From : 

Glenn Walsh <siderostat@hotmail.com>

Reply-To : 

PAPublicTransit@yahoogroups.com

Sent : 

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 9:51 PM

To : 

PAPublicTransit@yahoogroups.com

CC : 

gawalsh@planetarium.cc

Subject : 

[PAPublicTransit] TRANSIT SYSTEM COLLAPSE?/DISCOUNT FARES FOR TRULY NEEDY

 

 

 

 

                       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 >