My name is Marcus McKnight. I’m a bus driver in Philadelphia and I co-founded the Philly Transit Riders Union. Are you wondering why I’m chiming in for Pittsburghers for Public Transit? Well let me tell you!

Pittsburghers for Public Transit helps  lead the statewide Transit for All PA! Campaign, which is organizing AND WINNING resources for public transit across our state. Transit riders and transit workers know what we need and are building power by organizing together!

I love being a bus driver. I get to meet people from around the state, the country, and even the world. When tourists get on my bus, I always ask: Where are you from? If I visit, what should I see and do? I make them feel proud of their hometown and tell them what makes me proud to be from Philly. The local and the global meet each other on my bus. And it’s public transit that brings us all together. 

Last month, the Transit for All PA! campaign had a major win for public transit here in Philadelphia. Gov. Josh Shapiro directed the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to flex $153 million in federal highway funds to fill SEPTA’s budget gap. I went to Harrisburg with T4APA! activists to lobby for funds. I asked our elected officials the same question I ask my out-of-town riders: If I visit your town, what should I see and do? I said, “That sounds great! But what about folks who don’t drive? How can they get there?” I saw it click for them. And then we got our funding.

This win felt awesome! But I know it’s only a drop in the bucket. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania, and ALL of us need good public transit. Whether we live in a city, a town, or a rural area, public transit should be our FIRST option for getting seamlessly from Point A to Point B.

This is statewide funding, and it needs to be a statewide fight. By bottomlining the T4APA! Coalition, PPT is making sure that folks from Pittsburgh to Stroudsburg and beyond have accessible, affordable, and sustainable public transit that works for everyone.

The fight for public transit takes all of us. As a bus driver, I know that the best way to make change is for us all to get on the bus and demand better. Riders, drivers, and community members across the state have important stories that need to be told. T4APA! is the vehicle that brings our stories to our elected officials and makes sure our voices are heard.

When you support PPT, you’re supporting a grassroots coalition that works statewide to make our public transit systems work. The minimum cost of joining PPT is just $2.75, the same as one ride on PRT. And this year, the Posner Foundation has offered to match every contribution made during our Year End Member Drive up to $10,000. Turn your $100 into $200. Turn your $500 into $1,000! 

Ride with us today, and make your donation monthly!

HUGE CITY BUDGET VICTORY! Transit rider organizing wins the first-ever city budget line item for transit amenities! Get ready for more bus shelter and benches in 2025!

The PPT Organizing Committee set its sights on expanding bus shelters this year. Members voted to include it in our annual Strategic Plan and after a year of organizing we won the first line item for transit amenities in Pittsburgh City history!

In an 11’th hr call to action, more than 100 residents emailed their City Councilmember and asked them to support Councilwoman Barb Warwick’s budget amendment to allocate $100k+ to transit amenities! But this was just the end of a long organizing story. Read the full story below, but first, send your Pittsburgh City Councilperson a thank you!

City of Pittsburgh Complete Streets Advisory Group

In late 2023 some members of PPT Organizing Committee became part of City’s Complete Streets Advisory Group. This sparked conversation about bus rider infrastructure and how we can affect change in that realm.

PPT Research Committee built our map to give us perspective.

The PPT Research Committee got to work analyzing what stops had shelters and what stops didn’t. Research Committee member Dr. Abhishek Viswanathan created an AMAZING map that shows 230 + bus stops in the city that have more than 30 rider boardings a day, but no shelter. PPT highlighted the fact that there are more than 25 “Orphaned Bus Shelters” in the city (these are shelter in locations that were once bus stops, but now stand with no purpose). We saw that with some organizing, reinstalling these shelters at high rider bus stops would be an easy win.

Bus Stop Audits & working with DOMI & PRT

As PPT members advocated at the Complete Streets Advisory Committee, PPT’s Organizing Committee began to comb through the City’s shelter agreement with the advertising company Gateway that manages the shelters. We became experts on the contract and started meeting with DOMI about what could be done to add more shelters. 

It became clear that bus rider safety and amenities were important to the City’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, but they are underfunded and understaffed. PPT’s organizing committee created a checklist and began auditing high-ridership bus stops to gather information, and audit the sidewalks and surrounding areas. This work helped DOMI determine if it would be able to install shelters at those locations without having to do any major construction.

Throughout 2024, the PPT Organizing Committee held 10 bus stop audits ALL ACROSS THE CITY & identified a long list of stops where shelters could be placed.

