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Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority

Serving Buffalo Niagara

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Executive Director's Message

NFTA.com > Executive Director's Message

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is a multimodal entity encompassing a skilled and dedicated workforce. We are firmly committed to providing efficient and professional transportation services that enhance the quality of life throughout the Buffalo Niagara region in a manner consistent with the needs of our customers.

The NFTA's goal is to go beyond serving current needs of our customers with an eye toward the future.  Our efforts to attract low fare airlines to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport has had a positive effect of lowering overall airfares, making our airport more affordable for our customers.  In 2007 the airport served a record 5.4 million passengers, breaking the 5 million mark 14-years ahead of projections. 

In addition, the BNIA has improved from being the second most expensive airport to use in 1996 to 71 in 2007, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation Consumer Report, and has set passenger records in each of the last four years. The airport has become a regional attraction with a low fare image that attracts travelers from destinations such as Toronto, southern Ontario, Jamestown, Rochester and Erie, Pa. 

We have begun a $29.7 million improvement project at the Niagara Falls International Airport, to build a new state-of-the-art terminal. Designed to better accommodate modern passenger jets and improve passenger’s security experience, the facility is scheduled to open in July 2009.

The new terminal, at 69,430 square-feet, will more than triple the size of the current one, with a second story to facilitate jet bridges. The creative design of the new terminal will reflect the grandeur of the Niagara community, promoting a positive "Gateway Image" to the region. The two-gate facility will provide for efficient, customer friendly passenger processing, a two level layout for jet bridge boarding, food/beverage concessions, fully functional TSA inspection facilities, in-line baggage screening, eight stationary ticket counter stations, car rental and a multi-model Metro transit center.

Myrtle Beach Direct continues to offer nonstop service to Myrtle Beach from the NFIA.  The flights have proven popular with people looking to play golf, visit friends, or just to enjoy the local hospitality.  Our air service development team has been aggressively marketing the Niagara Falls airport worldwide.  Having Myrtle Beach Direct Air has added new momentum to our efforts and hopefully we will be able to attract additional carriers to Niagara Falls.

At NFTA-Metro we are aggressively working to enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors by providing the highest level of responsive and reliable transportation through a coordinated and convenient bus and rail system. 

Metro became the second transit agency in New York State to start using hybrid electric buses.  We now have 43 energy efficient hybrids operating in a fleet of 330 buses.  Based on their efficiencies and performance to date, all future purchase will be hybrids.

Utilizing clean running hybrids is part of our GO GREEN commitment and demonstrates the NFTA’s willingness to explore every possible alternative for cost-effective, clean-air transportation.  By adding cutting-edge hybrid bus technology to our current fleet, we are not only being socially responsible by reducing air pollution, we are lowering our operating costs based on improved fuel consumption and a decrease in maintenance costs.

With the ever-increasing cost of gas, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their commuting costs and finding favor with Metro. As a result, Metro’s ridership has increased eight percent this past year.  Metro now carries 26.4 million passengers annually compared to 24.2 million in the prior year. 

Metro hosted four informational “Lunch & Learn” programs for employers in the private and public sector to learn the transportation needs of their employees and for them as employers.  Metro also presented the benefits of its programs such as the Advantage Program, which lets employees purchase monthly passes using pre-tax dollars, reducing their monthly commuting cost even more.  

Our property department continues to manage and develop NFTA owned real property to optimize the generation of self-supporting discretionary revenue to support our transportation businesses while fostering economic growth.

On behalf of the 1,543 dedicated men and women who work at the NFTA, it is our collective hope that you find favor with the various services that we provide.  I also hope that you find our Web site, nfta.com to be helpful and informative while at the same time opening another channel of communication for you to reach us. Please send us an e-mail if you have a question or a comment.  We love to hear from our customers, as it allows us an opportunity to provide you with the best and most informative customer service possible.

Sincerely,

Lawrence M. Meckler