Letter to the editor- NFTA cutting routes

I agree with this letter writer. The NFTA's new plan to cut bus routes hurts the poorest among us. The poor, the elderly, and the disabled use buses most often. If the incompetent suits at the NFTA are looking to save some money, they should start with their own ridiculously high salaries. If they made service more convenient for people, they would have more customers. Most of the people making the decisions over there, have never used public transportation a day in their lives...

Cut fares, add routes to increase ridership

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is faced with a$14.7 million deficit and in good conscience did not increase fares. Officials decided instead to cut service.

Let’s step back and take a look at the reason for public transit. It is to provide basic transportation for citizens to get to work, recreation, medical visits, education, etc.

Low-cost, efficient public transportation should be a primary goal in this or any community. Increased use of public transportation will not only serve to reduce energy consumption but also will reduce traffic loads on overcrowded highways.

Making good, cheap public transportation a basic necessity needs to be supported by all entities—local, state and federal. Fares should be reduced and routes added. Public transportation needs to be so cheap and efficient that ridership will increase as a natural course of events.

Providing the cheapest and best transportation system possible must be the ultimate goal. The options of increased fares and/or reduced service are absolutely contrary to the need for affordable public transportation for all citizens.

It may be necessary to divert funds from other programs and allocations to do this, many of which are superfluous and not in keeping with the concept of maximum benefit for the greatest number of citizens.

Let us support the truly necessary public expenditures for the greatest good to all people.

Philip F. Frandina

Former Erie County Commissioner of Public Works Buffalo

Thank you, driver, for getting me here (Too much, the Magic Bus)
You'll be an inspector, have no fear (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I don't want to cause no fuss (Too much, the Magic Bus)
But can I buy your Magic Bus? (Too much, the Magic Bus)

I don't care how much I pay (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I wanna drive my bus to my baby each day (Too much, the Magic Bus)...

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Unsafe at any speed

A Michigan bus company was shut down after passengers were found in the luggage compartment. And it's happened before...

A Michigan tour bus company was ordered to cease operations after six people were found traveling in one bus' luggage compartment.

Along with the uncomfortable travelers, authorities also found mattresses, pillows and luggage when the bus was pulled over in Ohio on May 27th.

I don't see what the big deal is. As long as they weren't charged full price...

Bus company shut down after officials find people traveling in luggage compartment -- again

Just slip out the back, Jack,
make a new plan, Stan
Don't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free

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You gotta go, you gotta go

A 64 year old man was arrested at the downtown bus station for using the bathroom. There are two sides to every story and I expect the truth lies somewhere in between...

Enoch “Edsil” Cook said he was arrested for using the facility without being a bus rider that day, and for parking his bicycle in an unauthorized spot.

“[Cook] has been observed repeatedly lingering and loitering around the building. The officer’s job is to keep the building safe for our customers,” said NFTA spokesman C. Douglas Hartmayer. Others say the transit officer overreacted.

“I can think of no reason that a person in passing could not use a public facility that was open to the general public,” said John A. Curr III, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Buffalo office. “I get really upset when police are targeting poor people.”

If the man was panhandling, I can see them asking him to leave. However, if he was just there to use the bathroom and not bother anyone, I think the police overreacted. Being poor is not a crime. However, downtown is filled with loiterers. Ellicott, Elm, and Allen Streets being among the worst. You can't walk two blocks without being approached for money. I'd like to see the police focus on the people smashing car windows and taking things out of them. They should be sent away for longer than they are (if they are even caught). But a 64 year old man on a bicycle should be allowed to use the restroom, in my opinion as long as he's not harassing others.

Man arrested after using bus terminal restroom - City & Region - The Buffalo News

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