Quality transit involves both coverage (can I get to a bus?) and frequency (does it come when I need it to?). Research shows that more frequent (and thus more convenient) bus service has higher ridership per bus. If we focus too much on coverage, we won’t have the resources to provide the frequency most people need for transit to be truly useful. Likewise, if we focus on frequency, we need to find alternative solutions for residents outside of the coverage area.

Areas with frequent, somewhat frequent, and infrequent service are shown on our Barriers to Reliable Access Map. Our Methodology document describes the details of the analysis.

How many people in Dutchess County have access to a bus? How many have access to a bus that comes frequently?

Right now:

• About 44 percent of Dutchess residents live within half a mile of a transit route
• About 22 percent of residents have frequent service (at least 30 buses per weekday within a half mile)
• About 10 percent have somewhat frequent service (15-29 buses per weekday within a half mile)
• About 12 percent have infrequent service (1- 14 buses per weekday within a half mile)

Most of the remaining 56 percent of residents who do not have service live in low-density rural and suburban areas where fixed route service is not practical. County Public Transit continues to explore ways to provide other types of service to people in those areas who need it.

Service on Saturday is similar to that on weekdays, but Sunday service is very light – there are no areas with frequent service, while the Main Street and 44/55 corridors in the Poughkeepsie area have somewhat frequent service and the Route 9/9D corridors between Poughkeepsie and the Galleria Mall, Fishkill, and Beacon have infrequent service. While additional service would increase transit’s usefulness on Sundays, we expect demand to be lower, and more study would be needed before recommending any service expansion.

Access to a variety of locations also makes transit more useful. While our hub-and-spoke system allows most riders to get anywhere the system goes with a transfer, direct access significantly increases the convenience of the service. The more bus routes a person has access to, the more places they can go without needing to transfer. In Dutchess, over 17 percent of residents have access to at least three different routes within a half mile, while at least 9 percent have access to two routes and at least 19 percent have access to one.

Our Role

• Work with County Public Transit to maximize the number of residents with frequent service.
• Work with County Public Transit to provide as much service coverage as possible without sacrificing service quality in high-demand areas.
• Work with County Public Transit to find alternatives to fixed-route transit service in low-density areas.
• Encourage better transit service to key destinations (see our Barriers to Basic Needs section).