
No Way To The Busway!? Sign the Petition for Access in Swissvale

Port Authority (now “Pittsburgh Regional Transit”) typically updates its service schedules 4 times every year, but the most recent round of service changes that took effect on June 26th was not your normal service update.
The recent changes will impact 61 out of the 101 total Port Authority routes and will result in an alleged 4% decrease in the service. These changes come on the heels of the April changes, where riders lost 2% of service when 25 routes changed. This is an emergency alert for our transit service.
Ridership is on the rebound. 100,000 riders used our system every day in May. That’s 100% growth from when the pandemic struck in March 2020. Now is the time to EXPAND service and EXPAND affordable fare programs because those are the things that support current riders and bring back more riders to transit.
But unfortunately, this is not the choice that PRT is making… If there is a silver lining, it is that the agency is saying these cuts are “temporary”. However, riders don’t have any idea what that means exactly because there is no public plan for how and under what conditions service frequencies will be expanded.
Riders and residents need to see a plan because our experience is that once routes are cut, they don’t come back.
PPT has been publishing this blog series on PRT’s quarterly serive updates for the past few years. Our goal is to translate what these quarterly changes will mean for riders.
The @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline is a volunteer-run twitter account that gives riders updates on Port Authority’s daily happenings. The Hotline has no official connection to the Port Authority (again, it is a volunteer-run twitter account) but the updates they provide are helpful nonetheless. The Hotline is a big supporter of PPT, and an enormous advocate for public transit. We’re thankful for their support and happy to collab on these rider resources. Follow @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline on twitter for more grassroots transit updates.
We’re starting a new layout for these blogs. We’re going to sort this long list of changes from Port Authority into three categories based on what they mean for riders; “The Good”, “The Bad (The Missed Opportunities)”, “The middle of the road… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯”.
For each change you’ll see the text and link that the Port Authority uses to describe each change, this is copy/pasted from their website…
See these changes on PRT’s website: “Port Authority adjusts schedules four times a year. These changes are effective Sunday, June 26, 2022. Please look closely at the changes below, as service has been reduced on some routes based on current ridership, and to prevent some missed trips.”
22-McCoy – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 53 minutes throughout the day. Saturday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
61C-McKeesport-Homestead – Sunday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 45 minutes in the early morning, morning peak and late evenings.
61D-Murray – Sunday service frequency has been increased to 20 minutes from 30 minutes in the middle of the day, and to 40 minutes from 45 minutes in the late evening.
1-Freeport Road – Some weekday trip times have changed. Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 50 minutes from 45 minutes throughout the day.
2-Mount Royal – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 30 minutes during peak hours, and to 70 minutes from 30-70 minutes in the early morning and late evening. Weekend frequency has been reduced to 80 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
8-Perrysville – Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 30 minutes throughout the day. Some trip times have changed on Sunday.
12-McKnight – Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 30 minutes in the middle of the day and afternoon peak hours, and reduced to 50 minutes from 40 minutes in the late evening.
17-Shadeland – Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 60 minutes from 50 minutes throughout the day.
20-Kennedy – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30-35 minutes during peak hours, and to 60 minutes from between 35-50 minutes during off-peak hours. On Saturday, trip times have changed throughout the day, and service will operate every 50 minutes. Sunday service frequency has been increased to 50 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
24-West Park – Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 60 minutes from 45 minutes throughout the day.
28X-Airport Flyer – Weekday service frequency after 4 p.m. has been reduced to 40-50 minutes from 30 minutes.
38-Green Tree – The 38C variant will be eliminated due to low ridership. All 38C variant trips will instead become additional 38G variant trips. Please see below for a list of discontinued stops served by the 38C variant.
Riders should instead board any 38-Green Tree service on Greentree Road, or use the Covenant Church Park and Ride (also served by the 38-Green Tree). Access to Red Line light rail service is also available via the Mount Lebanon and Castle Shannon park and rides.
Inbound Discontinued Stops | Outbound Discontinued Stops |
Swallow Hill Road at Greentree Road Far Side | Orchard Spring Road at Greentree Road Far Side |
Swallow Hill Road at Hope Street | Orchard Spring Road at # 120 |
Swallow Hill Road at Robin Drive | Orchard Spring Road at Roseleaf Road # 1 |
Swallow Hill Road opposite Chartiers Valley School Driveway | Orchard Spring Road at #252 |
Swallow Hill Road at Swallow Hill Court | Orchard Spring Road at #312 |
Swallow Hill Road at Foxcroft Road | Orchard Spring Road opposite Blackberry Drive |
Roseleaf Drive at Foxcroft Road Far Side | Orchard Spring Road at Roseleaf Road #2 |
Orchard Spring Road at #453 | Roseleaf Drive at Foxcroft Road |
Orchard Spring Road Blackberry Drive | Foxcroft Road at Swallow Hill Road |
Orchard Spring Road at #313 | Swallow Hill Road at Swallow Hill Place |
Orchard Spring Road opposite Roseleaf Drive | Swallow Hill Road at Chartiers Valley School Driveway |
Orchard Spring Road #137 | Swallow Hill Road at Robin Drive |
Orchard Spring Road at #29 | Swallow Hill Road at Hope Street |
Orchard Spring Road at Greentree Road | Swallow Hill Road at Hope Hollow Road |
Additionally, weekday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 15-30 minutes throughout the day.
39-Brookline – Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 80 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
41-Bower Hill – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 60 minutes from 40 minutes in the middle of the day.
44-Knoxville – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 60 minutes from 30-45 minutes in the middle of the day and the late evening.
52L-Homeville Limited – Service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 20-40 minutes during the morning peak hours, and to 30-60 minutes from 25-40 minutes during afternoon peak hours.
53-Homestead Park – Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 90 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
53L-Homestead Park Limited – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 34 minutes from 30 minutes in the early morning and peak hours; reduced to 70 minutes from 60 minutes in the middle of the day; and increased to 67 minutes from 75 minutes in the late evening.
55-Glassport – Weekday trip times have changed. Late evening service frequency has been reduced to 60-100 minutes from 60 minutes. Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 70 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
Additionally, while schedules have been updated to reflect service operating across the Jerome Street Bridge, please note that westbound buses will continue to detour across the 15th Street Bridge until construction on the Jerome Street Bridge is complete (anticipated for mid-summer).
