Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Want business? Get Transit. That is the future.

Allegheny County Transit Council: Why “ Public Transportation service cuts will affect only bus riders” is a myth...: "On the long term – if the study quoted by AP and Yahoo! News is even remotely correct -crude oil reserves will be depleted before an alternative energy personal vehicle will be available for the mass markets. And investors will avoid putting their money in area that do not offer multiple alternatives for their employees to commute or in other words economic growth will stagnate in areas where the main option for commuters is a personal vehicle."

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Fare hikes are not stopping us -- so they are trying to take the buses away

Transit ridership is up across the country. The oil and autosprawl profiteers fear public transit more than anything. It is the one thing that threatens their plans to squeeze the last drops of profit out of a dying resource in a dying biosphere. Oil money is oozing its sticky path through politics and undercutting public transit at every opportunity. They can't stop us from riding, so they are trying to reduce service. There is constant war for transit in every local community. The excerpt below represents just one of many battles going on.
Allegheny County Transit Council: "Our own president, Jonathan Robinson noted that any cuts were contrary to the intent of the funding solution provided by former governor Rendell who hoped to maintain service as is until further funding sources could be found by governor Corbett. Mr. Robinson also expressed his concern about the negative impact that cutting service will have on Port Authority’s already tainted public image, but he admitted that there is no guarantee form Governor Corbett that there will be any additional state funding in six months.
Amalgamated Transit Union President Pat McMahon stated that legislators need to be forced to come up with a funding solution and that we should let legislators tell to public transit riders in Pittsburgh that they do not deserve decent service."

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

One Perfect Day Aboard Amtrak

by @anabellebee One Perfect Day Aboard Amtrak: "There is a certain sense of companionship among train travelers …And it can lead to the most unusual discussions, such as exchanging corn-mush recipes with a Mennonite lady …or discussing about bridges with a couple traveling to Washington all the way from New Mexico. We left soon after mid-day, installed in our comfortable business class seats. It was a very long trip, as most of Pennsylvania was still covered with heavy blankets of snow. But it did offered us the unique opportunity to enjoy the landscapes, to meet people"