PPT’s election for our Board of Directors will run from July 10th-August 14th. All PPT Members in good standing should cast their ballots for our next leadership team!

Please read this blog with bios on all the candidates before casting your vote. An overview of our election process and a guide on how to vote and the ballot are at the bottom of this blog.

We are excited to announce the following slate of candidates who were nominated to join the PPT Board of Directors. PPT Member can vote for the next round of leaders who understand the importance of our work for transit justice in Allegheny County – leaders who are looking to become more involved in directing the course of our campaigns, communications and actions.

Learn more about the nominees in their bios below and select the one who you feel can help usher our organization and movement into a new era of advocacy, connectivity and engagement. 

As a reminder, there are 5 board seats available for PPT General Members and 1 seat available for a unionized transit worker PPT Member. All those elected will serve from August 2024 to August 2026.

All candidates are listed below in alphabetical order by first name. There is a photo and short bio for each candidate to give background on their past work for transit justice and other issues. Each nominee has approved and contributed to their bio.

PPT Members can vote for up to 5 of the following candidates to fill PPT General Member seats on our Board of Directors:

• Andrew Hussain
• Bill McDowell
• Fawn Walker Montgomery
• Ms. Pearl Hughey
• Ms. Verna Johnson

Then, PPT Members can vote for up to 1 of the following candidates to fill seats reserved for Transit Workers on our Board of Directors:

• Sue Scanlon

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Andrew Hussein

My name is Andrew Hussein, and I live in Penn Hills. My primary routes are 77, 79, P17, 86, and P16…. but to be truthful, you can find me on just about any route (no exaggeration) because I eat/sleep/breath/live all things public transit. Anyone who knows me knows that that is true. Transit is my sole means for transportation so I am acutely aware of the very real need for public transit to have a positive community impact. 

I am a long-time member of PPT who has been working with the org since a brief few-month stint in the early days, back in an earlier iteration of the org called “Save Our Transit”. Years later I reconnected with PPT on their community campaign in Baldwin. We won that campaign and restored service to that neighborhood and I never looked back. 

The skills that I bring to PPT are a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system. I have a sincere passion for transit and its improvement. When I think of better transit I think of transit that is Fair, Equitable, reliable, useable, sustainable, readily and widely available – for as many folks as possible. Transit needs to fit as diverse a clientele and public needs as much as possible and I think that that is what we need to fight for together.

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• Current Vice President of the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC), current Executive Committee Member, and have been involved here for 8 years
• I am also the founder and COO of the Bus Info Hotline, a Twitter and phone info line that is open for people to find out info and ask questions about Port Authority that I’ve been running for nearly 25+ years. Check out our Twitter at @PGH_BUS_INFO
• Involved in many of the successful neighborhood service campaigns started in 2014 that restored service to transit deserts through our county.
• I am a PPT Communications Committee Member. I lead the creation of our Blog Series on the Quarterly Service Updates.
• I have a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system, PPT staff calls me all the time with questions about our system.

Bill McDowell

Bill McDowell is a long-time disability rights advocate. He has been a member of PPT for more than eight years and is passionate about equitable infrastructure, accessibility, and fair fares. 

Bill has been a member of the PRT’s Committee for Accessible Transportation for many years and in that role has listened to the concerns and needs of the disability community in depth and has learned from those conversations over the years. Bill also believes that no one should be turned away from public transportation for the inability to pay a fare. Bill’s fight for an equitable transit system in Pittsburgh has been long, but is long from over. He appreciates the ability to do the work alongside so many other passionate transit justice advocates. 

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• PRT Committee for Accessible Transportation
• PPT Research Committee
• Fair Fares Coalition
• PPT Organizing committee – organizing for better sidewalk infrastructure

Fawn Walker Montgomery

Fawn Walker-Montgomery is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Take Action Mon Valley (TAMV). She is a former candidate for Mayor in McKeesport and a past candidate for State Representative in the 35th District. Fawn was the first black person & woman to run for a State seat in the Mon Valley. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Johnson C. Smith University (HBCU) and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Point Park University. Fawn has worked with PPT on various projects such as the BRT, fair fees, and removing cops from transit stops. She is also a past second-term Councilwoman in McKeesport and has 18 years of experience in the human services field. Fawn’s vision for PPT is that they increase membership in the smaller communities outside the City of Pittsburgh such as the Mon Valley. In addition, create specific campaigns to address the lack of transportation in these areas. Thus, having more of a county-wide focus.

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• CEO of Take Action Advocacy Group-A Black liberation organization who has worked on various efforts such as police accountability and food insecurity.  
• Leading efforts on environmental justice in the Mon Valley and beyond. 
• Has supported various PPT projects over the years, including community organizing to defeat the Bus Rapid Transit service plan that would have cut service to her city, co-developed & launched the “Fair Fares” platform, and many more!

Ms. Pearl Hughey

Pearl Hughey is a resident of Rankin Borough a Mon Valley community in the East portion of Pittsburgh. Over the years Pearl has been involved in many activities within her community as well as participant in activities in Greater Pittsburgh area. Pearl was a public official in her community, a member of the Rankin Christian Center board of directors, a founding member of the Rankin Community Development Corporation and actively participated in a computer tutoring program for Woodland Hills youth. 

Most recently Pearl became involved with Pittsburgh Public Transit (PPT) when the expansion of the East Busway was being discussed. Pearl has been a transit rider for her entire work career (40+ years). She feels that transit opportunities for people in the Mon Valley are essential for the livelihood, growth and development of people that live in this region. It is important for all voices to be heard, and that is the main reason Pearl stays involved with PPT.

