Capital District Transportation Authority

Albany Division

Source:^[7]

The Albany Division, based at CDTA’s Watervliet Avenue headquarters, includes routes originally operated by United Traction and Albany-Nassau Bus. A major system overhaul in 2011–2012 streamlined Albany County service into more direct neighborhood and commuter routes.

In early 2011, CDTA announced its plans to restructure the Albany County bus routes in two phases. Its goal was to have a more uniformed bus system without any route deviation. Phase 1 involved reconstructing routes within the city of Albany. The results were five new neighborhood routes and three commuter routes. Phase 1 of the reconstructing went into effect on November 13, 2011. In August 2012, CDTA revealed the draft plan for Phase 2 of the reconstructing. Phase 2 involved reconstructing routes within the western and northern portions of Albany County, with a public input campaign held until September 2012. Phase 2 of the reconstructing went into effect on November 11, 2012. This is a list of buses that run under CDTA:

This is a list of buses that run under CDTA:

Former bus routes that were part of the Albany Division include:

• #2 - West Albany (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #3 - Quail Street (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #4 - Pine Hills (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #5 - Northern Boulevard (discontinued in May 2009 due to low ridership; merged with Route #6)
• Old #6 - Second Avenue (split into two routes, new #6 and #116, in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• New #6 - Second/Whitehall (merged with Route #138 in November 2020 to form #106)
• #7 - Glenmont (Restructured into Route #107 in November 2020)
• #8 - Arbor Hill (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #9 - Whitehall Road (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #14 - Rensselaer Third Street - Amtrak (merged with Route #15 to form Route #214 in May 2009)
• #15 - Rensselaer East Street (merged with Route #14 to form Route #214 in May 2009)
• #16 - Downtown Albany Circulator (discontinued in January 2009 due to low ridership)
• #17 - Four Mall Circuit (merged with Route #90 Troy/Latham in the 1990s)
• #19 - Voorheesvile Express (discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #20 - Downtown Albany Circulator East Parking Garage (discontinued on May 23, 2004 due to low ridership)^[29]
• #21 - Altamont Express (discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #23 - Albany-Troy via Menands Bridge (discontinued in 2002 due to low ridership)
• #24 - Albany/Troy via Rensselaer (renumbered Route #224 in September 2009)
• #25 - West Sand Lake/Averill Park (discontinued during the 1990s)
• #26 - Albany-Cohoes via Broadway (merged into Route 82 during the 1990s)
• #27 - Corporate Woods (Merged into Route 4 in January 2010;^[30][31] resplit in April 2011^[31][32] discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #30 - Hackett Blvd (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #31 - Albany Shaker Road (discontinued in November 2011 during Phase 1 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #32 - Hampton Manor (renumbered Route #232 in May 2009)
• #33 - Albany/Nassau (renumbered Route #233 in May 2009)
• #33x - Albany/Nassau express (renumbered Route #520 in May 2009)
• #34 - Albany/Castleton (discontinued in May 2009 due to low ridership)
• #116 - Mt Hope / Albany South End (renumbered Route #716)
• #138 - Allen St. / Livingston Ave. (merged with new #6 in November 2020 to form #106)
• #232 - Hampton Manor (discontinued in May 2012 due to low ridership)
• #610 - Shuttle Fly (Colonie Center, Wolf Rd to Rt. 7 - discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #611 - Shuttle Bug (Crossgates Mall to Twenty Mall - discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #612 - Shuttle Bug (Crossgates Mall to Central Ave - discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #716 - Mt. Hope/Albany South End (eliminated in November 2020 due to implementation of River Corridor BRT routes #922 and #923)
• #810 - Berne/Knox rural shuttle (discontinued in August 2012 due to low ridership)
• #811 - Westerlo rural shuttle (discontinued in September 2009 due to low ridership)
• #812 - Rensselaerville rural shuttle (discontinued in August 2012 due to low ridership)

Schenectady Division

In 2010, CDTA restructured Schenectady service, replacing several older routes (51, 52, 53, 54, etc.) with new cross-town routes 351, 352, 353, 354, and 358, though Route 358 was later cut due to low ridership. This was part of a shift to a new three-digit route numbering system.

CDTA also introduced express routes 530, 531, and 532 from Schenectady to Downtown Albany, which replaced the former 55x route. These buses did not accept local passengers. Routes 531 and 532 were eventually consolidated and discontinued, while Route 530 became part of Route 560, the Thruway Express to Montgomery County, launched in 2022.

