Transit authority on track to start running Westmoreland bus service in January

Staff at the Westmoreland County Transit Authority has grown by more than 600% over the last month as the agency continues to gear up for its takeover of bus and paratransit services on Jan. 2.

What was once primarily an administrative organization with 18 employees, the authority has transitioned to a full-time transit operator responsible for supervision, maintenance and driving vehicles for its local and commuter bus services and shared-ride programs for low-income and elderly residents.

A roster of more than 100 drivers and other support staff has been added to the authority’s payroll with another two dozen still expected to be hired in the coming weeks to ensure what officials predict will be a seamless transition to self-operation.

“We expect a lot of bumps and it’s not going to be easy, but riders really shouldn’t expect to see a difference,” authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec said of the transition.

In late October, the authority’s board of directors moved to take over full control of transit programs after the agency was unable to negotiate a revised contract with the Ohio-based company that has operated the services since 2010. Since its creation in the 1970s, the authority hired private contractors to operate the buses.

National Express Transit signed a five-year, $39.5 million contract in May 2018 to operate the authority’s bus and paratransit services. That deal will be terminated at year’s end after authority officials rejected company efforts to renegotiate the financial terms of the contract.

The transit agency claimed National Express was responsible for a continued pattern of service and maintenance issues that caused route cancellations and delays over the last year.

They resulted in more than $262,000 in fines assessed to the company.

Officials said the move to in-house control of transit operations could save the authority about $2.3 million over the next three years.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said authority board Chairman Frank Tosto. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m cautiously optimistic, and I’m looking forward to the difference we can make now that we’re in control.”

Blahovec said the authority’s fleet of 41 buses for its 25 weekday and Saturday routes, including daily commuter runs to Pittsburgh and local service throughout the county, will operate as usual.

Go Westmoreland, the authority’s paratransit system of shared door-to-door rides, is also expected to remain unchanged.

“As soon as we know everything is stable and working right, we will get to start a push to redesign the service,” Blahovec said.

That redesign, based on findings from a study of the authority’s service conducted in 2018, recommended implementation of new bus routes and elimination of service in under-performing areas.

Blahovec said that redesign of the bus service could begin in late spring or early fall.