56-Lincoln Place – Weekday trip times have changed. Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 32-63 minutes from 30-60 minutes during early morning and late evening; and increased to 42 minutes from 45 minutes in the middle of the day.
Additionally, while schedules have been updated to reflect service operating across the Jerome Street Bridge, please note that westbound buses will continue to detour across the 15th Street Bridge until construction on the Jerome Street Bridge is complete (anticipated for mid-summer).
59-Mon Valley – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 70 minutes from 40 minutes in the late evening.
Additionally, while schedules have been updated to reflect service operating across the Jerome Street Bridge, please note that westbound buses will continue to detour across the 15th Street Bridge until construction on the Jerome Street Bridge is complete (anticipated for mid-summer).
61A-North Braddock -The long-term Fern Hollow Bridge detour will be incorporated into the schedule.
Below you will find an updated list of inbound and outbound established and discontinued stops. Please note: effective Sunday, June 26, 2022, the 61A will no longer serve the previously established stop at Kelly Ave. at Trenton Ave. Instead, it will serve Trenton Ave. at South Ave.
Additionally, Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 30 minutes in the middle of the day, and to 35 minutes from 30 minutes during afternoon peak hours.
Inbound Established Stops | Outbound Established Stops |
Trenton Ave at South Ave | S. Dallas at Forbes (far side) |
S. Dallas at Forbes (near side) | Trenton Ave at South Ave |
Inbound Discontinued Stops | Outbound Discontinued Stops |
Kelly Ave at Trenton Ave (far side) (19007) | Forbes Ave at S. Dallas Ave (7130) |
Kelly Ave at Peebles St (7088) | Forbes Ave opposite Briarcliff Rd (7132) |
Peebles St at Forbes Ave Ext (7089) | Forbes Ave Ext at East End Ave (7133) |
Forbes Ave at Celeron St | Forbes Ave Ext at Peebles St (7134) |
Forbes Ave at Braddock Ave (7091) | Peebles St opposite Forbes Ave Ext (7135) |
Forbes Ave at Braddock Ave (far side) (7233) | Peebles St at Kelly Ave (7136) |
Forbes Ave at S. Dallas Ave (7093) | Kelly Ave at Trenton Ave |
Corey Ave at Braddock Ave | |
7th at Braddock Ave |
61B-Braddock-Swissvale – The long-term Fern Hollow Bridge detour will be incorporated into the schedule.
Below you will find a list of inbound and outbound established and discontinued stops. Please note that these stops have not changed from the previous detour.
Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 30 minutes in the middle of the day, and to 35 minutes from 30 minutes during afternoon peak hours.
Inbound Established Stops | Outbound Established Stops |
Braddock Ave at Forbes Ave. Ext. | S. Dallas Ave at Forbes Ave (far side) |
S. Dallas Ave at Forbes Ave | Braddock Ave at Forbes Ave (Waverly Church) |
Inbound Discontinued Stops | Outbound Discontinued Stops |
Forbes Ave at Braddock Ave (farside) (7233) | Forbes Ave at S. Dallas Ave (7130) |
Forbes Ave at S. Dallas Ave (7093) | Forbes Ave at Briarcliff Rd (7132) |
Forbes Ave at Braddock Ave (7234) |
74-Homewood-Squirrel Hill – Three weekday trips that served the now-closed Shuman Center have been removed. Pittsburgh Job Corps Center will continue to be served.
Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 90 minutes from 40 minutes in the early morning and late evening. Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 90 minutes from 60 minutes.
77-Penn Hills – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 30 minutes throughout the day. Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 65 minutes from 60 minutes during morning peak hours and in the late evening. Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 65 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
86-Liberty – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 35 minutes in the early morning and morning peak hours, and to 45 minutes from 30 minutes in the late evening. Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 30 minutes from 20 minutes in the afternoon peak hours. Sunday service frequency has been increased to 35 minutes from 60 minutes in the early morning, morning peak hours and late evening, and reduced to 35 minutes from 30 minutes in the middle of the day and afternoon peak hours.
87-Friendship – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 25 minutes from 20 minutes in the early morning and to 25 minutes from 15 minutes during peak hours.
88-Penn – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 30 minutes in the early morning and late evening. Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30 minutes. Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 30 minutes.
91-Butler Street – Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30-35 minutes in the early morning. Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 60 minutes from 40-50 minutes in the early morning; other trip times have changed throughout the day.
93-Lawrenceville-Hazelwood – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 20 minutes from 30 minutes during peak hours; and has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30 minutes in the early morning and middle of the day, and to 30-50 minutes from 30 minutes in the late evening.
G2-West Busway – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 25 minutes from 20 minutes in the late evening hours.
P1-East Busway-All Stops – Weekday service has been reduced to 12 minutes from 8-10 minutes throughout the day, and to 20 minutes from 15 minutes in the late evening.
P10-Allegheny Valley Flyer – Weekday peak service has been reduced to 25 minutes from 20 minutes.
P71-Swissvale Flyer – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 50 minutes from 30 minutes.
. Y46-Elizabeth Flyer – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 47 minutes from 45 minutes in the early morning and morning peak hours, and increased to 36 minutes from 45 minutes in the middle of the day and afternoon peak hours. Frequency in late evening has overall been reduced to 44-80 minutes from 45 minutes.
Y49-Prospect Flyer – Weekend service frequency has been increased to 60 minutes from 70 minutes throughout the day.
Red Line – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 15 minutes from 10 minutes in the early morning, middle of the day, and peak hours. Weekend service has been reduced to 20 minutes from 15 minutes throughout the day.
Blue Line – On weekdays, the Blue Line will operate from the early morning to afternoon peak hours. Before and after these times, riders can board Red Line service to or from South Hills Village, or Silver Line service to or from Washington Junction.
Weekday service frequency has been increased to 15 minutes from 20 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes during off peak hours. Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30 minutes throughout the day.
4-Troy Hill – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 45 minutes from 60 minutes in the middle of the day. Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 70 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
6-Spring Hill – Some weekday trip times have changed during morning peak hours. Weekday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 50 minutes during off-peak hours. Weekend service frequency has increased to 50 minutes from 70 minutes throughout the day.
7-Spring Garden – Service frequency has been reduced to 70 minutes from 65 minutes during peak hours.
13-Bellevue – Some weekday trip times have changed.
