The New Normal: Transportation in the Capital Region Report
The Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) in partnership with the Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC) have released The New Normal: Transportation in the Capital Region, a report that examines trends across public transit, intercity rail, aviation, and micromobility between 2019 and 2025. Drawing on data from the National Transit Database, local transportation agencies, and regional demographic sources, the analysis highlights how travel behavior has shifted—and what those changes mean for the region’s transportation future.
The findings highlight that transportation systems across the Capital Region have not only recovered from the impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic but, in many cases, have surpassed pre‑pandemic ridership levels.
Key findings from the report include:
- Public transit ridership in the Capital Region has exceeded pre‑pandemic levels, with total trips rising approximately 17 percent above 2019 levels by 2025.
- Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) ridership has shown strong resilience, driven by core bus services, expanded fare policies, and a rider base that includes essential workers and transit‑dependent populations.
- Intercity rail travel has rebounded, with Amtrak ridership surpassing one million passenger trips in 2025—about 12 percent higher than before the pandemic.
- Albany International Airport passenger volumes fully recovered by 2025, exceeding three million annual enplanements and reflecting strong demand for domestic air travel.
- Micromobility use has continued to grow, with CDPHP Cycle expanding its fleet and stations and recording more than 100,000 annual rides by 2025.