Former bus routes that were part of the Schenectady Division include:

• Old #50 - Route 50 (merged with Route #71 in July 2007 as part of the Saratoga Springs Route Expansion)
• #51 - Broadway (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• Old #52 - Scotia/Crane St. (split up into two routes, new Route #52 Crane St. and new Route #54 Scotia/Walmart in January 2004)
• New #52 - Crane St. (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #53 - Altamont Ave (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• Old #54 - Kings Rd. (discontinued during the 1990s)
• New #54 - Scotia/Walmart (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #55 - Schenectady/Albany (renumbered Route #355 and shortened to run between Schenectady and Colonie Center in April 2011, during implementation of Rt. 5 Bus Plus service)
• #55x - Schenectady/Albany Express (discontinued in April 2011, during implementation of Rt. 5 Bus Plus service)
• #56x - Schenectady/State Office Campus Express (discontinued in August 2010 due to low ridership)
• #58 - Union St./Mohawk Mall (discontinued during the 1990s)
• #59 - Nott St. (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #60 - Rosa Rd. (merged with Route #61 Van Vranken Ave. during the 1990s)
• #61 - Van Vraken Ave. (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #62 - McClellan St./Rotterdam Square Mall (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #63 - Route Twenty (renumbered Route #763 in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #64 - Charlton (discontinued during the 1990s)
• #66 - Schenectady South Loop (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #70 - Schenectady/Troy (renumbered Route #370 in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring))
• #77 - Schenectady North Loop (discontinued in May 2010 as part of the Schenectady Route Restructuring)
• #78 - Schenectady West Loop (discontinued in May 2009 due to low ridership)
• #95 - Duanesburg/Delanson rural service (separated into four distinct routes, Routes #810, #811, #812 and #830 in January 2009)
• #96 - Rensselaer rural service, with summer Grafton State Park service (discontinued in August 2011 due to low ridership)^[39][40]
• #352 - McClellan St/Altamount Ave (discontinued in November 2025 due to low ridership)
• #354 - Rotterdam Square Mall/Nott Street (merged with Route #602 to create Route #605 in November 2025)
• #358 - Hamburg St./McClellan St. (Replaced parts of Routes #53, #59, #61 and #62 in May 2010; discontinued in April 2011 due to low ridership)
• #530 - Exit 26/Via Port Rotterdam Express (replaced by Route 560 in August 2022)
• #531 - St. Luke's Express (discontinued in April 2020)
• #532 - Woodlawn Express (merged with Route #531 St. Luke's Express in November 2011)
• Original #830 - Duanesburg rural shuttle (discontinued in September 2009 due to low ridership)
• Recent #830 - Schenectady Shopping Bus (eliminated in 2025 due to low ridership

Saratoga Division

Source:^[41]

Saratoga Springs routes operate from CDTA’s Schenectady Division and run seven days a week. Before 2007, service was limited and operated out of the Uncle Sam Depot in Troy, with no direct connection to the rest of the CDTA network.

On July 2, 2007, Route 50 was expanded and began running hourly between Schenectady and Wilton Mall, with several local deviations. Service was centralized out of the Electric Depot in Schenectady.

In 2016, CDTA restructured the system:

Route 50 became Route 450, now running direct along NY 50

New Routes 451 and 452 absorbed former deviations and replaced portions of Routes 472 and 473

CDTA has future plans to build a Saratoga Springs garage at Grande Industrial Park off Geyser Road.

In 2025,

Routes 451 and 452 were discontinued, "except for late night Skidmore trips on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights" and replaced with Flex service.^[42]

Former Saratoga Springs bus routes that were operated by the Schenectady Division include:

• New #50 - Route 50 (replaced by Route #450 in May 2016 as part of the Saratoga Springs restructure plan)
• #409 - federally founded pilot service on Rt. 9 between Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park (launched on May 24, 2010, with a minimum ridership of 15 passengers per hour needed. Discontinued on September 2, 2011 because it did not maintain the above ridership quota.)
• #471 - Union Ave. (discontinued in September 2010 due to low ridership)
• #472 - Lake Ave. (discontinued in May 2016 as part of the Saratoga Springs restructure plan)
• #473 - Jefferson St./Skidmore College (discontinued in May 2016 as part of the Saratoga Springs restructure plan)
• #474 - Saratoga Springs City Shuttle (discontinued in May 2009 due to low ridership)
• #870 - Saratoga County Shuttle (provided rural service to Galway, Wilton, Schuylerville and Round Lake - discontinued in May 2012 due to low ridership)

Former Saratoga Springs bus routes that were operated by the Troy Division include:

• #71 - Saratoga Springs/Ballston Spa (merged with Route #50 in July 2007 as part of the Saratoga Springs Route Expansion)
• #72 - Saratoga Springs City Bus (discontinued in July 2007 as part of the Saratoga Springs Route Expansion)
• #73 - Victory Mills/Galway/Saratoga Springs (discontinued in July 2007 as part of the Saratoga Springs Route Expansion)
• #97 - Saratoga Springs/Ballston Spa (Renumbered Route 71 in 2002)^[50]
• #98 - Saratoga Springs City Bus (Renumbered Route 72 in 2002)^[50]

