<p>Lots of routes are on the chopping block including the 28X flyer. It will no longer go to the airport. Also lots of reduction of services — bus service will end at 10 PM for majority of the routes. One of the best thing about Pitt was the ease of traveling around the city using the bus system.</p>
<p>I think Corbett is still coming out with his budget next month. We’ll have to wait and see. These reduction would be the worst case scenario. The airport cut would be traumatic. Already there aren’t enough buses at break times.</p>
<p>The 28X route is NOT on the chopping block and will still go to the airport. The article from the Pitt News says that only one stop from that route is being eliminated, and that’s the one that stops at the shopping center that barely anyone uses anyway, since everyone gets off at the airport. Big difference and you nearly made me panic.</p>
<p>If you look at their proposed routes on the brochure, the 28X would end at the Robinson Town Center since the airport is after the Town Center. I guess the airport is only popular during the breaks??? There seems to be a line for it at the airport whenever DS is returning to Pitt.</p>
<p>Even though I have my car on campus, I’m not thrilled by this, AT ALL. If I’m paying a huge bus fee, I expect to be able to use the buses whenever I need (within reason). Cutting a huge amount of services, especially the 28X (which was great for early early or late night flights) is an awful move, as is cutting most Oakland routes after 10pm. One of the great things about the bus pass was that if I was down in Oakland late at night, I could take a bus back to my apartment instead of walking over a mile in the dark/cold/rain/whatever.</p>
<p>Hopefully the budget can be balanced in a way that this won’t happen :/</p>
<p>The Governor set up a Transportation Funding Commission with many well-informed members to deal with this funding crisis, as well as a severe shortage of money to repair decaying bridges. Several months ago, they came out with a reasonable set of recommendations. </p>
<p>The Pa. legislature hasn’t done anything to carry out those recommendations. Call your legislators.</p>
<p>I really hope they don’t cut the 28X. Pitt students depend on that route as the only free option to the airport. Sure, cabs and the Super Shuttle exist, but after three years of free bus rides I’d hate to shell out $25-50 each way.</p>
<p>Cutting service after 10pm would also be horrible. I live on the edge of North Oakland by Shadyside (as do many other Pitt students), and find it safest to take the bus home at those late hours. I hope that if these cuts take place Pitt would compensate by running more frequent shuttles (that might be wishful thinking though). To me, it’s a safety issue.</p>
<p>At a certain point, if bus service is cut drastically, the universities in Pittsburgh are going to decide they can do a better job at lower cost by running a larger coordinated bus system of their own. That would make the budget of the transit system even more stressed, if they don’t receive those revenues from the universities. </p>
<p>I believe Penn State’s student union charters buses from the campus to major cities in the state during breaks. If needed, maybe an entity at Pitt could also do that to reach the airport during breaks.</p>
<p>Pitt already buses kids home for major holidays, but not being able to get to the airport can get expensive. I mean, people fly home (or elsewhere) ALL the time, not just the holidays. I would hate to pay an additional $40-50+ just to get to and from the airport, on top of a plane ticket to/from my destination. The 28X is MUCH more convenient in that respect.</p>