FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 23, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y. NFTA - This is the time of year to give thanks, and with all the challenges of 2020, NFTA-Metro wants to show its appreciation to riders who continue to be diligent in their mask-wearing. Wearing a mask while on the bus and rail is a powerful deterrent in the spread of COVID-19.
#MaskUpMetro is a campaign that NFTA-Metro is launching in an effort to continue to encourage mask-wearing and show appreciation to the vast majority of riders who wear masks on public transit. According to NFTA-Metro audits, 97% of bus riders are wearing masks. It is not surprising that Western New Yorkers are showing their support and respect for each other’s health and wellbeing. To show its appreciation, NFTA-Metro has started a thank you campaign. The first 20 riders who share a mask selfie while riding the bus or rail with us on social media, using the hashtag, #MaskUpMetro, and tagging @nftametro will win a day pass.
"The goal is for 100% universal mask compliance," said Kim Minkel, executive director, NFTA. "This campaign is about saving lives and showing our appreciation to our riders and the entire community."
"The majority of Western New Yorkers are doing a great job when it comes to maintaining safe distances and wearing masks in the system," said Tom George, Director of Public Transit, NFTA. "This campaign is a way to thank our riders, and to illustrate the importance of mask-wearing. I also want to give kudos to our operators and the entire NFTA-Metro staff for doing a fantastic job and staying vigilant.”
Everyone in New York State is required to wear a mask or face covering in public – with a few caveats – as part of the state’s ongoing effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo issued an executive order on April 17, putting the mandate in place.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommends appropriate masks to be worn by all passengers and by all personnel operating the public transportation vehicles. The CDC has provided guidance to support state and local health authorities in this effort.
About NFTA-Metro
NFTA-Metro serves 24 million people each year in Erie and Niagara Counties, and is made up of 1,000 employees including operators, planners, mechanics, technicians, and specialists responsible for delivering service, and working diligently to make it easy for our customers to experience the highest level of public transportation. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) awarded NFTA-Metro with the top gold award in its 2020 Bus and Rail Safety & Security Excellence Award, which is given to organizations with the best overall safety or security programs.
MEDIA ADVISORY November 16, 2020
Please be advised there will only be a budget meeting this month on November 19, 2020, at 11:00 a.m.
Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
Thank you.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2020
What and Who: Join leaders from the NFTA, as well as civic, business and government officials at the Buffalo Airport for an open house and unveiling of the new baggage carousel. The completion of the carousel is a major construction milestone in the airport enhancement project. There will be a demonstration that will highlight the major improvements that travelers will experience and tours to show the public the progress in the enhancement project.
Where: Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Guests should park in the short-term parking lot and bring in your ticket for validation.
When: Friday, November 13, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.
***All event procedures will follow proper social distancing and all guests are asked to wear face coverings.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y. NFTA- Metro values its riders and the community and is always looking at ways to improve and innovate. We are thrilled to announce that riders can now buy a NFTA Metro pass through the smartphone apps “Moovit” and “Transit.” These apps help riders plan and pay for their trip, all in one spot. There are a number of additional trip planning tools to help riders get where they are going, including Google Maps, the NFTA Trip Planner, and NFTA Smart Traveler Plus. Visit https://metro.nfta.com/schedules/plan-your-trip for all the options. Riders can still buy tickets and passes in Token Transit, 30-day passes are now available.
“We are always looking at new ways to improve the rider experience,” said Tom George, Director of Public Transit, NFTA-Metro. “We hear from our riders frequently that having the latest technology is extremely valuable.”
Moovit and Transit, two public transit apps available in Western New York, let the user plan public transportation trips throughout the area, and all over the world. These apps work with just about any kind of mobile device and integrate a ticketing feature from Token Transit, so a rider can pay their fare with a click and without leaving the app.
