Alliance for Downtown New York Unveils New Fleet for Lower Manhattan Free Bus Service

11/16/2015
Alliance for Downtown New York Unveils New Fleet for Lower Manhattan Free Bus Service

The Alliance for Downtown New York today announced updates to the Downtown Connection, Lower Manhattan’s free bus service. The announcement included the unveiling of an entirely new bus fleet with a striking new red design. Local officials present for the announcement included Battery Park City Authority President Shari Hyman and Manhattan Community Board 1 Chair Catherine McVay Hughes.

“The Downtown Connection buses are a valuable service that Lower Manhattan residents, workers and visitors depend on. We’re thrilled that with these significant improvements and impressive new fleet, we will be able to reach even more riders,” said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. “From the Battery to the Seaport to the northern reaches of the district, our buses help people reach their Lower Manhattan destinations river to river, each and every day. With our new design, these vehicles will now have a brand new, unmistakable profile on the streets of Lower Manhattan.”

 

 

From left to right: Community Board 1 Chair Catherine McVay Hughes; Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin; Battery Park City Authority President Shari Hyman; Downtown Alliance Assistant Director of Operations Ron Kearney

 

“The Alliance for Downtown New York’s announcement of its new Downtown Connection bus operator and new fleet of free Lower Manhattan buses is great news for residents, visitors and local businesses,” said Community Board 1 Chair Catherine McVay Hughes. “New York City’s public transportation system has many gaps and this free and accessible bus fleet is a welcome way to meet an urgent need.”

 

“This is a really exciting and happy day for Lower Manhattan,” said Battery Park City Authority President Shari Hyman. “Tens of thousands of riders a year make use of this valuable service, including many coming to and from Battery Park City. These updates will make the riding experience even more enjoyable and I’m so glad to be a part of this announcement,”

The new bus operator, Golden Touch Transportation of New York, will provide service across Lower Manhattan, making 37 stops at important destinations throughout the district. The new fleet includes seven new ADA accessible buses that are equipped with periphery seating for 22 passengers, GPS technology and a bright red exterior imprinted with the Lower Manhattan skyline and route highlights.

“Golden Touch Transportation is very excited to be working with the Downtown Alliance in delivering safe, prompt, courteous and professional services to its residents, businesses and property owners that rely and use the shuttle bus services daily. With a fleet of newly built beautiful buses, our team is eager to deliver consistently reliable bus service that the ridership expects and rightfully deserves,” said Tom Herrschaft, President of Golden Touch Transportation of New York.                              

Helpful electronic signage with countdown clocks are located at many of the bus stops, providing real-time information to alert passengers of the precise arrival time of the next two buses. Additionally, riders can use nextbus service to determine the exact location of the closest bus and can receive text message alerts of when the next bus is arriving. Street signage at connection stops will also be updated, from a single icon image to more easily identifiable wording, making stop locations clearer to riders.

Service on the busses is provided seven days a week, from 10 am to 7:30 pm. Buses run at an average of ten minute intervals on weekdays and fifteen minute intervals on weekends, traffic permitting.

“In densely populated areas of our city, including Lower Manhattan in my district, we desperately need more transit options,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “With these upgrades, the Downtown Connection is poised to serve even more riders looking for a quick and easy way to access all that our neighborhoods have to offer. I applaud the Alliance for Downtown New York for this expansion of free bus service that will provide reliable and convenient transportation for residents, workers and visitors.”

For more than 30 years, Golden Touch Transportation has been a major provider of ground transportation solutions in New York and New Jersey, including the Port Authority Airports. Golden Touch Transportation also provides similar bus services to United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, FedEx, JetBlue, and Endeavor. Additionally, Golden Touch Transportation operates the intermodal express bus services linking the New York Airports to the rail and bus depots in Midtown Manhattan.

Information about the Downtown Connection buses can be found here, on the Downtown Alliance’s webpage. Mobile tracking using nextbus can be found at http://nextbus.com/da. Additional photos of the buses can be viewed and downloaded here