http://www.ibabuzz.com/transportation/2010/10/01/ac-transit-is-50-years-old-today-will-it-last-50-more/ Getting around the Bay Area with Denis Cuff and the Queen of the Road Tue, 17 May 2011 06:04:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://www.ibabuzz.com/transportation/2010/10/01/ac-transit-is-50-years-old-today-will-it-last-50-more/comment-page-1/#comment-4983 david vartanoff Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:22:13 +0000 http://www.ibabuzz.com/transportation/?p=996#comment-4983 For AC to last even another 10 years will necessitate major changes both in funding sources and agency function. In the 70s AC had a % valuation real estate tax base, served most areas within the district, and regularly won fleet maintenance awards from the transit trade assn. Today,large tracts in the hills have scant or no service, ridership is down, labor relations are in the toilet, and insolvency looms.
While AC is not unique (NY MTA is nearly bankrupt), it also suffers because it serves several cities where transit is not a political priority. When AC holds hearings on service cuts, mayors, city councilpersons are absent. In the carbon/GHG/climate fights, funding for adequate alternatives to driving get lost and the transit dependent are redlined.

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