Port Authority warns of route and job cuts (Harrisburg: bankruptcy, costs)

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by By~Tor

I have no problem with all of us paying to keep major roadways in good repair (which most aren't anyway...). I understand the concept that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... or the one... (courtesy of Mr. Spock..)"...

All I'm saying is that for LOCAL transit issues like buses and trains which do only serve the needs of people in and around Pittsburgh (and Philly) to the degree that ours do, that it only makes sense that we bear the main responsibility for paying for it.

I drive from here to New York or Chicago often enough, that I can see where my tax dollars should also go to keeping those roads in repair. But there's no reason why my money should go to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre bus system.... I'll never use that once in my whole life (if I'm lucky)... let them keep their buses running and we'll keep ours running.

Exactly. Spending $1 million of my tax money so you and 9 other people can drive from Pittsburgh to New York each day is much better than spending $10,000 of my tax money so me and 999 people can get from Shadyside to Downtown each day. But your quote needs to be changed: "the needs of you outweigh the needs of many..."

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by PittGrad2009

The state didn't make Port Authority pay 50 or more drivers $80,000 in salary each year.

What is the base salary for a brand-new bus driver in 2010? Does that salary automatically grow to $80,000 within a certain, scheduled time period? Can't PAT just say no to putting new employees on this $80,000 salary track? And would that make much of a difference?

(I had no idea how much bus drivers made until this year.)

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Salaries should be cut. There is no reason that bus drivers should be able to make more than some people make even after they get their master's degree. NO ONE driving a bus should be making more than $50,000 (i think the starting salary for an entry bus driver is even more).

But wouldn't you rather go to your professional job every day, even if you got paid $10,000 less per year than your bus driver, than have to put up with traffic and bus-taking ass****s all day, every day?

When I was a chef, I paid the dishwashers more than the prep cooks. Nobody wants to be the dishwasher, so you pay someone more who will do it. Germane to this conversation, who the hell wants to be a bus driver?

[rogcha_22]

I am a daily rider whose route is slated to be cut..and I can't wait until I'm driving into the city every morning with thousands and thousands of other former bus riders, clogging up YOUR commute. Then perhaps some of you who don't want to pay for a service you don't use will finally realize that the service PAT currently provides does affect you in a very big way, albeit indirectly.

[pman]

Originally Posted by raubre

Then Arelen Specter should pay for the library and Murtha's family should have to pay for his center. Shouldn't Philladelphia already have a library?

both already have libraries...which makes it all that much worse. total waste of funds. it's true that this money is capital, which means it could not pay for PAT's operating fund, but between the two of them, it could have gone for $100 million (with federal match) in intercity rail improvements. it's these kinds of decisions that are killing PA. the money goes for worthless pork yet roads, bridges, rail, and transit are kicked to the curb. these rural counties are small towns are led to believe their taxes are going up to pay for Philly and Pitt, when in reality they're going up because the legislature and guv are pissing the money away, not to mention the pension crisis brought to you by ridge and rendell.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by jay5835

What is the base salary for a brand-new bus driver in 2010? Does that salary automatically grow to $80,000 within a certain, scheduled time period? Can't PAT just say no to putting new employees on this $80,000 salary track? And would that make much of a difference?

(I had no idea how much bus drivers made until this year.)

This isn't quite what you asked, but in 2009, the maximum base salary for a bus driver was $51,459. Individual drivers got over $80,000, or higher, with things like overtime and backpay. See here:

Transit authority says pay cuts no cure for financial crisis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Obviously to limit those overtime opportunities, you would have to either cut total hours (aka cut service), or increase the number of drivers.

[grimacista]

How much has the overtime been trimmed in this new contract? The one thing that always puzzles me about municipal entities is the amount of overtime. While Pittsburgh may not have the most bus drivers, police officers, or firemen, we have enough but yet OT costs millions a year.

[BrianTH]

OT typically arises when there are significant training costs and the employer in question has a significant variation in hours needed. I could see all that being true of police and fire, but while there are significant training costs for drivers, I'm not sure where the significant variation in driving hours needed would be coming for PAT.

[captainmidnight]

The Southwest Pennsylvania Commission restated their position regarding the governor's idea of transferring highway funding to transit. They approved the the transferring of funds in 2007 but said that it wouldn't happen again: Planners oppose transfer of federal road funds vy state - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

I hope the SPC stands their ground. I don't want to see a band-aid solution just so the issue gets swept under the carpet and then this time next year we are dealing with the same problem. The state needs to find a permanent solution. I hope the special session next month sheds some new light and that they can look past the fact that it is an election year.

[raubre]

I am starting to wonder. PAT always makesempty threats like this every year and nothing ever happens. If they make these drastic cuts, I'm pretty sure it will hurt the local economy. I recall when PAT went on strikeback in the 90s, the courts ordered them back to work because it hurt the economy then. I just wonder if the effects could be similar with these cutbacks.