Officials dedicate FACT transit center
Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation dedicated its $3 million transit center Friday, marking the end of a journey that began when the project was envisioned more than five years ago. U.S. Rep. John Murtha, (D-Johnstown), who secured $2 million of the money needed to build the facility and served as keynote speaker for the dedication, said the new center was really an improvement for the program and he was impressed with the building. He said he works to try to come up with plans that will have the most economic impact. Murtha said it is vital that federal, state and local officials work together to make ideas a reality.
The transit center, located at the Connellsville Airport, includes a new state-of-the-art building and a separate bus garage for the 27 FACT vehicles. The FACT site contains a 20,000-square-foot main terminal and a separate bus garage on a 4.3-acre tract.
Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites said that six years ago, Murtha got $2 million put in the federal highway bill and helped turn the idea into a reality.
“It took a lot of will and effort but it is now complete. We have a first-class facility we can be proud of,” Vicites said.
He said the project was really a cooperative effort, which included a lot of hurdles and bumps in the road.
Commissioner Joseph A. Hardy III praised architect Michael Molnar, saying the building was a “beautiful product.” Hardy also admitted that he was the one behind the colorful FACT buses. “I did paint those buses,” Hardy said, adding that ridership has gone up.
FACT general manager George Hardy has said that the system topped 100,000 riders for the last fiscal year. George Hardy said plans are to hire a mechanic as soon as possible, and eventually have four mechanics on staff. In the past, maintenance was done at any of a number of garages in the Uniontown area, Hardy said.
Jill Streit, program specialist/administrative assistant in the office of Human and Community Services, said during a tour of the new site that the new building has brought all employees together at one site for the first time. Before the new building, employees were spread out in four or five satellite locations.
“We’re a family now,” she said.
Streit said FACT routes cover 80 percent of the county. She said transportation clerk Melissa Casper handles 280 calls a day, as well as all walk-in clients at the site.
According to a brochure about the transit program, FACT’s services include a shared ride program, medical assistance transportation program, routes to Pittsburgh and a public transportation bus service. The buses travel to sites such as Uniontown, Brownsville, Republic, Connellsville, Hopwood, Farmington, Point Marion, Masontown, Perryopolis, Smithfield and Fairchance.
Children 12 and under and seniors ride free during non-peak hours and the total fare for others does not exceed $3. Monthly passes and schedules are available at the center.
Janet Dugan of Uniontown, a frequent FACT rider who attended the ceremony, said she really appreciates the buses. She said she believes that if more people would learn schedules, they could go a lot more places. She said she uses the bus to go to the Uniontown Shopping Center, the mall and even out to eat.
“It is really nice. You can get off one and then get on another,” Dugan said.
Others who spoke at the dedication included Commission Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink; state Sen. Richard Kasunic (D-Dunbar); Joseph G. Brimmeier, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO; and Michelle Shumar, director of the office of Human and Community Services and head of FACT.
The Rev. Art Mace gave the dedication prayer before the official ribbon cutting.