14-Ohio Valley – Some weekday trip times have changed. Saturday service frequency has been increased to 53 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
15-Charles – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 30 minutes from 25 minutes in the early morning and peak hours, and increased to 45 minutes from 45-60 minutes during off-peak hours. On Saturday, a trip has been added in the late evening. Sunday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 45 minutes throughout the day.
16-Brighton – Some weekday and Saturday trip times have changed.
29-Robinson – Due to the weight limit of a culvert on Mahoney Road near the intersection of Mahoney Road and Cliff Mine Road, buses will be unable to operate on Mahoney Road and must instead use Cliff Mine Road to travel to and from Steubenville Pike.
Please note that this routing will be a change from the current detour routing. Pittsburgh Technical College and CCAC West will continue to be served.
See below for a full list of inbound and outbound discontinued stops:
Inbound Discontinued Stops | Outbound Discontinued Stops |
Steubenville Pike at Palomino Drive Far Side | Cliff Mine Road at Omslaer Steel Supplies |
Steubenville Pike at Farmcrest Drive | Cliff Mine Road opposite Oak Moss Drive |
Steubenville Pike at North Fayette VFD | Mahoney Road opposite Hawthorne Drive |
Mahoney Road at Hawthorne Drive | Steubenville Pike opposite North Fayette VFD |
Cliff Mine Road at Oak Moss Drive | Steubenville Pike opposite Farmcrest Drive |
Cliff Mine Road at Omslaer Steel Supplies | Steubenville Pike opposite Palomino Drive |
Cliff Mine Road at Enlow Road |
Additionally, Saturday service has been increased to 50 minutes from 60 minutes, and Sunday service frequency has been reduced to 70 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
36-Banksville – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 45 minutes from 60 minutes throughout most of the day; afternoon peak service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 30 minutes. Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 75 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
40-Mount Washington – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 40 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
57-Hazelwood – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 44 minutes from 45 minutes in the middle of the day; reduced to 48 minutes from 30 minutes in the afternoon peak hours; and increased to 48 minutes from 60 minutes in the late evening. Weekend service frequency has been increased to 45 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
69-Trafford – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 45 minutes from 40 minutes throughout the day. An additional stop has been added at Forbes Hospital.
71-Edgewood Town Center – Some weekday trip times have changed.
75-Ellsworth – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 25 minutes from 20 minutes during the morning peak hours and in the middle of the day.
81-Oak Hill – Some weekday trip times have changed. Sunday service frequency has been increased to 45 minutes from 60 minutes throughout the day.
83-Bedford Hill – Weekday service frequency has been reduced to 35 minutes from 15-30 minutes during peak hours. Saturday service frequency has been reduced to 40-50 minutes from 35 minutes. Sunday service frequency has been increased to 30-60 minutes from 60 minutes.
89-Garfield Commons – Some weekday trip times have changed.
G3-Moon Flyer – Some weekday trip times have changed.
G31-Bridgeville Flyer – Some weekday trip times have changed.
P2 – East Busway Short – Some weekday trip times have changed
P67-Monroeville Flyer – Some weekday trip times have changed.
Y47-Curry Flyer – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 38 minutes from 45 minutes at peak hours and reduced to 57-64 minutes from 45 minutes during off peak hours. Saturday service frequency has been increased to 60 minutes from 70 minutes throughout the day.
Silver Line – Weekday service frequency has been increased to 15 minutes from 20 minutes during peak hours. Weekend service frequency has been reduced to 40 minutes from 30 minutes throughout the day.
As these changes roll-out, be sure to give your feedback & suggestions by reaching out to Port Authority Customer Service by phone or over twitter:
Port Authority Customer service phone number: 412-442-2000
Hours: Weekdays 5a to 7p, Weekend + Holidays 8a to 430p
or via Twitter @PGHTransit or @PGHTransitCare
And if you want to get in touch with the volunteer-run @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline, you can give them a call at 412-759-3335 ONLY When PortAuthority Customer Service is Closed/unavailable or via Twitter anytime @PGH_BUS_INFO
The PGH Bus Info Hotline will be back on PPT’s blog in for the next set of changes. See ya then.
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 5 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 for 3-minutes 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.
All PPT Members in good standing can cast a vote to determine our incoming board. Good standing means that in the last year, a PPT member has
If you are unsure of your membership status, email info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org or call 412-626-7353 to check.
Below is a list of the nominees to fill PPT’s General Membership seats. They are listed in alphabetical order by first name, with a short bio and list of their campaign involvement to give background on their past work for transit justice and other issues. Each nominee has approved and contributed to their biography and list of campaign involvement.
PPT Members can vote for up to 5 candidates to serve in General Membership Seats for the next 2-year term, 2022-2024. PPT Members, please read through all of this info before casting your vote.
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:
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:
Karen Smith is a resident of Carnegie and an advocate for disability justice.
Karen has been involved in community advocacy and activism for several years, beginning with the group “Save Our Transit”.
In 2008, Karen was a speaker at a rally for the Personal Need Allowance, which would give personal care home residents more funds for necessities like toiletries or phone bills that personal care homes do not provide.
From there, Karen advocated to save UPMC Braddock Hospital from closure in 2010 (a significant source of local jobs and direct access to health care), and Karen has been supporting community efforts for patient rights.
She has worked on two photo voice projects. During one of the projects, Karen demonstrated the challenges disabled residents face using public transportation in Allegheny County.
As a member of the PPT Board, Karen aims to make the needs of disabled transit riders a priority and plans to work with fellow board members to achieve safer transit and infrastructure connections. Her goal is to increase PPT membership and see the organization grow more statewide, nationally, and worldwide.
List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:
My name is Lisa Gonzalez and I ride the bus every day. I have been doing so for my entire life. I raised a family while being a bus rider. 3 of my kids, and now 1 of my grandkids, all had to learn how to ride the bus because it is important to make our family work.
I have been fighting for better public transit as an elected leader of Pittsburghers for Public Transit for the last 7 years. I want to continue this leadership on the PPT Board to ensure that we make changes in a positive way. My vision for the organization is to recruit school students and new members because public schools and youth activism is important to me.
As far as my background and experience, I have been an advocate in one form or another in struggles for education, housing, and in the community where I live in carrick. I have served on several boards throughout the years. In the past, I have served as one of the parents representing Pittsburgh Public School Region 3 families on the Title One Parent Advisory Council at both the local and state levels. Currently, I’m on the Carrick Community Council Board of Directors and I’m an advocate for the Western Pennsylvania Bleeding Disorders Foundation.
