Q. Why do senior citizens ride for free when the rest of us have to pay?
A. Senior citizens may not have to put money into the farebox during non-peak hours, but their trip is not free. The Pennsylvania Lottery reimburses Port Authority the full zone one base fare ($1.75) for every ride taken by senior citizens.

Q. Why do University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Chatham College students and staff ride for free?
A. These universities pay Port Authority to provide unlimited access to its services for their students, faculty and staff. These agreements provide Port Authority with a predictable revenue stream, increase ridership and familiarize younger residents with the benefits of public transit. These agreements also allow Port Authority to increase the reimbursement amount if fares rise.

Q. If Port Authority has a funding crisis, why does it continue to build and plan for capital projects such as the North Shore Connector?
A. Capital improvement projects such as the North Shore Connector, which has been in planning since the late 1990s, take a decade or more to plan and construct. Funding for these projects comes from capital budgets earmarked specifically for the projects by county, state and federal funding partners and cannot be used to support the Authority's operating budget. While Port Authority is currently facing an operating budget crisis, it is important to continue to plan for the future so that when a long-term solution to funding Pennsylvania's public transit agencies is secured, our region is poised to expand its network of public transportation services and facilities. The bottom line is that if the North Shore Connector was cancelled today, it would not decrease Port Authority's budget deficit by one penny.

Q. Can a portion of Pennsylvania's gas tax be used to fund public transportation?
A. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently prohibits the use of gas tax revenues for the purpose of funding public transportation.

Q. How are other transit agencies across the nation funded and are any other agencies facing financial crises similar to Port Authority's?
A. Many public transit agencies across the United States receive dedicated funding via a local sales tax. Other states fund transit through other statewide or countywide taxes. Due to state funding issues, public transit agencies in Pennsylvania are facing similar budget crises and are also proposing fare increases and service reductions. For example, SEPTA in Philadelphia is facing a $120 million budget deficit in FY 2008. Due to rising costs and a weakened economy, many public transit agencies across the country have implemented fare increases, service cuts and employee layoffs in recent years.

Q. Are there any efforts underway to secure adequate state funding for Port Authority and all of Pennsylvania's transit agencies?
A. Port Authority officials continue to work diligently with the region's and state's elected leaders and administrators to secure a long-term solution to funding public transit in Pennsylvania. Authority officials are also working closely with SEPTA officials, other transit agencies across the state and the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association on securing a long-term funding solution for all of Pennsylvania's transit systems. In addition, public transit support groups such as the Allegheny County Transit Council and Save Our Transit have been writing and visiting state legislators, holding rallies and calling the public's attention to the vital service that public transit provides for our community.

Q. If Port Authority has major budget challenges, why is it spending money on advertising and promotion?
A. Although Port Authority has reduced its marketing and advertising budget by more than 50 percent, it is important to continue marketing its services and providing information to customers. In many cases, advertising is accomplished through "trades" with other entities and does not require an expenditure of dollars by Port Authority. In addition, Port Authority's marketing, advertising and promotions budget is funded primarily by the revenue generated from advertising you see on buses and light rail vehicles - not from the farebox.

Q. What criteria does Port Authority use when it creates a service reduction plan?
A. Before developing a service reduction plan, Port Authority asked the community for input on its proposed methodology for evaluating the efficiency of current bus and rail service. This analysis, called the Service Scorecard, evaluated each route in three major categories: effectiveness (average ridership, ridership trends, transfer opportunities); efficiency (riders per trip, riders per hour, cost per rider); and equity (fairness of service distribution by community and for senior citizens and riders with disabilities). These measures were used to score each route, and the lowest-rated routes are now being considered for service reductions or eliminations. Input from the public was vital in helping to determine how to minimize the impact of the service reductions and route eliminations.