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Tentative Transit Agreement Reached

A tentative contract agreement that could prevent Port Authority service cuts has been reached.

The Port Authority, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85 and Allegheny County have reached a tentative contract agreement.

If approved, the agreement is the first step in preventing the 35 percent service cuts, resulting in layoffs and closing of the Collier Garage and various park and ride lots around the area. The cuts were scheduled to take effect in September.

That agreement will be considered by the Local 85 membership on Aug. 19 and the Port Authority Board, which will meet in the days following the union vote.  Details will be made public at that time.

Continue to follow Patch as details become available.

andy August 9, 2012 at 07:28 pm
I really hope this is an agreement that solves the public transportation system's problems in Allegheny County for the long run. You can't call yourself America's Most Livable City without a viable and dependable mass transit system that serves all of the public, especially those who don't drive or can't afford to drive. Pittsburgh needs to look at Portland, OR for ways to improve its transit system.
cc August 9, 2012 at 10:36 pm
From what my neighbor said that is a bus driver this is only a 6-12 month fix.
sheridan edmondson August 9, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Thank you to everyone who put in the hard work to get this first step in place. I hope everything else goes smoothly and we are able to keep our transit system intact.
Roger August 9, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Quoting, "I hope ... we are able to keep our transit system intact ...."
That may be an admirable hope, but recent history has shown the present system is not sustainable. This is the problem. Nobody wants to make changes so that it will survive and have longevity. Just "keep ... intact" only prolongs the problem. I think the Wash DC phrase, "Kick the can down the road." From what I can discern, major changes are needed, not just keeping things the way the have been in the recent past.
Mike Jones August 9, 2012 at 11:51 pm
@cc... It will always be a temporary fix unless our elected leaders at the state level find a dedicated revenue source for transit. That includes public transportation and road infrastructure improvements. That's what Act 44 of 2007 was supposed to do, but the big revenue item -- either tolling I-80 or leasing the PA Turnpike -- was never ratified by the state.
cc August 10, 2012 at 02:00 am
Mike I agree there, my neighbor said that Port Authority wanted many cuts and the drivers union isn't budging that much as it is their right to make the money and have their heathcare paid in full when they retire. My neighbor is 52 and retiring at the end of the year and will get free healthcare and full pension the rest of his life. He says his pension comes out to be 3/4 of his pay. That is a nice perk that few companies provide, in fact it is better than a military pension.
Ed M August 10, 2012 at 10:55 am
Our elected leaders can find all the funding they want but until PAT is either privatized or the management improves, it's like tossing money in a black hole.
Billee August 10, 2012 at 10:56 am
Some patch is better than no patch at all. Here today... gone tomorrow. Daily bread is all we are promised.
Patrick August 10, 2012 at 01:15 pm
I believe the current approach of raising rates and cutting routes doesn't make sense. I am all for a livable wage but when port authority bus drivers make 80k - 130k, I think there needs to be a serious look at what are competitive wages for this job versus what is taking advantage of the system and the people trying to fund it.
Outraged Citizen August 10, 2012 at 01:35 pm
I realize this is being completely selfish on my part, but I was looking forward to the cuts. I hate waiting behinds these behemoths that clog the roads and make my little Village a little less special. Oh well, we can’t always get what we want.
Sandra August 10, 2012 at 01:57 pm
Too bad they won't bring back the routes that were previously cut.
Patrick August 10, 2012 at 02:05 pm
I would rather some behemoth buses on the road rather than the people in it all driving vehicles and clogging the roads more.
b smith August 10, 2012 at 11:54 pm
What do you mean Roger.... someone out there having to make some real cuts and pay drivers a realistic salary.... that is crazy talk!!!!! Holy shi¡p I should have been a bus driver I could retire before I got grey hair too!!!
How about privatizing the buses and T. No one else finds it obsurd that the T only serves the south hills. NYC Boston you can ride all over the place at almost any hour. How much would that help with the traffic into and out of town. Plus eliminate the stops every block, its worse then a school bus. Oh yeah how hard is it to drive that subway car, its easier then nascar. At least mascara has to make left hand turns....
cc August 11, 2012 at 01:44 am
Patrick don't forget the bus drivers don't put much towards their health insurance, comes out to 30 a month, they get awesome pensions that they don't contribute to but can also put money in a 401 K if they choose to. Bus drivers are the cream of the crop with benefits and retirement.
cc August 11, 2012 at 01:47 am
I sometimes with I could take a bus to work but since the buses where cut i'm stuck driving every day. I use to enjoy spending an hour reading instead of sitting in traffic.
Ed M August 11, 2012 at 02:56 am
The trolley's use to go all over the city! West End, Oakland but PAT eliminated those routes decades ago, They kept the trolley routes where the population boom was - the South Hills. Remember, NYC and Boston have had a subway system in place for decades. Comparing Pittsburgh's T to NYC & Boston is apples to oranges.
Did you ever drive a subway car??? If you answer is no, then you have no idea what it takes to drive one.

