News from Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority

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Earth Day in Rochester, NY – Public Transportation System Cuts the Bus Fare

With people looking for an alternative to $3.60 a gallon gas –

ROCHESTER, NY (04/21/2008; 1731)(readMedia)-- While transit systems all across the nation are raising their fares to deal with the cost of skyrocketing diesel fuel the public transportation system in Rochester, NY announced today that it would be doing exactly the opposite. The Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) announced today that the bus fare for the Authority’s largest subsidiary, Regional Transit Service, Inc., (RTS) will be rolled back nearly two decades to its 1991 rate of $1.00.

"Earth Day is a great day to take one new action to protect our environment by generating less pollution by cutting the fare for customers,” said RGRTA CEO Mark Aesch. “With working families looking for an alternative to the high price of gas, we believe this is exactly the right time to demonstrate our value to the community and to the environment, by cutting our fare”, said Aesch.

“Now riding the bus can be even better for your family’s bottom line and for planet Earth.”

Four years ago RGRTA implemented an innovative program, Driving Excellence, a customer-focused, technology-driven strategic planning program, was rolled out in May, 2004. Its goal to revitalize RGRTA at all levels continues to provide the platform from which the organization operates.

“We are trying to provide a public service with a private sector mindset”, said Aesch.

Rochester developed this strategic program after a careful and thorough examination of every area of the Authority. RGRTA asked questions never before posed, and sought answers from sources never previously explored. Customer input was critical, and numerous methods were used to gather the riding public’s opinions, perceptions, and ideas such as, customer town meetings, customer satisfaction survey.

“The objectives we laid four years ago have clearly worked. We dedicated ourselves to being a customer-focused organization. And we have succeeded,” said Aesch.

“The productivity of our routes is up 71% from what it was four years ago, our customer satisfaction is up 27% and new people are hearing how hard we have worked to make riding the bus easier, our ridership is up three times the national average”, said Aesch.

RTS ridership is up nearly 8% in the past year while national ridership increase averages 2.1%.

“Now more than ever when Rochester working families are feeling the impact of high gas prices this fare cut will ensure that riding the bus is more affordable and a smart alternative to beating the pump,” said Aesch.

RGRTA projected to be digging itself out from a $27.5 million deficit. Smarter business decisions, improved route productivity and the successful advancement of equity in state aid has allowed RGRTA to close that massive operating deficit and instead obtain $19 in net income, a $46.5 million turnaround over the last four years. Nearly 50,000 people take advantage of public transportation services provided by RGRTA every day, 16 million people on an annualized basis.

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national.fares.doc