership has grown by 7.3% on weekdays and 12% on weekends when comparing January 2024 and January 2025. This builds on the ridership growth trends experienced in fall 2024, the MTA noted.
On the Long Island Rail Road, New Hyde Park, Douglaston, Garden City, Ronkonkoma and Woodmere station are seeing year-over-year ridership growth in January that has outpaced systemwide ridership growth.
CRZ Traffic Patterns:
Since the launch of the CRZ, an average of 490,000 vehicles have entered the CRZ each weekday, with another 63,000 vehicles entering the CBD but staying on the excluded roadways and therefore not being subject to the toll, according to the data.
Data shows that the majority of those entering the CRZ (57%) are passenger vehicles. Thirty-six percent of entries are taxis and for-hire vehicles, small trucks accounted for 4% of entries and large trucks made up 0.5% of entries. For motorists operating exclusively along the excluded roadways of the FDR Drive and West Side Highway, nearly nine in 10 were passenger vehicles.
Traffic patterns indicate motorists are shifting their travel to the overnight period, supporting a goal of the toll – to shift traffic away from the daytime when the zone is the most congested.
Forty-three percent of motorists entered the CRZ via north of 60th Street, 24% entered from Brooklyn, 16% entered from Queens and 17% entered from New Jersey.
DART
DART on Jan. 29 unveiled its newest initiative to “connect with the community and foster a deeper understanding of the role public transit plays in everyday life.” The “Mobility in Motion” podcast, hosted by Nadine Lee, President and CEO of DART, invites listeners to explore transportation from a fresh perspective. Through real stories and insightful conversations, this series, DART says, “aims to make public transit relatable, engaging, and impactful for everyone—whether or not they regularly use it.”
Transportation often serves as the backbone of daily life, shaping how communities work, live, and thrive. Yet, it can feel disconnected from those who don’t regularly ride, DART noted. “Mobility in Motion” seeks to bridge that gap by showcasing the human stories and innovative ideas that drive public transit forward, the agency said. “From highlighting the experiences of DART bus operators to uncovering the hidden psychology of how streets influence behavior, this podcast makes transit more than a mode of travel—it’s a lens for understanding the world around us.”
“Public transit isn’t just about moving people from point A to point B. It’s about building connections—to jobs, education, healthcare, and each other,” said Lee. “With ‘Mobility in Motion,’ we’re sharing stories that reveal the true impact of transit on lives and communities, and we’re doing it in a way that’s accessible and relatable to everyone.”
Each episode takes listeners on a journey through topics that intersect with daily life, such as the lives of bus operators sharing memorable moments, the psychology behind street design and driver behavior, and the heartfelt stories of DART’s Lost and Found team. These episodes, DART says, “shed light on how public transit shapes personal experiences, community connections, and broader societal trends.”
“With North Texas poised for unprecedented growth in the next two decades, DART’s role in connecting communities and fostering economic vitality has never been more important,” the agency noted. “Mobility in Motion,” DART says, “invites listeners to see transit as more than infrastructure—it’s a catalyst for opportunity, equality, and progress.”
New episodes are available every other Wednesday on all major podcast platforms.
Transdev Canada
Transdev Canada recently announced that it has once again been awarded the “Great Place to Work®” certification. This international distinction “highlights companies across all industries that offer an exceptional workplace culture while emphasizing the positive impact of an inclusive environment that fosters the quality of ideas from its human capital.” This marks the second time Transdev Canada has received this certification, with the first recognition dating back to 2021.
The trust and engagement model for the “Great Place to Work®” certification revolves around three essential relationships:
- Between employees and management.
- Between employees and their colleagues.
- Between employees, their work, and the company.
The certification is granted following a process that combines anonymous employee surveys with a rigorous analysis of the corporate culture. This analysis is based on five key principles: credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. The survey results are therefore directly based on employees’ perceptions of their organization.
“This recognition highlights our team’s collective commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work environment for everyone,” said Transdev President and CEO Arthur Nicolet. “This commitment is directly reflected in our remarkable growth, from 1,000 to 6,000 employees in less than five years. The quality of our workplace is at the heart of our development strategy and activities across the country.”
“Great Place to Work®” is an internationally recognized organization that has been evaluating and celebrating outstanding workplaces for more than 30 years. This recognition places companies like Transdev Canada among fewer than 1% of Canadian companies that earned this certification in 2024.
Transdev is the operator of the future Hurontario light rail system in the Greater Toronto Area, as a member of the Mobilinx consortium, and of the future Ontario Line metro as a member of the Connect 6ix consortium.
Valley Metro
Valley Metro recently unveiled the first train that will cross the Salt River bridge along its new route to South Phoenix, according to a FOX 10 Phoenix report.
According to the report, the train is part of the South Central light rail extension that connects downtown and south Phoenix. The project is at 95% completion, and the expansion marks a milestone for the agency as it introduces a two-line light rail system. Completion is expected later in 2025.
Calgary Green Line LRT
Calgary city councilors have given their seal of approval for the Green Line LRT, “greenlighting an updated plan for the project that could see construction begin later this year,” according to a Global News report.
The decision, which came late Jan. 28 and will allow for shovels in the ground on the southeast segment of the Green Line between Shepard and Victoria Park, also commits to a two-year functional study on the downtown alignment to examine property and safety impacts, validating cost estimates and advancing design, according to the report.
According to the report, the new Green Line plan “follows an ultimatum from the provincial government to pull its $1.53 billion in funding for the project if the city didn’t elevate and shorten the line through the downtown core, instead of a previously planned tunnel through to Eau Claire.”
“We’re in,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Wednesday when asked about council’s decision.
“We’re pleased they made the decision to go ahead and allow shovels to get in the ground as soon as this early part of the year,” Smith said. “Then we can continue to work on how we expand the alignment.”