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• East Busway Project
• Continued P3 Service to Swissvale Stop
• Fair Fares Coalition

Ms. Verna Johnson

My name is Verna Johnson and I am a resident of Lincoln-Lemington. I am a disability justice activist and serve as the current chair of PPT’s Board of Directors. 

I first became involved with PPT in 2015 during the campaign to save service on the 89 Garfield Service campaign. The fight for better public transit in communities receiving less and less public transit resonated with me, and I continued to join PPT meetings and joined as a member. One benefit of being a PPT member that surprised me was the democratic decision-making process, and I felt that my lived experience was valued. I began to see how people from different walks of life could work together and make decisions that directed campaigns and the course of PPT. I have helped grow PPT by organizing riders during my time on the board. Being a board member has given me a greater understanding of how change can happen on a systemic level. 

In addition to working on issues surrounding transit justice, I have been co-chair of the Allegheny County Coalition for Recovery’s Commission on Health and Human Services as co-chair and helped people receive financial assistance. I’ve also rallied outside of elected officials’ offices to support federal workers during the previous government shutdown with fellow members. I also phonebank with Just Harvest and register community members to vote at Veterans Affairs. I am deeply committed to bringing more people into the fight for transit justice and holding our transit agency accountable to the riders and workers.

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• 89 Service Restoration Campaign 
• #FairFare for a full recovery in 2020
• Don’t Criminalize Transit Fares campaign
• Canvassing at transit stops, talking with riders, and public speaking on behalf of PPT

Sue Scanlon

I absolutely love PPT. I am so proud of all the work we’ve done to defend jobs, expand routes, and help passengers. The work we have done over the last 10+ years has saved the whole community because we connect people to the things they need in our city and region. We have built such a community with our organizing. It feels like being part of a superhero squad.

I have been a bus operator at Port Authority (ahem, I mean, Pittsburgh Regional Transit) for 22 years. I have seen the agency during its highs and its very lows. Unfortunately, we are now at one of those lows. I want to continue being part of the movement to fix it. I consider myself a pretty good activist. I have the conviction to be out in the street, although I am always learning as an organizer. 

How can we bring people together with love and consciousness to fight for our common good? When I look to the future of PPT, I want to see us keep building our base of organizers and activists. We are going to keep spreading our message across the city, state, and the entire country. We will remain on the cutting edge of activism for transit justice. 

Our movement isn’t about me or any individual person. It is about what we can all do when we work together. It is about building a better world out of the situation we are in today. Everything is about community.

List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:

• The very first campaign I was involved with was restoring transit service in Baldwin, circa 2014. It was such a great campaign because it showed how communities can come together to fight for each other’s needs.
• I was also involved in the fights for Act 89, rallies Downtown, and Squirrel Hill, circa 2011. We shut down Forbes Avenue and Murray Avenue. It was an example of how labor and organize together with communities to improve service and jobs.
• In 2020 and 2021 I helped my ATU brothers and sisters start and eventually win the right to wear Black Lives Matter masks on the job. We staged protests and brought the case to court. You can read more about the win here.
• I’ve also been involved with helping other unions in solidarity – I started the campaign for workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to get a contract. Helped organize PPT members to picket in front of John Block’s house and at the Post Gazette. Met a ton of great people in this work.
• I also represent PPT on the PA Poor Peoples Campaign steering committee. I have traveled to DC, I don’t even remember how many times, to fight for the working class. I have been working to help people realize we’re all in this together and that we all have to work together to get what we need.

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Overview of PPT’s Board Election Process

Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a grassroots, democratic, member-led organization that fights for racial justice and public transit as a human right. The election of a Board of Directors from and by our general membership is a cornerstone of what keeps us accountable to our members. The Board is responsible for strategizing and executing the organization’s campaigns, outreach, governance, and fundraising.

The Board’s Executive Committee chooses how many seats will be up for PPT’s board election each year. Our bylaws say that our Board can be anywhere from 5 to 15 people and that 2 seats are reserved for transit workers connected to a local transit union. Earlier this year our Board’s Executive Committee decided to open 6 seats to be elected from our general membership, and 1 seat to be elected to a transit worker.

Each spring, the PPT membership nominates fellow members to run for the Board of Directors. If those members accept the nomination, then they are invited to submit a photo and bio to be placed on the ballot, and they are invited to speak about their qualifications at the July General Member Meeting.

PPT Members in good standing can cast their ballots for two weeks in July. The nominees with the highest vote totals are invited to join the Board of Directors for a 2-year term.

How can PPT members vote?

PPT Members in good standing can cast their ballots from July 12th to August 9th using the form below. The nominees with the highest vote totals are invited to join the Board of Directors for a two-year term. As a reminder, all active PPT members commit to doing the following:

1. Agree to uphold PPT’s Transit Bill of Rights. 
2. Pay dues to support our budget. We encourage members to give at least $2.75 monthly (the cost of a single PRT fare), but no one is turned away because of funds.
3. Take part to help us win our campaigns. PPT Members contribute to our campaigns in many different ways, and you can find the way that’s right for you. This could mean anything from joining meetings to voting in our elections, participating in a committee, spreading the word on social media, to speaking up for transit at a public meeting.

If you are unsure of your PPT Membership status, you can check by email (info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org) or by phone ( 412-626-7353 ).

PPT Members can vote below:

Lorena shares her story of being a Latino member of PPT and her important work connecting communities – join as a PPT member and help Lorena organize with the Latino Community for better transit access!

Lorena comparte su historia de ser miembro latino de PPT y su importante trabajo conectando comunidades – ¡únase como miembro de PPT y ayude a Lorena a organizarse con la comunidad latina para un mejor acceso al transporte público!

Every year PPT does a Summer Member Drive where we focus on our member relationships by making hundreds of calls with our members to other members to hear their stories and encourage them to get re-engaged with transit justice work. Some of our most engaged members are the best people to have those conversations, so they lead our phonebanks and conversations with other members, by sharing their experiences in the transit system, and their experiences as a member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. 

