BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — If you're tailgating, drinking at the game or just don't want to drive, there's an inexpensive way to get to and from Highmark Stadium.
The Game Day Express is run by the NFTA. Specific buses leave certain areas before the game bound for Orchard Park. They go back to those same places from Highmark Stadium.
7 News has learned more people have been taking it home, than to the stadium, over the last few games.
We requested some data from the NFTA about ridership. Between the start of the pre-season and the Bills-Jaguars game on September 23:
- 1,401 people used the Game Day Express to the stadium.
- 1,451 people used the Game Day Express from the stadium.
The NFTA says, this is about equity and making sure everyone has access to the stadium. In digging through numbers for that same time period:
- 47 people used the Game Day Express from the Utica Street Station, on Buffalo's east side.
- 470 people used the Game Day Express from the McKinley Mall site, in Hamburg.
Kelly Khatib is the spokesperson for the NFTA.
"We want to make sure that people understand that there is a cost effective way to make it out to see a Bills game, because it's something everyone should enjoy," Khatib said.
Drantch: Is there actually equity in these situations or do we need to do more in terms of outreach to get people, say from the east side, to get people down to Orchard Park?
Khatib: There's always more that we can do to make sure people are knowing and that's why we try to do our best to keep our boots on the ground, to let people know it's available, because we want to see those numbers grow as well.
Still, the NFTA calls this service a win for the community.
Game Day Express operates on a first-come-first-served basis. It's $5 cash, each way. Credit cards are not accepted.
