Port Authority planning fare increase

The Port Authority board has approved a 2009-10 operating budget that will require a Jan. 1 fare increase, with a Zone 1 fare increasing a maximum of 25 cents from the current $2 base fare [ read PG story ].

What's your reaction? If you're a transit rider, how will an increase affect you?

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It seems as if we hear this every year. Why is it that the riders need to foot the bill for increased health and dental costs for Port Authority employees? I am sure I am not alone in thinking that the employees should have to shoulder some or all of the cost of the increase. Everyone knows that their employee contributions to health and dental pare in comparison to private industry.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County will always be behind the rest of the country. Instead of an efficient transporation system focused on the needs of the riders and the region we have an inefficient transportation system focused on preserving jobs and ensuring the union employees have exorbinant benefits at the expense of its customers.

 I am sure Mr. Barfly has offered to reduce his own benefits to those less fortunate. By the way, I believe Port Authority is often looking for qualified operaters if you think you can handle a bus in traffic.

You are cutting service and we are to pay more really!!!  Let's not play the blame game that it is for health and benefits because that is not the case.  Everyone needs to make contributions toward their health insurance but why is no one complaining that our lawmakers, Senators, State Representatives and let's not leave Mr. County Executive out who is a county employee do not pay for healthcare or benefits.  It is time for our local, state and federal to start paying for their health insurance, it is free to them but it is the American people who are paying for their coverage. 

So let's raise bus fare and help with the short fall that our federal government has created due to the fact that there has not been any federal funding contributed to transportation in years. At least the last 8Bush years.  Let the people pay for it that is what they always come up with, well not this time.  When there was a drink tax people who do not use public transportation felt that they should not have to pay for it and I don't have children and I pay a school tax.  That's the law, can't have it both ways people.  It's funny you cut service over and over yet we have to pay more for less???

No where did Mr. Barfly mention that he should have to reduce his own benfits for those less fortunate because that was not the point of the argument.  I work for a professional firm, and I pay approximately $300 for just medical insurance for my family - per month.  My wife is a nurse, and her benefits plan cost even more than that!  So why should employees of the Port Authority not have to pay just like the rest of us.  The PA benefits are pennies on the dollar of what we have to pay.  Additionally, swaybar is implying that people who drive the buses are less fortunate (remember, we're talking about the PA employees, not random people on the street here).  My grandfather drove bus for most of his life, and he was definitely not less fortunate.  No, he didn't make a fortune, but he made enough to easily support his family.  I am personally offended at swaybar's accusations that PA employees are less fortunate, and I would advise swaybar to, the next time he/she decides to make a post, count to 10, reread what has been typed, and make sure it makes sense. 

 What's the big deal?  Those who use the Port Authority buses are getting a free ride.  $2 for a $4 bus ride?  Why should the tax payers disguised as the Federal Government give Port Authority any money?

Let's get this straight.  PAT buys the bus, supplies the driver, and you pay A PITTANCE to get to where you're going.  Your out-of-pocket expenditure is a couple bucks per ride.

Meanwhile, people who drive to work bought their car (thousands of $$$), insure their car (hundreds of $$$), pay for their own gas, pay to park, and get hit with a $52 occupational privilege tax (that the Mayor wants to triple).  Add that all up and divide by the number of trips to the city in a year and now you're talking some significant dollars.

In other words, pay for what you use, and stop whining about it.

 So a Zone 1 monthly pass will go up something like $5.00 from $75 to $80?  That's still cheaper than parking downtown 5 days a week + gas + wear and tear.  Plus with the fed printing money like there is no tomorrow, I expect commodity prices will skyrocket later this year + cap and trade. Yeah, say hello to $7 a gallon gas and 70s style inflation only far worse this time.  I am so glad I not a Keynesian economic believer.  I have a nice stash of gold to protect me from the currency crisis that's on it's way.  Great job Obama and Bush.  Have fun supporting those two you freaking sheep.

Considering the driver of the bus that takes me to work makes twice as much as I do just to take me there, it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  Before I hear "try navigating through downtown traffic"  my husband is a class A CDL driver, one step up from that bus driver class B license, goes through town every day with a bigger truck and doesn't make that kind of money either and has lousy insurance.  Don't tell us how PAT is looking for drivers either, I find that hard to believe, as they are cutting routes and when you cut routes, you usually aren't going to hire either.  They have it very good financially compared to the people they deliver to their jobs.  We are barely making it, maybe they could pay for some of their health insurance and benefits like we have to.  My husband had a 10% pay cut last month, why can't they suck it up too.  Time to renegotiate to survive. 

