PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Saving transit in Pittsburgh
by Andy Mulkerin Monday, Aug. 26, 2002 at 12:44 PM

Local activists mobilize to stop fare hikes and service cuts.

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Although it felt more like late February than mid-May in downtown Pittsburgh, a group of citizens committed to keeping bus fares from rising and services from being cut hit the streets to raise awareness on May 14.

At around 4:30 pm, about 15 Save Our Transit activists gathered at the Wood Street subway station at the corner of Wood and Sixth Avenue to hold a press conference and ask bus riders to sign postcards to the governor asking that more money be given to the Port Authority of Allegheny County so that the current bus and "T" services can maintained at a reasonable price.

In the wind and the cold activist Ali Hebshi explained the group's plight to a rush-hour crowd of about 50 waiting on buses outside the station. The coalition members then boarded the buses to garner grassroots support for their cause.

Save Our Transit was formed earlier this year when Governor Schweiker's proposed fiscal year 2002 budget was unveiled. The budget cuts state funding for the Port Authority by $5.9 million. The federal budget provides little funding for PAT. If the governor's budget goes through as it is, PAT will cut service starting in the fall and will raise fares from $1.60 to $2.00.

The coalition, made up of community activists and public transit-dependent citizens, plans to make a trip to Harrisburg on June 4 to drop off the postcards that they are collecting in person. Save Our Transit already has gotten plenty of support in the local community -- on April 30 Pittsburgh City Council approved councilman Jim Ferlo's proposal to declare that week "Save Our Public Transit Week." Coalition members are working on similar proposals for municipalities across Allegheny County.

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