Advocating for transit in the City Budget

Because of this work together (and unbeknownst to PPT) DOMI put in a bus stop amenities funding request in the 2025 Pittsburgh Capital Budget. This was the first time they had ever requested funding for bus stops. It was denied, but we didn’t stop there.

PPTs Organizing Committee members of CSAG, along with allies in CSAG (like BikePGH and Access Mob), helped draft a letter to City Council and Mayor to impress upon them the importance of mobility and infrastructure in the budget. 

In a last-minute attempt to get this money back in the budget, City Councilperson (and rockstar PPT Member!) Barb Warwick proposed an amendment to include transit amenities. PPT Members leapt into action, and in just 12 hours, more than 100 people reached out to their City Councilperson and asked them to support the amendment. Our support spans across the city, and every single Councilperson received letters to support this amendment to fund new bus shelters. 

Was this final letter campaign a slam dunk that helped to pass the amendment? We’d like to think so 😉. But really, this win comes from years of organizing, to say that the City has a big role to play in improving transit. 

BIG THANKS to so many people who made this win possible. Now lets get ready to organize in 2025 to win more!

There’s a long list of PPT members and supporters who we want to give a special thanks to!

• Big thanks to PPT Members! Peter Gustafson for becoming an expert of the City’s bus shelter contract and creating a checklist to guide our shelter audits. Abhishek Viswanathan for making the map of high ridership stops without shelters. All of the PPT members who joined us on Audits and send letters to their city councilpeople~
• Big thanks to Pittsbugh City Councilor (AND PPT MEMBER!) Barb Warwick’s office – in particular Clara Weibel – for pouring through all of the legalese with us. 
• Big thanks to Seth at BikePGH for teaching Cheryl and Nicole how to host a walk audit. And to Eric for helping draft a letter from the Complete Streets Advisory Committee.
• Big thanks to DOMI and PRT. Shoutout to DOMI staff Eric and Rylan for joining us on bus stop audits. And shoutout to Darcy at PRT for helping us get a first look at their shelter map. 

My name is Kelda Gorman, and I’m an activist member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. This year, PPT launched its Visionary Transit Service campaign, which invites riders like you and me to reimagine what our transit system should be. I’m so excited to be part of this fight. Can I count on you to fight with me?

As a disabled rider who can’t drive for safety reasons, I’m highly reliant on Pittsburgh Regional Transit. For me and so many others the bus is not a convenience—it’s a necessity. If my bus doesn’t come, the lift doesn’t work, or the driver doesn’t know how to secure the safety restraints, I’m stuck. Literally. And even when all those factors fall into place, I’m still afraid for my safety. 

I invest in PPT because I know our transit service can do better. PPT’s Visionary Transit Service campaign helps me dream big about:

• Efficiency: Buses should run frequently and on time, so we don’t have to “gamble at the bus stop” wondering when or if a bus will come
• Safety: All drivers should be fully trained in how to use wheelchair safety restraints and be empowered to safely intervene when a rider is being attacked
• Accessibility: PRT should maintain a large enough fleet of paratransit vehicles and drivers so folks like me can call for service one hour in advance, rather than the 24-48 hours required now.

I know this all takes money. But the secret is: our government HAS the money! It’s up to us to convince them to allocate it to PRT. I experienced this first hand when I joined PPT’s lobbying trip to Harrisburg this year. One of our elected representatives told us that hearing about transit troubles directly from constituents brought it home to him in a new way. We put a human face on this issue and helped him understand why we need a fully-funded, inclusive vision for public transit. 

Join us as we Visualize and Mobilize for a community vision of what transit can and should be. The minimum cost of joining PPT is  just $2.75, the same as one ride on PRT. And this year, the Posner Foundation has offered to match every contribution made during our Year End Member Drive up to $10,000. Turn your $100 into $200. Turn your $500 into $1,000! 

Ride with us today, and make your donation monthly!

My name is Bobbie Fan, and I’m a proud member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. I was recently appointed to represent riders on Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Governing Board. This feels like the work I was meant to do: ensuring that PRT meets the needs of all residents in Allegheny County. To speak up for riders like you, I need to hear your voice. Can I count on you to raise your voice by joining PPT?

Membership is the anchor of PPT’s transformative activism. When you become a member, you become an integral part of our grassroots union of transit riders, workers, and neighbors. As your representative on the PRT Board, I need you to join because:

• I need to hear YOUR voice! I need to know what everyday riders want and need, so I can advocate for an expanded, affordable, accessible public transit system that serves ALL residents of Allegheny County.
• I need to make PRT hear your voice! On my own, I’m just another Board member. Every new member who joins PPT amplifies my voice and ensures that the people speak louder than special interests.
• This is how we build power! The more we stand together as a union, the more our elected officials will have to listen to us as we push back against manufactured austerity.

