For years, Port Authority and its employees have contributed time, energy, and resources to make our community a better place to live and work. Below are just some examples of our most recent community contributions.

A Random Act of Kindness

Port Authority Operator Don Putteman was recently the subject of a newspaper article entitled “Random Acts of Kindness.” In it, Putteman is commended for finding a Regent Square resident’s wallet while driving his South Negley-Centre Avenue route. The operator personally contacted the individual and made arrangements for his wallet to be returned to him later that same day.

Incidentally, the resident wasn’t even aware that his wallet was missing until Putteman phoned him.

ACCESS Driver Stops Carjacking by Prohibiting Street Access to Mugger

In late April, an unidentified ACCESS driver had just dropped off a customer in Munhall. Out of his side mirror he saw a woman struggling with a man who appeared to be assaulting her and trying to steal her purse. The "mugger" pushed the woman down, grabbed her keys and took off in her SUV. The Access driver pulled his vehicle into the street blocking the "carjacker" from getting away with the woman's car.

In his panic to get away, the "carjacker" jumped out of the vehicle without putting it into park. The vehicle then struck the ACCESS van which set off the Drive Cam camera on board the Access vehicle. The camera took several high resolution photos of the "carjacker" as he was jumping out of the vehicle and running away. Despite his instinct to run after the guy to try to catch him, the ACCESS driver wisely went over to assist the woman and called his dispatcher to notify 911 of the incident.

The Drive Cam tape and still photos of the "carjacker" were sent to the Munhall Police and the story appeared on KDKA-TV. There’s no word on whether the carjacker was apprehended, however, the woman got her car back and was not seriously injured.

* ACCESS is sponsored by Port Authority of Allegheny County and is operated by a Service broker ACCESS Transportation Systems, Inc. (a subsidiary of Multisystems, Inc.) under a contract with Port Authority.

Port Authority CEO Steve Bland (left) recognized the ACCESS driver (center) for his outstanding efforts to stop a carjacking during Port Authority’s May 2007 Board Meeting.