Letters of Complaint

Dear Port Authority of Allegheny County: I have no problems paying taxes. As Oliver Wendell Holmes, a republican, no less, once wrote "I like paying taxes. With them, I buy civilization."

What I DO have a problem with, is that having paid those taxes, I expect some moderate degree of acceptable social services for them. I like libraries. I like the Postal service. But I LOVE public transit. I do not have a car. So I NEED the aforementioned public transit. As a disabled American, it makes my life easier. In fact, as a disabled American, you can bet that reliable service will keep me from invoking rights afforded me from the Americans with Disabilities Act, and suing the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

According to your website, the 64A bus is scheduled to arrive at 11:12 PM, and 12:02 AM at the corner of Murray and Forbes. Why it is only scheduled to come ONCE EVERY 50 MINUTES is beyond me. I'll assume that it's a funding issue. Either way, this evening, I waited at the aforementioned station for over an hour, and no 64A bus arrived. And this is not the only time I've been forced to wait OVER AN HOUR for the 64A bus. In fact, it's probably the 3rd time. The funny thing is, the other buses seem to run on a decently reliable schedule. But the 64A seems to be an anomaly akin to a midget without a head. I was forced, in my frustration with your chronologically challenged bus, to call a cab. As an avowed socialist, this made me sad. I'd rather pay taxes and get reliable bus service. I'm put off when my taxes go toward a bus that seems to have no concept of space or time.

Please do not make me lose faith in public works. Just pass a stupid bond measure, or yell at somebody, and get the 64A bus to run on schedule. That's all I want.

Sincerely,

Matthew J. Hall

PS: While we're on the subject, your website won't let me submit a complaint without a vehicle number or an operator number. This is clearly silly, since there was NO BUS FOR ME TO RIDE.