List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:
My name is Ricardo Villarreal. I have been in love with the culture of the US for as long as I can remember. That is why I decided to immigrate here. Since getting here, I have joined Casa San Jose. I have been inspired by the work they do to help the community and I want to contribute to this mission of building strength in the community.
When the Red Line was down and transit riders were faced with terrible wait times, I felt compelled to join Pittsburghers for Public Transit. I spoke out about the importance of transit to the immigrant community at the “Transit Justice is Environmental Justice” rally. It would be a delite to lead Pittsburghers for Public Transit with my skills because I consider transport core to the advancement and success of modern cities.
I describe myself as being a teamwork-oriented person. I can quickly analyze data and propose process improvements to strengthen organizing. I’m an empathic person with a multicultural approach. My professional training has occurred in many different countries, including the US, Latin-American countries, and The Caribbean andI can quickly put myself in the shoes of others, understand, and help.
I am a proud Latino, native Spanish speaker, and the father of two grown children. I enjoy playing music and reading and do not like shortcuts. When problems arise, I thrive and I do not shy away from complexities with a hands-on attitude.
List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:
I want to join the PPT Board because I have been a member for three years and want to step up my involvement. Three things that are important to me and that I think I could help accomplish are; 1. Win more affordable fares, 2. Get service frequency increased, 3. Build a stronger culture of respect for our transit operators. I think that all of the operators who were fired because of the vaccine mandate should be brought back because we need service. This doesn’t respect the workers who were called “heroes” through the most dangerous part of the pandemic, and it has destroyed service, leaving people stranded waiting for transit. This is bad and inconvenient.
I’d be a good board member because I have ridden a lot of transit. I’ve been a regular rider of the Port Authority for over 20 years and I know the ins and outs of the company and what actually happens on the day-to-day. When I ride, I think it’s important to watch how people pay their fares and treat operators. You can learn a lot from this.
As far as my vision for PPT, I would like to work with the organization to bring back in-person meetings. The internet makes things more accessible for some, but it makes it more inaccessible for others. I also want to see PPT doing more recruitment of new members. We can do this with more advertising in newspapers and on social media.
List of 3-5 projects or campaigns that the nominee has been involved with related to PPT, transit justice, activism, and/or movement building:
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:
Below is a list of the nominees to fill the Transit Worker seat that is reserved for union members of local transit worker unions. They are listed in alphabetical order by first name, with a short bio and list of their campaign involvement to give background on their in past work for transit justice and other issues.
PPT Members can vote for up to 1 candidate to serve in a Transit Worker Seat for the next 2-year term, 2022-2024. PPT Members, please read through all of this info before casting your vote.
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:
People have always been on the front lines fighting for transit justice in Pittsburgh. Whether from disabled communities, from immigrant communities, or from poor, black and brown communities – our struggle has always been about one thing: access. Access to a seat on the bus. Access to a seat at the tables of power.
Our transit system has been the focus of our struggle because it ties us to everything – jobs, healthcare, education, housing, food, friends, family and all that makes us whole.
In 2012 those leaders who were leading these fights for transit justice came together to start Pittsburghers for Public Transit. And for the last 10 years, PPT has been a growing force.
PPT’s campaigns have improved our transit system. We have expanded service to new neighborhoods, won campaigns for fare affordability, and increased funding to keep our systems on track. But even more so, our campaigns have also stood up to corporate, political, and institutional power to assert the power and knowledge that’s within our communities. In the process, we have built relationships with thousands of people. These people have stepped up to help lead our organization and recruit the next advocate.
“We’ve organized and built power, but our service is in danger. I had to travel 2 miles in my wheelchair because 2 buses didn’t show, and in June we’re facing more cuts – with 61 of our 101 routes changing.”
Karen Smith, PPT Member and Disability Justice Advocate
Transit is essential. The pandemic put that on display. Transit has gotten us to our jobs as healthcare workers, grocery store workers, and public servants. Transit allowed us to allow society to function.
But service is being cut back when people need it most. Fares are still the highest in the nation and there are no programs for low-income people. Our buses are regularly behind schedule.
Today the Port Authority unveiled the new name for the transit system that we ride every day: Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT). The website announces the change with a banner that reads, “New Name. New Direction.”.
Transit riders would welcome a new direction. With the name change, we hope that the new street signage and bus branding will make the system more legible and simpler to navigate. We hope that the “regional” part of the PRT name might signal a move to a more coordinated fare payment and route planning system between our neighboring county transit agencies.
But riders have reason to be skeptical. The last sentence of the announcement page reads, “But most importantly, this will not disrupt the services we provide or the fares charged for those services.”
So we are left asking: “Isn’t the poor service that we’ve been experiencing and expensive fares that we’ve been paying precisely the things that need to be disrupted?”
Above all, riders want our transit agency to plan for more frequent and reliable service, taking more people to more destinations. We need service levels to be restored and expanded instead of confronting another round of service cuts in two weeks. Riders need fare payment to be more affordable because we continue to pay some of the highest transit fare costs in the entire country, without any fare relief programs available for low-income residents.
Riders have organized, marched, and testified for the Port Authority to fulfill these baseline needs around service and fares for years. If a marketing campaign is what the agency needs to catalyze these improvements, then we will welcome it. Whether the name on the bus says “Port Authority” or “PRT”, riders will continue to push for a true new direction for our transit agency – one that is expanded, affordable, and accessible to all residents of Allegheny County.
We were excited to accept an invitation from our friends at TransitCenter to join them for Episode 1 of their High Frequency podcast’s new season. Check out PPT Director Laura Chu Wiens’ discussion with TransitCenter’s Kapish Singlah wherever you get your podcasts. Or we included a version that you can listen to at the top of this blog!
Our interview with Kapish covered our recent victory in our campaign to invest city dollars in neighborhood needs instead of the Mon Oakland Connector. We also discussed the Pittsburgh 100 Days Transit Platform, the community process that produced it, and the success we’ve had in integrating it into the Gainey Administration’s Transition Plans.