In 2025, we’re going to push PRT even harder with our Visionary Transit Service campaign. For decades, transit riders have called on elected leaders to provide accessible, expansive transit that meets our community’s economic, environmental and public health needs. Instead, they’ve cut routes and services, driving down ridership while claiming scarcity. Well, we’re done with PRT telling us what’s possible. It’s time to fund a community vision of what transit can and should be. Join us in this fight.

The minimum cost of joining is just $2.75, the same as one ride on PRT. And this year, the Posner Foundation has offered to match every contribution made during our Year End Member Drive up to $10,000. Turn your $100 into $200. Turn your $500 into $1,000! 

Ride with us today, and make your donation monthly! It’s time to make PRT work for the people.

City Budget decisions for 2025 are happening NOW. Contact your City Councilmember today to support Councilmember Warwick’s amendment for the expansion of dignified, sheltered transit stops in the City of PIttsburgh! 

Can you follow up your letter with a phone call?

• District 1 Bobby Wilson (Troy and Observatory Hill, Perry Hilltop, parts of Downtown, Strip District): (412) 255-2135
  
• District 2 Theresa Kail-Smith (West End, Sheraden, Crafton Heights) : (412) 255-8963
  
• District 3 Bob Charland (Allentown, Mt Washington, Mt Oliver, Southside, South Oakland): (412) 255-2130
  
• District 4 Anthony Coghill (Beechview, Brookline, Carrick): (412) 255-2131
  
• District 5 Barb Warwick (Hazelwood, Greenfield, Lincoln Place, Swisshelm Park, parts of Sq Hill and Oakland): (412) 255-8965
  
• District 6 R. Daniel Lavelle (Uptown, Hill District, Marshall-Shadeland, parts of Downtown) : (412) 255-2134
  
• District 7, Deborah Gross (Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Polish Hill, Highland Park, Morningside): (412) 255-2140
  
• District 8, Erica Strassburger (Shadyside, North Oakland, West side of Sq Hill): (412) 255-2133
  

• District 9, Khari Mosley (East Liberty, Larimer, Lincoln, Lemington, Homewood, Pt. Breeze): (412) 255-2137

Whether you are Black or white, disabled or able-bodied, an older adult or a high school student, we all deserve a safe, dignified, and comfortable way to get where we need to go.

However, Allegheny County transit riders are usually waiting for their ride out in the cold and in the rain. That is because our region has the dubious honor of having some of the fewest bus shelters installed relative to stops in the nation – only 8%, according to a recent Washington Post article. In the City of Pittsburgh alone, there are more than 230 bus stops that currently do not have any transit amenities, but which should have shelters and benches because they have over 30 riders boarding transit at these stops everyday.

The City of Pittsburgh is responsible for installing and maintaining bus shelters within the city limits, not Pittsburgh Regional Transit. Despite that, the 2025 City of Pittsburgh proposed budget has no budget line for transit amenities, just as in all the budgets prior in recent memory.

There are over 100,000 transit trips taken everyday in the City of Pittsburgh; riders deserve better! Over the past year, riders with Pittsburghers for Public Transit have done bus stop walk audits to identify stops in which shelters could be immediately deployed, done research on total ridership and rider demographics at each stop, given public testimony on the importance of transit infrastructure, and joined the Complete Streets Committee to play an active role in informing the City about transit rider needs. We have done our part. It’s long past time for the City to invest in safe, accessible, comfortable and dignified transit infrastructure.

Today, Councilwoman Barb Warwick introduced an amendment to allocate $110,000 of an  approx. $540,000 surplus of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds towards Bus Shelters/Transit Amenities. We applaud her leadership, and now want to ensure that her colleagues on Council vote to approve her amendment.

City of Pittsburgh Map of All PRT Bus Stops With Ridership >30 Riders/Day without Shelters, developed by Abhishek Vishwanathan

Closing the gap on unsheltered bus stops is a critical equity issue in every Pittsburgh City Council District.

Funding bus shelters is a quality-of-life improvement for marginalized Pittsburghers, and one that spans all Council districts. Every dot on this map of Pittsburgh reflects a bus stop where ridership justifies a bus shelter, but which currently does not have one. The red dots indicate that the communities adjacent to the stop have a high equity need, and include disproportionately low-income, minority, disabled, older adult or no-car households. That is why the City of Pittsburgh should consider prioritizing the installation of shelters at the red dot locations.

