I've always held the position, “How can one complain about a free service?” when talking about the UCAT bus service. Understandably, if you drive and have a car, you don't have much of a reason to try riding the bus, so that's something people frequently ask about after asking how I got there. I always surprise myself by choosing to start there because I don't have anything negative to say about my general experiences riding the yellow route bus. In the summer, there's AC and in the winter there's heat. The one driver seemed to be late more often than not, but I caught the bus because I had a few more minutes to get to where I could flag down the bus more often than not. That driver would know who was on his bus and I’d frequently see him let people know we’re at their typical stop when they weren't paying attention. Actually, the last time I rode the yellow bus home, I was so focused on the strongly worded letter I was writing that he had to tell me, “We're here, go home.”

There was one thing that was a slight inconvenience for me most days as I used the bus to get into the city. The way that the bus was scheduled to go through Port Ewen and back into Kingston had a large gap in the evening. Approximately, it came at 7, 8, 9:30, 11, 12:30, 2, 3:30, 6, 7 and 8. On paper, this looks great and for the most part it was. Having to wait an hour or so for the next one isn't all that bad considering I would always be on my way to volunteer, not to work. It was only ever things that started at around 6 p.m. that were a slight headache. This is an extremely common time as it's convenient for those who work 9-5. There's always some amount of walking involved so to be somewhere at 6, I’d need to get on the 3:30 bus and hang out somewhere for about two hours. Walking is no problem for me. When whatever I came into the city to do at 6 was over, the chance that I'll be able to catch the bus that leaves the plaza at 7:30 to get off in Port Ewen at 8 is pretty slim. I expect to hoof it home.

Hanging out can be uncomfortable. Recent Supreme Court decisions have made hanging out while brown all the reason ICE needs to give me a hard time, but I came to this country when I was only 9 months old and it sounds like it when I open my mouth. There isn't a plethora of places to just hang around but while there are some, in the blazing sun, harsh winter or pouring rain, that's really the steepest cost of riding the bus. For me.

As of this writing, the changes to the UCAT are a almost two weeks old. When the change was coming I certainly wasn't happy about it, but my legs work. I'm turning 34 next month; I'm not sure getting involved in this issue is for the best. But now I keep thinking, “How does one complain about a free service?” I feel I have an extremely clear answer. On behalf of others.

It’s not my intention to only complain. I just know as someone who relied on the bus, the past week has been challenging. Two out of the seven days that the UCAT bus change has been implemented, I've ridden the KPL once to and once from the city. Both times I got on the KPL bus the past few days, I took the last seat. The one time it wasn't even a seat, it was the raised edge behind the driver. I've taken the KPL a handful of times before when the yellow bus hasn't shown up yet and the experience has been the same. The vibe is completely different. With 20-plus people on the bus, the driver is not doing things like waking people up. The driver is understandably not having an awesome time. I completely recognize that the yellow bus might only have had less than 10 riders each one way trip. This would justify cutting out Port Ewen from the route until you think about who those 10 people are. I didn't interview them, but among the people I'd frequently see was an older woman who took the 3:30 bus to a doctor’s appointment. Because the bus was often through town closer to quarter to 4, there were several occasions where she'd come ask if I was waiting for the same bus. She was surprised to learn about the UCAT app and its interactive map. I tried to catch the first KPL bus on the first day but missed it because the new schedule wasn't posted on the app. Had it been updated, I would not dare to wager many of those I saw on the yellow bus have the UCAT app and use it.

My mother frequently complains that all the information for everything is on Facebook and hard to find elsewhere. Assuming our seniors are keeping up with technology is among the ways the county is failing our seniors with this change. Removing a route where our seniors can step onto a bus and off directly in front of not only the Hannaford grocery store, but the Nuvance medical offices as well is among the ways the county is failing our seniors with this change. Sure, they can call and arrange for the KPL to come to the Birches complex or flag it down from Broadway, but when one has mobility challenges and is more vulnerable to communicable diseases, catching an overcrowded bus to the Department of Social Services complex on Ulster Avenue to catch the KS to the Plaza to grocery shop to then take bags of groceries on the KPL to get home seems like a lot.

Let’s take a look at the updated schedule and assume we’re an elderly senior who has to push their dollar as far as it can go.

The ** denoting there’s an immediate transfer to the Yellow route at no extra cost is cute but the Yellow bus schedule doesn’t list the plaza at all. Assuming seniors know how to use a QR code posted on a sign is one way the county is failing to consider our seniors. Teaching them without the important context that a QR code can just as easily direct one into a malicious trap is another way the way the county is failing our seniors with the way this change is posted.

Assuming one has the new schedule in hand because they notice the one on the app specifies October 2023 as the last update, our options to get on the KPL going to DSS with 6:55 to 7:15. Hannaford has senior hour from 7-8 a.m. so I guess it’s good they’re looking out but the first KS bus from DSS to the Plaza is 9:10 to 9:20. All the KPL listings from Port Ewen BOCES (Birches pick up has to call in) to DSS are 9:55 to 10:15, 12:55 to 1:15, 3 to 3:15, 5:55 to 6:15 and — obviously not for senior shopping but as a point of information — the last bus towards the City of Kingston is at 8:55 to land at DSS at 9:15. The trip to DSS to the grocery store takes some trust because if you go by the times listed, this requires the bus driving backwards through time because the listed times for the KS to the Plaza are 10:10 to 10:20, 1:10 to 1:20, 3:10 to 3:20, 5:10 to 5:20 and 6:05 to 6:20. If you call one hour beforehand you can get the KS to come and bring you to the Plaza at 7:40, 8:40 or 9:40. Fortunately for our hypothetical senior with their bags or cart of groceries, the KPL goes from Hannaford to the train station in Poughkeepsie but the times are limited to 10:35, 1:35, 3:35 and 6:35.

This change makes more sense if you only count riders on your route. I urge the county as well as those who have seniors in their lives to consider the impact this change has on food access and the overall quality of life for the seniors throughout Ulster County. If you know seniors who might not navigate online surveys or schedule updates as well as others, seniors who might not have the mobility or financial means to be flexible, seniors who either do or don’t use social media and have limited reliable information … if you know seniors who rely on the bus, don’t forget about them.

Offering complaints without solutions is not helpful. Fortunately, Ulster County has systems for residents over 60 but it takes the entire county to ensure the services reach all of our seniors. If you can volunteer your time, driver’s license and car to the Ulster County Office of the Aging or if you can encourage others to do so, it would go a long way to making these services accessible to more seniors.

For more information on how to get involved and about the new UCAT schedule, check out these links:

https://www.ulstercountyny.gov/Departments/Aging/Services/Transportation/Neighbor-to-Neighbor

https://www.ulstercountyny.gov/Departments/Aging/Services/Volunteer-Program

https://www.ulstercountyny.gov/Departments/Aging/Services/Transportation/Shopping-Trips

https://www.ulstercountyny.gov/Departments/Aging/Services/Transportation/Medical-Trips

https://ucat.ulstercountyny.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-SCHEDULE-UPDATE-8-20-2025.pdf