[IMC-pgh-editorial] News Release from Save Our Transit

[Stephen Donahue]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    CONTACT

November 4, 2004
Stephen Donahue

 
412-361-3022 (wk) 

 
412-802-6542 (hm)        

 

 

 

 

Angry and anxious Port Authority riders will march to public hearing on
massive service cuts and fare hikes.

 

            On Thursday, November 4, 2004 public transit riders from
Allegheny County will gather at the State Office Building, 300 Liberty
Avenue at 10:00AM for a rally to protest proposed massive Port Authority
service cuts and fare hikes. From there they will march at 10:15AM to
the Sheraton Hotel at Station Square where the Port Authority will be
conducting the required public hearing on these service cuts and fare
hikes.  

 

            Bus riders from the group Save Our Transit have been doing
extensive outreach to fellow riders to build this event and a large
turnout is expected.   "We want to do a big noisy pep rally for public
transit", says Save Our Transit co-founder Stephen Donahue. "They are
going to hear us inside that Sheraton Hotel and they are going to hear
us all the way over in Harrisburg," he adds.

 

            Many bus and trolley riders in Allegheny County are very
angry, frustrated and worried. For three years they have been imploring
state legislators and the Governor's office -- first Ridge then
Schweiker and now Rendell -- for the dedicated and reliable funding
needed to keep public transit running. All this has fallen on deaf ears.
Now they find it hard to believe that they are being asked to comment on
plans by the Port Authority to make up for continued state funding
shortfalls with increased fares, the termination of all weekend and
holiday service, the termination of all night time service and the
elimination of  70 bus routes.  

 

            Save Our Transit members refuse to even consider the loss of
weekend and night time service so long as the PA General Assembly is
still in session.  No weekend, holiday and night time service means a
dead transit system for these riders and they are not ready to roll over
yet.

In fact on November 10, 2004 hundreds of these same riders will once
again journey to the State Capitol to press for the passage of
legislation that will keep public transit running in Allegheny County
and all over Pennsylvania.

 

            The rally and march on November 4 will take place rain or
shine.  By permit the march will proceed on the street:  Liberty Avenue
to Stanwix Street to 4th Avenue to Smithfield Street to Station Square.

 

            

For more information call Stephen Donahue at 412-361-3022 (wk) or
412-802-6542 (hm)

 

SAVE OUR TRANSIT

No More Fare Hikes!                           No More Service Cuts!

 

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