Allegheny Institute Blog

For the first time since the light rail system opened nearly two decades ago, the Port Authority will use feeder buses to get customers to the trolley so they can get to their destination. Wow. What a concept. The South Hills is fortunate to have a dedicated light rail system that does not clog up traffic on major roadways. But PAT has been running buses on parallel routes into Downtown, essentially competing with itself.

“Historically, there has been redundancy in our service, especially in the South Hills, where bus routes operate in competition with light-rail,” were the words of a PAT spokesman.

We have been calling for such an arrangement for years only to be ignored. Now PAT is taking on this change as a nod toward efficiency. It makes sense—perhaps that’s why it took so long.

Just in case this mood is contagious over at PAT, here’s another change they ought to look at: the union contract stipulates where and when smaller passenger buses can be used in service. Not surprisingly, the stipulations are restrictive and not geared toward efficiency. The next contract needs to have that provision struck out. Too bad the Legislature did not require a re-opening of the contract before they doled out $55 million in additional PAT aid.