The evil plan is working

Anything but the car: The evil plan is working: "Once complete, one more pen stroke will effect an ownership transfer to private hands, and the deep-pocketed puppeteers will get what they have always wanted: Total control of all existing public transit in metro Pittsburgh. They will pay its non-union drivers miserable wages with shoddy benefits, charge you $5 to ride, and expect you to say "thank you very much" for rescuing them from the horror they have painted Port Authority."

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Transit Officials Look At Free Rides In Pittsburgh - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Transit Officials Look At Free Rides In Pittsburgh - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh: "The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Port Authority of Allegheny County is trying to find a corporate sponsor to make trips free for riders between downtown and new stations on the city's North Shore."

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Would you like an extra $5,000 - $10,000 per year?

You might be able to reduce your living expenses by reducing the number of cars in your household. Here are some services than can help. Your savings could be substantial.

• Car Sharing - join a car sharing company like ZipCar and get a car when and only when you really need it.
• Car Pooling - share rides informally with others
• Emergency Ride Home - have projection against getting stranded
• Public Transit - you should join the fight for more and better public transit. You can join us and spread the news that making transit fare-free is actually cheaper than charging fares. Or at least join a transit advocacy group like Pittsburghers-for-Public-Transit and help us win more and better public transit.

Split widening in the %1 between oil and infrastructure

Pennsylvania transit-funding proposals take backseat to other issues | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/28/2011: "Wonderling, a former Montgomery County Republican state senator who was a member of Corbett's advisory panel, said the bills by Corman and Evans "have created a dynamic . . . that the governor will have to react to."

"People are crying out for decisive action," Wonderling said after the session. He said the governor and the legislature could multitask and deal with transportation funding at the same time as the other issues Schoch cited."

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Bikes now allowed at all times on light rail cars

Bikes now allowed at all times on light rail cars: "Port Authority announced today that it has lifted the ban on taking bicycles onto Light Rail Transit vehicles during rush hours.

Bikes will now be allowed at all times, provided there is room in the handicapped seating areas, spokeswoman Heather Pharo said. Disabled riders will continue to have priority."

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Bikes and buses a good mix - Stuart Strickland in Post-Gazette

Transit harmony

Now that all buses have bike racks, I think it would be helpful to take a step back to look at the bigger picture. Put aside all the usual talk about bus cuts and irritation on the part of bicycle riders and drivers alike.

A milestone has been achieved, one we can all celebrate. No longer must we depend on an automobile to get us where we need to go. No longer need we use a long walk from a bus stop as an excuse not to use transit. Rolling along two miles of suburban streets to get your bus has now been made worth it. That $30 weekly bus pass easily beats the $50 weekly fill-up, never mind every other cost the car racks up (pardon the pun).

Using bikes and buses together makes perfect sense. Buses can't go everywhere, but bikes can. Bikes can't do hills, distances or heavy traffic easily, but buses can. Combine the two, and you have much less need to drop 10 grand every year on a (second, third) car.

What drivers will now see is a lot more bicycles. This is a good thing, as many of those drivers will also be cyclists, and so be more aware of their fellow cyclists when behind the wheel. It takes study, practice and the right clothing and equipment, but getting around by bike just got a lot more attractive. Thank you to all the organizations and decision-makers who made this possible!

STUART STRICKLAND
McCandless

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11276/1179295-110-0.stm#ixzz1ZkWoctrX

Transit Center Coming After Years Of Waiting - News Story - WJAC Johnstown

Transit Center Coming After Years Of Waiting - News Story - WJAC Johnstown: "Local officials told WJAC they, along with the Area Transportation Authority, have been in talks over a center for six years. On Friday morning, members of the ATA and state and local officials dug their shovels into the ground for the ground breaking of the new center.
“Everyone can get in and out of the weather, and they can have restroom facilities to use,” said David Gordon, of the ATA Board of Directors."

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