Both mobility apps add to the choices already available at Metro.nfta.com, providing riders with even more choices. Metro continues to offer Where’s My Bus, Stop ID Lookup, Smart Traveler, Google Transit and the Trip Planner. Each feature provides information on how to use Metro, how Metro is functioning and how best to take advantage of bus and rail services.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 8, 2020
NFTA Board Meeting on October 22, 2020
In keeping with the guidance and directives of local, state, and national health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.1, issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (the “NFTA”) Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for October 22, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. will be held telephonically by conference call. Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 09, 2020
NFTA Board Meeting on September 24, 2020
In keeping with the guidance and directives of local, state, and national health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.1, issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (the “NFTA”) Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for September 24, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. will be held telephonically by conference call. Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
Cobblestone District Business Group Partners with Albright-Knox and NFTA to Begin New Murals at DL&W Terminal
Buffalo, NY – The Cobblestone District Business Group has partnered with the Albright-Knox’s Public Art Initiative and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) to produce a series of new murals at the NFTA’s DL&W terminal. Artists will begin working this week on what will become a destination-making public art project that will further enhance downtown, especially the neighboring Cobblestone businesses and the site of the annual Cobblestone Live festival.
The South Park Avenue side of the NFTA train depot (DL&W) presents a unique opportunity for public art, with a large, low wall that will naturally welcome a series of thirteen painted mural panels. One panel will act as a didactic space and the remaining twelve panels will each be painted by a different artist, ranging from local to national. The work will be completed over the course of two summers, with six panels being completed this summer and six next summer.
The selection of artists for this year is Obsidian Bellis (American, born 1993), Jason Bramer (American, born 1974), Lauren McKenzie, aka Lady Noel (American, born 1988), Ellen Rutt (American, born 1989), James Moffitt, aka Yames (American, born 1987), and Bradd Young, aka SALUT (American, born 1994). This selection of artists includes three regional artists, three female artists, and three Black artists within the group of six. The additional artists will be selected and announced next year.
“We are thrilled to be part of this exciting public art project,” said NFTA Executive Director Kim Minkel. “These murals will enhance the neighborhood and promote interest in the DL&W by adding vibrancy and community pride. It is amazing how art can uplift us all.”
“The Cobblestone Commons is truly an expression of what it means to be part of a ‘community,’” said Cory Muscato, owner of Lockhouse Distillery and member of the Cobblestone District Business Group. “The idea to collaborate to create public art in this space was born out of the annual Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival, held each summer for the past three years along the same strip of South Park Avenue. The businesses in our neighborhood share a strong sense of cooperation and seek to further distinguish our district beyond the many street festivals, sporting events, and concerts that have made it a destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. I am very proud to see so many businesses come together with the Albright-Knox and NFTA to give birth to such a meaningful and large-scale mural for the City of Buffalo and its communities.”
The Albright-Knox’s Public Art Initiative is an innovative partnership between the museum and the County of Erie established in 2013 to enhance our shared sense of place and cultural identity in the urban and suburban landscapes of Western New York. The City of Buffalo joined the partnership in 2014. The goal of the initiative is to create spaces of dialogue where diverse communities have the ability to socially engage with, actively respond to, and cooperatively produce great public art that is capable of empowering individuals, creating stronger neighborhoods, and establishing Western New York as a critical cultural center.
This project was made possible by the NFTA, Ferguson Electric, Labatt USA, Buffalo Iron Works, Lockhouse Distillery, Pegula Sports and Entertainment, Port X Logistics, Savarino Companies, Watts Architecture & Engineering, Abbey Mecca, CPL: Architecture.Engineering.Planning, ECIDA, RP Oak Hill Building Company, Inc., Gilbane Building Company, and Julia Spitz. Additional support has been provided by C2 Paint and Red Disk.
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Obsidian Bellis
Obsidian Bellis is an artist and DIY organizer born and raised on the East Side of Buffalo. After traveling and living in other places on the East Coast and in the Midwest, Bellis now resides on Buffalo’s West Side. Bellis sees her creative drive as a method to bring something new and novel into existence. Finding inspiration from such wide-ranging sources as magical illustrations found in fifteenth to nineteenth–century Coptic prayer scroll amulets and Ethiopian illuminated manuscripts to mythology to Afrofuturism, Bellis’s signature style is a mixture of illustrative and mystical forms often incorporating spectacular natural elements with fantastical figures.
Jason Brammer
Jason Brammer is a Chicago-based visual artist known for his murals, site-specific installations, distinctive paintings, and mixed-media hand-painted assemblages. Brammer’s murals also veer into fantastic worlds but utilize a more formal trompe l'oeil style that pierces otherwise solid forms and allows viewers to envision a portal to another place. He has received commissions from prominent clients such as LinkedIn, Hulu, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Shedd Aquarium, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the band My Morning Jacket.
