The Capital District (Albany, N.Y.) Transportation Authority (CDTA) was presented with the 2008 FTA Annual Award for Success in Enhancing Ridership at APTA's annual Bus and Paratransit conference held in Seattle. CDTA was one of 10 transit agencies nationally to receive a ridership award, selected for excellent ridership gains and broad transferability of initiatives to other transit agencies.

The award recognizes systems that have taken innovative actions to attract new groups of riders. Awards are based on demonstrated connection between the initiative and the ridership gain, as well as total ridership gain. CDTA ridership increased 8 percent from fiscal year 2007 to 2008, 11 percent  from 2008 to 2009, and 21 percent between 2006 and 2009.

CDTA embarked on a series of initiatives that provided a renewed focus on transit and
commitment to deliver quality services to the Capital Region.

Initiatives included:
• Adoption of a new “Visions and Values” document to provide guidelines for efficient,
improved and expanded service where needed and the development of mass transit plans to aid future transit growth.
• Introduction of Simplefare program that changed the way fare is structured, making it
easier to understand, use and to pay for. (2005)
• Delivering professional opportunities and improved labor relations through the Project Empire Career Ladder Training Program. (2006)
• Launch of new iride branding and marketing campaign. (2007)
• Launch of Go Green initiatives using hybrid buses and biodiesel fuel to provide improved energy efficiency, better air quality, and reduced independence on foreign oil.

Other similarly sized systems awarded include: Sun Tran, Tucson, Ariz.; Denton County Transportation Authority, Denton, Texas; Spokane Transit Authority, Spokane, Wash.; and Fort Worth Transportation Authority, Fort Worth, Texas.