Change may be coming for Westmoreland transit authority

By Rich Cholodofsky 

Westmoreland County commissioners will vote today on a proposal to allow the county transit authority to serve as its own bus operator.

Authority board members endorsed the move last week to amend the agency’s charter, a change that officials said could dramatically transform the operation and offer an alternative to the current model, which requires hiring a private company to provide drivers, supervisors and maintenance workers for buses and paratransit vehicles.

Issues over driver shortages, route cancellations and maintenance deficiencies have plagued the transit system over the last year, resulting in fines for the current operator, Ohio-based National Express Transit.

“The change in the articles of incorporation will give the authority as many options as possible, just in case performance doesn’t continue to improve or our future rate negotiations do not go well. After just having gone through the proposal process a year ago, we want to be able to explore all of the service delivery options,” said authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec.

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