Nearly a third of Allegheny County transit riders are low-income, according to a 2014 Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) rider survey; it is very likely that the percentage of low-income riders has grown substantially since the pandemic. 38% of PRT riders are people of color, of which 28% are Black residents, which is double the total Black population in Allegheny County. Moreover, for many disabled residents, for youth, older adults, and immigrants public transit is the only means to travel to doctor’s appointments, to schools and grocery stores, jobs and childcare. 

Let’s win riders a better place to wait: Contact your City Councilmember TODAY to ask them to support Councilmember Warwick’s amendment for transit amenities!

Thank you Governor Shapiro for hearing our call to flex funding and save SEPTA! Now we’re ready to support you in winning a permanent funding solution that expands access for people across our state.

Join more than 6,500 Transit for All PA! supporters who took action. Lets thank Governor Shapiro and show that we’re ready to support him in the next stage of this fight.

On November 22, 2024, Governor Shapiro flexed $150 million to save SEPTA riders & Pennsylvania’s economy. Read Transit for All PA’s full statement on the win.

Transit for All PA! is a growing statewide movement to expand public transit access for all Pennsylvanians. Learn more about who we are and get involved here.

You’re invited! Get your ticket today to join PPT’s Year-End Transit Justice Victory Party!

PPT Year-end Transit Justice Victory Party
Thursday, December 19th, 6-10pm
East End Cooperative Ministries
6165 Harvard Street in East Liberty, 15206

Visualize & Mobilize: We win when we have a vision of a better world and commit to building community to make it real.

Transportation is opportunity and everyone deserves access. That is true whether we’re white or black or whether we live in the City of Pittsburgh or a surrounding community.

2024 was an exciting year of growth and success for the Members of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. We won huge victories for our campaigns; including a fully-permanent half-fare program for SNAP/EBT recipients, we had one of our members get appointed to the Pittsburgh Regional Transit Board of Directors, we won a bulk fare program that can give employees access to zero fares, AND we grew the community at Pittsburghers for Public Transit to 325 active dues-paying members!

Come celebrate all of this work with the love-filled community that made it all possible at the PPT Year-end Victory party.

Accessibility information

What to expect:

The celebration will be one to remember. We’ll be inside at the East End Cooperative Ministries. The entrance is at 6165 Harvard St. The party will go from 6pm-10pm. The tickets are pay what you can, $20 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away! There will be a full dinner served free to all people who RSVP. Music will be provided by our friend DJ Juan Diego and dancing will most certainly happen. PPT members from different campaigns will talk about what it takes to win and what it means for their families and our communities. Attendees should not feel obligated to attend the entire event, so feel free to arrive and leave at whatever times work best for you.

Menu:

Catering will be provided by Salem’s. Food will include:P
Veggie Samosa (Veetarian, Vegan)
Meat Samosa
Chicken Samosa
Basmati Rice (GF, Vegan, Vegetarian)
Chicken Tikka Masala (GF)
Veggie Curry (GF, Vegan, Vegetarian)
Spinach Paneer (GF, Vegetarian)
Greek Salad (GF, Vegetarian)
Walnut Baklava (contains nuts)
Please specify any dietary restrictions on the RSVP form. We’ll post our final menu as soon as we order!

Accessibility:

The East End Cooperative Ministries building is an accessible space. There is a ramp into the building from the sidewalk and there is an accessible bathroom. The space has an upper and a lower area that are very close together and connected by a slightly inclined ramp. You enter the space into the upper area where attendees can mingle. The lighting will be good and consistent in this room throughout the night. The lower area will have music, dancing, speeches, and food. Lighting may be turned down for dancing and speeches. There will be interpretation in both ASL and Spanish.

Getting there:

The party is accessible through the East End Cooperative Ministries’ Enterence B, at 6165 Harvard St. There are no stairs in any of the party spaces. There is great transit access in East Liberty. Penn Ave is just two blocks away. And the East Busway stop is .3 miles, or about a 10-minute walk. There is bike parking and car parking in the parking lot. If any of these transportation modes are cost-prohibitive for you, contact PPT to discuss options, 551-206-3320 or info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org.

COVID procedures:

The party will be held indoors. Masks will be available. We 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 an unheated outdoor space available on the sidewalk in front of the building and in the courtyard for a breath of fresh air during the event.

Join PPT on Tuesday, 11/19 at 10am, to call for more bus shelters in the city budget.