Cada año, PPT realiza una campaña de verano para miembros en la que nos centramos en las relaciones con nuestros miembros haciendo cientos de llamadas con nuestros miembros a otros miembros para escuchar sus historias y animarlos a volver a comprometerse con el trabajo de justicia del transporte público. Algunos de nuestros miembros más comprometidos son las mejores personas para tener esas conversaciones, entonces ellos dirigen nuestras llamadas telefónicas y conversaciones con otros miembros, compartiendo sus experiencias en el sistema de transporte y sus experiencias como miembros de Pittsburghers for Public Transit.

Today we wanted to highlight a PPT member who is super active in making sure that Spanish speaking people and the latino community at large, have equitable access to transit all across Allegheny County. We have learned so much and made so many more connections in the community because of Lorena. 

Hoy queríamos resaltar a un miembro de PPT que es muy activa para garantizar que las personas de habla hispana y la comunidad latina en general tengan acceso equitativo al transporte público en todo el condado de Allegheny. Hemos aprendido mucho y hemos hecho muchas más conexiones en la comunidad gracias a Lorena.

Lorena encourages you to become a PPT member! Do that today by using this form:

¡Lorena te anima a convertirte en miembro de PPT! Hágalo hoy utilizando este formulario:

In her own words, Lorena tells us why she is involved with PPT and transit justice work:

En sus propias palabras, Lorena nos cuenta por qué está involucrada con el PPT y la lucha para justicia en transporte público:

“I have been a member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit for two years. I support their laudable mission to ensure that all Pittsburgh residents have access to  efficient and equitable public transportation through advocacy campaigns, community collaboration, projects, and partnerships. As a Latina, I am proud to  be part of an organization that promotes social inclusion and equity. 

“He sido miembro de Pittsburghers for Public Transit durante dos años. Apoyó su loable misión de garantizar que todos los residentes de Pittsburgh tengan acceso a transporte público eficiente y equitativo a través de campañas de promoción, colaboración comunitaria, proyectos y asociaciones. Como latina, estoy orgullosa de ser parte de una organización que promueve la inclusión social y la equidad.

The Latino community is an important and growing part of Pittsburgh’s  population. For many Latinos, public transportation is crucial for overcoming economic and linguistic barriers, allowing them to integrate into city life. The  opportunity to provide our community with a train/bus tour to teach them how  to purchase the Connect card, how to use transportation apps, and the possibility  of accessing jobs, medical appointments, and essential services is a great  initiative by PPT. 

La comunidad latina es una parte importante y creciente de la población de Pittsburgh. Para muchos latinos, el transporte público es crucial para superar las barreras económicas y lingüísticas, permitiéndoles integrarse a la vida de la ciudad. La oportunidad de brindarle a nuestra comunidad un recorrido en tren/autobús para enseñarles cómo comprar la tarjeta Connect, cómo usar aplicaciones de transporte y la posibilidad de acceder a empleos, citas médicas y servicios esenciales es una gran iniciativa de PPT.

By advocating for more accessible and reliable transportation services, PPT  ensures that all citizens have equal opportunities regardless of their background. In the long term, we will consolidate a positive impact and increase community support for PPT initiatives.”

Al abogar por servicios de transporte más accesibles y confiables, PPT garantiza que todos los ciudadanos tengan las mismas oportunidades independientemente de su origen. A largo plazo, consolidaremos un impacto positivo y aumentaremos el apoyo de la comunidad a las iniciativas PPT.”

Lorena Pena, PPT Member

We have just begun! The PPT Summer Membership Drive will end with our Summer Party on August 14th. Sign up for the opportunity to talk to our members with us! Below you will find the phonebanking schedule:

¡Acabamos de empezar! La campaña de membresía de verano de PPT finalizará con nuestra fiesta de verano el 14 de agosto. ¡Regístrese para tener la oportunidad de hablar con nuestros miembros con nosotros! A continuación encontrará el horario de la maratón telefónico:

Wednesday, July 17th | 11am-1pm

Thursday, July 25th | 5-7pm

Tuesday, July 30th | 11am-1pm

Tuesday, August 6th | 4-6pm

Wednesday, August 7th | 5-7pm

Thursday, August 8th | 11am-1pm

Monday, August 12th | 11am-1pm

Tuesday, August 13th | 5-7pm

Become a member today! // ¡Hazte miembro hoy!

image description: a photo of people smiling and holding “transit moves us” signs with white words spread across the photo

Thank you for joining us to celebrate our VICTORY for fair fares! Now it’s time to get our community registered for this new half-fare program that will enable half-price fares for 130,000 residents! This is a major step toward more accessible transit for all.

Here’s what you need to know about the program and resources to help you enroll your members:

The Department of Human Services (DHS) is funding a county-led half-fare program. The Allegheny Go program launched on June 3, 2024 with the opportunity to sign up for the program through the Allegheny Go website and via the Ready2Ride app. 

With this launch we’re asking you to do four things:

1. Educate yourself on the new program

2. Educate and train your membership on the program

3. Share the resources with your community and help get them signed up for the Allegheny Go half-fare program!

4. Share on your social media and in your newsletter

You can start by watching this video for step by step instructions to enroll in the program:

Take a look at the fact sheet How-To Guide in English or Spanish:

How to in English

How to in Spanish

image description: People standing in a line, smiling; tan buildings appear in the background

Now we’ve won half fares for all qualifying Allegheny County residents. We know that we’re not done until we win free fares, but this is a vital milestone in that fight.

More than one hundred organizations pushing for this program for the past four years have made this happen. And for that, we thank you. The fight for fully free fares for low-income residents is much stronger with our coalition. We know that with your partnership we will get there!

