Gregory Stamm, Chairman of the NFTA said, “I am extremely pleased with the progress the NFTA has made in our effort to provide comprehensive Metro services for the residents of Niagara County and the many tourists who visit the region. Today we now have two modern transportation centers strategically located and enhanced Metro services that afford access to residential, tourist and commercial areas of the community.”

Henry M. Sloma, NFTA vice chairman said, “As a Niagara County commissioner, I am exceedingly proud to be a part of the organization that saw this project from blank page to brick and mortar. We started with recommendations from all aspects of the community. We studied the current routing, facilities and the experience of using Metro. What we learned brought us to this state-of-the-art transportation center, built to make using Metro easy, practical and safe.”

Eunice A. Lewin, NFTA commissioner and chairwoman of the Surface Transportation Committee said, “From the onset our goal has been to retool the public transit system in Niagara County via broad-based community consensus that serves the transportation needs of the community now and into the future. With the opening of this new facility, and the modifications we’ve made to bus routes and schedules, it will now be more efficient and convenient then ever before to use Metro.”

The strategically located 5,400 square foot facility allows Metro to provide its customers with shorter travel times, fewer transfers and an overall enhancement in service. The transit center is equipped with a number of customer oriented features such as five flat screen monitors that will provide customers with Metro updates and related transit information, local and national news, free Wi-Fi connections, 24-hour security surveillance, Metro fare dispensing machines, an ATM, covered walkways for bus passenger pick-up and drop-off, seating, pay phone, restrooms, taxi service, a 56-car Park & Ride lot.

The Bijou Café will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. offering customers a menu of breakfast specialties and bakery items, plus soups, hot and cold sandwiches and coffee selections from mocha to cappuccino. Vending machines and a microwave are also available.

The transit center, which officially commences operations Sunday, Dec. 23, will be open 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. weekdays - 12:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays. The facility will service Metro routes: 50-Main-Niagara, 51-Military-Summit, 52-Hyde Park, 54-Military, 55- Pine Avenue, 55T-Trolley, 56- River Road and the 60- Niagara Falls Express.

NFTC passengers are able to reach destinations such as the Portage Rd. Transit Center, Niagara University, Niagara County Community College, BOCES, Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, The Summit Business Park, Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, the Niagara Falls International Airport, the Little Italy business district, Buffalo, Lockport, Niagara Falls High School, and the LaSalle section of the city.

Keeping in step with the NFTA’s Go Green Initiative and New York State’s Executive Order 111-“Green and Clean” State Buildings and Vehicles Guidelines, the building was constructed using advanced environmentally friendly and energy efficient materials. From insulated windows and doors, to energy saving HVAC climate control equipment, the building’s materials and construction technology reduces its overall carbon footprint.

The new facility replaces a downtown location that the NFTA sold to the Seneca Gaming Corporation in 2003 on which to build their parking ramp. The recently upgraded Portage Road Transit Center, which opened in March 2005, will remain open permanently and continue to provide the same level of service.

Wendel Duchscherer, Architects & Engineers designed the building,
NF-3rd Associates, LLC developed the project and Picone Construction built the facility.

All Metro bus and rail schedules are available at www.nfta.com. Also available online are an itinerary trip planner that helps customers plan their trip using Metro and the ability to sign-up to receive e-mail and text messages from Metro relating to Rider Alerts.