Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Will Wheels Come Off RRTA Buses?

State legislators, as part of the budget process, are looking to repeal Act 44. If they do, about one-half of Red Rose Transit Authority’s buses could stay parked.

Act 44 provides state funding to mass transit, but it also called for tolls on Interstate 80. That is why it could be repealed by the legislature.

"Anytime they start opening up the legislation it never returns the same way it started and that's what has me concerned," said David Kilmer, Executive Director of RRTA.

Kilmer expressed his concern that the state lawmakers will increase the financial responsibility of local governments from 15 to 18 percent.

That would be a half million dollar difference for Red Rose.

If Act 44 is repealed, it would significantly affect service.

"We'd go from operating roughly 32 buses in a peak to about half of that," Kilmer projected.