Brammer’s art has also been exhibited in numerous prestigious venues, including the Hangaram Design Museum in Seoul, South Korea; 751 D-Park in Beijing, China; the Union League Club of Chicago; La Luz De Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles; Linda Warren Projects in Chicago; Rockford Art Museum in Illinois; Governors State University in Chicago; SCOPE Miami Beach; and Museo Internazionale Italia Arte in Turin, Italy.
Lauren McKenzie-Noel, aka Lady Noel
Cleveland-based artist Lauren McKenzie-Noel creates a vast variety of work that focuses on diversity and bridging the black and white halves of her identity. Originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, the artist spends most of her time either in her studio or working on murals in her community that create conversations around identity, race, and womanhood. Using an array of materials and hues to highlight the beauty of people of color in her life, most of her work features portraits of either individuals she personally knows or are derived from her own imagination as though from a melting pot of faces. McKenzie was the first Black woman to paint a mural in the City of Cleveland.
Ellen Rutt
Ellen Rutt is a Detroit-based interdisciplinary artist whose work utilizes an abstract lexicon of layered shapes and primary colors that results in improvisational and evocative installations. She facilitates conversations between materiality and movement, between place and process. Her site-specific installations, mixed-media paintings, and textiles examine notions of belonging and exclusion that expose a divide between nature and culture in the American experience.
Rutt graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan. She has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art Grand Rapids, East Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art, and pt. 2 Gallery in Los Angeles. She has completed murals and installations in locations around the world including France, New York, San Francisco, Canada, and Hawaii, among others. She has been featured in Juxtapoz, Forbes, W, alive, LOAM, and was recently named one of twenty-four changemakers in 2020 by Hour Detroit Magazine.
James “Yames” Moffitt
James “Yames” Moffitt is a Buffalo native and co-founder of Pine Apple Company, an artist collective and gallery located in Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood. Having formally trained at the Pratt Institute, Yames is a multidisciplinary graphic artist who specializes in hand-painted signs, typography, illustration, murals, and more. You can find his work on businesses throughout Buffalo, including Hydraulic Hearth, Sato Brewpub, Larkin Square, and the National Grid Terminal B on Niagara Street. Though this will be Yames’s first mural with the Public Art Initiative, he has assisted on numerous other projects for the Initiative.
SALUT
SALUT is the visual-arts moniker of the Rochester-based artist Bradd Young. Young studied graphic design and studio art in Virginia where he began doing pop-up exhibitions that would eventually lead him to open a studio in Western New York post-graduation. It was then that Young began to develop a color pallet of soft pastels and a style merging his loves of cartoonish surrealism and fine art.
Young has displayed work in Virginia and at several venues in both Western New York and New York City. In 2018, he was the only local muralist featured in the eleventh annual WALL\THERAPY project in Rochester. In February 2019, Young was celebrated as one of the exciting talented artists at the Memorial Art Gallery’s MAG social. In spring 2019, he designed several labels for Trophy Brewery Company in North Carolina. In 2020, he was selected by Memorial Art Gallery to design the posters, cards, and pamphlets for the promotion of the museum’s annual fundraiser, An Artists’ Affair at the MAG.
Young is a featured artist of the Rochester-based gallery UUU Art Collective, which acts as a venue to both curate upcoming young artists and musicians and promote community activism. Currently, SALUT paintings are displayed throughout businesses in the downtown Rochester area.
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The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is recognized as home to one of the world’s leading collections of modern and contemporary art. With more than 7,000 works in its collection and a dynamic series of exhibitions and public programs, the Albright-Knox continues to grow and to fulfill its mission to acquire, exhibit, and preserve the art of our time in an environment that engages and empowers growing audiences and encourages life-long learning and discovery. In 2019, the museum broke ground on the AK360 Campus Development and Expansion project, which will create a new work of signature architecture on the north end of its historic campus. Upon completion of AK360, the museum will reopen in 2022 as the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery’s annual operations are supported, in part, by public funds from the County of Erie and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and by the generosity of our members.