Transit Riders Celebrate Mayor Ed Gainey’s recently released Transition Plan. The plan centers equity and pedestrian dignity in infrastructure investments and planning. This is in stark contrast to the previous mayoral administration’s approach to policy which hinged on experimental, venture-backed transportation tech. This release followed several months of organizing in which Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) and allied organizations in the housing justice, disability justice, and neighborhood development community developed and published the Pittsburgh 100 Days Transit Platform, an ambitious but achievable roadmap towards improving transportation access in the City. PPT assessed the Mayor’s Transition Plan against 100 Days Transit Platform and found a high level of alignment on nearly all of the platform’s 18 policy recommendations. The full assessment can be found below. PPT is proud to have had a seat at the table in crafting the Transition Plan, and celebrates the City’s inclusive process around their transition.
“As a disabled Pittsburgher, I am excited to see that Mayor Gainey’s office has adopted the majority of the recommendations made by Pittsburghers for Public Transit and the City-County Task Force on Disabilities,” said Alisa Grishman, a disability rights activist who lives in Uptown. “I look forward to seeing these policies implemented in a way that makes our City accessible to all of its citizens.”
The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has made available an unprecedented amount of resources for investments in transportation equity and climate resiliency. In particular, we urge the City’s administration to apply for federal grants to fund: new bus shelters and stop amenities, safe and accessible pedestrian connections to transit, and planning grants for equitable transit-oriented development. PPT members in the disability community, the Pittsburgh immigrant community, low-income people and Black residents are ready to organize and support the City’s leadership in applying for these resources.
“Through the bipartisan infrastructure law, there are hundreds of billions of dollars that can make the pedestrian experience and public transportation dignified, convenient, and accessible to all. But city, transit agency, and state leaders ultimately decide how to use most of that money. Strong action from Mayor Gainey can prepare Pittsburgh to take full advantage of this historic opportunity,” says Steven Higashide, TransitCenter Director of Research.
The Pittsburgh 100 Days Transit Platform was launched in December 2021 and created in collaboration with dozens of residents. This included: transit riders, transit workers, people who have experienced housing insecurity, and people with experience navigating City streets with a disability. PPT also collaborated with organizations that have strong insights into what is needed to ensure Pittsburgh’s transportation network is effective, safe, and accessible to all. PPT’s subsequent report, Mobility for Who: Rebuilding Bridges to Transportation Justice, released in February 2022, highlighted the critical issues that arose from former Mayor Peduto’s tech-focused transportation policy, and uplifted opportunities for the Gainey administration to create access for all by supporting public transit, affordable housing, and accessible pedestrian infrastructure. Given the goals outlined in Mayor Gainey’s Transition Plan and the federal funds available for infrastructure improvements, PPT is excited to continue organizing in our communities to address the harms of the prior administration by creating an equitable and people-focused transit system.
Pittsburgh 100 Days Transit Platform Evaluation Rubric | Full adoption of PPT Transit Platform Proposal | Partial adoption of PPT Transit Platform Proposal | Quote from Mayor Gainey’s Transition Plan | |
---|---|---|---|---|
I | Prioritization of Accessible, Equitable Mobility Over Corporate Profit and Private Modes of Transportation | |||
1 | Announce a Walking/Transit/Biking First Approach to Mobility that includes a Pittsburgh Transit Plan | X(I&E Rec. 8, p.98) | Recommendation 8: Commit to transit-oriented development “Commit to a Walking/Transit/Biking First Approach to Mobility that includes a Pittsburgh Transit Plan, similar to the Philadelphia Transit Plan…” | |
2 | Identify a Clear Set of Mobility Goals | X(I&E Rec. 8, p.98) | Recommendation 8: Commit to transit-oriented development “Adopt a goal such as “A 15 Minute City” or another easy-to-understand framework to communicate the Mayoral commitment to development and infrastructure that benefits all.” | |
3 | Name a Cabinet-Level Position Dedicated to Mobility Justice and Transportation Access | X(I&E Rec. 15, p. 108) | Recommendation 15: “Create a leadership position solely dedicated to mobility justice and transportation access, including bicycle and pedestrian issues. This position should ensure coordination/collaboration on equitable transportation and disability-related efforts across all departments and agencies.” Improve agency/stakeholder coordination through Departmental and Agency Alignment “Offer competitive wages and fully staff DOMI, DPW, and DCP to address present and future project planning and delivery and to capture larger tranches of federal funding that may be missed if we are understaffed.” | |
4 | Fully Fund and Staff DOMI and the DCP Zoning and Strategic Planning Divisions to Address Present and Future Project Planning and Delivery | X(I&E Rec. 15, p.108) | ||
II | Legislation and Zoning that Supports Transit Use and Affordable Housing | |||
5 | Announce a Plan to Provide Free Bus Passes to All City Employees and Residents of City-Supported Homeless Shelters by 2023 | X(I&E Rec. 11, p. 103) | Recommendation 11: Fund a stronger collaborative relationship with Port Authority for improved public transit “Pilot a free bus pass program that provides free bus passes to city employees and residents in certain communities (or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients).” | |
6 | Call for a Citywide Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) Ordinance | X (ED Rec 10, p. 30-31) | Recommendation 10: Strengthen and expand the city’s inclusionary zoning policy “It is imperative that the Gainey Administration…strengthen and expand the City’s IZ policy…The City should update the financial modeling performed by the IZ Exploratory Committee and expand coverage making Pittsburgh’s incentivized mandatory IZ policy citywide.” | |
7 | Call for Higher Levels of Affordability and Density Within Walking Distance of Frequent Transit Routes | X(ED Rec 9, p.30 // I&E Rec. 8, p.98) | Recommendation 9: Amend the zoning code to create more housing development and incentivize more affordable housing development “The Equitable Development Committee recommends that the Code increase the allowed density in certain residential zoning districts. This would include expanding multifamily residential districts near transit stations along the Light Rail system and the East Busway, thus reducing minimum lot size per dwelling unit requirements in certain districts, particularly downtown; reducing or eliminating minimum parking requirements, especially in districts that are well-served by public transit…” Recommendation 8: Commit to equitable transit-oriented development “Transit-oriented development, which will maximize the amount of residential, business, and leisure space, is essential to having a walkable connected city.” “The administration should regulate and incentivize equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) through streamlined zoning and other incentives or programs. Direct public investment to prevent displacement and to build affordable housing within close proximity to high-frequency transit routes.” | |
