Public transit is a good investment, why not take advantage?

“I think more funding, regardless of how we were to obtain it, is good,” Brandolph said. “We did an economic development study last year which found that for every dollar that comes into Port Authority, at least twice as much money goes back out.” 

Wiens said that focusing on only revenue wouldn’t account for the broader value of reducing or eliminating fares. 

“Increased ridership has benefits that resonate across the region in economic dividends and health benefits and increased equity and all sorts of things,” Wiens said. “If we only look at it through a lens of how much revenue they’re taking in, it’s very short-sighted.”

https://www.publicsource.org/kansas-city-eliminated-transit-fares-heres-what-fare-free-debate-looks-like-in-allegheny-county/? 

Candidate favors #publictransit - PA House District 36

@jessicalbenham

thehill.com/ “People with disabilities face many of the same challenges that abled people do – we breathe the same air, drink the same water, use public transit, and live in the same communities. In many of these cases, we are more at risk than the abled population,” she said.
“When we pass a policy that helps people with disabilities, everyone in the community benefits. I care about improving our infrastructure and ensuring access to quality health care.”

Pittsburghers for Public Transit set goal of #freepublictransit

Pittsburgh-area transit advocates, led by transit advocacy group Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT), are hoping to achieve more equity in the region, and believe their fare-change proposals will help get there. In the short term, the group is calling for free transfers, more places to purchase ConnectCards, and fare-capping so that no transit user pays more than the cost of daily, weekly, or monthly bus pass.

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/advocacy-groups-call-for-transit-fare-changes-and-eventual-elimination-of-fares-in-allegheny-county/Content?oid=16692215 

Pittsburgh, it's time -- time to make #publictransit fare-free

Pittsburgh, it’s time. https://t.co/YI7n797Ygw

— Pghers4PublicTransit (@Pgh4PubTransit) December 6, 2019

How seniors can ride free in Allegheny County

Seniors living in Allegheny County can now apply for the Senior Citizen ConnectCard at seven more locations throughout Pittsburgh and neighboring municipalities.

People in western Pennsylvania want more #publictransit service

masstransitmag : "June 02--CENTER TWP. -- Beaver County residents have spoken loud and clear about the need for better options when it comes to public transportation.

Stakeholders from across the county gathered Thursday morning at Penn State-Beaver to talk about the results of a two-year study that solicited input from residents in a 10-county region in western Pennsylvania."

Westmoreland County - Surprise! people want #publictransit

TribLIVE: "“It surprised me that so many people wanted better public transportation. That was the No. 1 priority, by far,” Lawrence said.

The county transit authority is in the early stages of exploring potential changes to its service. There is no commuter rail service in the county."

Join the war on cars

If you agree that the private auto, whether electric or not, is a threat to the climate, the economy, and human life, you should join us.

Making urban buses fare-free is the most direct path to breaking the critical mass of the auto. It is because of no alternatives to the car that people support its constant subsidy in millions of dollars for roads and other infrastructure.

We need soldiers familiar with SW Pennsylvania. Take charge of the blog and promote fare-free urban public transit. Remain anonymous. No pay, no boss, no commitment. Social media skills helpful, but not crucial. Contact fpteditors at gmail.

About the campaign for free public transit/transport.

This blog is one of a network of 40 blogs in US with a combined readership of about 1000/day. We are connected loosely with activists in 16 countries in an international campaign that has seen thousands in the streets in Brazil to a campaign in Poland that converted many small towns. We collect ideas, facts, and opinion and fight the lies of the pro-car forces.

Washington County Freedom Transit sees 3 percent increase in ridership during past year

Observer-Reporter : "Ridership has increased 3 percent overall from the year before the merger. “We attribute that to marketing and rebranding,” Gombita said. “Increases in ridership also result in increases in funding. We would like it to be more along the lines of 5 to 7 percent.”"

People in Southwest Pa keep saying they want #publictransit. Anyone listening?

timesonline.com: "Carly Dobbins-Bucklad, a senior policy analyst with the Allegheny Conference, said Friday morning that residents in 10 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania have all answered resoundingly that they’d like to see better access and more options for public transit."