BUFFALO, N.Y. NFTA-Metro values its riders and the community we serve and are always looking at ways to improve. During this unprecedented time, we wanted to hear directly from riders and respond to their input. Metro Bus and Rail conducted an online survey, from June 8 to June 22 to seek feedback from the public about our COVID-19 response and to learn how to help riders feel safe on the system in the future. The survey was targeted both to people riding during the pandemic and people who are not riding during the pandemic. Here are some of the highlights from the survey.
- 58% of riders who responded are essential workers
- Most common jobs: healthcare, retail
- Most common reason for riding: commuting to work
- Most common reason for not riding working from home
- Most respondents were satisfied with Metro’s COVID–19 response, especially about rear door boarding, free fares, and requiring face coverings
- Requiring face coverings and providing hand sanitizer were the two most important ongoing interventions, according to survey respondents.
We have already acted on several suggestions and feedback we have received:
- We added 30 day passes on Token Transit, and now almost all fare options are available on Token Transit, which is a “no touch” fare payment option.
- Barriers have been or will be installed on all buses to separate drivers and bus riders.
- Hand sanitizer was installed on all buses but then the manufacturer recalled the product. We will work to re-install as soon as possible.
- Face coverings are universally required on NFTA Metro services and buildings.
- We will continue to provide chases buses as much as we can. We are limited in our ability to add frequency because we don’t always have extra buses or drivers.
- We added Metro PCS to the list of carriers available for texts from our Instant Update service.
A total of 323 took part in the on-line survey. 47% people who have been riding, and 53% who have not been riding. This link will provide further details on the survey findings.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 08, 2020
NFTA Board Meeting on July 23, 2020
In keeping with the guidance and directives of local, state, and national health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.1, issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (the “NFTA”) Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for July 23, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. will be held telephonically by conference call. Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2020
What and Who: Join the NFTA along with civic, business and government leaders, including NYS Assembly Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes and Senator Tim Kennedy for a traditional Topping Out event at the Buffalo Airport. Wednesday is the day the final piece of steel will be hoisted into place, marking that the project on the west end has reached its maximum height. This is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years, symbolizes good luck and is highly visual.
Where: Buffalo Niagara International Airport Outside, West End, past the Southwest curbside
check in at the overhang.
When: Wednesday, July 1, 10:00 a.m.
**Please park in daily parking at the top level (it will be closest to the topping out location and bring in your ticket in for validation)
The Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Niagara Falls International Airport continue to work with national, state, and local health care partners to collectively create the safest environment for our travelers during this health care crisis. The recently announced joint travel advisory issued by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (along with Connecticut, and New Jersey) does not limit or restrict air travel to and from states with high corona virus infection rates, it does require individuals traveling from those areas to self-quarantine for 14 days. We recommend contacting your air carrier about any possible restrictions or procedures. The link below provides detailed information on the travel guidelines. We will update you as more information becomes available.
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2020
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority announced its seasonal launch of Metro’s Trolley Service to guests staying at participating Niagara Falls hotels and motels beginning Friday, June 19. Metro’s Niagara Falls Trolley buses will serve Niagara Falls Boulevard, Pine Avenue, the Niagara Falls International Airport and downtown Niagara Falls, USA.
Special Trolley stop signs along the route indicate where riders can board a Metro trolley.
In downtown Niagara Falls, stops include the Aquarium of Niagara Falls, the Seneca Niagara Casino, and across from the Niagara Falls USA Official Visitor Center at First and Rainbow. Service will also be provided to hotels and shops along Third Street, Rainbow Blvd. and Buffalo Avenue. In addition, stops are located along Pine Avenue, at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, several motels along Niagara Falls Boulevard and Little Italy.
Patrons receive their free 2020 trolley day passes upon request at participating hotels and motels. The trolley pass, supported by the local Niagara Falls bed tax, allows pass holders free access to the trolley service and the entire Metro Bus and Rail system in Niagara and Erie counties. Passes must be validated in Niagara County and may be used anytime on the date the pass is punched by the Metro operator.
