'CTTRANSIT to discontinue Sargent Drive Commuter Connection bus service'

NEW HAVEN - CTTRANSIT said in a release that it will discontinue the Sargent Drive Commuter Connection bus service due to low ridership.

The service change "results in resources being available for more heavily utilized routes," the release said.

"The CTTRANSIT Sargent Drive Commuter Connection route serves Shore Line East rail commuters going to the Sargent Drive-Long Wharf area of New Haven," the release said. "Six weekday trips connecting with Shore Line East arrivals at the State Street Station in the morning and six trips connecting with Shore Line East departures from Union Station in the afternoon will cease operation after Friday, February 1, 2013."

also according to the statement: No changes or reduction to the CTTRANSIT Downtown New Haven Commuter Connection service are planned.

Updated schedules for the downtown Commuter Connection route, and all CTTRANSIT service in greater New Haven, can be found at www.cttransit.com.

The rest of the statement:
"CTTRANSIT’s Z-route buses are unaffected by the discontinuance of the Commuter Connection service and will continue to provide frequent service to the Sargent Drive/Long Wharf area, Monday through Saturday. In addition, several employers in that area also operate shuttles to-and-from the rail stations offering alternatives to their employees traveling into New Haven by train.

The financial resources used on the Sargent Drive Commuter Connection route will be reallocated elsewhere in the CTTRANSIT New Haven system to relieve overcrowding conditions and improve on-time performance. 

Sargent Drive Commuter Connection ridership has steadily declined each year since the service was first introduced in 2004, partially due to relocation of employment centers along the route. The decision was made to eliminate the Sargent Drive Commuter Connection route following a survey of the small number of current passengers, a public hearing and public comment period, and extensive advertisement of the planned cessation of service."
For information on carpool, vanpool, bus or train services, and trip-planning assistance, commuters should contact a CTrides Representative at 877-CTrides (1-877-287-4337). More information at www.ctrides.com.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.