Estuary Transit District
 | |
.png){kind=spacer} | |
| Parent | Estuary Transit District |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | 17 Industrial Park Rd, Ste 6, Centerbrook, CT |
| Locale | Lower Connecticut River Valley |
| Service area | Chester, Clinton, Durham, Deep River, East Haddam, Essex, Killingworth, Haddam, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook |
| Service type |
Local bus Demand response |
| Routes | 4 |
| Destinations | Local, Madison, Middletown, New London |
| Hubs | Old Saybrook Amtrak station |
| Operator | Estuary Transit District, managed by First Transit |
| Website | Official website |
Estuary Transit District, doing business as 9 Town Transit, is the public transit provider for Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit bus service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Durham, Essex, East Haddam, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, Connecticut. Services are provided to the general public, with no age or disability restrictions. ETD was named the Rural System of the Year in 2011 by the Community Transportation Association of America.
Governance
ETD is a political sub-division of the State of Connecticut created in 1981 under Chapter 103(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes by the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.[1] Each member town appoints one Director to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors sets policies, establishes budgets, and provides general direction for the District. Each Director receives a weighted vote based on the population of the town which he or she represents. The Board of Directors employs an Executive Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the District.
Services
All services are operated under the 9 Town Transit (9TT) name. Services include four deviated-fixed routes and door-to-door demand response transportation. All deviated-fixed routes begin at the Old Saybrook Train Station where free transfers between routes can be made. Deviated-fixed routes will deviate up to 3/4 mile off the published route for pick-ups or drop-offs. Reservations for off-route trips must be made one day in advance. Any trips along the route do not require reservations and can be made by flagging the bus down anywhere along the route. ETD's ridership has more than doubled since 2008, now providing over 107,000 trips per year.
Shoreline Shuttle
The Shoreline Shuttle is 9TT's oldest and most utilized deviated-fixed route. It operates Monday through Saturday along Route 1 between the Old Saybrook Train Station and the Scranton Gazebo in Madison. The Shoreline Shuttle serves such points of interest as Clinton Crossing Outlets, Westbrook Tanger Outlets, Water's Edge Resort, Wal-Mart, four grocery stores, four train stations, Old Saybrook's Main Street shopping and dining district, and the Estuary Council of Seniors. It also provides connections to the CT Transit New Haven Division S-Route bus to New Haven and to Shoreline East Railroad. In December 2010, an additional evening trip was added and the schedule was improved to provide hourly service. In December 2011, Saturday hours were greatly expanded and connections to the S-Route were added.
Riverside Shuttle
The Riverside Shuttle operates Monday through Saturday along Route 154 between the Old Saybrook Train Station and Chester Center. The Riverside Shuttle serves such points of interest as Bokum Shopping Plaza, Lawrence and Memorial Medical Center, Essex Village, Centerbrook Industrial Park, Essex Steam Train, Deep River Center, and Chester Center. In December 2010, the hours were greatly expanded on weekdays to accommodate commuters, and connections to the Shoreline Shuttle were improved.
Mid-Shore Express
The Mid-Shore Express began in June 2009, connecting the Old Saybrook Train Station to the Middletown Bus Terminal in downtown Middletown Monday through Friday. The Mid-Shore Express serves such points of interest as the Essex and Chester Park and Ride lots, Chester Center, Higganum center, Middlesex Community College, Middlesex Hospital, and downtown Middletown. Free connections may be made to Middletown Area Transit and CT Transit Hartford bus services. In April 2012, additional hours were added to fill the mid-day gap that had existed.
Southeast Shuttle
The Southeast Shuttle began July 6, 2010, providing service along Route 1 between the Old Saybrook Train Station and the New London Transportation Center in downtown New London Monday through Friday. The Southeast Shuttle serves such points of interest as the Old Lyme Shopping Center, the Old Lyme Shore, Old Lyme Senior Center, and downtown Norwich. Free transfers can be made to Southeast Area Transit bus service throughout the Norwich/New London region. In April 2012, the hours were extended to accommodate commuters.
Dial-A-Ride
For those traveling in areas not served by shuttle routes, ETD offers door-to-door demand response service anywhere within Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook. Beginning January 15, 2014, Dial-A-Ride is also available in East Haddam. Service is available Monday through Friday and must be reserved at least one day in advance. Dial-A-Ride is available to the general public with no age restrictions.
Fares
Cash fares are $1.50 for shuttles, $3.00 for Dial-A-Ride or off-route trips. Pre-paid fares, such as 10-ride tickets and monthly passes are also available for purchase at the main office or at local supermarkets. Senior citizen residents age 60 and over may ride for a suggested donation of $.75 on-route and $1.50 off-route/Dial-A-Ride by registering with ETD in advance. Transfers to other ETD routes or to connecting bus services are free.
Funding
The district is funded by four main sources, with the majority from the Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 program [2] and the state of Connecticut Department of Transportation [3]
References
- ↑ Chapter 103(a), Connecticut General Statutes (http://search.cga.state.ct.us/dtsearch_pub_statutes.html)
- ↑ Federal Transit Admininstration (http://www.fta.dot.gov)
- ↑ Connecticut Department of Transportation (http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1386&q=259356&dotPNavCtr=|#40587)
External links
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg){kind=spacer}