“We are excited to once again partner with the NFTA-Metro on a critical service for the tourism industry in Niagara Falls, USA. Metro’s trolley serves hotels, motels, and attractions throughout Niagara Falls, making it easy for visitors to travel around the city. Although we are dealing with a new normal, we are excited about the opportunity to restart our businesses in Niagara Falls and welcome tourists back to our world class destination,” said Frank Strangio, President, Niagara Falls Hotel Association.
“Metro’s trolley provides access for tourists to destinations within the City of Niagara Falls and throughout Western New York. This has been a challenging year, but we are looking forward to working with our partners in the City of Niagara Falls to support the transportation needs of the community during the upcoming tourism season,” said Tom George, NFTA Metro’s Director of Public Transit.
Operation hours are from 9 a.m. until midnight as follows: June 19 - Sept. 27 (Daily) and Oct. 2-31 (Fri-Sun). All trolley route maps and schedules can be found online at nfta.com/metro, #NFTrolley, or upon visiting the Niagara USA Visitors Center at 10 Rainbow Blvd.
Those without a trolley day pass can ride the trolley by paying Metro's regular adult fare of $2, $1 for children (5-11 yrs.), seniors (65 yrs. and over), disabled and Medicare clients with valid I.D. All other Metro passes are also valid. Children four and younger ride free, limit three children per fare paying adult.
NEWS RELEASE
BUFFALO, N.Y, - Starting on Monday, June 29, 2020, we will resume fare collection and front-door boarding on all transit services, including buses, rail and our paratransit vehicles.
At the end of March, we suspended fare collection payment and required our riders to board through the rear-doors to support social distancing between operators and customers. Enhanced safety measures, which include protective driver barriers have been installed on all buses, and will provide a shield between operators and passengers, making fare collection possible while minimizing contact. Our riders are encouraged to use the Token Transit contactless mobile ticketing app.
Additionally, we are intensively cleaning and disinfecting our vehicles.
And while we are all making progress around the country, and here in Western New York, as more businesses are opening, we require all passengers to wear a face covering on our vehicles and in our stations. We will continue daily disinfecting of high-touch areas in our vehicles, including railings, seating, and operator area.
We are asking our passengers to exercise the following measures:
- Do not ride if you are sick.
- A face covering must be worn while on the bus, rail and in our stations.
- Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds before and after riding the bus/rail.
- Maintain six feet of social distance at bus stops, and aboard the bus/rail when possible.
- If there are too many people at a bus stop, consider taking the next bus. In instances of overcrowding, our operators will call into dispatch to deploy another vehicle to the affected route when possible.
We want to extend our appreciation for your patience and support during these challenging times.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 21, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority took part in the Sound the Horn: Supporting Public Transit Workers event, on May 21st, at 3:00 PM. Agencies throughout New York state, and New Jersey, sounded their horns from a variety of vehicles to honor public transit workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
After the success of the first Sound the Horn event on April 17, transportation authorities across the state participated today.
Through the use of the hashtags #HeroesMovingHeroes and #SoundTheHorn community members were able to support and promote the event on social media so that the hard work of those providing essential transportation is recognized.
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Local rap artist Conway the Machine is showing his gratitude to the women and men of NFTA’s Metro Bus and Rail by buying them breakfast. On Friday, May 15, Conway is sending the most important meal of the day to each of Metro’s three bus garages, and rail yard.
He is making a visit to Cold Spring Garage, 1547 Michigan Ave., at 10 a.m., to personally thank the drivers, mechanics, cleaners and other staff. A life-long Buffalonian, he recognizes the hard work it takes to make sure this community has reliable access to healthcare, jobs, groceries and other essential services everyday – work made even hard under these remarkable circumstances.
Conway the Machine is a co-founder of Griselda Records, which signed a deal with Enimem’s Shady Records in 2017, and founder of Drumwork Music Group. He has been performing for close to a decade.
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s Metro Bus and Rail is making several changes in response to the COVID-19 impact on our operations. Beginning Sunday, May 24, Metro will temporarily eliminate routes 7-Baynes Richmond, 29-Wohlers, 54-Military, 68-George Urban and 79-Tonawanda. Each route has alternative service available for riders. Resources devoted to these routes will be used to support other Metro service. None of these adjustments will affect access to our paratransit service area or availability.
