CTDOT Press Releases
10/20/2023
CTDOT Announces Finalization of Service and Fare Equity (SAFE) Analysis
Following public comment period, adjustments being proposed to Shore Line East weekday schedule
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced the finalization of the most recent Service and Fare Equity (SAFE) Analysis which included proposed rail and bus service changes, rail fare increases, and an evaluation of the reintroduction of bus fares.
The final SAFE Analysis, new fare tables, and rail and bus changes are available at ct.gov/dot/proposedtransitchanges.
CTDOT accepted comments regarding the proposed changes via email, mail, voicemail, at participating public libraries from September 18 – October 6, 2023, and at public hearings held between October 2 – October 4, 2023. A total of 175 comments were received.
“Public feedback is important and helps ensure services are provided when and where customers need them most. I appreciate residents attending hearings, sending emails, and writing letters to let us know their thoughts. That feedback was invaluable,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau Chief of Public Transportation Benjamin Limmer. “Public transportation is vital in helping people get to where they need to go safely and efficiently. The train schedules starting this year and the bus service enhancements beginning in 2024 reflect the public input we heard based on ridership patterns and service demands, while also living within the budget resources available.”
In response to the public comments received, CTDOT is modifying the previously proposed weekday service schedule for Shore Line East (SLE). The revised proposed SLE service schedule maintains 16 trains per day on weekdays, but includes morning and evening time adjustments. A morning peak westbound train is now included in the revised schedule that arrives to New Haven Union Station at 8:30 a.m. An evening peak eastbound train is included in the revised schedule that departs New Haven Union Station at 5:18 p.m.
Additional SLE train schedule modifications were required to accommodate these peak train times. The revised proposed SLE schedule is pending approval by Amtrak and a service implementation date is expected to be in late 2023 at the conclusion of the Amtrak construction project currently underway. No changes were made to the initially proposed schedules and fare adjustments for the New Haven Line after the conclusion of the public comment period. The approved Metro-North service changes will take effect on Sunday, October 29, 2023. Approved rail fare increases on CTrail Hartford Line and SLE services, as well as Metro-North services in Connecticut, will be implemented on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
No alterations were made to proposed bus service changes following the end of the public comment period. The approved bus service changes will take effect starting March 2024, which includes one new route in the CTtransit Hartford Division, two new routes in the CTtransit New Haven Division and improvements to service frequencies on two CTfastrak routes. Additional changes were also approved to eight routes, including elimination of CTtransit Express Routes 907 (Newington) and 923 (Bristol) to better align services with ridership demand. Several other bus service improvements were made possible by significant new funding provided through the state budget, and those changes did not meet the threshold to be included in this analysis. Those expansions can be found here.
To view the final SAFE Analysis, new fare tables, and rail and bus changes, visit ct.gov/dot/proposedtransitchanges.
Customers are encouraged to sign up for alerts by email on transit operator’s websites for the most up-to-date service announcements. A list of transit providers can be found here.
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