#Publictransit in Southwest PA doesn't meet basic needs

New Pittsburgh Courier: "The transportation survey addressed 17 areas, including the desire for multiple mobility options, reliability and ease of use, reducing congestion, improving the environment, connecting the counties and access to Pittsburgh.
However, the number of respondents who pointed to the need for better access to transportation and affordability as well as the need for improved transportation to work, school, healthcare facilities and grocery stores was less expected."

Survey shows public transit is biggest regional transportation concern

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "The Regional Transportation Alliance asked 800 groups what transportation changes would make the biggest difference for their clients or members.

The agency got about 340 responses and the top suggestion in each county was to improve public transit, which was mentioned by 46 percent of all respondents and had the highest percentage in each county."

Banks love capitial-intensive projects, after bonds paid off, what do you have?

The Impact of Aging Infrastructure | Mass Transit: "The Port Authority of Allegheny County has 79 bridges, 29 of which are for rail and seven are more than 100 years old. There are also 2 inclines that are more than 130 years old. Its CEO, Ellen McLean, said it’s hard to balance between the high cost of capital repair and expansion. While they can sustain the levels of service they have, they can’t afford to improve or expand."

Pittsburgh looking to expand public transit network

New Pittsburgh Courier: "The coalition, launched in September, includes public and private partners from 10 counties with a goal of connecting people and ideas with one another through transportation. The coalition reached out to 700 organizations, including school districts, labor unions, private employers and diversity advocacy organizations, to collect feedback on what needed to be done to improve transportation."

The car century was a mistake

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Removing vehicles from our streets would make urban life cheaper, safer, quieter and more pleasant. Repurposed parking spaces and, in some cases, travel lanes would provide ample land for walking and cycling, plus any essential street-running public services, such as light rail, trash collection and emergency services. The surplus land can be devoted to public purposes — imagine Manhattan with sidewalks 15 feet wider and room for sidewalk cafes."

Public Transportation for Livability for all Generations

AARP : "My commute in Pittsburgh is simple: I leave at 7:30 a.m., walk two blocks, wait a couple of minutes, then hop on and ride down the hill. I pull the stop-request cord, thank the driver and stroll around the corner to my office. I'm there by 7:45.

As far as I'm concerned, I've hit the jackpot. No rush-hour headaches, plus I save on gas and parking, and have the luxury to people-watch or zone out for a while. It's easier on the environment, too.

But public transit is not this simple for everyone, especially for older generations who may really need alternatives to driving."

The misery of the long-distance suburban pedestrian

Anything but the car: "This, people, is what public transit on a major thoroughfare looks like when it has zero public support, only one trip in the middle of the day. And this lady had to dodge a five-lane thoroughfare mid-block to get to where she was going, which, I suspect, was a hide-and-ride at the Giant Eagle lot up the street. (Hide-and-ride: Like a park & ride, only in a grocery or plaza with prominent no-park-and-ride signs where your car is just one of the masses. If it doesn't stand out, and you park in a different spot every day, you can get away with this for quite a while.)"

Use it or not, #publictransit benefits you

Registration Now Open for the 2014 Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place Conference in Pittsburgh!

Project for Public Spaces: "If you’re anything like us, a conference entirely about complete streets, public health, and placemaking is the highlight of the year! And you’re in luck – We are happy to announce that early-bird registration is now open for the Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place Conference, the premier active transportation conference in the world. Join us in Pittsburgh, PA this September 8-11 along with over 1,000 participants from all over the world including planners, architects, public health professionals, realtors, educators, advocates, and more than a few zealous nuts just like you!"

"...our bus system is a joke."

Citizens here need better public transit - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Whether it’s completely unannounced changes to the already unreliable schedule, phantom buses that never come or, my latest favorite, the bus that comes between the old and the new scheduled times, our bus system is a joke.

Local officials should be embarrassed by how poorly our transportation system runs and should be working earnestly to improve it. Road construction is constant in the city; why aren’t similar improvements to public transportation ever a top priority?"

'via Blog this'