Next Meeting

Citizens for Regional Transit Annual Meeting

21 January 2025
6:00 – 8:00pm
(Sign-in opens at 5:45pm)

Speakers:

Doug Funke, President, Citizens for Regional Transit
Voting for 2026 Board nominees, Summary of 2025 Annual Report and
2026 Priorities


Seth Triggs, Vice President, Citizens for Regional Transit
Did Metro Rail Kill Downtown as some contend?


Instructions for attending the meeting
Meeting access is virtual only: 

Click here to join meeting

“Doors open” at 5:45 pm on Jan 21
Meeting starts at 6 pm
Meeting ID: 261 891 975 644 53
Passcode: mE3SK22K
Dial in by phone
+1 929-229-5913
Microsoft Teams. Need help?

CRT Public Comments in support of UB/Amherst Metro Rail Extension

CRT Public Comments

NFTA Metro Transit

19 August 2025

My name is Douglas Funke. I am a 45-year Amherst resident (Willowridge area) and the President of Citizens for Regional Transit, a nonprofit transit advocacy organization.

We strongly support this project and the light rail transit (LRT) alternative, which we believe is the only one that meets the project objectives, especially:

  • “Providing attractive high-quality transit service.”
  • “Mitigating growth of traffic congestion ...”
  • “Supporting sustainable economic growth ...”
  • “Minimizing adverse community and environmental impacts.”

Here’s why the bus rapid transit (BRT) alternative fails to meet objectives.

  • BRT retains the transit barrier at University Station. Riders must exit high-capacity trains (hundreds per train), go to street level and wait for the next 60-person bus.
  • BRT buses will operate in mixed traffic on Main and Kenmore, degrading speed and reliability.
  • Articulated buses can have trouble in snow. Just ask Toronto.
  • BRT will attract fewer riders pushing more people to drive – more congestion and disease-causing pollution.

Here’s why LRT is the best (and only viable) choice.

Subscribe to