We also want to thank the county-wide leadership that our legislators have shown in working with us to get this half-fare program launched. Co-governance is the cornerstone of political progress and getting this program launched is a win for all communities, including our political representatives. Thank you for standing with us in this fight. 

Allegheny Go will enable all residents who currently receive SNAP/EBT benefits and their entire household to access half-priced transit fare on all Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses and trains.

Since our campaign kicked off more than 4 years ago our advocacy has encouraged thousands of transit riders, hundreds of volunteers, dozens of elected officials, and dozens of organizations to uplift the call for more affordable fares. We would not be here today if it was not for their organizing. You can check out fairfaresnow.com to learn more about the campaign’s history.

It’s time to go!
Share on your social media!

DHS invites you to share more about the program on your social media.
Share on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Promote the Allegheny Go program to your community with this flyer from the Department of Human Services:

Download and share the flyer.

For any more details on the Allegheny Go program visit: https://discountedfares.alleghenycounty.us

This website is where you will find information on whether you qualify for the program, how to enroll in the program, direct contacts for any issues or questions with enrolling, how-to information, and more! 

The Allegheny Go program is being managed by DHS with organizations like ours advocating for the registration of over 100,000 qualifying residents by doing our part to make sure we understand the program, that we can register eligible members, and spread the word about the program. 

The DHS contact if you were to have questions that aren’t answered on the website or in these resources is Terrance McGeorge, who can be contacted at Terrance.McGeorge@alleghenycounty.us

You can help PPT organize to make the Allegheny Go income-based transit fare program a success by signing up to spread the work during our summer organizing push! Stay tuned for opportunities to join us for tabling in the community!

Come out and talk to riders this summer with PPT!  Want to ensure the success of this campaign and show Allegheny County that we are more than ready for fair fares? We need your help to spread the word about the new discounted fares program to riders and urge them to enroll. Sign-up to volunteer and we will contact you about training and upcoming tabling events!

Sign up to help us make the program a success

Having issues with the app?

We encourage you, as our partners, to reach out to us with any feedback you have for the app if you hit any roadblocks, or just have general feedback. 

Together we know we can make this app what it needs to be for transit riders to easily enroll in and use the program. 

We’d love to hear from you so we can share the feedback with PRT so that they may make necessary changes to the app. 

Contact us at: info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org

Volunteer for one of PPT’s Summer phone banks to help us connect with members.

Every year PPT volunteers make hundreds of phone calls to connect with members. We talk about people’s experiences on transit throughout the year; we invite them to our summer picnic; we ask for their continued support of our work. This year, we’re also talking to members about where we are in our strategic plan as we are now halfway through the year. This is a time to talk to our members about why transit justice moves them, and how we can get more of our community involved with this important community work. These conversations with our members are important to our organizing, and by joining a phone bank you can help PPT strengthen our work by volunteering below. 

Check out the shifts below:

• June 18, 5-7pm 
• June 20, 4-6pm 
• June 25, 4-6pm 
• June 26, 11am-1pm 
• June 27, 5-7pm 
• July 8, 6-8pm 
• July 17, 11am-1pm
• July 25, 5-7pm 
• July 30, 11am-1pm 
• August 6, 4-6pm 
• August 7, 5-7pm
• August 8, 11am-1pm
• August 12, 11am-1pm
• August 13, 5-7pm

Join our ONLY membership text bank July 8 6pm-8pm

Our phonebanks and textbanks are virtual events.
For access needs please contact info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org

PRT’s New Stroller policy should include public input from the disabled community. Join us at the PRT board meeting to advocate for policy that makes transit accessible for all.

We strive for access for all in our transit system. We know that if we work together as a community with PRT that we can make policies that positively impact and prioritize the needs of all riders. This is why we think the new stroller policy can be adapted to do just that.

The stroller policy on PRT is inhabiting the ability for disabled riders to get on the bus, or be safe while on the bus. With no guidance on how strollers should be stored while open for safety, and no policy on how to navigate using mobility device spaces on the buses for strollers, it is difficult for riders and operators to navigate situations where open strollers are inhabiting spaces where people using mobility devices need to be to ride the buses, and be secured to ensure their safety while on buses.

There are two spaces for mobility devices on buses that carry from 40 to 60 passengers. We have heard from disabled riders that they are often passed up on buses because there is no space for them. It is already likely that these spaces are used. Allowing open strollers on buses crowds these spaces even faster, making it difficult for disabled riders to even be let onto buses to get to where they need to go throughout their day. 

We are at a critical point for making our transit more accessible for everyone in Allegheny County. The PPT accessibility committee and other members of our organization have created a letter to the PRT board about the policy changes. Accessibility Committee advocates will read at the leader and give testimony upcoming meeting on Friday, May 24th, 2024, where we will ask for changes that could positively impact the disabled ridership in Allegheny County.

Join PPT’s Accessibility Committee:

Read a copy of the PPT Accessibility Committee’s statement on the new stroller policy:

PPT Statement on New Stroller Policy

In the second half of 2023, PRT adopted a new stroller policy allowing open strollers on buses.  Unlike other large transit agencies such as MTA and SEPTA who have recently revised their stroller policies, PRT did not obtain community feedback prior to this change and did not issue the new policy in conjunction with changes to bus designs to accommodate strollers outside of the accessible seating area.  As a result, the change was made suddenly and without the engagement that would have alerted PRT to issues now being seen throughout the bus system.