Troy Division

Before CDTA, most of these routes were operated by the United Traction Co and the Troy-Fifth Avenue Bus Company. Buses run from the Uncle Sam Depot at 40 Hoosick Street in Troy, which also used to operate Saratoga Springs service prior to July 2007. Source:^[51]

Former routes that were part of the Troy Division include:

• #24 - Albany/Troy via Rensselaer (renumbered Route #224 in September 2009)
• #29 - Albany/Cohoes via Route 9 (renumbered Route #129 in November 2012 during phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #35x - I-787 express (discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #80 - Troy/5th Ave (eliminated and replaced with Route #85 in November 2020)
• #81 - Baker Street (discontinued in September 2001)^[62]
• #82 - Troy/Cohoes/Green Island (discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #84 - Watervliet Belt (merged with Route #89 to form Route #289 in September 2009)
• Old #86 - Sycaway (combined with Route #87 Beman Park circa 1990)
• New #86 - RPI Shuttle (renumbered Route #286 RPI Shuttle in September 2009)^[63]
• #88 - Troy/Mechanicville/Stillwater (discontinued during the mid-1990s due to low ridership)
• #89 - Griswold Heights (merged with Route #84 to form Route #289 in September 2009)
• Old #90 - Troy/Latham (merged with Route #17, Four Mall Circuit in the 1990s)^[64]
• New #90 - Troy/Latham/Crossgates (discontinued in November 2012 during Phase 2 of the Albany County Route Restructuring)
• #90x - Troy/State Office Campus Express (discontinued in November 2010 due to low ridership)^[31]
• #129 - Albany/Latham Farms (replaced part of Route #29 in November 2012; merged with Route #182 in May 2013)^[65]
• #280 - Troy/Wynantskill (merged with route #286 in September 2016)
• Old #286 - RPI Shuttle (merged with route #280 in September 2016)
• #432 - Troy/Mechanicville (discontinued in May 2012 due to low ridership)
• #620 - Shuttle Bee (Route 4, Hannaford Plaza to HVCC - discontinued in May 2011 due to low ridership)

Amsterdam Division

CDTA began Montgomery County Service on August 28, 2022, after the City of Amsterdam discontinued its municipal bus service in 2018.^{[66] [67]} The new service included service along Route 5 to Schenectady, connecting Amsterdam to its fixed route system. The takeover also included the introduction of the TX: Thruway Express, which provides commuter express service from Amsterdam to Albany; similar to its Northway Express service in Saratoga County.

Glens Falls Division

CDTA officially took over the former Greater Glens Falls Transit bus company on January 1, 2024.^[71] Upon the takeover, CDTA left all of the former Greater Glens Falls Transit routes the same, only changing the route numbers to match its new three-digit route identification. The routes service Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga Counties. On April 1, 2025, CDTA upgraded the fare structure in its Glens Falls Division to align with the rest of its fixed route system.^[72] On August 24, 2025, Route #713 was created, connecting Glens Falls with Saratoga Springs^[73]. In the future, CDTA plans to restructure its Glens Falls routes.

Shuttles

CDTA formerly operated three suburban shuttles using smaller vans out of Albany Division. These served office parks and destinations not requiring full-size buses. In November 2012, all shuttle service was discontinued and replaced with fixed routes 117 and 155, which now connect Albany International Airport, Wolf Road, Colonie Center, Crossgates Mall, and Washington Ave Ext. This is similar to FLEX Service.

Flex service

In 2020, CDTA began a service called Flex which is an on-demand service where a person is transported by van to their desired location or CDTA bus route. Riders use an app similar to Uber and Lyft to request a ride. Currently the service only operates in parts of Colonie and Guilderland, but the program may be expanded in the future. At first the service was free, but in October 2020, CDTA started requiring riders to pay for Flex ride. In September 2021, the service was expanded to the southern part of Saratoga County, New York, to service Clifton Park, Halfmoon and Mechanicville. Starting in November 2025, FLEX service will absorb all areas that routes 451 and 452 served, as well as surrounding areas.^[42] As stated in the 2025 TDP, FLEX service in Amsterdam has been looked into since 2024, and may be a possibility in the future, as well as Glens Falls.

BusPlus

CDTA’s BusPlus service is a limited-stop BRT system with distinct line colors, shown to the right.

NY 5 BRT service began on Monday, April 4, 2011, with new silver and red-branded Gillig 40-foot hybrid buses, numbered Route 905 and referred to as BusPlus. Other routes were adjusted accordingly.

Route 905 is more of an enhanced limited-stop service than an actual BRT service, with only 19 stops between Downtown Schenectady and Downtown Albany.

