Ulster County Area Transit Maintenance and Storage Facility Site Selection Plan

Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) – operated by Ulster County Government – is the primary public transit service provider in Ulster County. In 2019, UCAT expanded service in the City of Kingston acquiring six (6) transit vehicles from the City bringing its current operational fleet total to thirty-six (36) vehicles. The vehicles range in age from 1 to 13 years and in size from 26-foot cutaway vans to 40-foot transit coaches. The fleet includes gas, diesel, and diesel-electric hybrid vehicles and will soon include three all-electric 35-foot buses.

The existing UCAT garage is sited with UCAT’s administrative offices on Golden Hill in the City of Kingston on lands owned by Ulster County.  The facility was constructed in 2005 and improved over the years and is in excellent condition. The garage is capable of housing between 14-18 vehicles indoors with the remainder of vehicles parked outside or housed off-site. The fleet has clearly outgrown its garage space and UCAT requested that UCTC conduct a site alternative analysis and develop a concept plan with associated cost information to assist it in estimating its overall space needs so that this can be included in its capital program.

In addition, UCAT is currently engaged in developing a comprehensive plan for electrification of its fleet with assistance from UCTC.  The County expects bus fleet electrification to play an important role in any future configuration of facility use.  Three new electric charging bays are presently being designed for the existing facility.

Project Goal:

The project is expected to thoroughly research the feasibility of constructing a transit garage/maintenance facility on lands owned by Ulster County, providing a workable concept plan to meet UCAT’s fleet needs for the next 20 years. The concept plan should represent best practices for a transit facility of this type and be forward looking in terms of its adaptability to changes in the transit fleet. It shall be of sufficient detail to understand the challenges that will be encountered during final design on the preferred site, provide for future fleet growth, and accommodate specified equipment such as lifts and fluid dispensing and recovery equipment. Finally, the concept plan shall be of sufficient detail for estimating needed capital dollars.

Questions may be directed to Brian Slack bsla@co.ulster.ny.us(link sends e-mail).