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Johann Lynge June 13, 2013 at 03:54 am
@MCG - I appreciate how you perceived the situation and I apologize if that was in fact the case.Read More Like I said I was not privy to the exact conversation. However at the time it wasn't explained like that to me so I was unaware and handled it as I interpreted it. My apologies if I was mistaken.
Johann Lynge June 13, 2013 at 04:07 am
@Debbie L. Actually the police have not been to the pub in a long time. The last time they wereRead More there was because I called them because a man who was intoxicated (which we didn't serve because he is barred) came in and refused to leave. And I don't ever recall seeing the fire department there. But to blame it on the Pub is a misconception because even if you closed the pub there are half a dozen other bars on the blvd that everyone would then frequent. While Bob Dobbs recommendation of reinstating prohibition might sound like a good idea good luck with that. Prohibition didn't prevent drinking in the 20's and it wouldn't stop it now either. Ultimately we can not make everyone happy but we do our best to run a safe and friendly establishment. And I make it my personal mission to prevent any and all fights. Since I've been the door man (almost 6 months) we have only had 1 fight in the bar which was quickly broken up. We are not perfect. Nor is any other bar. But we constantly strive to make improvements. We are a community pub. We love our community and everyone in it.
Bob Dobbs June 13, 2013 at 01:23 pm
i should say that out of the handful of bars in the vicinity, i prefer the brookline pub if i'mRead More gonna go to a bar . i dont care for the younger kids that accumulate on saturday nights with that annoying ghetto music but the food specials are decent and they do stock a decent selection of beers . i find zippy's to be much more clique-y and narrow-minded .
Brad Birdwell June 10, 2013 at 09:18 pm
@Daria. My description is 100% accurate. Yes, the bouncer quickly handled the situation by claimingRead More he witnessed "the whole thing". And he did. He witnessed my friends and I waiting to order a drink. That's all. Nothing more. Nothing less. The description is not harsh, it's actually toned down in comparison to what actually happened. The bouncer said, "I witnessed the whole thing and you were being a ****. One customer standing in line to order. One customer flicking another customer's hood and getting in his face. Which one was wrong? Apparently me since I don't go there frequently.
Johann Lynge June 11, 2013 at 08:39 am
To everyone following this thread, I'm the doorman in question at the Brookline Pub. I've posted aRead More response to the original poster on Patch.com that can be found at the following address: http://dormont-brookline.patch.com/groups/opinion/p/in-response-to-the-post-brookline-pubhorrible-experience I implore everyone to read that response to hear my side of the story. Thank you.
Debbie L. June 12, 2013 at 09:36 pm
Brad,,i totally agree with ya 100 percent,,nothing but trouble there, when my son starts going thereRead More from time to time again, i know hes up to no good.
Erin Faulk (Editor) June 8, 2013 at 06:08 pm
Thanks for adding this, Drew! Article coming soon. If you have any photos from the games, pleaseRead More feel free to add the photos here, too.
Drew Lehman June 9, 2013 at 10:08 am
The game actually will be played at Green Twp. Park in Scotland Pa. (near Chambersburg)
JLMK June 8, 2013 at 01:36 pm
Hi there. My fiancee and i are interested. Can you inbox me? Jesskrchmar@Gmail. Com
coreylahey June 5, 2013 at 05:51 pm
But I reported on documented actions that happened within the community. Where is the violation?
Erin Faulk (Editor) June 5, 2013 at 05:54 pm
One was removed for personal attacks, another because it implied that there was corruption by aRead More specific person. Although you didn't name the person, it was implied. Since the corruption was never proven, I removed the comment. It's over. You're welcome to continue commenting as long as you follow the term of use.
coreylahey June 6, 2013 at 12:25 am
Yeah I guess the public online court records showing someone pleading guilty is not proof