Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Economic Confusion Surrounding Senior Transit
The Post-Gazette covered the policy change from the state that will now permit senior citizens to ride transit for free anytime of the day. Previously, free rides were prohibited during rush hours, but now that restriction is lifted.
The Port Authority is reimbursed for the free transit rides from lottery sales, which as we know from advertisements, are “used to benefit senior citizens”.
Obviously the concern expressed by some of the people interviewed for the article is that the buses would be more crowded. Not a problem, says the organizer of a senior citizen group that applauded the change. “[A crowded bus is] a good reason for the Port Authority to add another bus. And then we'll have fewer Port Authority drivers out of work,” he said. “It sounds like win-win all around.”
Unfortunately, this is what passes for logic in the region. First of all, if the riders at peak times represent additional riders, then PAT costs will go up and someone has to pay those. If these rides reduce the number of off-peak rides, then there would need to be fewer off-peak buses. The desired outcome is to have transit demand spread more evenly throughout the day: higher peak demand means more employment, more buses, and more costs than the community can afford.
The County Controller just said that the Port Authority should be running 46 percent fewer buses to be at a level with peer transit agencies. We know from the Allegheny Institute’s work and the Governor’s Task Force that PAT drivers are the highest paid in the nation when adjusting for the cost of living. The Port Authority needs to get smaller, and this change that might lead to overcrowding just reinforces the tired old notions that PAT is overworked, underpaid, etc.
No, an overcrowded bus is a good reason to raise fares, and possibly making seniors pay a discounted rate. A raise in fares gets the riders to focus on the system and the costs it incurs. But the good feelings of seniors riding anytime they want, the rescinding of service cuts thanks to state dollars, and the prospect of moving to “harmless” alcohol and car rental taxes to fund transit makes the situation more difficult.
The Port Authority is reimbursed for the free transit rides from lottery sales, which as we know from advertisements, are “used to benefit senior citizens”.
Obviously the concern expressed by some of the people interviewed for the article is that the buses would be more crowded. Not a problem, says the organizer of a senior citizen group that applauded the change. “[A crowded bus is] a good reason for the Port Authority to add another bus. And then we'll have fewer Port Authority drivers out of work,” he said. “It sounds like win-win all around.”
Unfortunately, this is what passes for logic in the region. First of all, if the riders at peak times represent additional riders, then PAT costs will go up and someone has to pay those. If these rides reduce the number of off-peak rides, then there would need to be fewer off-peak buses. The desired outcome is to have transit demand spread more evenly throughout the day: higher peak demand means more employment, more buses, and more costs than the community can afford.
The County Controller just said that the Port Authority should be running 46 percent fewer buses to be at a level with peer transit agencies. We know from the Allegheny Institute’s work and the Governor’s Task Force that PAT drivers are the highest paid in the nation when adjusting for the cost of living. The Port Authority needs to get smaller, and this change that might lead to overcrowding just reinforces the tired old notions that PAT is overworked, underpaid, etc.
No, an overcrowded bus is a good reason to raise fares, and possibly making seniors pay a discounted rate. A raise in fares gets the riders to focus on the system and the costs it incurs. But the good feelings of seniors riding anytime they want, the rescinding of service cuts thanks to state dollars, and the prospect of moving to “harmless” alcohol and car rental taxes to fund transit makes the situation more difficult.