 Are you serious?  You are missing the point here, this fare hike has nothing to do with the operators, each time Management and the County Executive gets the public to believe that healthcare and benefits are the issue and to get you all angry and *** off with the very driver that I expect to get me to and from work safely everyday.  There is a lack of federal funding to transportation across this country and has been for over the last nine years to keep all of them in operation.  Again you are letting the media and Mangement tell you what they want you to know, contact your state representative and senator they will tell you the same.  Also, why don't you get this worked up over the fact that all of our politicians healthcare is free and you are paying for it. 

As for your husband he is not responsible for up to sixty other human beings when he is driving his truck, that operator is and when there is an accident whether people are hurt or not they say they are just to get paid and that factors into the cost of operating a transit system.  So before you start blaming the union do some thinking of for yourself because this has been going on for quite sometime and not all the drivers are making top pay as in any job it comes with time.  No they don't have it better just like you after taxes with a family of four there is not much left.  Athletes make millions and work less than any of us but you seem to not have a problem with that but an everyday, 8 to 10 hour a day individual trying to make ends meet for his family you think that $22 per hour is too much money.  You are paying for that big mansion that Big Ben lives in and yet you will never even visit it. Ha! keep up the good work!!!! 

My response to jammer:

Then don't drive.  You seem to be indicating that you work downtown, so you don't have much of an excuse.

Also  Considering the 2000-plus hours that commuters spend here using city services, only paying $150 a year seems like a very good deal to me   In many other US cities, the payroll tax is based on the location where you earn your money, and you would be paying a lot more.

What happened to the drink tax money?  I thought they said they had a surpluss.  What happened with the last round of route cuts and layoffs?  Where did all that money go?  The majority of bus riders don't make a lot of money and it's hard to feel sorry for the drivers making $22 an hour and not paying anything towards healthcare.  I, as a single, pay around $100 a month for healthcare (a sucky 80/20 plan), my friend who is single with kids needs a better plan and pays over $200 a month for healthcare. I think that any of the retired drivers that are old enough to collect social security should have to go on medicare like everyone else - how much would that save? - they would probable have a surplus!

If you don't work normal hours, forget taking the bus - and weekends and holidays suck.

For the person above, complaining that they had to buy their car and pay for the gas and the wear and tear on his car, take the bus!

 I agree with Bfarley,the fact that the busfare is going up again is ridiculous.Port Authority either needs to cut cost by laying off more people or find a better way to manage their funds.Its crazy!I feel like the needs of the employees on falling on the backs of the riders,which isn't fair.When we look at the demographics of those who ride the bus on a consistant basis it is usually the poorer residents and the elderly.Is it fair for these people to keep paying increases year after year?I have travelled all over europe and the usa and pittsburgh has the most ridiculously high busfare I've yet seen,not to mention the terrible service.Due to the fact that Port Authority keeps cutting routes and lets be honest the drivers arent the most cordial.I left pittsburgh almost a year ago now and I have no regrets.I can get a bus in Baltimore for $1.60 each way or purchase a day pass for $3.50.I also get a student discount on a monthly pass which only cost me $39.00.I know for a fact that the MTA has more of a strain interms of riders and cost versus that of the Port Authority.Its crazy...People need to say enough is enough!Can we say Bus boycott!

I've always wondered, what city services do I use?  My employer pays the utilities.  I spend money in the stores and eat lunch out every day.  If an ambulance is called, either my employer or I have to pay.  I've only seen the cops after a robbery or when the kids get in a fight after school.  Just curious, since this has been said before, but not explained.

I recently rode the bus downtown for the Penguins parade. My friends and I were one of the first ones on, and among the last ones off. We paid our fares and sat up front near the driver. As the bus filled up, the one thing that stands out in my mind was that very few people paid, as most riders seemed to be students and senior citizens.

If this is typical, and most don't actually pay to ride (and the politicians simply raise taxes to subsidize the mass transit system), does it really matter how much they increase the fares? How can any business model succeed when the overwhelming majority of people who use the service offered don't pay to use it?

Maybe there is such a thing as a free lunch... or in this case, a free ride?