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Port Authority: Nearly half of bus routes may be cut under current budget proposal

PITTSBURGH — The current state budget proposal could be devastating to the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

According to a release by the Port Authority, the House budget proposal would allow the state to take $357 million from a trust fund that’s intended to pay for public transportation.

That would lead to an $80 million cut in funding for 2018, the release said.

To cover the gap, the Port Authority said it would have to substantially cut service, including the elimination of nearly half of its bus routes in addition to evening and weekend service. Fare increases were also likely.

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“This proposal is harmful to our residents and would be devastating to our strong and growing economy,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “More than 100,000 people rely on public transit each day to get where they need to go. These cuts don't only impact riders, but businesses and other residents because of the ripple effect throughout the county on our service.”

Channel 11 broke the news to PAT bus riders downtown today that routes could be cut drastically in the very near future.

The riders we talked to are among the more than 100,000 people who use PAT everyday, for a total of about 200,000 trips.

We learned that the Port Authority CEO contacted local politicians saying state budget cuts would mean "The elimination of nearly half of all bus routes, weekend and evening service, and substantial fare increases throughout the system."

The Port Authority says the potential cuts undermined the funding pact made four years ago between the state and local transit agencies.

Riders say the politicians making these decisions should get rid of their cars for a while and see what it’s like to depend on public transit.

 

Cox Media Group

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