ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. -- "Waste" and "inefficiency" were two words used in a new report detailing Allegheny County's Port Authority's spending.

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Watch the Report

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The county controller said the transit system's goal should be to "cut waste and inefficiency first, cut service last."

The audit said spending went up in the Port Authority's "Go Gold" campaign, but ridership was flat. It said that help set the stage for money problems and efficiency issues now.

Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty's audit compares Allegheny County's Port Authority with nearly a dozen other transit systems.

He said it trails behind the others in getting the most out of its resources.

"We don't like to hear service cuts as much as we like to hear cutting waste," Flaherty said. "So, I think they need to focus on more of cutting waste rather than cutting service."

Port Authority CEO Steve Bland said the benchmarks use numbers from 2006, before this year's rounds of cuts and other efficiency efforts.

"The actions that we have under our control are actions, frankly, we've already taken, so it's actually gratifying to read the report and see our actions are right on track with what the county controller thinks we should be doing," said Bland.

"We won't know until the numbers come in, so we're going to revisit that issue, obviously," Flaherty said. "But I think there's still more things that can be done."

Flaherty's audit said the Port Authority serves fewer people and covers fewer miles per bus than comparable transit systems.

Bland said bus cuts last month are starting to change that.

"That number has been reduced by about a 120," Bland said. "So, again, we feel very good that the report indicates we're on the right track, we're doing the right things, and we just need to keep plugging away."

Flaherty said if the Port Authority were as efficient as some other systems, it could provide the same service with 46 percent fewer buses.

He said in the months ahead, his continuing audit would look at ways to increase ridership.

"Pinpoint areas where not only you have millions of dollars in savings, but there's also revenue opportunities available as well," said Flaherty.

"But we have to be careful that we don't end up going to the lowest common denominator, otherwise that's just continual cuts in service," Bland said.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said the audit backs his position that the Port Authority must put more cost controls in place and provide more efficient service.

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Read Onorato's Full Statement

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He said he'll work with Port Authority management and labor on more reforms to strengthen transit.

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