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Tuesday, 21 September 2010 10:34

Written by Jon Schmitz

Transit ridership in the U.S. grew slightly in the second quarter of this year but in Pittsburgh, the numbers went down.

The American Public Transportation Association reported a 0.1 percent increase nationwide for the quarter as compared with the second quarter of 2009. It was the first increase in six quarters.

“History shows that as the economy grows, public transit ridership tends to increase. This rise in ridership offers a glimmer of hope that we may be coming out of the economic recession and ridership will continue to move upward," said APTA's president, William Millar.

The numbers for the Port Authority weren't so rosy. Rail ridership declined 1.8 percent for the quarter and was off nearly 4 percent for the first half of 2010, while bus ridership fell 3.3 percent in the quarter and is off 4.4 percent for the year.

Citing cutbacks in local and state transit funding nationwide, and inaction by Congress on a federal public transit funding bill, Mr. Millar said: “To maintain our public transportation systems and expand them to meet growing demand as the economy recovers, we need to have government at all levels – federal, state, and local – adequately invest in public transportation.  Regrettably, facing revenue shortfalls, many transit systems must still raise fares, reduce service and/or lay off staff in order to balance their budgets.”

The Port Authority board is to vote Friday on a final plan to slash 35 percent of its service unless the state moves in to fill a projected $47 million budget deficit.

APTA is holding a press event in Washington on Wednesday at which petitions for increased federal investment for public transportation in a long-term surface transportation bill will be delivered to Congress. The petitions have been signed by people from all 50 states. People who wish to sign it can do so by going to www.publictransportation.org.

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written by roxram, November 25, 2010 - 06:47 PM

The travesty of Wednesday's PAT board's decision to eliminate one third of its routes and stopping bus service to nearly 50 communites has deep ramifications. It appears that the routes targeted for elimination are overwhelming serving the elderly, the physically challenged and minorites. Perhaps a lawsuit to disolve the Port Authority and equitably redistribute the assets to all 120 plus muncipalities of Allegheny County is the only solution to his misjustice.

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