Transit ridership has declined by 75% here in Western New York, across the country and worldwide, but the need for social distancing space on buses and trains has increased. To deal with these new challenges, Metro is reallocating buses, drivers and support from routes that are little used to routes that are critical to the region. These changes allow Metro to add vehicles at peak times in order to prevent crowding and maintain public access to healthcare, jobs and groceries.
Metro has reduced the number of bus routes strategically; each route that has been discontinued has other routes available to fill in the gaps.
7-Baynes-Richmond has alternative service on 3-Grant and 20-Elmwood.
29-Wohlers has alternative service on 8-Main, 18-Jefferson, 22-Summer Best and Metro Rail.
54-Military has alternative service on 50-Main Niagara, 52-Hyde Park and 55-Pine Ave.
68-George Urban has alternative service on 24-Genesee, 46-Lancaster and 47-Youngs.
79-Tonawanda has alternative service on 20-Elmwood
The women and men of Metro Bus and Rail remain committed to providing the best and safest transit service possible throughout this current emergency and into the future. We have detailed information on the service adjustments on our website at www.nfta.com.
BUFFALO, N.Y., - Former NFTA commissioners Eunice Lewin and Ernestine Green (the first woman to be appointed the NFTA board of commissioners) coordinated a massive chocolate bar give-a-way for all the essential workers at the NFTA. Hundreds of special chocolate bars were given to these exceptional employees.
“We wanted to do something unique for these caring and committed members of our community,” said former NFTA Commissioner Eunice Lewin. “With the help of some generous donors, and Fowler’s chocolates these special workers received a sweet treat for all that they do.” The timing was perfect, as May 3-9 is national Public Service Recognition Week. There is no better time to show our appreciation for the men and women who are keeping vital traveling moving during this health care crisis. The give-a-way started at Cold Spring garage and continued throughout the authority.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The NFTA has confirmed three additional employees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The latest are two Metro operators, the other is on the custodial staff at the Buffalo Airport. With these additions, the total at the agency is 8.
All three of the most recently confirmed cases have been out of work for several weeks and do not pose any risk to the public or fellow employees. We are pleased to report that all are recovering well and self-quarantined at home.
The NFTA continues to work with the New York State and Erie County Health departments, as well as the CDC and doing our part by increasing our cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout our facilities and vehicles, and widely publicizing public health recommendations to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses—namely, social distancing; avoiding close contact with sick individuals; frequent hand-washing; covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and staying home when you are sick.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY
What and Who: NFTA Metro Bus and Rail, with the help of Senator Timothy M. Kennedy’s office, has teamed up with the Buffalo Board of Education and the Buffalo Peacemakers to deliver meals to students’ homes. Senator Kennedy, Kim Minkel, and members of Peacemakers will be at the delivery.
When and Where: Monday, April 20, 9:30 a.m.
1055 East Delavan Avenue
Buffalo Board of Education Food Service Department
Lunches for families will be loaded onto NFTA Paratransit vehicles at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Before the official vehicle packing, Senator Timothy Kennedy and Kim Minkel will make brief
remarks and then volunteers will begin the delivery process.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y., – NFTA–Metro Bus and Rail, with the help of Senator Timothy M. Kennedy’s office, has teamed up with the Buffalo Board of Education and the Buffalo Peacemakers to deliver meals to students’ homes. Metro’s Paratransit Access Line vans normally transport individuals with disabilities to jobs, school or medical appointments. Current stay-at-home orders have freed up some time in the usually full PAL schedules. Metro is putting it to good use.
Senator Tim Kennedy, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said, “Throughout the pandemic, my office has been contacted by countless Western New York businesses, agencies, and people who are looking to help in this unprecedented time of crisis. Our role has often served as a connector, ensuring these services and resources are delivered where they're needed most. This incredible new partnership between the NFTA, BPS, and Buffalo Peacemakers is a clear example of that - our city's leaders are stepping up and working together to serve our children and those who are homebound. I thank Kim Minkel, Pastor James Giles and the Peacemakers, and Dr. Kriner Cash and the hundreds of teachers and volunteers who truly embody the spirit of the City of Good Neighbors and all that it has to offer.”
