Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh
Board of Directors
Port Authority of
Proposed Service Cuts Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
& Fare Increase Internet
Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc
>
2007
February 7
Good evening. I am Glenn A. Walsh of
First, regarding a fare increase: To ensure the Port
Authority continues to receive adequate revenue, to prevent further service
cuts, three fare zones should be maintained during rush hours. Then, as an
incentive to attract riders and maximize ridership during non-rush hours, a flat
fare can be offered in non-peak hours.
On January 26, Mr. Bland stated that he wondered why
few business, civic, and elected leaders sought to help the Port Authority with
its current financial crisis. The answer may be that, unlike previous service
reductions when such assistance could possibly reduce the impact of the
proposed service cuts, the
A 25 percent cut in transit service would be
tantamount to institutional suicide for the Port Authority. The huge ridership
and revenue loss will start the downward spiral of public transit in
A “transit development plan,” after the cuts take effect, will be too little too late. Most of
the riders you lose, due to the cuts, will never come back to PAT. They will
never, again, trust a transit agency that caused this much hardship to the
public !!!
Streamlining of the transit system, with
implementation of many short bus lines feeding into a limited number of trunk
lines, would be a very positive step that could cost-effectively continue
service to most of Allegheny County. However, it is questionable whether a 25 percent
service reduction would even allow this!
Allegheny County, an urban county with a population
larger than several states, requires certain social services, including public
transit, to meet the needs of its residents. The
As Board members appointed by Mr. Onorato, it is your
duty to tell him that a 25 percent service reduction plan will, within a few
years, destroy public transit in Allegheny County—and no future development
plan can recoup the loss of ridership for, or trust in, the Port Authority of
Allegheny County.
Thank you.
2007
gaw < https://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit/pat/2007fundingcrisis.html
>