8 | Restart the Citywide Comprehensive Land Use Planning Process (ForgingPgh) | X(I&E Rec 14, p.106) | Recommendation 14: Institute comprehensive planning and zoning “The administration should rewrite the Zoning Code. As a reciprocal document to a comprehensive plan, it will need to be overhauled to accommodate the new patterns and to prevent a patch-and-stitch approach to each novel problem. Organize a comprehensive planning process that is thorough, data-informed, and able to serve as an umbrella document for neighborhood plans, open space plans, etc” | |
9 | Minimize or Eliminate Parking Minimums in the Zoning Code | X(ED Rec 9, p. 30 // I&E Rec.14, p.106) | Recommendation 9: Amend the zoning code to create more housing development and incentivize more affordable housing development Recommendation 10: …This would include expanding multifamily residential districts near transit stations along the Light Rail system and the East Busway, thus reducing minimum lot size per dwelling unit requirements in certain districts, particularly downtown; reducing or eliminating minimum parking requirements, especially in districts that are well-served by public transit Recommendation 13: Reconsider parking requirements to ensure we are putting the right amount of parking in the right places. Recommendation 14: Institute comprehensive planning and zoning “Continue the conversation on the following concerns: Eliminating mandatory minimum parking requirements in transit-rich areas, increased density for walkability, city-wide inclusionary housing…” | |
10 | Designate Representatives from DOMI and DCP to Be in Charge of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) | X (I&E Rec 15, p 108) | Recommendation 8 Commit to equitable transit-oriented development Recommendation 15: Improve agency/stakeholder coordination through Departmental and Agency Alignment “Offer competitive wages and fully staff DOMI, DPW, and DCP to address present and future project planning and delivery and to capture larger tranches of federal funding that may be missed if we are understaffed.” | |
11 | Consistently Audit Data Processes to Being Used by Private Tech Companies | X (ED, Rec 10, p. 101) | Recommendation 10: Expand bicycling, mobility, and greenspace networks“In recent years, many parts of the City have had improvements that enable safer cycling and for new types of mobility technologies. These new technologies (scooters, e-bikes, autonomous vehicles, Personal Delivery Devices, etc.), as well as the infrastructure improvements that support them, require more effective regulation, oversight, and accountability with increased transparency regarding decision making and community involvement.” “Adaptively regulate micromobility systems as technologies will continue to develop. Establish consistent DOMI staffing, periodic review and transparent data collection, and regular opportunities for community input.” | |
12 | Establish Community-Developed Criteria Around External Funding Requests and Grants from DOMI | X (I&E Rec 13, p. 108) | Recommendation 15: Improve agency/stakeholder coordination through Departmental and Agency Alignment “Establish community-developed criteria to guide departments in the external funding and grants that it requests to ensure that community voices are heard, their input respected, and their requests included in the decision-making process.” | |
III | Comfortable, Accessible, and Safe Public Transit Connections | |||
13 | Commit to a Policy of Compensating People with Disabilities for Participating in Infrastructure Planning | X (I&E Rec 14, p. 106) | Recommendation 14: Institute comprehensive planning and zoning “Consider compensation for community experts who have an active role in infrastructure planning. It is critical that people who represent certain community needs or perspectives, such as those with disabilities, be included in the planning and design of infrastructure.” | |
14 | Create a Sidewalk Fund | X (I&E Rec 9, p. 100) | Recommendation 9: Prioritize pedestrian dignity “Create a Sidewalk Fund with grants or loans for sidewalk repair around transit stops and be used to complete the infrastructure needed for safe and accessible passage to critical amenities and services.” | |
15 | Make Sidewalk Access a Priority Through Equitable Enforcement of the ADA and City Sidewalk Maintenance Standards | X (I&E Rec 9, p. 99 ) | Recommendation 9: Prioritize pedestrian dignity “Equitably enforce the ADA and City Sidewalk Maintenance Standards, with a backstop program for low-income property owners for whom sidewalk repair presents a hardship” | |
16 | Relocate the Remaining 20+ Bus Shelters at Defunct Transit Stops to Priority Stops | X (I&E Rec 11, p. 103) | Recommendation 11: Forge a stronger collaborative relationship with Port Authority for improved public transit “Renew and relocate bus shelters to give communities ample shelter and access to public transit. Coordinate shelters with sidewalk and intersection improvements.” | |
17 | Budget for the Purchase of Sufficient Sidewalk Snow Removal Equipment | X (I&E Rec 9, p. 99) | Recommendation 9: Prioritize pedestrian dignity “Prioritize the replacement and maintenance of city-owned sidewalks and stairs, including lighting, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades, and seasonal maintenance like snow removal.” | |
18 | Create a Sidewalk Program at DOMI with a Dedicated Leader | X (I&E Rec 9, p 100) | Recommendation 9: Prioritize pedestrian dignity “Establish a Sidewalk Program at the DOMI with a dedicated leader to manage a volunteer-run City sidewalk conditions audit program.” | |
IV | Bus Lanes and Transit Signal Priority to Ensure Fast, Effective Public Transit | X (I&E Rec 11, p101) | Recommendation 11: “The administration should prioritize transit street improvements, weighing factors including transit ridership, the demographic served by bus lines in the corridor, and the level of congestion along the corridor to ensure that transportation improvements are allocated equitably and effectively. Coordinate with the Port Authority, PennDOT, and other agencies on the public right-of-way planning.” |
Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a grassroots, democratic, member-led organization that fights for public transit as a human right. That’s a small d, “democratic”, meaning that every July PPT members elect the next slate of candidates who will lead the direction and strategy of our organization.
We are looking for people who understand the importance of our work for transit justice in Allegheny County, and are looking to get more involved in directing the course of our campaigns, communications, and actions. See the list of current Board Members here. Current Board Members whose seats are up for election in July are Verna Johnson, Fawn Walker-Montgomery, Gabriel McMoreland, Bonnie Fan, Alison Keating, and Debra Green.
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ People, People with Disabilities, Immigrants, Womxn, Youth, transit rider, and transit worker nominations are strongly encouraged.
Each July, PPT members vote for leaders to fill seats on PPT’s 5-11 member Board of Directors. Board Members serve a 2-year term. All PPT members who have paid dues for at least 6-months can run for the Board of Directors.
2 seats must be filled by members of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 85 (the union that represents all of the Port Authority’s bus operators and maintenance workers) or another transportation union that represents workers in Allegheny County because strong community/labor solidarity is a central belief of the organization.
The other seats are filled by members who have had previous experience with PPT’s work, and are looking to bring their involvement to the next level.