“It is a privilege and an honor to be on the front lines of service during this time of Contagion that our communities face,” Pastor James Giles of the Peacemakers added. “With the help of our Senator Tim Kennedy, NFTA, Back To Basics, and the Buffalo Peacemakers, and all the other wonderful volunteers that have committed themselves to this endeavor, we will see that no family is left behind or forgotten, as we hope to feed and offer hope to those citizens that are most in need.”
NFTA-Metro will deliver in excess of 150 meals every weekday for as long as needed, and is proud to serve the community in whatever new ways this crisis demands.
BUFFALO, N.Y., – Any employees at the NFTA experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, will now be able to be tested. This is part of Kaleida’s recent announcement that workers deemed essential by New York State, and are showing symptoms of COVID-19, will now be able to receive a test from the healthcare system. Previously testing was only for critical symptomatic patients and frontline hospital workers. There are approximately 1600 employees at the NFTA.
“I’m very appreciative of the many employees we have at the NFTA who are helping the heroes at Kaleida Health and other essential workers throughout Western New York get to their essential jobs,” said Kim Minkel, Executive Director, NFTA. “We are tremendously grateful to Kaleida for providing this service.”
We are working with the New York State and Erie County Health departments, as well as the CDC and doing our part by increasing our cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout our facilities and vehicles, and widely publicizing public health recommendations to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses—namely, social distancing; avoiding close contact with sick individuals; frequent hand-washing; covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and staying home when you are sick.
BUFFALO, N.Y., NFTA-Metro Bus and Rail will begin summer service starting Easter Sunday. The new schedule eliminates school service and will best adapt to the decrease in ridership and help with the increased cleaning schedule. The updated schedule is on our website www.nfta.com.
NFTA-Metro is reminding the Western New York Community that during this health crisis, public transportation is for essential travel only. We are echoing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s order that only critical trips be made on mass transportation services.
Transit is essential and we continue to operate to get health care workers and other critical employees to work, and take riders to vital appointments, and necessary shopping. The Governor’s message is very clear, do not take public transportation unless urgent and necessary.
NFTA-Metro is doing everything it can to help stop the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, March 27, it suspended fare collection on all bus routes, paratransit service and Metro Rail and passengers are being asked to use rear doors when boarding and exiting buses. Those who have special needs or mobility issues may still use front doors. These measures maximize social distancing and help protect employees and riders. Metro continues to follow and promote the advice coming from state and local health care officials and will continue to keep passengers and employees safe during this time of concern.
Metro Bus and Rail have greatly increased cleaning schedules. Buses, rail cars, rail stations and other locations are subjected to regular and continuous deep cleaning, with special attention to common touch areas. Metro also has put cleaners in the field to sanitize buses multiple times throughout the day.
As a reminder to the public, if you are sick, stay home and please do not use public transportation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 7, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A second Transit Police officer has tested positive for COVID-19.
The officer, assigned to the aviation division at the Buffalo Airport was last on the job on Saturday, April 4, and had very limited contact with the public.
The NFTA worked with the Erie County Health Department in its investigation. The officer is self-quarantined at home and is recovering well.
This is the fifth confirmed case at the NFTA.
We are working with the New York State and Erie County Health departments, as well as the CDC and doing our part by increasing our cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout our facilities and vehicles, and widely publicizing public health recommendations to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses—namely, social distancing; avoiding close contact with sick individuals; frequent hand-washing; covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and staying home when you are sick.
BUFFALO, N.Y., NFTA-Metro Bus and Rail is reminding the Western New York Community that during this health crisis, public transportation is for essential travel only. We are echoing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s order that only critical trips be made on mass transportation services.
Transit is essential and we continue to operate to get health care workers and other critical employees to work, and take riders to vital appointments, and necessary shopping. The Governor’s message is very clear, do not take public transportation unless urgent and necessary.
NFTA-Metro is doing everything it can to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Last Friday, it suspended fare collection on all bus routes, paratransit service and Metro Rail and passengers are being asked to use rear doors when boarding and exiting buses. Those who have special needs or mobility issues may still use front doors. These measures maximize social distancing and help protect employees and riders. Metro continues to follow and promote the advice coming from state and local health care officials and will continue to keep passengers and employees safe during this time of concern.