In November 2020, the BusPlus Service was expanded from one to three routes (with 905 being referred to as the "Red Line".) The two new routes that operate along the NY 32/Broadway corridor between Downtown Albany, Menands, and Troy/Cohoes are the 922 & 923, also known as the "Blue Line", with 32 stops between Downtown Albany, Cohoes, and Waterford.

On November 5, 2023, Route 910, the "Purple Line" began service operating along Western Ave/US 20 between Downtown Albany and Crossgates Mall, via UAlbany. On November 30, 2025, 2 previously cut stations were re-added at Western & Colonial and Harriman East.^[42]

Saratoga Trolley

In cooperation with the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, CDTA operates open-air trolleys during the summer months. In the past, the trolleys would run from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day to serve popular destinations such as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, the Saratoga Casino and Raceway, the Saratoga Race Course and Broadway. Prior to 2011, the trolley ran between Skidmore College and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. From 2007 to 2010, Route #471 provided summer service to the Saratoga Race Course, before it was discontinued due to low ridership. From 2011 to 2015, the trolley route ran between Broadway, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, the Saratoga Casino and Raceway and the Saratoga Race Course, to include areas previously served by Route #471. As of 2011^[update], trolley service to Skidmore College was discontinued, with year-round service to Skidmore College continued on former Route #473 and new Route #452. As of 2016^[update], trolley service to Saratoga Spa State Park and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been discontinued and replaced by a new route that runs between the Courtyard Hotel, Broadway, the Saratoga Race Course and the Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The 2016 changes also included free fare for all riders and service reduction to instead only run from Independence Day weekend to Labor Day. While not marked as such on the vehicles, this service appears as Route #875 on the Saratoga Service map.

Lake George Trolleys

Upon taking over Greater Glens Falls Transit in January 2024, CDTA acquired its summer trolley service. Similar to its Saratoga Trolley, the service consists of open-air trolleys that operate during the summer months. The trolleys run from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day, with two fixed routes. Route 876 runs along Route 9 between the Ridge St terminal Glens Falls and Beach Rd in Lake George. Additional trips run to Lake George RV Park. During the summer months, Route 419 is temporarily suspended. After Columbus Day, when service along Route 876 is discontinued, Route 419 is continued again. Route 877 runs along Route 9N between Beach Rd in Lake George to the Sagamore in Bolton Landing.^[84]

STAR Service

In 1982, CDTA began providing paratransit services to riders who are medically unable to take regular transit services. ADA wheelchair-accessible buses were added in 1988; since 2004, all CDTA routes have been wheelchair-accessible. The Star fleet has had a variety of minibuses. Though for most of its history it has been dominated by the Orion II low-floor minibus, STAR has begun replacing older models with Startrans "Senator" cutaway vehicles. Other minibuses in the fleet include Ford "ELF" minibuses and several transfers from suburban shuttle routes (see below).

NX: Northway Xpress

The NX: Northway Xpress is a group of express routes that links Albany to towns in Saratoga County which is operated under contract by Upstate Transit (which had been contracted to run the service since 2006). These routes run from Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Malta, Clifton Park, Round Lake, and South Glens Falls to Downtown Albany. In October 2012, Northway Express fares and schedules were redesigned to increase ridership and service efficiency. Fare structure was consolidated from 5 zones to 3 zones, with the addition of an unlimited ride prepayment card. Service was also eliminated from areas with low ridership, including Mechanicville, Stillwater, Albany International Airport, SUNY Albany, Wolf Road and the Harriman State Office Campus. In May 2014, Northway Express service was expanded to Corporate Woods, but this was later retracted. With the takeover of Greater Glens Falls Transit in January 2024, CDTA is looking to potentially expand its Northway Express service further north into Warren County in the future.

TX: Thruway Xpress

When CDTA expanded to Montgomery County in August 2022, it began its TX: Thruway Express service, which operates similar to its Northway Express. The new Thruway Express provides commuter express service between Albany and Amsterdam, also stopping at the Thruway Exit 26 Park & Ride in Glenville along the way. Before CDTA, This service had been provided by Brown Coach for many years, and still uses some of their coaches, but CDTA brought more advertising to the route, and numbered it #560.^[85]

Rural service

Until 2012, CDTA operated rural/lifeline services to several areas in rural Albany and Rensselaer counties, once per week, including routes #810 (Berne/Knox), #812 (Rensselaerville), #870 (Saratoga County Shuttle), and #96 (Rensselaer Rural, with summer Grafton State Park service); as part of CDTA's route restructuring, these routes were phased out, except Route #96, which now only provides summer Grafton State Park service.

Electric scooters

The CDTA has been promoting its own electric scooters. Initially planned for use by the public in the summer of 2021, implementation was delayed to 2025.^[86][87]

In 2025, CDTA SCOOT launched, for 1 month from September to October^[88]

Active CDTA fleet

All buses are wheelchair accessible.

* All MCIs can run on 560 due to occasional staffing shortages or maintenance changes.