Members of the Board are expected to attend quarterly Board meetings and should also stay engaged with General Membership Meetings on the second Wednesday of each month.
Additionally, Coordinating Committee members will need to maintain active lines of communication with PPT staff and other PPT members to advise and assist with the organization’s strategy, tactics, structure, and financial sustainability. CC Members should also serve on one of PPT’s three committees (Organizing Committee, Communications Committee, and Research Committee).
An excerpt of Article IV of PPT’s bylaws with full detail of the expectations and powers of PPT’s board is included at the bottom of this blog.
Nominations are open until July 5th. PPT staff will confirm with each nominee whether they accept the nomination to be on the ballot. Each nominee will also be invited to submit up to 250 words about their background, experience, and vision for the organization. This can be submitted through the nomination form, email, or via phone and PPT staff will transcribe.
All nominee bios will be sent to PPT members the week of June 14th and again the week of July 5th. Bios and photos will also be included in the ballot. Nominees will have 3 minutes to speak at the July 14th PPT member meeting before votes are cast to highlight their vision for PPT and how their skills will help build the organization.
Voting in the 2021 Board of Directors election will open at PPT’s monthly meeting on July 13th, and run until July 20th. PPT members cast their vote via a google form that will be shared at the July meeting and emailed, or by calling PPT’s Director. PPT members are all those who support the Transit Bill of Rights, have participated in a PPT action or meeting, and have given dues of at least $2.75 cents within the last year.
The PPT Board of Directors shall hereinafter be referred to as the Board.
The Board is responsible for managing the business affairs, property, and policies of PPT. The Board shall be composed of five (5) to fifteen (15) members representing diverse interests and areas of expertise that strengthen the knowledge base of PPT. A minimum of two (2) seats will be reserved for members of the Amalgamated Transit Union or any union representing mass transportation workers in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. One of these reserved transportation union seats shall be elected in every second year. The Board shall have charge of the proper, normal, and usual expenditures and other business of the corporation; they shall enforce the provision of these bylaws; they shall abide by the policies and procedures set forth in the Policies and Procedures Manual, and shall enforce the rules and regulations set forth for the management, care, and governance of the property and affairs of the corporation. The Board may employ or appoint such person or persons, or agents, as they deem necessary to further the business of the corporation and shall set and adjust the compensation of all persons or agents so employed or appointed.
The Board will hire an Executive Director who may hire such paid staff as they deem proper and necessary for the operation of the Corporation. The powers and duties of the Executive Director shall be assigned or delegated by the Board of Directors. The powers and duties of the paid staff, other than the Executive Director, shall be as assigned or as delegated by the Executive Director and/or the Board of Directors, in accordance with PPT personnel policies.
Board members shall be elected from the eligible voting, dues-paying membership, and only dues-paying members are eligible to run in the elections. Candidates for the board must have been a dues-paying member for six (6) months prior to an election.
The Board of PPT shall serve without compensation. Board members may be reimbursed for pre-approved expenses reasonably incurred on behalf of PPT. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to preclude a Board member from receiving compensation for their service to PPT in some other capacity, provided that the transaction has been reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee in compliance with PPT’s conflict of interest policy.
Nominations for new Board members will be made and publicized by the Board, Membership, and/or staff, at least two (2) months before the Membership meeting at which the election will take place. Elections for the Board shall take place every year, with five (5) seats elected in even years, and six (6) seats elected in odd years.
Elections shall be announced verbally at the two (2) immediately preceding membership meetings before the election.
Dues paying members in good standing are eligible to vote.
Bios and platforms of candidates shall be distributed by email to members one month in advance of the vote, and publicized on PPT’s website. Candidates will have three (3) minutes to address the general membership in advance of the election during the general membership meeting. Voting will be open for a minimum of one (1) week.
The government of PPT, the direction of its work, and the control of its property shall be vested in the Board. The Board shall be authorized to adopt such rules and regulations as may be deemed advisable for the government of the Board, the proper conduct of business of PPT, and the guidance of all committees, officers, and employees. The Board shall be empowered to do whatever in its judgement may be calculated to increase efficiency and add to the usefulness of PPT; and to carry out the main purpose of this association provided such action is not in conflict with these bylaws.
PPT shall be non-partisan and non-sectarian in its activities.
Directors shall be elected to a term of two (2) years. Board members shall serve a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms.
Board members must attend a minimum of three (3) out of the four (4) quarterly board meetings per year by phone or presence. Failure to fulfill minimum board obligations may be accepted by the board as a de facto or implicit resignation. The Board member will be informed before publication of such de facto resignation to the members.
Four times every year, the Port Authority adjusts its transit schedules and routes to account for construction, road closures, rider/worker requests, ridership shifts, and/or all of the other unexpected changes that might affect Pittsburgh roads. These quarterly adjustments were dialed back because of the pandemic, but they seem to be back on track now that ridership is increasing.
Since 2019, PPT and the @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline have been publishing these blogs to spread the word about these changes and say what they mean for riders. Some quarters bring great changes (like Q4 2020 where we won weekend service on 95% of Local routes) some quarters are a wash, and some quarters (like this one) are overall reductions of service.
Service has been abysmal the last few months. There’s really no other way to say it. Missed buses, crowded busses, inaccurate locations on apps. These are some of the worst levels of service that transit riders have ever seen. If you are sick of putting up with this terrible service, take a minute to help advocate for change and share your story with PPT here.
The @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline is a volunteer-run twitter account that gives riders updates on Port Authority’s daily happenings. The Hotline has no official connection to the Port Authority (again, it is a volunteer-run twitter account) but the updates they provide are helpful nonetheless. The Hotline is a big supporter of PPT, and an enormous advocate for public transit. We’re thankful for their support and happy to collab on these rider resources. Follow @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline on twitter for more grassroots transit updates.
We’re starting a new layout for these blogs. We’re going to sort this long list of changes from Port Authority into three categories based on what they mean for riders; “The Good”, “The Bad (The Missed Opportunities)”, “The Wash”.
For each change you’ll see the text and link that the Port Authority uses to describe each change, this is copy/pasted from their website…
Lets get started.
8-Perrysville – Two inbound and two outbound weekday trips have been added and weekday trip times were adjusted in anticipation of the return of student riders.
69-Trafford – Weekdays schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Service from Trafford to downtown Pittsburgh will be restored.
