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Port Authority of Allegheny County (also known as the Port Authority and formerly as Port Authority Transit (PAT) and PATransit) is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 16th-largest in the United States.〔(APTA: 20 Largest Bus and Trolleybus Agencies )〕 The county-owned, state-funded agency is based in Pittsburgh and is overseen by a CEO and a nine-member board of upaid volunteer directors, who are appointed by the county executive and approved by the county council.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.portauthority.org/paac/CompanyInfoProjects/BoardofDirectors.aspx )〕 The Port Authority's bus, light rail and funicular system covers Allegheny County. On a few of its longer-distance routes, service extends into neighboring counties such as Beaver, Washington, and Westmoreland. These counties have their own transit systems, including several routes that run into downtown Pittsburgh, where riders can make connections with Port Authority service. ==History== The Port Authority was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1956 to allow for creation of port facilities in the Pittsburgh area.〔(Port Authority History )〕 Three years later, the legislation was amended to allow the Port Authority to acquire privately owned transit companies that served the area. This included the Pittsburgh Railways Company and 32 independent bus and incline operations.〔(Onorato, Bland Announce Proposed Port Authority Fare and Service Changes, Request Public Input and Comment -- January 3, 2007 ). Allegheny County government release.〕 On April 19, 1963 the Board of Allegheny County Commissioners authorized the acquisition of 32 transit companies, including the Pittsburgh Railways Company, which had provided bus and streetcar service to Pittsburgh since January 1902, and an incline plane company, for about $12 million.〔 On March 1, 1964 Port Authority Transit began service.〔(The Early Years 1964-1972. Antique Motor Coach Association of Pennsylvania ). Retrieved May 26, 2009.〕 Shortly after the Port Authority began service, 150 GM "Fishbowl" buses were introduced to replace aging ones acquired from its predecessors, a new route numbering convention was introduced, and the fare system was streamlined.〔 Due to urban sprawl, the agency introduced new routes that served new communities.〔 In the following years, additional buses were ordered and several new transit garages opened.〔 Many of the trolley lines acquired from Pittsburgh Railways were abandoned, and turned into bus lines; South Hills lines via Beechview and Overbrook were retained.〔Potter, Chris (November 20, 2008). (You Had to Ask ). ''Pittsburgh City Paper''.〕 In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Port Authority hoped to introduce a modern rapid transit system known as Skybus with rubber-tired vehicles running on rails, but the plan fell through.〔Steigerwald, Bill. (November 27, 2005). (True tales of transit folley ). ''The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review''.〕 In the early 1970s, the Port Authority entered what was dubbed by its fans the "Mod" era, with buses repainted in splashy paint schemes.〔(The MOD Years, 1972-1980. Antique Motor Coach Association of Pennsylvania ). Retrieved May 26, 2009.〕 Several new flyer routes and routes to Oakland's university core were introduced as part of a new general marketing strategy.〔 In 1975 the Port Authority took over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad commuter rail line to Versailles, which it branded PATrain. These new routes, coupled with the 1973 oil crisis, generated a major increase in ridership.〔 Due to the poor state of the economy at the time, fares increased and there was a brief strike in 1976.〔Silver, Jonathan D (November 23, 2008). (How '92 transit strike ended ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.''〕 In spite of these setbacks, the South Busway opened in 1977 and plans for other capital investments were made.〔 During the 1980s, with gas prices falling and population loss from the decline of the steel industry, ridership decreased and the agency lowered fares to attract new riders in the middle of the decade.〔 Many new buses were ordered, and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway opened in 1983.〔(The 80's at PAT. Antique Motor Coach Association of Pennsylvania ). Retrieved May 26, 2009.〕 Construction of a light rail line that started in downtown south to traverse Beechview, with lines to South Hills Village and Library progressed during the decade.〔 Part of the line was an updated version of the old trolley system. In July 1985, the downtown subway opened, the Beechview line followed in 1987 and the Library line a year later.〔 In 1989, the agency celebrated its twenty-fifth year of existence, and commuter rail to Versailles was discontinued. The agency was rocked by a four-week strike due to a labor dispute in 1992.〔 The strike, coupled with changing demographic patterns, caused a decrease in ridership.〔 New buses that were compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 were introduced early in the decade.〔 In 1993, the badly detiorated Overbrook light rail line was shut down, requiring trains to use the Beechview line.〔Brown, David M (June 2, 2004). (Rebuilt Overbrook line takes passengers back to the future ). ''The Pittsburgh Tribune Review.''〕 Several capital projects, such as the construction of a western busway and light rail extensions were considered.〔 In 1998, the agency rebranded itself as "Ride Gold" with new paint schemes and a new marketing campaign.〔Grata, Joe (September 21, 2006). (At Port Authority, 'gold standard' is old standard ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''〕 In 2000, the West Busway from the Ohio River to Carnegie was opened.〔(American Public Transit Association -- Bus Rapid Transit ). Retrieved May 26, 2009. 〕 Shortly thereafter, new bus routes to outlying communities such as Cranberry were established.〔''(Cranberry Township Newsletter )''. August 2000.〕 In 2003, a short extension of the East Busway was completed.〔Grata, Joe (June 7, 2003). (East Busway addition nearly completed ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.〕 The following year, the Overbrook light rail line was re-opened after a lengthy reconstruction.〔 Construction also started on a light rail extension to Pittsburgh's North Shore near Heinz Field, known as the North Shore Connector. Unfortunately, in spite of the capital projects expansion, the agency was in serious financial trouble by the middle of the decade. In June 2007, the agency went through with a 15 percent service cut in order to cut the deficit.〔Silver, Jonathan D (June 17, 2007). (Cutbacks at strapped Port Authority take effect today ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.〕 In order to provide a dedicated source of funding, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato introduced the controversial 10% Allegheny County Alcoholic Beverage Tax in 2008 to fund the agency.〔Bumstead, Brad and Mike Wereschagin (January 12, 2008). (For politicians, the pour tax tasted smooth ). ''The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.''〕 Later that same year, another strike was narrowly averted.〔(November 25, 2008). (Port Authority, union reach tentative agreement on new pact ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.〕 The agency is planning a major service overhaul that will begin to go into effect in March 2010.〔Schmitz, Jon (October 24, 2009). (Port Authority fare hikes, overhaul of service due in new year ). ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.〕 The Port Authority pays $168,763 annually to Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney and $48,750 annually to Greenlee Partners to lobby the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Port Authority of Allegheny County」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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