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There’s an explosive report out there with reams of data that detail a lengthy list of the Port Authority’s problems — its history of poor productivity compared to other transit agencies, its high cost of operation, even the amount that taxpayers have to shell out for each and every bus and T ride. But the most interesting thing about the report is that it is the Port Authority taking a critical look at itself (large pdf document).
The report points out many of the same problems highlighted by the Allegheny Conference, the Allegheny Institute, and others in recent years. But this time around it is CEO Steve Bland and the board who are taking a realistic look at the agency, not glossing over problems or turning a deaf ear to concerns. Unless they know what’s wrong, they can’t fix it.
The Peer Review report was produced by the Port Authority’s consultant as part of the Connect 09 system redesign process now underway. Executing a successful redesign and changing the way the current rail and bus network operates is as important to the future of the Port Authority as securing a competitive labor contract.
I’ll have lots more to say about the report in the future but for now I’ll leave you with one of my favorite tidbits in the report: the number of Port Authority bus stops compared to other benchmark systems (Figure 5-1). The Port Authority has 20.3 bus stops for every square mile of its service area. Portland and Seattle, two locales that transit advocates love to gush over, have 13.2 and 9.2, respectively. The only benchmark system with a greater concentration of bus stops is Milwaukee, at 25.3 stops per square mile.
Maybe that’s why Milwaukee also ended up on this list…
Posted by: Ken Zapinski
As I noted elsewhere, the Port Authority has a great report on its website detailing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the transit system. That kind of realistic self-assessment is a welcome break from past practice. Also welcome is the Port Authority’s fledgling attempts to bring more transparency to what information it routinely provides to the public.
Want to see Port Authority CEO Steve Bland’s original contract as well as the givebacks and concessions he made after he got here and saw firsthand the state of the agency? It’s there. Want to see the presentations and data that the Port Authority board received when discussing the labor contract and the new FY2009 budget. They are there, too.
So, bravo for the transparency. But the Port Authority can, and should, do so much more.
Want to see details of the new budget that kicked in on July 1? Not there yet. And C “Not Sid” B reasonably asks why the Port Authority can’t post monthly ridership, revenue, and expense figures in near-real time so the taxpaying public can see for itself how things are going. Monthly ridership summaries are available on the site if you know where to look (in the press release section) but there’s no reason for not posting complete monthly ridership reports along with the historical data that makes these kinds of comparisons possible.
Communication with the public (aka owners) shouldn’t be viewed as an add-on to the “real work” of running the Port Authority. It’s just as critical as making sure the buses run on time.
Posted by: Ken Zapinski
