Port Authority has launched an ambitious 18-month initiative to connect the region, its neighborhoods and resources, and Port Authority customers and employees. Called Connect ’09, this effort is a broad analysis of our business practices designed to ensure the most efficient operations possible with available future funding.

Connect ’09 has the potential to reshape public transportation in Allegheny County, and its success will depend greatly on public input.

The primary goals of Connect ’09, which Port Authority hopes to achieve by Calendar Year 2009, include connecting neighborhoods through new service models and connecting the region by enhancing coordination of transit services and adopting a regional fare collection system.

The new service models will be an outgrowth of a Transit Development Plan that uses extensive public input to redesign the way Port Authority provides service. The Transit Development Plan, which will focus primarily on Port Authority’s bus system, will engage both the public and regional operators in identifying the population characteristics of traditional and emerging neighborhoods and their most appropriate service models.

Because many urban neighborhoods have witnessed significant population declines and demographic changes, and because many suburban areas have seen significant growth in patterns that do not support traditional transit approaches, it is expected that new models will include neighborhood circulators, trunk and feeder services and demand responsive services.

This examination of service was strongly recommended by the Pennsylvania Transportation and Funding Reform Commission, which also called for greater coordination of regional services and better data collection to establish ridership patterns.

Port Authority believes more seamless regional transit services can be made possible in part by modern fare collection technologies. Port Authority plans to replace its antiquated fare collection system – and provide financial help to those regional operators which are interested in doing the same – with state-of-the-art smart card hardware and software.

As part of its Connect ’09 initiative, Port Authority now allows all regional operators to pick up and discharge customers in Allegheny County.

Connect ’09 will also include efforts to better manage Port Authority’s financial resources through containment of unit costs and an independent examination of pension and healthcare costs, as well as efforts to boost employee productivity through the development of autonomous work units.