About one-third of 2,305 public transit riders surveyed during the past year in Erie and Niagara counties said they are dissatisfied with overall service, notably cleanliness and safety.
A similar number of riders with disabilities are also dissatisfied, with that number increasing for riders relying on paratransit services.
The “Rate Your Ride” survey was initiated to “take the pulse” of Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority riders by Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns. It was created by Columbia University School of Law students and administered between November 2022 and last month, under the direction of the Western New York Law Center.
“This is a report that can’t gather dust or be put on a shelf and forgotten,” Kearns said Tuesday during a news conference. “These are real people, our fellow neighbors who live in some of the most economically challenged neighborhoods in our community.”
Kearns said the survey was “unbiased” and would be shared with the NFTA.
Starting Wednesday, for the first time since the light rail system was opened nearly 40 years ago, the NFTA will activate new fare gates for all areas except the above-ground “free fare zone” downtown.
The NFTA “welcomes rider feedback to help improve operations,”…
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