New signs mark first steps for Glens Falls bus merger

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - If you take the bus from Glens Falls to Lake George, or Hudson Falls to Fort Edward, you may notice some new signage up at your usual stop. Those changes are the first in a big shift for Greater Glens Falls Transit.

The Capital District Transit Authority has been placing its own stop signs at bus stops along GGFT routes, as part of an ongoing effort to merge the management of routes together. CDTA's takeover of GGFT bus lines was announced around the start of the year, representing the sixth county in which the Albany-based transit organization operates.

“We are excited to be taking this first visible step in bringing CDTA to Warren County,” said CDTA CEO Carm Basile. “Over the next several weeks, the community will start to see more of CDTA as we transition the service network. I want to thank the Warren County Board of Supervisors and the Mayor of Glens Falls for helping to make our service a reality for the North County. We look forward to getting to know our customers and the community as we roll out the CDTA welcome.”

The change in signage is the first of a few phases to come. In the coming months, passengers will see changes in what their rides look like, as GGFT buses are repainted with the CDTA signature blue and gold.

The merger was approved in May by the Warren County Board of Supervisors, and in September by New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The historically city-run GGFT has struggled to keep routes open connecting the city to Lake George, Queensbury, Hudson Falls, and Fort Edward. Late in 2022, three routes were closed due to a bus driver shortage that's grown larger since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CDTA does not intend to close or halt any existing routes, and has been vocal in hopes to expand the transport options available around the region. The organization started running bus routes into the city of Amsterdam last year, signaling its first steps into Montgomery County. The DCTA also operates the CDPHP Cycle! program, which has rental bikes in Glens Falls, Lake George, and along the Warren County Bikeway.