March Service Changes

The Port Authority March 2008 service changes are up, and are mostly harmless. Notice the error in calling the Trafford Express the 68E, when it's really the 68F. Ha!

Port Authority also posted a quick and easy guide that actually links to the new schedules! Right now that previous page is the only place to get them, hopefully they'll replace the old schedules on the website Sunday morning. All changes take effect at the beginning of service on Sunday, March 16th, 2008.

The biggest deal on the new schedules? The error. Yep, the new schedules for 12 bus routes (51E, 58C, 58P, 58V, 67A, 67C, 67E, 67F, 67H, 67J, 68F, and 68J) show a new Downtown routing that has now been postponed. This is all related to the rerouting of buses away from Market Square, which has been delayed due to construction. Yes, if you want to revitalize Market Square, make sure bus riders are not waiting and getting off there. Luckily it seems they were able to add a disclaimer to the schedule before printing, but the maps inside are still incorrect.

The other interesting trend are the adjustments made to increase West Busway pickups heading to downtown. Three inbound and outbound rush hour trips have been added to the all-stops 33X, and restrictions at Sheraden Station on the 28X have been lifted. No new schedule for the 28X is listed on the website as of yet. The lot in Sheraden is currently at 95%, so adding all those new trips must be needed. The 28K Moon Express also picks up at Sheraden before heading downtown.

The 28X definitely should be examined. Right now, it picks up only going to the Airport, and discharges only going to Downtown and Oakland. I understand expediting the trip to the airport: your flight will leave with or without you. But I can see eliminating some stop restrictions during off-peak times, especially heading to Oakland, due to eliminations in midday 100 service to Oakland. The bus is often half-empty during the day, and passengers on the busway are passed up.

Wow that was nerdy. Ok, here's a real problem with the Port Authority website. Say you find an old schedule in your house. Is it still good? Some buses like my old 61C haven't been touched since March of 2007. Oh look, Port Authority has a list of routes and when their schedules were last updated! Oh, but it hasn't been updated since the March 2007 service changes. Yep, it hasn't been changed to reflect the June 2007 15% service cuts. Shameful.

A New Year (And More 28X Service!)

Hello there. Once again, sorry for the lack of posts over the holiday. I have a lot of posts on tap for the new year, including:

• The Bias Against Buses
• Automated Bus Information By Phone - In Pittsburgh!
• The 2008 Presidential Candidates on Public Transportation (Clinton and Huckabee, Obama and McCain)
  

And of course late-breaking news on transit here in Pittsburgh and around the world as it happens.

- Post-Gazette reports on the triple whammy that took affect Jan. 1st: more money for buses, drinks, and rental cars. You know, talking to friends, I'm starting to worry that a tax that people encounter often like a drink tax may turn some off to supporting public transit. I hope I'm wrong.

- On a small note, more 28X service has been added again for returning Pitt and CMU students. And Port Authority put the times online in a PDF this time! Progress!

Port Authority Adds 28X Service This Week

Port Authority Adds 28X Service This Week

Pittsburgh, PA – To accommodate those college students traveling between Downtown Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh International Airport for winter break, Port Authority will provide additional service on its popular 28X Airport Flyer bus route beginning Wednesday afternoon, December 12 and continuing through Friday, December 14, 2007.

Beginning at 3:15 p.m. and continuing through 7:10 p.m. on December 12, Port Authority will add 10 trips on its 28X service. These trips, which will operate every 25-30 minutes, are in addition to those trips already scheduled.

On Thursday and Friday, Port Authority will add 25 trips daily, including 15 trips every 30 minutes between 5:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. and 10 trips between 3:15 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.

Those wishing additional information should contact Port Authority Customer Service at (412) 442-2000 or the TTY number, (412) 231-7007, for the speech and hearing impaired.

Good idea. Glad to see they are becoming more responsive to the importance of this route, which was supposedly on the chopping block before. What still bugs me: no specific timetables for this plan. Ones were printed for Thanksgiving but were not put online. That's a bit behind the times. If I find a printed one I'll post it so at least it's somewhere.

UPDATE: Additional 28X times are now in the comments of this post.