WILKES-BARRE – As people waited for a ride at the Intermodal Center, word spread quickly that two top officials with the Luzerne County Transportation Authority were hit with criminal charges.
“To know that those two people took advantage of the elderly, the senior citizens, that`s not cool,” said Jim Carrier. “The Lord is really going to be looking down upon them.”
State prosecutors said the LCTA purposely inflated senior ridership numbers from 2007 to 2011, defrauding the commonwealth of $3.1 million.
“Taking money from the state? The state is poor enough,” said Billy Hulse.
While some riders were quick to bash the public transportation agency, Joe Spayder was quick to defend bus drivers.
“A lot of the bus drivers have been very, very good to me,” said Spayder. “There`s a lot of people who need this service. It would be a shame if they took this service away from them.”
Free rides for senior citizens in Luzerne County are still available, but state transportation officials said that they want their $3.1 million back from the LCTA.
