Port Authority of Allegheny County is preparing to evaluate each bus and rail route in its system as part of an effort to improve efficiency, manage costs and prepare for service reductions.

This evaluation, called our Service Scorecard, will analyze each route in three major categories: effectiveness (average ridership, ridership trends, transfer opportunities, park and ride use); 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).

Your input is vital to this process. As such, we have planned a series of public workshops during which we will explain the evaluation plan and ask the community at large to provide feedback on our methodology and suggestions for improving the process. This will ensure that your input is received and considered in the design of the Scorecard, which will enable us to conduct the fairest and most informed analysis of our service prior to making any changes to it.

This exercise is not intended to include discussions of fare levels or future plans for specific routes.Instead, the public workshop is an opportunity to discuss the manner in which we plan to evaluate Port Authority’s current public transit system and service level. Feedback on fare and service levels would be sought and recorded in any future public hearings. Port Authority has made no decisions about changes to fare and service levels and will not do so until the Scorecard evaluations are completed. However, public hearings are anticipated in the late January - early February time frame, with changes to fares and service becoming effective no earlier than June 2007.

The public workshops will be conducted in a discussion/brainstorming format meant to encourage participation and communication between Port Authority, its customers and community stakeholders. All those who are interested in helping to shape the future of public transportation in Allegheny County are encouraged to attend any of the following public workshops:

• Nov. 27: 6-8 p.m., Crafton Community Center, 140 Bradford Avenue, Crafton.
• Nov. 28: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Monongahela Room, 17th Floor, Omni William Penn, 530 William Penn Place, Pittsburgh.
• Nov. 28: 6-8 p.m., Wilkinsburg Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 605 Ross Avenue, Wilkinsburg.
• Nov. 29: 6-8 p.m., Bethel Park Fire Hall, 5213 Brightwood Road, Bethel Park.
• Nov. 30: 6-8 p.m., West View Fire Hall, 398 Perry Highway, Ross Township.

Attendees are asked to register in advance by calling 412-566-5135 and indicating which of the meetings they plan to attend. However, if you are unable to attend a workshop, please take the time to review the proposed Service Scorecard below and send your comments on it to Port Authority. Is this a credible way of assessing service? Are there other factors we should consider? Do you agree or disagree with the methodology and why? What other thoughts would you like to offer about the Scorecard?

Thank you for participating and for helping Port Authority better serve you and all the citizens of Allegheny County.

Service Scorecard

Purpose: A methodology to evaluate current routes.

Three (3) major categories: Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity.

Sub-categories are ranked on a point scale of one to ten. Rankings will be averaged and routes will be sorted from highest rank to lowest rank.

• Average Daily Ridership
• Ridership Trend
• Transfer Opportunities

• Riders per Trip
• Riders per Vehicle Hour
• Cost per Rider

• Title VI Coverage
• Seniors Citizen Riders
• Riders with Disabilities
• Allegheny County coverage