WHY NOT CREATE A MASTER TRANSIT AGENCY RAIL AND BUS

I orginally posted the message below as a response to a funding topic. After seeing constant posts regarding Newton, ,Beth branch, Media and similar requests for "Transit" serivce for other areas of the state.My question is

Why not create a State agency instead of a regional agency charged with developing a hub and spoke srevice of rail and bus combined.

This could benefit all areas fothe state with level service and overall lower costs. Septa is the city of Phila with some emphasis on the "other " counties. Why can't we change.

Why not consider combining the regional Transit agencies into one agency, similar to New Jersey. This would result in a single state wide transit system with lower administrative costs, common equipment base and the ability to adjust equipment without undue concern.

The agency would be charted for both Rail and bus, this way PA could have a system Like NJ and attract new riders with innovative service plans.

• Transit Service between Scranton and Phila and Hburh – Either bus or rail
• Pocono service to NYC, AND Jenkintown to Newark or Hobken on the reading line

• Rail service to ABE on the Bethlehem branch, integrated with bus feeder.
• ABE over the old Reading crossline to Harrisburg.
• York / Lancaster rail commuter service – Feeder system with connections to Baltimore in combination with MARC.
• Reading (plus) 422 rail project to KOP and Philadelphia
• Erie Transit with connections to Pittsburgh
• Alleghany County combined services for rail and bus.

Short list but it would result in correction of service issues like the Bethlehem branch, quicker time to market for the Reading to Philadelphia service.
Your thoughts, Differnt twist but we have the funding it just gets eaten up in certain powerful pockets

While I am all for restoration of service to West Chester, Newtown, Parkesburg, Quakertown, etc., you're idea of a statewide agency is clearuly impractical. Comparing PA to NJ is apples to oranges. In NJ, you have the most densly populated state in the U.S. centered around NYC and Philly. While I wholly advocate an entirely new transit system in Philly or PA, a statewide system simply would not make sense. Wasn't that what made the private lines fall: they built service to areas where no need for rail existed. However, in the aformentioned towns, the renewal of service is something which is not only needed but demanded NOW. We cannot accept the excuses which Septa provides. They are unaccountable idiots. I have never seen a more poorely run transportation system in my life. Change needs to be effecuated, and it needs to be done soon before Septa continues to degrade what is left (i.e. R6 Cynwyd)

Because you're just rearranging the deck chairs while the Titanic is sinking. Or more precisely, you're just reshuffling the management of various transit agencies. The real answer is a system of incentives and penalties that reward a well run transportation system, and better accounting so that we have an objective measure of the success.