Tuesday, January 26, 2010

TDP Route Changes Now Start April 4

Port Authority has pushed back the date it will make the first round of route changes as developed through the Transit Development Plan.
The changes initially scheduled to start on Sunday, March 14, will be made three weeks later, starting Sunday, April 4.
Essentially, the move will give riders a few extra weeks to become more familiar with the coming changes. Remember, we're not changing every route on April 4 - these will come in phases over the next couple of years.
More details about the changes, including maps, are available on the Port Authority Web site.
Starting in mid-February, the site will be updated with valuable information about the April 4 changes. Riders may use a route conversion tool along with an interactive map. We'll be sure to announce the release of this information here, on our Twitter site and at portauthority.org.
We decided to push the date back due to an issue experienced as our operators were selecting route assignments. This process occurs about four times a year. The problem resulted in some operators receiving incorrect assignment information and created the potential for service difficulties.
Port Authority, after discussing the matter internally and consulting union officials, felt the best decision for our employees and riders was to correct the problem and allow operators to select assignments again.
We apologize for any inconvenience. However, we sincerely hope you take the extra time to read more about the upcoming changes, check back in mid-February for more detailed information, and sign up today to receive an email notification of upcoming route changes.
If you have specific TDP-related questions, please use this form and a member of our staff will contact you.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Community Contributions

Employees "stuffed the bus" full of toys for kids in need.


In recent months, Port Authority employees have given their time, talents and resources to make our community a better place to live and work. Here's just a sampling of what our employees have done recently...

Drivers from the East Liberty division recently set up a bench-press contest to raise money and awareness for the ALS Association, the organization working to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Employees from the Collier, East Liberty and Ross locations competed, raising $712 for the fight against ALS.

During the holidays, employees at the West Mifflin division participated in the Salvation Army’s “Treasures for Children” toy drive, selecting gift tags and purchasing toys for local underprivileged kids. The Collier division conducted its own “Toys for Tots” drive that benefited the Kiwanis Club of Sheraden and the Collier Community Outreach Committee.

And finally, employees from all Port Authority locations “stuffed the bus” this past holiday season, collecting toys that were delivered via bus to the Allegheny County Labor Council, AFL-CIO, where the toys were distributed to children of unemployed or underemployed labor families.
Many thanks to our employees for their kindness and generosity, and thanks to you, our riders, for participating in last month’s Toys for Tots drive at Steel Plaza T Station.