State Rep. Whit Betts (R-Bristol) testified this week before the legislature’s Transportation Committee in support of a Republican leadership bill, which would require the Commissioner of Transportation to submit an annual report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly regarding CTFastrack, the Hartford-New Britain busway.
Specifically, House Bill 6061 An Act Concerning Reports About the Hartford-New Britain Busway, would require that the report includes information regarding busway ridership, fare revenue per rider, and the number of riders who do not pay a fare.
In his remarks, according to the press release from House Republicans, Betts stated the following:
“This information is critical in evaluating whether the steep taxpayer cost to construct and maintain the busway is resulting in enough benefit to justify those costs.
“In its first year of operation, this busway system incurred a deficit of $17 million, which is 70 percent higher than what the Connecticut Department of Transportation had anticipated. The legislature needs to see evidence and data to explain this huge deficit, and ask the DOT if they are taking any steps to reduce this deficit – especially in the context of a projected $3 billion deficit in the state budget over the next two years.
“On a weekly basis, many Bristol and Plymouth residents voice their concerns to me that they see nobody riding on the buses, and they ask how much of their taxpayer dollars is being spent to support buses on which there are no riders.
“Requiring the DOT to submit annually a report on the operations and finances on the 21 hour Hartford-New Britain busway system will provide answers to the questions asked by taxpayers, and it will provide the necessary date for state legislators to evaluate the efficiency of this project.”
As part of the busway funding agreement, release reported, the Federal Railroad Administration requires the CT DOT to file a report after two years of operations to outline costs, efficiencies, benefits, etc. associated with the project. There are no such mandates for similar detailed information to be reported to the State of Connecticut. This bill would ensure that the legislature receives the appropriate information necessary to evaluate the busway operation.
The bill awaits further action by the Transportation Committee.
State Rep. Whit Betts (R-78) testified during a public hearing of the legislature’s Transportation Committee earlier this week. Betts spoke before the committee in support of a House Republican leadership bill, which would require annual reporting be provided to the legislature regarding the Hartford-New Britain Busway.