Since the new policy was announced, people who use wheelchairs and scooters have been denied access to buses as a result of open strollers parked in the accessible seating area.  Drivers have passed them at bus stops when open strollers are already present in the accessible seating area, and riders with strollers have refused to move from accessible seats when requested by drivers.  People with disabilities are already negatively impacted by PRT’s infrequent service and now must contend with additional lack of access to buses despite their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

Further, the new stroller policy has not been implemented safely for children in strollers as well as other passengers.  Open strollers are not consistently secured to prevent rolling while the bus is moving.  Children are not always appropriately strapped into the stroller.  People with disabilities attempting to use accessible seating often have difficulty maneuvering around a stroller in order to sit or safely park their wheelchair or scooter.

Pittsburghers for Public Transit, along with the undersigned organizations and community members, is deeply concerned about the development and implementation of this new policy.  PRT failed to consult with people with disabilities, including the Committee for Accessible Transportation and the City-County Task Force on Disabilities, before making this change.  The new policy has resulted in increased barriers for people who use wheelchairs and scooters, and we are troubled by implementation that appears to not comply with the ADA.  It has also not been applied in a way that keeps riders, especially young children, safe.  We are concerned that the failure to ensure both strollers and children are secure will result in harm to some of PRT’s most vulnerable riders.

In light of the above, PRT must take the following steps:

• Consistently enforce accessible seating priority being given to people with disabilities, as required under the ADA, and seniors.
• Provide training to drivers on the riders prioritized for use of the accessible seating area and how to navigate conflict over these seats.
• Create designated stroller areas on buses that allow for open strollers to safely be stored on the bus in an area separate from accessible seating. 
• Require any open stroller to have its brakes engaged and be physically held by the individual controlling it.
• Obtain community input on a final version of the stroller policy that supports parents and children without denying people with disabilities access to the only seating area available for their use on the bus.

PPT’s Spring Training for organizers and activists will build new skills & grow our organizer family. Reserve your spot at the May 4th training by RSVP’ing today!

PPT Spring Training for Members, Organizers and Activists! Saturday May 4th, 9am-3pm (with Happy Hour social time after!), at the Friends Meeting House, 4836 Ellsworth Ave.

Its springtime! And the perfect time to kick our transit just organizing up a notch by honing our existing skills, introducing new ones, and growing the network of leaders doing this work. PPT is hosting a day-long training on May 4th to do just that. AND WE WANT YOU INVOLVED!

Our 2024 PPT Organizer/Activist Spring Training will hold workshops, panels, speakers, discussions and fun social time to grow our network’s skills and build the intersectional movement for justice that we’re involved in. 

We will gather at Pittsburgh Friends Meeting House for the day-long training on Saturday, May 4th from 9am-3pm. To wrap up, we will spend some social time together getting to know each other because relationships are the core of movement work and we value our time spent with you.

Spring Training Workshop Schedule, co-facilitated entirely by PPT’s Members!!

9:15-10am

• A Vision for Equitable Transit Service, co-facilitated by Bo Fan and Amy Zaiss
• Sustaining Yourself in Movement Organizing, co-facilitated by Fawn Walker-Montomery and Samey Jay

10:15-11am

• How to Make Our Transit More Accessible, co-facilitated by Brian Hatgalatkas, Laura Perkins, and Margot Nikitas
• Art Making for Movements, co-facilitated by Marcel Walker

11:15am-noon

• Press Training, Amplifying our Voices Through the Media, facilitated by Patrick McGintey
• Worker and Rider Solidarity, co-facilitated by Askai Singh and Marcus McKnight

1:00-1:45pm

• Creating Presentations, facilitated by Dean Mougianis
• Power Mapping, co-facilitated by Alley Shaw and Gabriel McMorland

2:00-2:45pm

• How to Be An Ally to our Disability Constituency, co-facilitated by Alisa Grishman and Monica Still
• Canvassing at Bus Stops & on Buses, co-faciliated by Ms. Teaira Colling and Connor Chapman

Save your spot by RSVP’ing to join us on May 4th, 9-3pm at the Friends Meeting House 4836 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh PA, 15213

Accessibility information

Space’s physical accessibility: Pittsburgh Friends Meeting House is an accessible location with an entrance ramp to the bottom level, and first floor level of the building. There are two accessible bathrooms, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor level. There is a large meeting room on the ground level and several rooms where workshops, panels, and activities will be taking place.

Getting there: Pittsburgh Friends Meeting House is located at 4836 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, on the 75, 71A, and 71B bus routes. The 75 lets you off at Ellsworth and Clyde, with a one minute walk to our location. The 71A lets you off at Centre Ave. and Millville Ave. with an eight minute walk to our location. The 71B lets you off at Fifth Ave. and Neville St. with a four minute walk to our location. If any of these transportation modes are cost-prohibitive for you, contact PPT to discuss options, at 551-206-3320 or info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org.

Covid procedures: Masks are encouraged indoors. We also encourage everyone to take an at-home COVID rapid test before arriving. Please stay home if you are feeling sick or have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19. There is outdoor patio and large porch out in the front of the building.

About the PPT Members who are co-facilitating our workshops

Akshai Singh

Akshai Singh, or shay (they/he), is staff for Mobility, Opportunities, and Vibrant Economy Ohio (MOVE Ohio), and a union barista and member of Starbucks Workers United. Shay helped found Clevelanders for Public Transit and is on DSA’s Green New Deal Campaign Committee as well as a board member of Transit Members of the US Together (TRUST Riders).

Alisa Grishman

Alisa Grishman is a disability activist and founder of Access Mob Pittsburgh, an advocacy group that utilizes positive approaches to making change, such as education and economic incentives. A self-described shameless agitator, Grishman has also been arrested multiple times fighting for disability rights with ADAPT, a national advocacy group. Her work has been recognized locally and nationally in such outlets as the Rachel Maddow Show, NPR, Huffington Post, Esquire Magazine, KDKA News, and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Along with her direct advocacy work, Grishman co-runs Ballots for Patients and Care to Vote, sister efforts that respectively collect emergency absentee ballots from hospitalized peoples on election day and work with nursing and personal care homes to help residents register to vote and fill out ballots. In her free time, Grishman enjoys knitting and collecting antique books. She lives in the Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA.

