Business View Magazine | September 2020

122 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020 NI AGARA FRONT I ER TRANSPORTAT ION AUTHOR I TY important things about our corporate culture.” When the pandemic hit and businesses were busy procuring protective barriers to shield their workers from the public, supply chains faced challenges meeting increased demand, but NFTA tackled this obstacle head-on by coming together to design and build 200 barriers of their own in a period of just five weeks. George shares, “The ingenuity that our staff shows is exceptional, and people realize that we’re integrated into this community. It’s our families that use our system, and our friends that use our system, there’s a lot of pride that comes with it. That’s who we are, and that’s what makes us strong.” The importance of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority cannot be understated. Western New York is an area where many people depend on public transportation for a number of reasons. It’s an accessible option for those who don’t own a personal vehicle, as well as a more reliable method of travel during the winter months. When people are stuck in a snowstorm, trains and buses still operate on schedule. “It affords people greater flexibility to be more efficient in their travel,” says George, “whether they’re going to work, or school, or traveling for personal reasons, our transit system gets people where they need to go.” George expresses gratitude that elected officials are very aware of the vital services that NFTA provides as a public transit authority to many communities, noting, “There’s a commitment among legislators and the governor to define levels of funding that comes with supporting transportation for capital investments and enhancing operations.” NFTA shows no signs of slowing down its growth, with a number of key developments underway to continue enhancing the services they offer. In 2019, they received a five-year, $100 million capital investment from the state. “It’s really helping to bolster our already strong capital program,” says George. “We’re investing in our rail infrastructure and upgrading all of