PA House Transportation Committee meets in Pleasant Gap to discuss area’s transportation funding needs

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    August 29, 2024 | 1:06 PM

The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee on Wednesday continued its statewide Moving PA Forward by Investing in Roads, Bridges and Transit tour at the Central PA Institute of Science and Technology in Pleasant Gap, according to committee Majority Chairman Ed Neilson, D-Phila.  

“Often when we think about public transit, we often think of big and bustling cities, but a lack of public transit in rural areas like Centre County can be devastating to the local economy and has a lasting effect on people’s health and well-being,” Neilson said.   

David Rishel, executive director and CEO of the Centre Area Transportation Authority, testified before the committee about the benefits that the agency provides for Centre County’s economy and even the environment.

“CATA provides more than 200 people in Centre County with secure jobs and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, we remove more than 13,000 cars from the road in the region every day, eliminating 250,000 tons of CO2 and reducing other greenhouse gas emissions,” Rishel said.

Rishel noted that CATA delivers a massive amount of service to the region with efficiency and that ridership is returning to pre-pandemic levels. He said the agency if facing significant financial challenges and will not be able to fulfill the needs of its ridership if the state does not increase funding for and make a better commitment to public transportation. 

“According to PennDOT, we transport more passengers per hour, collect more revenue per hour and have the lowest operating cost per passenger of any transit system in the commonwealth,” Rishel said.

“Our mission is to provide service, not cut it back. Unfortunately, we may very well have to end all contracted services in the Bellefonte and Benner Township area next July if we cannot find a solution to this problem.

“All of transit in Pennsylvania needs your help,” Rishel concluded in his remarks to the committee.  

These hearings will continue into September throughout Pennsylvania to learn about the unique transportation needs of both rural and urban communities.