Aly Shaw

Aly Shaw is a Research Analyst working in the state power mapping program at LittleSis. She works with activists and base building groups around the country to conduct power research on corporations, billionaires, and rightwing groups. Based in Pittsburgh, she previously spent 8 years as an environmental justice organizer at Pittsburgh UNITED and labor organizer at UFCW Local 1776. Over the years she has led campaigns to prevent the privatization of Pittsburgh’s water system, to make drinking water safer and more affordable, and organized grocery store workers to win higher wages and safer working conditions during the COVID 19 pandemic. She received her BA in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master’s in Public Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.

Amy Zaiss

Amy Zaiss has been a transit rider and cyclist all of her life, having lived car-free for the past fifteen years in five major cities. Her strong belief that better public transportation improves the quality of life for everyone led her to join Pittsburghers for Public Transit shortly after moving to the area in 2021. She contributed to PPT’s Represent Our Routes Report – a comprehensive analysis of the state of transit in Pittsburgh at the district level. Though it was her first introduction to speaking with elected representatives, it was not her last. She continues to stay involved with PPT and holds a leadership position in Pro-Housing Pittsburgh. When she’s not volunteering, you might spot her around town riding her e-bike.

Bo Fan

Mobility data worker turned advocate. They are a community researcher with Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Abolitionist Law Center, and the coveillance counter-surveillance collective. They are now the Pittsburgh Data Justice Project Coordinator at Urbankind.

Brian Hatgelakas

Brian has been an ACCESS and PRT transit user since his college days. He believes that we can improve on-time transit and strengthen ACCESS services by allowing riders to make same-day trips. Brian has been a PPT member since 2022.

Connor Chapman

Connor Chapman is a PPT member and is an active member of PPT’s organizing committee. Connor is graduate worker pursuing a PhD in sociology at the University of Pittsburgh and is also a volunteer labor organizer on the Pitt Grad Union campaign.

Dean Mougianis

Dean Mougianis has been a media producer for fifty years and an educator for thirty years. As a producer, writer, video editor and motion graphic artist, Dean has worked with a wide range of projects and clients, both commercial and non-profit. In the nineteen seventies was among the group of people who put community radio station WYEP on the air and served as an early station manager As an educator Dean has taught courses and workshops in various aspects of video production from beginner to advanced for Pittsburgh Filmmakers, as well as local colleges and unviersities. An early convert to digital media, Dean now specializes in teaching motion graphics and animation.

Fawn Walker-Montgomery

Fawn Walker Montgomery is a community leader, healer, activist, and consultant who is deeply committed to supporting her community, advocating for social justice, promoting Black Liberation, and advancing racial equality. She’s the principal consultant at Fawn Walker Montgomery Consulting and CEO/Co- Founder at Take Action Advocacy Group (TAAG). Fawn has extensive experience in public service and human services. She served two terms as a councilwoman in McKeesport and made history as the first Black woman to run for a State seat in the Mon Valley without a major party endorsement. Fawn’s mental and physical health suffered significantly as a result of years of hard work. After bravely facing a life-threatening battle with endometriosis in the public eye, she decided to start a blog. The purpose of her blog was to raise awareness about holistic natural remedies, such as herbalism, and the healing power of ancestral connections. Additionally, she shed light on the injustices faced by Black women in the medical field. She has a strong belief in using community organizing to push for change.

Gabriel McMorland

As Casa San Jose’s Human Rights Organizer, Laura Perkins is on-call 24/7 to respond to immigration and police detentions in southwest Pennsylvania. With the goal of a Pittsburgh region that is safe for all immigrants, Laura runs monthly new arrival orientations, Know Your Rights sessions, a jail visitation program, and legal clinics. She coordinates the Fondo Solidario, which pays immigration bonds and loans money to victims of workplace violations. Before working at Casa San Jose, Laura did human rights work in Honduras and Nicaragua, throughout two political crises. In her free time, you can find Laura legally observing protests, playing ultimate frisbee, and looking for window cats.

Laura Perkins

As Casa San Jose’s Human Rights Organizer, Laura Perkins is on-call 24/7 to respond to immigration and police detentions in southwest Pennsylvania. With the goal of a Pittsburgh region that is safe for all immigrants, Laura runs monthly new arrival orientations, Know Your Rights sessions, a jail visitation program, and legal clinics. She coordinates the Fondo Solidario, which pays immigration bonds and loans money to victims of workplace violations. Before working at Casa San Jose, Laura did human rights work in Honduras and Nicaragua, throughout two political crises. In her free time, you can find Laura legally observing protests, playing ultimate frisbee, and looking for window cats.

Marcel Walker

As Casa San Jose’s Human Rights Organizer, Laura Perkins is on-call 24/7 to respond to immigration and police detentions in southwest Pennsylvania. With the goal of a Pittsburgh region that is safe for all immigrants, Laura runs monthly new arrival orientations, Know Your Rights sessions, a jail visitation program, and legal clinics. She coordinates the Fondo Solidario, which pays immigration bonds and loans money to victims of workplace violations. Before working at Casa San Jose, Laura did human rights work in Honduras and Nicaragua, throughout two political crises. In her free time, you can find Laura legally observing protests, playing ultimate frisbee, and looking for window cats.

