Port Authority, bussers please (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: house, transfer to, wage)

[raubre]

What do you think (as a bus rider) should the Port Authority should do to help solve thier problems? What are your opinions on the drink tax?

I think they need to rethink some of thier routes. Too many busses go down sidestreets that are almost impassable. Some routes are waaaay too long (59A is the worst.) I also do think the drivers are overpaid.

My other pet peeve is that some busses run three times in a fifteen minute timeframe. What is up with that? If I have to wait 30 minutes to wait for my 67F and I see the 71C in Wilkinsburg three times in a row (the last two busses would be empty) I may just blow a gasket!

I think the Port Authority needs to have people on thier board that really are bus drivers so they can find ways to cut back on lavish spending and to improve ridership and relations between teh Port Authority and its customers.

The Drink Tax. I may be a bus rider, but I don't think a new tax on drinks was the answer. If you are going to tax a case of beer at a bar, it should be taxed at the beer distributer. Period. I don't think the money will help the PA anyay. It will just give them more cash to spend foolishly.

[Pghtebbie]

I am a daily transit rider. When they redid the schedule last time, I really had to agree, at least with MY route. I take the West Busway to Oakland. There are 2 busses, a 33X (busway to city only) and the 100 (busway to oakland). Every day, during rush hour, there were only about 6 of us going all the way to oakland. So they nixed a lot of those routes.

And it has worked out just fine. Now I get off downtown, and hop on any number of 61 or 71's. I actually get there faster sometimes.

But I can't speak for the other routes.

A big suggestion I would have is to have some bus/light rail/subway that connects downtown to Oakland. That runs every few minutes. I can't tell you how many ppl ask me daily in Oakland "which bus gets me downtown?"

The busway's were a fantastic idea, imho. I have a car, but choose not to drive and park in Oakland. What's the point? *but it's also free for me, being a Pitt employee*

As far as the drink tax goes, I am too biased to form a real opinion, as my husband is in the restaurant business. But I really don't think it's fair to tax ppl who drink to pay for ppl who ride the bus. Where is the logic in that?

[fleetiebelle]

I live on the T line and work in Oakland, and I would give my left arm for the ability to get on the T near my house and be able to transfer to another train to get to Oakland. That would be so awesome, and it'll never happen.

[Pghtebbie]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I live on the T line and work in Oakland, and I would give my left arm for the ability to get on the T near my house and be able to transfer to another train to get to Oakland. That would be so awesome, and it'll never happen.

Yet they think this North Shore connector is a good idea!

[right-here-i-say]

There are bus drivers making over $90K per year. They are the highest paid bus drivers in the nation. The average age of a PAT Transit retiree is the low 50's. Not only that, but they too, get the highest pensions in the nation (Some ex bus drivers are making more in retirement than bus drivers in other areas, like Philadelphia and New York)

Make no mistake, PAT Transits number 1 priority is not public transportation, it is to provide high paying jobs for those lucky enough (or those who know somebody).

If anything, they could cut expenses 50% and still provide the same service, if not better service. Pittsburgh's transit costs to our citizens are some of the highest in the world.

[gallacus]

Originally Posted by right-here-i-say

There are bus drivers making over $90K per year. They are the highest paid bus drivers in the nation. The average age of a PAT Transit retiree is the low 50's. Not only that, but they too, get the highest pensions in the nation (Some ex bus drivers are making more in retirement than bus drivers in other areas, like Philadelphia and New York)

Make no mistake, PAT Transits number 1 priority is not public transportation, it is to provide high paying jobs for those lucky enough (or those who know somebody).

If anything, they could cut expenses 50% and still provide the same service, if not better service. Pittsburgh's transit costs to our citizens are some of the highest in the world.

Interesting comments... any citations?

[Pghtebbie]

FWIW, I found this, comparing fare rates:
http://www.apta.com/research/stats/fares/documents/base.pdf (broken link)


Kinda nice to see we aren't paying that much different than the rest of the country....couldn't find anything on salaries, but really did look too hard.

[right-here-i-say]

The Post Gazette did a big story about this maybe 6 months ago. The salaries were much higher than other cities such as Philadelphia and NYC, which have a much higher standard of living. It also mentioned the low retiree age, and the extreme pension benefits. (for example, if you worked for a government in Atlanta, that time could be added to your time as a PAT employee, which meant a higher pension).

[likepgh]

I would love to see an extension of the light rail to Oakland. And to the airport.

In the meantime, I would like to see a shuttle bus between Oakland and Squirrel Hill that loops on Forbes to Squirrel Hill, turns right on Shady, turns right on Forward, turns right on Murray and back up again to Forbes, down Forbes to Bellefield, down Fifth to Craft and then back again on Forbes.

Then I'd like them to make the outbound 61A, B, C, D, F pick-up only until about 4 stops after Forbes and Murray.

In other words, if you're going from Oakland to the Squirrel Hill shopping district--take the shuttle;
If you're going home to Wilkinsburg, Regent Square, the lower end of Squirrel Hill, Summerset, Greenfield, Homestead, McKeesport, etc. you have a chance of getting on your bus in Oakland.

I guess there would need to be another shuttle from downtown to Oakland or a local (69A?) that made drop-offs and pick-ups all the way from downtown to Squirrel Hill; call this the "Forbes Ave local".

[patvet2009]

right-here-i-say: The drivers the are making 90,000 are working double shifts every day....either because the OT is available or for special events...you know all the buses that take the drunks to the Steelers games? ....I bet you if you worked double shifts at your job everyday you would make a pretty penny. The starting wage is in the 35,000 range. If you enjoy getting spit on, assaulted, verbally abused daily, being called a racist, or white trash, or having your bus shot at through Homewood....then I urge you to apply to be a bus operator...I"m sure you will love it fella And by the way it's 25 years of service now to retire....and yout must be at least 55.....With the federal government you can you retire at 20 yrs and any age. Also to the other guy complaining about the 67F....not many people ride that route compared to any of the 61's or 71's.....