Editorial: County should allow for Port Authority advancement

‘ ‘ ‘ The Port Authority recently proposed granting a contract for a maximum of $33 million to… ‘ ‘ ‘ The Port Authority recently proposed granting a contract for a maximum of $33 million to Scheidt ‘amp; Bachmann USA Inc., a company involved with advanced transportation technology, to upgrade its old fare boxes to an automated fare collection system. ‘ ‘ ‘ But the Authority isn’t exactly in the most ideal financial situation for such a decision. While the Authority has federal and state money, it still needs $1.1 million from the county. But the county refuses to oblige. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s not that the county opposes the new fare collection system,’ said Authority CEO Steve Bland to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Bland said the county already has many commitments and not enough money to give away. ‘ ‘ ‘ The Authority is set to receive $6.3 million from the county next year for its capital budget, but this money will go mostly to previous debt commitments and other projects. ‘ ‘ ‘ This is an important investment not just for the future of the Port Authority but for the future of Allegheny County. Cities across the world are using advanced transportation technology. Scheidt ‘amp; Bachmann has instituted its technologies anywhere from Massachusetts to Warsaw. For too long, the Port Authority has been stuck in the past. When it comes to transportation modernization, Allegheny County is far behind. ‘ ‘ ‘ If the Authority acquires the $1.1 million, Scheidt ‘amp; Bachmann will begin the installation of 1,100 fare boxes by August. And by January 2010, the system could be fully functional. The company would provide 30 ticket vending machines, four million temporary-use ‘smart cards’ using embedded electronic chips, 400,000 permanent smart cards, necessary equipment, employee training and more, according to the Post-Gazette. ‘ ‘ ‘ The Authority is currently in a volatile position, from financial problems to an impending strike. Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato promised the Port Authority $6.3 million ‘and not one penny more,’ according to the Post-Gazette, but he fails to see the positives that could come out of the new fare collection system. ‘ ‘ ‘ Perhaps such an investment in modernization will improve the Port Authority’s situation. By making it easier to ride the buses, the Authority will most likely acquire more passengers and, in the long run, will raise the county’s status in advancement. ‘ ‘ ‘ The county should reevaluate its decision and explore the benefits that such a system could generate for the Port Authority and Allegheny County.