On Two Year Anniversary of CT Fastrak, Markley Calls for Transparency and Oversight

March 28, 2017

Hartford-While Governor Malloy stood in the rain to commemorate the second anniversary of CT Fastrak’s opening, State Senator Joe Markley (R-Southington) called for transparency for a program he has vigorously opposed.

“Again Governor Malloy is holding a press conference to tell us how well Fastrak is doing, and again he cites a whole stream of statistics to support his claims.” said Markley. “I’d like to get at the truth of those numbers.”

This session, Markley offered a bill in collaboration with Senate Republican President Len Fasano (S.B. 255) which would require the Connecticut Department of Transportation to provide the legislature with monthly reports about CT Fastrak’s operation including ridership, maintenance costs and overall costs.  The legislation would also require that any planned expansion to CT Fastrak be approved by the legislature. In the past, Governor Malloy has cited ridership statistics to support expansion of service.

“I don’t believe the Governor is intentionally misleading us, but the numbers he puts forward to argue for extension of service are, candidly, unbelievable,” said Markley.

In August 2016, Governor Malloy claimed that Fastrak had 4 million riders since it began service in March 2015. According to Markley, that figure can only be true if the DOT and the Governor counted riders on bus systems (like buses from Manchester and Wethersfield) unrelated to the 9.4 mile New Britain to Hartford CT Fastrak bus track.

“Transparency and clarity regarding CT Fastrak statistics won’t do any harm. If the Governor is right and CT Fastrak is increasing ridership and paying for itself, I will consider a proposal to enhance service,” continued Markley. “Regardless, I think the legislature should assert itself over this project, get the correct numbers, and make our own judgements as to the future of CT Fastrak.”