Pittsburgh proposes massive downsizing of bus-based transit

From "Port Authority transit cutbacks are biggest in history--Onorato: 'Not an easy day'; fewer routes, higher fares, layoffs," from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"This is not an easy day for us. This is not an easy day for anybody, but it's a necessary one," Mr. Onorato said yesterday in announcing fare increases and the most extensive bus and trolley route cuts in the county-sponsored authority's 43-year history.

Authority staff has recommended eliminating 124 of 213 weekday bus routes starting June 24, thereby reducing the daily hours of service by 25 percent, to address an estimated $75 million to $80 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1. ...

Beginning next Jan. 1, fares are to be increased from the current $1.75 base fare to $2 if a "flat fare" system is adopted and zones are eliminated, or to a $2.50 base fare if the system based on zones is retained.

The series of bus and trolley changes include eliminating:
-- 124 of 213 weekday bus routes.
-- 55 of 100 Saturday bus routes.
-- 26 of 75 Sunday and holiday bus routes.

Light-rail service would be trimmed by cutting hours of operation and increasing the time between trolleys. Besides reducing the number of daily transit vehicle hours, the changes would reduce the number of one-way vehicle trips by 24 percent and overall ridership by 11 percent, the authority has estimated.

To put the WMATA transit budget proposal in perspective, the fare increases are lower, only a few bus service cuts are proposed, and as Dr. Gridlock of the Post points out in "Raise Those Fares -- Metro Is Worthy and Worth It," the fare increases (other than the massive hikes for people not using SmartCards) are targeting people with the greatest ability to pay.

Still I think it's necessary for a top to bottom cost review and focus on eliminating waste. And a period of time where Smartrip cards are provided for free to reduce the possibility of hardship for others. And, for the cost review to limit to the greatest extent possible, fare increases.
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Update: See Sunday's "Getting Around: Not all Port Authority transit cuts are easy to explain," by the transportation writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. From the article:

Routes were graded on a scale of 1 to 10 based on effectiveness, efficiency and equity, all with subcategories such as cost per rider, service to low-income areas and county-wide coverage.
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Index Keywords: transit