Port Authority Postpones Service Cut Vote; Move Gives State Leaders More Time to Resolve Transportation Funding Shortfall

Port Authority of Allegheny County's Board of Directors today postponed a vote on reducing service until November to give state leaders more time to resolve the transportation funding crisis.

The Board now will consider a proposal to reduce service by 35 percent and increase fares during its Nov. 24 meeting. As a result, fares still would increase in January but any changes in service would not occur until March.

"Legislators in both Houses and on both sides of the aisle have said that the statewide transportation funding crisis is very real, is very serious and must be solved in a comprehensive manner," said Port Authority CEO Steve Bland. "They’ve also been very clear that the likelihood of doing so before the election is all but non-existent."

The Authority's proposal involved a combination of actions intended to help counter the statewide shortfall. The shortfall is felt by transit agencies, PennDOT and other entities responsible for road and bridge work. The state's funding gap largely is due to the federal government's decision not to approve tolling of Interstate 80.

The proposal includes reducing transit service by 35 percent, a fare increase and hundreds of layoffs.

• Fares: Initially proposed to increase by a quarter in Zones 1 and 2 on Jan. 1. This timeframe does not change under the Board's decision.
  
• Service: Proposed to be reduced by 35 percent across Allegheny on Jan. 9 - this now would not occur until March.

For more information, visit www.portauthority.org or call Customer Service at (412) 442-2000 or for TTY, (412) 231-7007.