Allegheny County coming up small for PAT (California: buses, authority)

[pman]

The Port Authority has selected a company to replace its old fare boxes with a new automated fare collection system using "smart cards" with embedded electronic chips.
Administrators yesterday recommended awarding a contract for a maximum of $33 million to Scheidt & Bachmann USA Inc., which has been involved internationally with cutting-edge transportation technology for 25 years.
But there's one big hitch.
While federal and state money are lined up, the authority needs a $1.1 million commitment from Allegheny County as its 3.33 percent share of matching funds, and so far the county isn't willing to commit...
If the authority can somehow provide the $1.1 million local share over a two-year period, officials said, installation of 1,100 fare boxes could begin on buses and trolleys by August and the system could be operational by January 2010.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08325/929362-147.stm

I don't know about you, but if 96% of the money is coming from someone else, you better damn well find that money.

[Blackbeauty212]

PAT needs to become more then just Allegheny County....When are people going to wake up and understand this......No other Region has individual transit agencies in each county...

[dugdogmaster]

PAT is a HORRIBLY run business, nothing more. If PAT were in retail, for example, it would have went out of business over a decade ago.

[bbrian12]

just like every other goverment run agency.
if it dont work keep throwing money at it

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

PAT needs to become more then just Allegheny County....When are people going to wake up and understand this......No other Region has individual transit agencies in each county...

That's not true -- although the Bay Area (California) has BART, all our bus systems are county run -- San Francisco's Muni, Alameda's AC Transit... seven counties worth -- I can name most of them.

But it really does show the non-commitment to buses our government has.

[pman]

Originally Posted by dugdogmaster

PAT is a HORRIBLY run business, nothing more. If PAT were in retail, for example, it would have went out of business over a decade ago.

that may be true, but not providing just 3.3% of the money needed to IMPROVE it is still unacceptable, or should be.

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by pman

that may be true, but not providing just 3.3% of the money needed to IMPROVE it is still unacceptable, or should be.

As long as PAT's union gets what they always want, in terms of pay, benefits and legacy costs, the city and county will just keep throwing money into a black hole

[PeterRabbit]

The governor said something about letting them walk and hiring normal people without all those outrageous benefits... no more unions.

[pman]

Originally Posted by dugdogmaster

As long as PAT's union gets what they always want, in terms of pay, benefits and legacy costs, the city and county will just keep throwing money into a black hole

how is getting an upgraded fare system that is 96% paid for throwing money in a black hole? This is part of what's wrong with transit systems. People oppose all of it because they are inefficient. On the other hand, when your taling about a customer convenience upgrade (and potential labor saver) such as a fare system upgrade, the only people that lose are the users and possibly the taxpayers. you're not hurting the unions. It would be quite another if this were about funding operations.Peter rabbit, if you read my original post, this has nothing to do with the labor issues.