More cuts are coming, in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the chart. No specific details yet, so we’re left to wonder what “Service Reduced” means for each of the 50 or so routes. And to be fair, some will actually see “Service Increased,” so there is still reworking of the TDP going on (which from my perspective can only be a good thing).
We were told before, and I wrote about the fact (and at the time, I was optimistic that these cuts would not happen), that PAT loves to play the victim: but who they point the finger at has changed. It used to be the State. PAT wrote on their blog:
It is the most responsible option available at this time — short of resolving the statewide gap in transportation funding.Port Authority, along with other stakeholders in the Commonwealth’s road, bridge, mass transportation and overall transportation network, continues to seek a meaningful discussion with the new State Administration and Legislature starting in January about long-term transportation funding.
But if you read the FAQs about these cuts, we get a different version of the story:
The State Legislature took a bold step in 2007 by creating a dedicated transportation funding source in Act 44. Unfortunately, the federal government denied the state’s plan to toll Interstate 80, which has created this statewide shortfall.
I guess at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which government you blame, as long as you blame government.
But I think what saddens me the most, is this overlooked (and in my opinion, buried: it wasn’t even mentioned in their blog post) fact:
The buses I usually take come from Harmar Garage, and except for two, all the drivers I’ve met are awesome, kind and go out of their way for the riders. There will be many that I will miss, not to mention the mechanics, traffic coordinators and office staff at Harmar. I think this is the biggest shame of the whole situation.
More information will be released here as PAT makes it available.
