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NEWS
RELEASE
For immediate release: 2003 May 21
For more information -- Glenn A. Walsh:
Daytime: E-Mail < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Evening: Telephone 412-561-7876
PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM COLLAPSE IN PITTSBURGH?/
DISCOUNTED TRANSIT FARES FOR TRULY NEEDY
Pittsburgh, May 21 –
The following is the statement
delivered by Glenn A. Walsh, before the Board of
Directors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County on
the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21, regarding the
proposed changes in the fares and service of the Port
Authority Transit System.
>>>BEGINNING OF PREPARED STATEMENT:
Statement Before the Board of Directors of the
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Regarding Proposed Changes in
Transit System
Fares and Service
2003 May 21
Good afternoon. I am Glenn A. Walsh of 633 Royce
Avenue, Mount Lebanon, a regular rider of the Light
Rail Transit system and the bus system. Today, I speak
as an individual representing no organization.
First, I am disappointed with two matters related to
this public hearing:
1) The time limit per
speaker for this hearing is now
3 minutes, unlike every past Port Authority hearing
where the time limit was 5 minutes per speaker.
2) A second day of
hearings, to accommodate more of
the public, was not scheduled.
This gives the impression that the Port Authority does
not really want to hear from the public.
As I proposed at the last two fare hike hearings, I,
again, ask that a discounted fare system be set-up for
the truly needy, who cannot afford these rate hikes.
The $1.75 base fare should be maintained for those
people enrolled in unemployment compensation, public
assistance, or food stamp programs—even if this means
that the base fare for everyone else must rise to
$2.25. With computerization of these three State-run
programs, this discounted fare system can be
implemented with a minimum of administrative costs.
The $2.25 base fare would result in higher Senior
Citizen ride reimbursements from the State. And, with
a $2.25 base fare the draconian service cuts proposed
should be avoidable. However, I would only support a
$2.25 base fare if the Port Authority adds a
discounted $1.75 fare for the truly needy—for people
on unemployment compensation, public assistance, or
food stamps.
As part of your service reductions, you propose that
the 42L Library rail line become a shuttle during
off-peak hours and that the 41C Cedar Boulevard bus
route become a shuttle completely; both would transfer
passengers to the 42S South Hills Village rail
line. I
approve of these changes. In fact, there should be
more shuttles transferring patrons to trunk-lines,
particularly to the rail lines and busways,
as is done
in Toronto. This would permit greater levels of bus
service in the residential neighborhoods at a lower
cost; otherwise, neighborhood bus service will suffer.
Recently, an evacuation plan was issued utilizing Port
Authority Transit vehicles. If the service cuts and
layoffs proposed are implemented, any execution of
this evacuation plan, during a City emergency, will be
physically impossible!
The elimination of all Sunday service, and all service
after 9:00 p.m., will probably mean that Pittsburgh
will be the first major American city with such major
restrictions in transit service. Is this really the
way to attract people and businesses to Allegheny
County?
These draconian service cuts will continue the
downward spiral of transit ridership in
Allegheny
County. It may well come to the point where the
greatly reduced ridership will no longer be
able to
support much of any transit service. Then, Pittsburgh
could become the first American city to experience a
complete public transit system collapse!
If this happens, it will be a sorry day in Pittsburgh
and in Pennsylvania.
Thank you.
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh
P.O. Box 1041
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041
Telephone: 412-561-7876
E-Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc >
=====
Glenn A. Walsh - Electronic Mail: gawalsh@planetarium.cc
Author of History Web Sites on
Internet-
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: http://www.planetarium.cc
* Astronomer John Brashear: http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
* Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh: http://www.incline.cc
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Internet, World Wide Web Sites -
History of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular
Science,
Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
History of The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
History of Astronomer and Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
The Duquesne Incline, historic cable car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.incline.cc >
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