Marcus McKnight

Marcus McKnight is a lifelong resident of the Logan neighborhood of Philadelphia with over 15 years of experience both working in the transit industry and advocating for better public transit. He has past experience working at SEPTA in the planning and customer service sectors. He has served as the chairperson of SEPTA’s Youth Advisory Council and was a part of a team that was instrumental in restoring all night subway service in Philadelphia. He is currently a schoolteacher, transit operator and cofounder of the Philly Transit Riders Union which is an advocacy organization that highlights the viewpoints of transit riders and transit employees.

Margot Nikitas

Margot Nikitas is an activist and labor union attorney based in Pittsburgh.

Monica Still

Monica Albert Still, RN, BSN is an adult with Spina Bifida who is proud to be among the first generation of kids with SB on the threshold of Senior Citizenship. Monica spent most of her life in Connecticut. She has spent her nursing career keeping people in the community. Working her way from client care in the home to starting two Home Health Care Agencies as the administrator, she decided to take on a new challenge. After 30 years in nursing, she has now turned her focus to the advocacy part of nursing and serving her community on a broader level. She is involved in advocacy at the local, state and national levels. Monica currently serves as a board member of Access Mob Pittsburgh. She is honored to serve as the secretary of the board for Disability Rights PA, chair fior the Mental Health Advisory Council and member of the CT Health Law Project board. She is on the planning committee for Disability Pride Pittsburgh. She is also a founding member of the SBA Adult Advisory Council and continues to serve to this day as well as serving on various other committees. She combines care with advocacy.

Patrick McGinty

Patrick McGinty is an English professor at Slippery Rock University and serves on the statewide executive committee of his faculty union (APSCUF). His debut novel Test Drive depicts life for workers in Pittsburgh’s driverless car sector.

Samey Jay

Samey Jay is a passionate organizer invigorated by her early experiences during the Occupy movement and her working-class background, she believes that our activism must be accessible, impactful to, and most importantly, grassroots-led. She was a founding member of Fight Back Pittsburgh, a community-labor affiliate organization of the United Steelworkers local 3657. Samey has developed digital organizing strategies and communications for local campaigns around Affordable Housing, Environmental, Racial, and Economic Justice, and has coordinated marshalls and volunteers for marches and public demonstrations around Pittsburgh for over 6 years. Samey’s activism is informed by intersectional ideals that prioritize wellness above all else. Samey now works for Thomas Merton Center as a community organizer.

Teaira Collins

Teaira Collins is a lifelong transit rider, a Hazelwood community leader, a mother and foster mother, and now a grandmother to six grandchildren. he is very active in the community, volunteering with The Mission Continues to help veterans and with the Hazelwood Family Support Center to uplift young mothers. Ms. Teaira also runs her own non-profit to advocate for those like her son Judah and other famlies with children who have Down Syndrome, and fundraises for the National Kidney Foundation to help research related to her daughter’s health.

PPT’s Spring Training was developed by members and will be delivered by members! There is so much knowledge in our crew – come join us Saturday, 5/4 from 9am-3pm at the Friends Meeting House 4836 Ellsworth Ave to bloom with the PPT fam!

image description: a blue, yellow and white graphic with a bus logo in the top left corner. It shares the zoom meeting info for the PRT bus network redesign meeting on April 16 from 5:30-7:00 pm, and says that meeting video and materials will be posted on the project website.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation process of rewriting the transit network through their “Bus Line Redesign” project. This is a BIG DEAL.

This is a big deal because it will decide what communities the bus network will serve, how frequently the buses will run, and at what times of day and week– for a very long time. If you have ideas about how transit service should be changed to serve different communities or at different times, or have ideas about what transit service is working well (!) then you should weigh in!

How to Get Involved: 

1. Come to PRT’s Bus Line Redesign meeting tonight, April 16th from 5:30-7:00 pm online on Zoom. Register for that meeting here: https://engage.rideprt.org/buslineredesign/bus-line-redesign-public-meeting-3 

2. Check out PRT’s website, where they share a lot of really interesting and valuable data about how our transit system works and who it serves (and doesn’t serve). They also share the data and feedback received in in-person outreach and through their online survey in the first round of engagement this Fall. You can find that information here (and take a good look at the documents and links towards the bottom of the page): https://engage.rideprt.org/buslineredesign/buslineredesign-home 

3. Uplift our call for PRT to develop a  “visionary” transit network during this Bus Network Redesign– an expansion plan for transit service, rather than just putting forward “cost-neutral” transit service alternatives. In the last 20 years, 37% of our total transit service in the region has been cut, and that has resulted in fewer routes, less frequent service, and service that runs for a shorter time span everyday. If PRT just develops a  “cost-neutral” transit service plan, they will end up taking away the limited service that remains in some communities to add to others– and we’re tired of negotiating for crumbs! Everyone in Allegheny County deserves access to baseline quality transit service as a human right. With a plan for service expansion, our elected leaders and the public can get behind the fight for making it real.

What We’re Seeing:

We want to give lots of credit to Pittsburgh Regional Transit for doing such a deep analysis of the current system, and sharing this excellent data identifying trends with post-pandemic ridership.  We also want to give some big ups to PRT for holding a lot of in-person feedback sessions in communities around the County, and for soliciting feedback from transit operators, who are experts in the system.

Broadly, we agree that there should be more neighborhood connections and crosstown routes, and shifting service to better serve off-peak hours and weekends rather than concentrating service  9-5 pm downtown commuters. We strongly agree with PRT’s work identifying and prioritizing communities that are currently underserved but have a higher likelihood of taking transit if it’s provided.

A few areas of concern that we see:

• We want to know what specific metrics are going to define success for this bus line redesign. For instance, will the new transit network yield increased ridership overall and fewer car drivers, expanded access to jobs (ie. a 15% increase in the number of jobs within a 30 min transit commute of Northview Heights), more satisfied transit riders, reductions in transportation emissions in the County, or shorter commute times for marginalized communities to access critical services like hospitals and grocery stores? PRT’s website has project goals like “simplify the bus network” and “ensure that the bus network continues to promote safety,” which feel too abstract to be able to evaluate the success of the network redesign. Those particular project goals may also yield outcomes harmful to riders.

