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CNY Centro Bus Company Receives $74 Million from Infrastructure Bill Centro gets $74 Million from Infrastructure Bill

Centro will spend an extra $4 million in five years to upgrade and repair.

By Krizia Williams

LarScenia Ruth: “Come out and travel go to the store, go to the mall, you know? Go where you want to go.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: LARSCENIA RUTH DOESN’T DRIVE AND HAS BEEN RIDING THE CENTRO BUS FOR 14 YEARS. SHE SAYS SHE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHANGES THE MONEY WILL MAKE.

LarScenia Ruth: “I think it will add to improving what they already had.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: “With the money from the infrastructure bill, Centro will be purchasing new buses and shelters just like this one.”

Steven Koegal: “It’s something that is very good news for us.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATION AND BUSINESS PLANNING SAYS CENTRO USUALLY GETS ABOUT 10 TO 11 MILLION DOLLARS FROM FEDERAL FUNDING.

Steven Koegal: “For the next five years we’re going to get an additional 4 million dollars a year.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: HE SAYS CENTRO WILL NOW HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE BUSES THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 12 YEARS.
AND HE SAYS RELIABILITY WITHIN EACH BUS IS A PRIORITY FOR CENTRO

Steven Koegal: “We’re going to be replacing about 80 of our buses.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: KOEGAL SAYS THE MONEY WILL ALSO GO TOWARDS NEW SHELTERS TO REPLACE THE OLD ONES.
AND FOR STOPS THAT HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR, CENTRO WILL BE ADDING SHELTERS.
HE SAYS WITH SYRACUSE WEATHER SHELTERS ARE A NECESSITY.

LarScenia Ruth: “You’re standing for hours…in the rain in the snow.”

Steven Koegal: “So if you’re standing out there in the elements, it can be uncomfortable if there’s not shelter.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: HE SAYS WITH THE INCREASE IN FUNDING THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO CATER TO RIDERS NEEDS.

Steven Koegal: “We have one purpose – that’s to get people to where they need to go in a timely and safe fashion.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Recently Congress passed $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Bill and Centro Bus Company is receiving $74 million of that money. Centro is going to spend the money over a five year span and has plans to do upgrades and replacement buses and bus stop shelters.

Centro plans to replace buses, shelters, and provide new shelters at newly popular bus stops, according to Steven Koegal Vice President of Communication and Business Planning.

He said Centro usually received $10 to $11 million through federal funding each year.

“For the next five years we’re going to get an additional 4 million dollars a year,” Koegal said.

LarScenia Ruth is an avid Centro Bus rider and has been riding for 14 years. Ruth said she doesn’t drive anymore and she heavily relies on Centro to not have limitations to where she can go. She said the Centro Bus station has a special place in her heart. A Centro bus helped her get to her late twin brothers funeral when she had no other way to get there.

Ruth said she looks forward to the changes the money from the Infrastructure Bill will bring.

“I think it will add to improving what they already had,” she said.

Syracuse bus routes.
These are the bus routes for Syracuse.
© 2021 Centro

Koegal said the Centro buses are cycled out after 12 years. So with the extra money they will be replacing those buses that have been on the road for that long.

“We’re going to be replacing about 80 of our buses,” he said.

He said it is important for riders to have a reliable way around town. Koegal said Centro prioritizes passengers having heat when it’s cold, air when it’s hot, and good working conditions on the buses, like good brakes.

Ruth said with Syracuse weather, having a shelter is necessary.

“You’re standing for hours,” she said.

Koegal said Centro will be replacing shelters that have been at stops for a long time and will be placing new ones in newly popular bus stops. He said having shelters is another way to provide riders with a comfortable trip.

“So if you’re standing out there in the elements, it can be uncomfortable if there’s not shelter,” he said.

He said the extra money is opening doors for Centro to make big changes to the things riders need most.

“We have one purpose – that’s to get people to where they need to go in a timely and safe fashion,” Koegal said.

If you would like information about Centro’s bus routes, bus schedule changes, and other Centro news, be sure to go to their website by clicking the link below.

https://www.centro.org

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