Metro Bus and Rail have greatly increased cleaning schedules. Buses, rail cars, rail stations and other locations are subjected to regular deep-cleaning using hospital-grade sanitizing agents. Metro also has put cleaners in the field to sanitize buses multiple times throughout the day.
As a reminder to the public, if you are sick, stay home and please do not use public transportation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2020
Changes to NFTA Board Meeting on April 23, 2020
In keeping with the guidance and directives of local, state, and national health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.1, issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (the “NFTA”) Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for April 23, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. will be held telephonically by conference call. Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Transit Police officer has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The officer was last at work on Saturday, March 28th and had very limited contact with the public.
The NFTA worked with the Erie County Health Department in its investigation and it was determined that only one other employee was in contact, and in an abundance of caution, the other employee was sent home. The officer who tested positive is self-quarantined at home and is recovering well, with minor symptoms.
This is the fourth confirmed case at the NFTA, and the first police officer.
We are working with the New York State and Erie County Health departments, as well as the CDC and doing our part by increasing our cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout our facilities and vehicles, and widely publicizing public health recommendations to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses—namely, social distancing; avoiding close contact with sick individuals; frequent hand-washing; covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and staying home when you are sick.
BUFFALO, N.Y., Metro Bus and Rail is responding to the coronavirus COVID-19 with modifications to increase safety for riders and operators.
Metro will temporarily suspend fare collection on all bus routes, paratransit service and Metro Rail, beginning Friday, March 27. Because there is no fare collection, passengers will be asked to use rear doors when boarding and exiting buses. Those who have special needs or mobility issues may still use front doors. This change was approved by the NFTA board of commissioners at Thursday’s board meeting.
These measures will maximize social distancing, help protect employees and riders, and provide more opportunities to clean and disinfect buses and rail cars. Metro continues to follow and promote the advice coming from state and local health care partners and will continue to keep passengers and employs safe during this time of concern.
Metro Bus and Rail has greatly increased cleaning schedules. Buses, rail cars, rail stations and other locations are now subject to deep-cleaning liquid, containing hospital-grade sanitizing agents. Bus operators have access to disposable gloves and sanitizing wipes to do additional cleaning. Metro also has put cleaners in the field to sanitize buses multiple times throughout the day.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2020
Changes to NFTA Board Meeting on March 26, 2020
In keeping with the guidance and directives of local, state, and national health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.1, issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (the “NFTA”) Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for March 26, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. will be held telephonically by conference call. Only the Executive Director, Chair (or Acting Chair), Commissioners of the NFTA, and essential staff of the NFTA will be permitted to be present in-person for the meeting. The public will have the ability to view and listen to the meeting by accessing the NFTA’s website at www.nfta.com. The meeting will be recorded and later transcribed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 18, 2020
BUFFALO, N.Y. — An employee at the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. This individual is not customer facing and was never ill on the job. Our colleague traveled out of state and has been in self-quarantine at home since March 14th.
This is the first confirmed case at the NFTA. We are grateful to our team members who acted responsibly and helped in the global effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are pleased that this employee is feeling healthy.
We are working with the New York State and Erie County Health departments, as well as the CDC and doing our part by increasing our cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout our facilities and vehicles, and widely publicizing public health recommendations to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses—namely, social distancing; avoiding close contact with sick individuals; frequent hand-washing; covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and staying home when you are sick.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2020
Coronavirus and Public Transportation
Addressing COVID-19 concerns
BUFFALO, N.Y.- The spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a concern throughout the world and here in Western New York. As a public transportation authority, that oversees a bus, rail, and two international airports, we take this seriously, and are working hard to help communicate important information and keep our riders and travelers safe.
We want to be sure to communicate that the immediate risk remains low for people to be exposed to the virus, according to the New York State Department of Health.
The NFTA is partnering with other agencies in the region to share messages to help prevent the spread of this virus, as well as the flu. Below are some precautions to help keep ourselves and others healthy:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. A hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will do if soap and water are not available.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes to avoid transferring germs.
- Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces, like counters, light switches, doorknobs and cellphones.
- Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
We are following the guidance of state health authorities to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Our top priority is to ensure that our customers and our employees stay healthy and safe.
For more information about novel coronavirus or influenza (flu):
- New York State Department of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. government): https://www.cdc.gov/