In addition to the stops the 69-Trafford currently serves between Trafford and Wilkinsburg, this route will resume serving stops along its previous route between Wilkinsburg and downtown via Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill, Oakland, and Uptown.
Due to this change, however, the 69-Trafford will no longer serve the following stops near Wilkinsburg Station where service currently terminates: Wallace Ave at Pitt St (inbound stop # 16627), East Busway at Wilkinsburg Station D (inbound stop # 16118), East Busway at Wilkinsburg Station B (outbound stop # 16111) and East Busway at Hay St Ramp Outbound Shelter (outbound stop # 8153).
P12-Holiday Park Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. An additional outbound trip was added in the morning.
P67-Monroeville Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed to include the future permanent location of the Monroeville Mall Park and Ride. Please note that the new Park and Ride is not yet in service, and P67 buses will remain on detour serving the temporary Park and Ride location at the mall’s West Court entrance until further notice.
2-Mount Royal – Weekend service will no longer serve the Strip District and will instead mirror weekday service. Buses will enter downtown via East Ohio Street and the 9th Street Bridge.
12-McKnight – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Weekday service has been reduced to approximately 30-45-minute frequency. Saturday service has been reduced to approximately 25-35-minute frequency. Sunday service has been reduced to approximately 30-40-minute frequency.
13-Bellevue – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Late-night service has been reduced to 30-60 minute frequency.
16-Brighton – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Midday service has been reduced to 25-minute frequency. Early morning and late-night service has been reduced to 30-35-minute frequency.
20-Kennedy – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
28X-Airport Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Outbound service will return to the Boulevard of the Allies. A new variant, the 28X-Airport Flyer Direct, will provide one outbound trip (towards the airport) in the morning, and one inbound trip (towards downtown) in the afternoon, and will bypass Robinson Town Centre.
29-Robinson – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Service will operate every 50 minutes throughout the day.
31-Bridgeville – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Service will operate every 35 minutes throughout the day.
67-Monroeville – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have been reduced to 30-60 minute frequency throughout the day due to the return of 69-Trafford service to downtown Pittsburgh, which shares the same route from Wilkinsburg to downtown.
P1-East Busway-All Stops – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Morning rush hour frequency has been reduced to approximately every 10 minutes, and afternoon rush hour frequency has been reduced to approximately every 8 minutes.
6-Spring Hill – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. / 15-Charles – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
11-Fineview – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
59-Mon Valley – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Service has been increased to 40-minute frequency.
60-Walnut-Crawford Village – Schedules have been updated to reflect that service has been restored to the McKeesport Transportation Center effective March 20.
61C-McKeesport-Homestead – Schedules have been updated to reflect that service has been restored to the McKeesport Transportation Center effective March 20.
64-Lawrenceville-Waterfront – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
74-Homewood-Squirrel Hill – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
75-Ellsworth – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed.
G2-West Busway – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. Service has been reduced to 20-minute frequency.
P2-East Busway Short – Schedules have been adjusted and trip times have changed. The P2 will resume serving stops in downtown Pittsburgh. Service has been reduced to 20-minute frequency.
P7-McKeesport Flyer – Schedules have been updated to reflect that service has been restored to the McKeesport Transportation Center effective March 20.
As these changes roll-out, be sure to give your feedback & suggestions by reaching out to Port Authority Customer Service by phone or over twitter:
Port Authority Customer service phone number: 412-442-2000
Hours: Weekdays 5a to 7p, Weekend + Holidays 8a to 430p
or via Twitter @PGHTransit or @PGHTransitCare
And if you want to get in touch with the volunteer-run @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline, you can give them a call at 412-759-3335 ONLY When PortAuthority Customer Service is Closed/unavailable or via Twitter anytime @PGH_BUS_INFO
The PGH Bus Info Hotline will be back on PPT’s blog in for the next set of changes. See ya then.
We condemn the irresponsible decision by the Port Authority of Allegheny County to stop enforcing mask-wearing on public transit, following the Florida court ruling yesterday regarding the CDC mandate. The decision by PAAC comes as COVID-19 cases are rising in Allegheny County and nationwide due to a new and more transmissible strain of Omicron. Transit agencies including Chicago’s CTA and Portland’s TriMet (…and NYC’s MTA, San Fran’s Muni, BART and SFMTA, Denver RTD, Caltrain, AC Transit, Seattle’s King County Metro and Sound Transit, and Kitsap Transit…) have elected to continue local requirements and enforcement for mask-wearing despite this latest challenge to federal CDC directives. PPT is calling on the Port Authority to immediately pass and enforce its own transit rider and worker mask requirements, because the agency has an obligation and has stated its intention to make its facilities safe for all users.
Requiring masks for all riders and workers is critical to ensuring that public transit is safe and accessible. Mask-wearing has been shown to be effective only when it is universally adopted, and not solely by those who elect “to wear masks for their own comfort and safety.” Many people with disabilities, including those who are immunocompromised, rely on public transit to access essential services. Without a mask requirement and enforcement, these riders must compromise their health in order to go to the doctor, to buy fresh food, to visit with family and more. Children under 5 years old are still unable to access the vaccine.
“The decision to stop enforcing mask usage on buses doesn’t consider people like me, who are immuno-compromised. This latest COVID-19 variant is more transmissible than any other we’ve seen, and people are still getting sick and dying from the virus. Port Authority’s choice makes me afraid to ride,” says bus rider and PPT Board Chair, Verna Johnson
This decision acts in stark opposition to the agency’s goals around the worker vaccine mandate, which stressed their commitment “to promot[ing] the health, wellness and safety of Port Authority’s workforce… and the riding public.” (from Port Authority’s Jan 10, 2022 news release) The Port Authority’s catastrophic rollout of the transit worker vaccine mandate has caused weeks of unsafe, overcrowded buses and transit riders left waiting at the stop, as hundreds of experienced transit workers were put on disciplinary leave. The rollback of the mask mandate will likely lead to even worse transit service: in the UK, the lifting of mask requirements in public spaces recently led to a significant increase in illnesses among airline employees and the abrupt cancellations of hundreds of flights.
Pittsburghers for Public Transit will be holding a rally downtown at 1 pm this Friday, April 22nd to highlight how transit service is linked to survival for both individuals and our broader community, to demand service improvements, and to insist on increased safety for transit riders and workers.