• Riders cannot wait until a new network is implemented to have reliable schedules. Unreliable schedules are due to bad scheduling, not issues with the route design. PRT needs to provide adequate run time for transit operators to be able to get to the stops when they are scheduled. If PRT cannot fix this issue with the current schedule, with all of the real-time data that they have on route timing, then it will not be fixed with the new bus network design, either. It is worth noting that transit operators again raised this issue in their feedback.

• The online survey results for the first round of public engagement are not representative of public transit rider demographics, and so the results of that survey should be reviewed with a grain of salt. PRT does a good job breaking down the demographic data in the appendix, but it is important to read the report with an understanding that the data overrepresents higher income white women.  

There is a lot more for the public to unpack in the information that is shared on the PRT website and in the online public meeting, and that’s why we need you! 

1. Come to PRT’s Bus Line Redesign meeting tonight, April 16th from 5:30-7:00 pm online on Zoom. Register for that meeting here: https://engage.rideprt.org/buslineredesign/bus-line-redesign-public-meeting-3 

2. Don’t forget to check out PRT’s website, where they share a lot of really interesting and valuable data here: https://engage.rideprt.org/buslineredesign/buslineredesign-home 

3. And uplift our call for PRT to develop a  “visionary” transit network during this Bus Network Redesign– an expansion plan for transit service, rather than just putting forward “cost-neutral” transit service alternatives. We want frequent service AND service that runs to all our communities. We want buses that run early in the morning to get us to church, and buses that run late to bring us home from our second shift at the hospital. Transit riders are not going to negotiate against each other, because all of our needs are important. 

We want to hear from you! What do you see as needs in the upcoming Bus Line Redesign?

Let Pittsburgh Regional Transit know your thoughts at http://buslineredesign.com.

Meet Daeja, newest member of PPT and our first digital organizer!

We’ve hired a digital organizer! PPT is growing its organizational capacity bringing its staff from four to five. Daeja has organized in Pittsburgh for 15 years and founded Pittsburgh Feminists for Intersectionality in 2017, a base that she has used to organize across several issues— racial justice, disability justice, justice for those in the carceral system and housing justice, all through the lens of intersectionality. Throughout the last few years Daeja has worked as a communications and event director for several campaigns, welcoming in a fresh legislative perspective to her work. We are excited to bring Daeja’s organizing, political and communications skills into the fold at PPT to strengthen our membership base, grow our digital presence, and grow our work statewide. 

Now is the time. Why is now the time? We are in a growth moment here at PPT. With this new role we can reach so many more people in our community and bring them into this growing movement without skipping a beat! With this new role we can focus more on building relationships in our community and turning that into growth in our membership. We can use the tools we have at our disposal more effectively to stimulate that growth. We can refine and strengthen our organizing with more capacity to use these tools throughout our work. PPT is doing so many great things with our members and board and we want YOU to hear about it and JOIN US! This is the way we do it.

Learn more about Daeja in her own words…

What is a girl to do when she’s been organizing for fifteen years? Try something new, of course! I’m the first to admit that I have a lot to learn about advocating for better transit in our county, but one thing I do know is my ability to advocate for intersectional issues. Here at PPT we know that transit is about housing, it’s about class struggle, it’s about food justice, and it’s about equity in all of these things and more. In my time as an organizer I’ve advocated for many things that I know can get better, and transit is no different. It can get better. It will get better. I am here to be a part of that journey. 

Some questions that may help you get to know me:

Who do you consider yourself to be? 

To most I am a poet, an organizer and a bipolar girl telling her story for change. To myself, I’m just discovering how not to be lost with everybody else.

What is your organizing passion point? 

This is a tough one! I’d say I spend a lot of time organizing at the intersections of radical mental health and racial justice. This includes justice for our unhoused, those in the carceral system, our youth, and so many of us disabled folks who are unseen due to invisible illnesses and conditions. 

Would you rather listen to music, a podcast, or public radio?

While I chose this question I think it is unfair. I am a complex person. 

To work: music 

To cook/clean: music or podcast

To think: public radio

To have an existential crisis: all three on shuffle so I don’t see it coming

Sweet or savory?

Savory, always.

What is your favorite vacation?

My secret cabin in a small town a couple of hours away. I read, write, hike, kayak and drink champagne in the hot tub. I also try a new coffee shop every time — but I only like one grocery store! I love water.

What is your theory of change? 

Another unfair question. My short answer: we are only powerless if we do nothing. 

Cats, dogs, or snails? 

I love but am allergic to cats. I cannot take care of a dog, I promise you. I love a good snail. 

Hot or cold?

I would live on the equator with a bathing suit on. 

Most recent achievements?

I won a thumb war with a teenager. 

More about Daeja

Daeja grew up in Pittsburgh’s Northside, in what is now known as the Perry South neighborhood. Her family did not own a car and her mother often carted her and her three brothers onto the bus to grocery shop, go to the movies, doctors appointments, and frankly any other reason a person would have to leave the house daily. As a teenager Daeja took two buses to get to work, often waking up over an hour early and arriving an hour early to work due to the lack of buses running in the evening and on weekends. This has shaped how Daeja has viewed transit—until she moved to other major metropolitan areas that have robust transit systems. Daeja believes that we, too, can have a robust transit system that supports workers, our unhoused, our disabled, those who do not have the ability or privilege to drive, our elderly population, our youth—everyone.

 Follow us on social media! Daeja and her comrades at PPT will update you about PPT often!