Port Authority rate hikes may lead to Pitt fee increase

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s recently proposed state budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year… Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s recently proposed state budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year included a 6-percent cut in funding of public transportation organizations. Although many public transportation organizations may be affected, the Port Authority of Allegheny County is to been hit especially hard.

Currently, PAT receives $63.7 million in state funding for general operating assistance, 25 percent of the total amount given by the state to public transportation organizations. That figure will be cut by $4 million for the next fiscal year.

“This will be a very difficult budget year for us,” PAT spokesman Bob Grove said.

Grove went on to say that, in order to compensate for the decrease in funding, PAT may have to execute a round of layoffs, freeze employee wages and increase fare. In addition, PAT may consider eliminating certain services including some bus routes.

“Those means are counterproductive to what we want to be doing,” Grove said in reference to PAT’s desire to purchase new buses and possibly extend its light rail service to the North Shore.

While the funding cuts have forced PAT to think of ways to streamline its operations, there are no indications Pitt students will be greatly affected.

The only likely change Pitt students could see as a result of PAT’s financial woes would be an increase in the student transportation fee. The mandatory fee, part of both graduate and undergraduate tuition, is currently $75 per semester. It was increased from the $55 per semester students paid for the 2001-2002 school year. During that same time period, PAT increased the base zone fare from $1.60 per ride to $1.75.

Pitt Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Robert Hill declined to comment about a possible raise in the transportation fee. He mentioned how Pitt and PAT began negotiations for the next fiscal year long before there was any indication PAT’s budget would be cut.

“I don’t want to compromise the integrity of the contract,” Hill said.

Currently, Pitt and PAT have a renewable contract that runs through July 31, 2006. Pitt has agreed to pay PAT $2.52 million per fiscal year until the end of the contract however it’s likely that amount will increase.

Grove said PAT has been in communication with Pitt and has sent a proposal to the University. According to Grove, there is no word yet on the amount Pitt will pay. Grove went on to say Carnegie Mellon University is in a similar situation with PAT regarding the amount the school will pay to the organization.

Including cash, pre-paid passes and other rider discount rates, PAT makes approximately $1.10 per ride. In contrast, Pitt students pay 46 cents per ride by way of the transportation fee. The organization is attempting to get Pitt students to pay 88 cents per ride. Pitt riders make up approximately 450,000 people of PAT’s average monthly ridership. PAT has about 76 million riders a year.

In September 2002, PAT made drastic changes in its daily operations in response to being mired in a $5 million debt. More than 80 people were laid off, including nearly 40 bus operators. In addition, many routes stopped running their 24-hour schedules while other routes were eliminated completely.