Reporting for SpaceWatchtower
In 2012, Port Authority of Allegheny County Transit (PAT), Pittsburgh's public transit system, started rolling-out a new, automated payment system. Known as "ConnectCard," it is similar to smart card systems used in other cities, such as the "Breeze" card used by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).
The ConnectCard is a plastic card which contains a computer chip, which holds the dollar value to pay for transit rides. The transit rider uses a special vending machine, at Light Rail Transit and Incline stations and other locations, to pay for the value held on the card. Then, with a "tap" of the card on a special automated fare box, at Light Rail and Incline stations and on Light Rail cars and buses, the payment is automatically made.
The ConnectCard can be used by the transit rider as an Annual Transit Pass, Monthly Transit Pass, or Weekly Transit Pass, so individual cardboard passes no longer have to be distributed. This also prevents counterfeit cardboard passes, which have been a problem for PAT. The ConnectCard can also be used to pay for individual transit trips.
Until now, PAT has provided the ConnectCard to riders free-of-charge. This one card is expected to last several years, before it needs to be replaced. In June, PAT proposed to start charging for each new and replacement ConnectCard issued to riders. To defray the cost of the card and the ConnectCard operating system, PAT proposed a three-dollar or five-dollar charge for each new ConnectCard issued.
On June 30, PAT held a public hearing on the proposed ConnectCard charge. The majority of people testifying at the hearing opposed the new charge. At PAT's Planning and Stakeholder Relations Committee meeting on July 16, where committee members were expected to preliminarily approve a ConnectCard charge, the committee members deferred a decision until September to allow for additional consideration of the proposal.
The following are public statements (from the June 30 public hearing and the July 24 monthly PAT Board meeting) by Glenn A. Walsh, regarding the proposed ConnectCard charge.
Statement before Glenn A. Walsh
Board of Directors of P.O. Box 1041
Port Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.
Allegheny County: Telephone: 412-561-7876
Good morning. I am Glenn A. Walsh,
633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon, a regular Light Rail and bus rider who has chosen
not to drive a motor vehicle since 1985, to help save energy, protect the
environment, and reduce city traffic congestion. I have been an active transit
advocate for more than 37 years, including 3 terms (1984 to 1989) on the
Allegheny County Transit Council as a Charter Member. My comments today are my
own and do not reflect those of any organization.
First, I want to applaud the members
of PAT’s Planning & Stakeholder Relations Committee for truly listening to
the public’s opposition to applying a fee to the ConnectCard. The delay in
approving such a fee will allow further consideration of this important issue.
At last week’s meeting, I learned
that PAT plans to dispense ConnectCards at the automated machines at rail
stations and other locations, as other transit systems do. Dispensing
ConnectCards for free at automated machines was not considered feasible by the PAT
staff, which is quite understandable.
So, I suggest a one dollar fee for a
ConnectCard at an automated machine, due to the added convenience of obtaining
the card at the machine. In 2009, I bought a similar “Breeze” card at an
Atlanta subway station’s automated machine for just one dollar; the Breeze card
is still just one dollar.
However, ConnectCards should
continue to be free-of-charge at the PAT Service Center. So, people have a
choice. If they want or need a free ConnectCard, they can get one at the PAT
Service Center.
Thank you.
Statement before Glenn A. Walsh
Public Hearing of P.O. Box 1041
Port Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.
Allegheny County: Telephone: 412-561-7876
Space
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
2015 June 30
Good morning. I am Glenn A. Walsh, 633
Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon, a regular Light Rail and bus rider who has chosen
not to drive a motor vehicle since 1985, to help save energy, protect the
environment, and reduce city traffic congestion. I have been an active transit
advocate for more than 37 years, including 3 terms (1984 to 1989) on the
Allegheny County Transit Council as a Charter Member. My comments today are my
own and do not reflect those of any organization.
The Port Authority of Allegheny
County Public Transit System (PAT) proposes to start charging a $5 fee for both
new and replacement ConnectCards, beginning on August 1. Such an action would
be short-sighted.
ConnectCards are valuable for three
reasons: 1) Faster and more convenient payment system for transit riders; 2)
Improves transit system efficiency; 3) Improves security for both the transit
rider and PAT. To introduce any disincentive for transit riders, particularly
new riders not familiar with the transit system, to obtain a ConnectCard would reduce
the value of the ConnectCard system—a system that PAT has spent a lot of money
to implement!
Any charge for new ConnectCards,
particularly a charge as exorbitant as $5, would be a great disincentive to
persuading new and occasional riders to pay via ConnectCard. It could also
discourage ridership by new and occasional riders.
I could understand a fee to replace
a lost ConnectCard, but such a fee should be nominal. Carnegie Library only
charges $1 to replace a lost library card. Certainly, PAT should not charge
more than a dollar to replace a ConnectCard.
New ConnectCards should remain
free-of-charge, to incentivize new and occasional riders to pay using this more
efficient system. Replacements for lost ConnectCards should cost no more than a
dollar.
Thank you.
gaw
More about the ConnectCard: Link >>> http://www.connectcard.org/
ConnectCard Public Hearing Notice:
Link >>> http://www.portauthority.org/paac/NewsEvents/LatestNews/tabid/96/nnpg731/2/cmd731/arch/archDt731/062015/~/Default.aspx?tabid=96&mid=731&newsid731=1546&Port-Authority-Public-Comment-Period--Hearing-Scheduled
Glenn A. Walsh was interviewed on this issue by Elaine Effort on KQV-AM 1410 NewsRadio (July 16), as well being quoted in the following articles:
Schmitz, Jo. "$5 Port Authority ConnectCard fee runs into opposition."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2015 June 30.
Link >>> http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2015/06/30/Port-Authority-plan-to-charge-a-ConnectCard-fee-meets-opposition/stories/201506300244
Schneider, Sarah. "Plan To Charge For ConnectCard Postponed."
WESA-FM 90.5 Pittsburgh 2015 July 24.
Link >>> http://wesa.fm/post/plan-charge-connectcard-postponed
Chafin, Casey. "PAT Holds Public Hearing on Proposed ConnectCard Fee."
WESA-FM 90.5 Pittsburgh 2015 June 30.
Link >>> http://wesa.fm/post/pat-holds-public-hearing-proposed-connectcard-fee
Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.
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gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
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