Westmoreland transit authority service cuts aren’t expected

The organization’s executive director said services won’t be affected by the state budget impasse.

By RICH CHOLODOFSKY
TribLive

The ongoing budget stalemate in Harrisburg will have little impact on Westmoreland County Transit Authority operations, officials said.

Executive Director Alan Blahovec, during the authority’s monthly board meeting Thursday, said the agency has enough funding in place to continue its current schedule of fixed-route bus service and paratransit programs throughout the fiscal year that ends next summer.

State lawmakers are two months late in passing a budget, leaving larger transit systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh short of key funding they say is necessary to continue uninterrupted service.

“We have continued to receive our allocation and expect we’ll continue to receive the money we need to continue to run our services and some capital projects that were approved as part of last year’s budget,” Blahovec said.

Authority board members in June approved a $17.9 million operating budget that included state funding consistent with what the authority previously received.

The authority operates 15 daily routes, including commuter service to Pittsburgh and local stops throughout Westmoreland County.

Blahovec said state funds will be used to pay for a $100,000 upgrade of the authority’s computer systems. The authority is slated to purchase up to 45 new computers to replace aging equipment. Nearly 97% of the project costs will be paid for through state funding, officials said.

Authority board members also padded the revenue sheet through approval of the sale of 12 older buses that are no longer in service. Five commuter buses and seven smaller vehicles used for the Go Westmoreland shared-ride program were sold to a Fayette County-based salvage company for $11,600.

Board Chairman Tony Lizza said the authority will consider donating out-of-service buses to local schools for vocational training programs in the future.