PPT won more funding for bus shelters–now we’re making sure it gets spent where it’s needed!
In 2024, we decided to raise the importance of transit rider comfort, safety, and dignity by launching a Bus Shelter Campaign. Our goal was to get more shelters installed at high ridership stops in low equity neighborhoods within the city of Pittsburgh. We first assessed the condition of existing bus shelters, then conducted site visits to stops without shelters. With PPT members helping to create new tools and in collaboration with Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), we successfully audited 25 bus stops and won the first-ever allocation of funds for Bus Stop Amenities in Pittsburgh’s 2025 Capital Budget!
This summer we’re hitting the pavement with our Bus Shelter 2.0 Campaign! Our goal is to help DOMI identify 25 eligible bus stops for the installation of the city’s remaining 10 inactive shelters (shelters located at sites that no longer serve a bus route) and provide DOMI and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) with additional information for future installations.
Two ways to help us win more bus shelters:
In order to help DOMI find the most eligible 25 stops, we need some support from you, the expert riders of our system!
1: Crowdsource bus shelter form
DOMI has asked for your expertise: what bus stops do you see in your communities that desperately need shelters? Is there a stop on your commute route that has a DIY bus shelter, like a chair, milk crate, or shade structure that someone has placed there on their own? Do you frequent a stop that has tons of riders, but nowhere to shelter them?
If the answer’s yes, we have a new tool for you: a crowdsourced bus shelter form! Simply input your info and some basic information about the stop, and we’ll make a list to send over to DOMI. Bookmark this form and fill it out next time you’re waiting at your stop!
Please note: this form is NOT intended for immediate response or repairs. We will use this data to inform our future campaigns, not coordinate immediate construction or repairs. If your stop needs immediate repairs or attention, please contact Pittsburgh 311 by filling out their online form, or dialing 311 or 412-255-2621 on your phone.
2: Join an in-person bus shelter blitz!
Participants will meet at PPT’s office at the Friends Meeting House on July 30th, review materials, prepare, and then split into four different groups to audit eligible bus stops in four different regions of the city. The groups will travel by car to effectively audit a large number of stops.
Note that this event will not be accessible to all members; participants will be outdoors in various weather conditions and on different terrains.