Damn'it..... You Board Last When Paying in Cash (dorms, buying)

[sealie]

Seriously, are the vending machines on the P1 still dispensing those stupid expiring 10 ride ConnecTix or will they sell a stored value card yet?

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Pretty sure you missed the part where I was supporting cash-less payment of transit a la Japan.

Can't imagine the inner rage you feel when a partially disabled person takes longer than usual to board a bus and they waste your precious time. The nerve of some people!

Wow, you must feel big of yourself.... To try to equate a person patients of one which is about choice, and convenience to that of a handicap person.... Wow just a great a comparison, totally in context with each other. ....

Originally Posted by sealie

Seriously, are the vending machines on the P1 still dispensing those stupid expiring 10 ride ConnecTix or will they sell a stored value card yet?

No the vending machines can't dispense the hard plastic CCs, you must make a trip to GE or Downtown to get the Hard Plastic CC, once you have it you can refill it at machines.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Awww come on that's convoluted response! Its Free for the Employees, they don't pay for it, the University does, it has NO Impact on their salaries. Students do Pay for the service since they are charged in their tuition.

You think some Pitt accountant somewhere is unaware of the millions of dollars Pitt pays Port Authority each year? You think they don't realize that if they took that benefit away from employees that they could get a cheaper deal with PAT? Or that a lot of employees would look for other employment if their wages didn't increase appropriately. I guarantee you there are some Pitt employees that took their job and keep their job in part due to the free PAT pass. The value of a PAT pass is about $1,200 a year to some people -- after taxes that means they can accept ~$1/hour less in wages.

But the bottom line is that it doesn't matter. Everyone with cash, a connect card, or any type of pass deserves the same priority when boarding the bus.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by ferraris

You think some Pitt accountant somewhere is unaware of the millions of dollars Pitt pays Port Authority each year? You think they don't realize that if they took that benefit away from employees that they could get a cheaper deal with PAT? Or that a lot of employees would look for other employment if their wages didn't increase appropriately. I guarantee you there are some Pitt employees that took their job and keep their job in part due to the free PAT pass. The value of a PAT pass is about $1,200 a year to some people -- after taxes that means they can accept ~$1/hour less in wages.

But the bottom line is that it doesn't matter. Everyone with cash, a connect card, or any type of pass deserves the same priority when boarding the bus.

You really think PAT is getting reimbursed the full amount in which Pitt Students and Employees ride... If you do, I have a bridge downtown to sell you.

That like saying I only work at Pitt for the free Parking, yet I ride the bus. Its a benefit baked in, it has no barring on the Salaries. I would have the benefit of Free Transit even if I never used the bus and drove into Pitt every day, my salary doesn't go up or down because of my use of service, therefore its FREE to me!

Bottom Line is your argument is void.

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

You really think PAT is getting reimbursed the full amount in which Pitt Students and Employees ride... If you do, I have a bridge downtown to sell you.

That like saying I only work at Pitt for the free Parking, yet I ride the bus. Its a benefit baked in, it has no barring on the Salaries. I would have the benefit of Free Transit even if I never used the bus and drove into Pitt every day, my salary doesn't go up or down because of my use of service, therefore its FREE to me!

Bottom Line is your argument is void.

At CMU employees can chose a bus pass or parking, which I assume is subsidized? I never checked the latter as I never drive to work.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

You really think PAT is getting reimbursed the full amount in which Pitt Students and Employees ride... If you do, I have a bridge downtown to sell you.

If the contract described here is still valid then Pitt is paying $1.25 per ride. I never claimed they pay full price anyway, I just said they pay for it. That money is obviously important to PAT or they wouldn't accept it. Maybe they want a steady large incoming payment, or maybe they want to use the universities as a gateway to introduce potential future full price riders.

That like saying I only work at Pitt for the free Parking, yet I ride the bus. Its a benefit baked in, it has no barring on the Salaries. I would have the benefit of Free Transit even if I never used the bus and drove into Pitt every day, my salary doesn't go up or down because of my use of service, therefore its FREE to me!

Bottom Line is your argument is void.

I promise you that Pitt, and any employer offering benefits, takes it into account when deciding pay grades. You're thinking of it from an individual standpoint too much. If it didn't help attract or retain employees, Pitt wouldn't spend millions on it each year.

[sskink]

First I've heard of this "etiquette", although I don't ride the bus (but do use the T where it's never been a problem).

First world problems are generally amusing.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

LOL... OK - Whatever Out-of-Tower! Just stay off the P1 at Rush Hour with your Cash... Please....Some of us actually have places to be.

Yeah... everyone on the bus has "places to be'. Nothing special about that.

[doo dah]

http://www.news.pitt.edu/Pitt_Pat_Agreement:
"For each recorded ride, the university will reimburse the Port Authority at 50 percent of the one-zone base fare, which currently is $2.50 per ride. The reimbursement rate would change automatically with any future one-zone base fare increase but with a maximum cap. The agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2012, and expires June 30, 2017."

This is, of course, because the ID cards have RFID chips which can record the rides. In previous years, Pitt’s yearly fees were $4.47 million for 2008-09, $5.14 million for 2009-10, $5.91 million for 2010-11 and $6.8 million for 2011-12, on a five-year contract. (University Times » Port Authority okays Pitt pact)

There are 28,649 students at the Pittsburgh campus (the branch campuses have different fees). At $180 per academic year (two terms) for the transportation fee, that is $5,156,820. I don't know how many students are enrolled during summer term, but they pay $90 for transportation as well.
That fee also includes university shuttles and escorts as well.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

This is more confusing for those elusive "Out-of-Towers" PittChick speaks of, than paying with a fare card over cash.

I'll bet there are as many people using mass transit who live out of town as those that live in the city proper.
They are not elusive... and they help keep PAT afloat.