No one wants to wait in the wind and rain for a bus. The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure controls nearly all the bus shelter in the City. They want to do better for transit riders, but they need the budget to do it!

Join PPT this Tuesday to call for a city budget to provide more bus shelters, sidewalks, and infrastructure that supports transit. Check out this map that PPT’s research committee made that shows stops inside the city that have 30 or more boardings each day – these stops need shelters and it won’t happen unless budget money gets approved. Testify with us to make it happen:

Click the button below to sign up to testify with PPT for more funding to improve bus shelters, sidewalks, lighting and infrastructure to support transit!

Thank you for helping us shape the future of transit justice in Pittsburgh!

Every year, our grassroots union engages in a collaborative planning process to chart a path for our growth in the coming year. We brainstorm ideas for our internal organizational development to create goals for how we support our members and build up the PPT family. We also brainstorm ideas for campaigns we can take on to win improvements to benefit transit riders and our communites – things like making fares more affordable, improving service, or building better sidewalks and more affordable housing.

This ongoing collaborative process between our membership, our committees, our board of directors and our staff is what makes our work so special. Everyone has a voice in our plan and everyone plays a part in making it a success.

Below are 6 target areas we want to focus on in 2025, and some ideas for specific goals within each area. We want to hear your input on them, so please share your opinions and wisdom below.

For each of the 6 goals, consider these questions as you give your feedback:

• What needs to be changed or added to this plan? 
• What parts feel particularly aligned with PPT? What parts get you fired up for the year to come?
• What seems most important to prioritize over the coming year? 
• How will we measure success?

All feedback is welcome–after all, you’re the expert on your own experience riding local transit!

For each step, share any thoughts you have about the listed target area and goals. If you don’t have anything to write, just write “n/a”. 

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¡Gracias por ayudarnos a dar forma al futuro de la justicia de transporte público en Pittsburgh!

Cada año, nuestro sindicato de base participa en un proceso de planificación colaborativa para trazar un camino para nuestro crecimiento el próximo año. Realizamos una lluvia de ideas para nuestro desarrollo organizacional interno para crear objetivos sobre cómo apoyamos a nuestros miembros y fortalecemos la familia PPT. También hicimos una lluvia de ideas para campañas que podemos emprender para lograr mejoras que beneficien a los usuarios del transporte público y a nuestras comunidades, cosas como hacer que las tarifas sean más asequibles, mejorar el servicio o construir mejores aceras y viviendas más asequibles.

Este proceso de colaboración continuo entre nuestros miembros, nuestros comités, nuestra junta directiva y nuestro personal es lo que hace que nuestro trabajo sea tan especial. Todos tienen voz en nuestro plan y todos desempeñan un papel para que sea un éxito.

A continuación se presentan seis áreas de objetivos en las que queremos centrarnos en 2025 y algunas ideas para objetivos específicos dentro de cada área. Queremos escuchar su opinión sobre ellos, así que comparta sus opiniones y sabiduría a continuación.

Para cada uno de los 6 objetivos, considere estas preguntas mientras brinda su opinión:

• ¿Qué es necesario cambiar o agregar a este plan?
• ¿Qué partes se sienten particularmente alineadas con PPT?
• ¿Qué partes le entusiasman para el próximo año?
• ¿Qué le parece más importante priorizar durante el próximo año? ¿Cómo vamos a medir el éxito?

Todos los comentarios son bienvenidos; después de todo, ¡usted es el experto de su propia experiencia viajando en transporte público!

Para cada paso, comparta cualquier idea que tenga sobre el área objetivo y los objetivos enumerados. Si no tienes nada que escribir, simplemente escribe “n/a”.

Public transit is a public good that needs to work for everyone. With PRT’s Bus Line Redesign that proposes changes to nearly every route, every stop, and every schedule, the time is now for transit advocates to support a redesign that works for all. Before you go any further, sign-on to support this vision today:

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THE CHEAT SHEET: Use this PPT Cheat Sheet for Reading the Bus Line Redesign (& Share Your Feedback with Us!)

PRT’s Bus Line Redesign proposal is a LOT to consider, with changes to nearly every route, schedule, and bus stop. That’s why we at Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) have created a little cheat sheet to help us consider the different ways that this proposed Bus Line Redesign impacts our transit trips.

We encourage everyone to review the PRT Bus Line Redesign Draft Proposal here or join PRT at one of their upcoming pop-ups to learn more and ask questions in person. You can use the Cheat Sheet below to understand how changes will impace your access to friends and neighbors, businesses, and key community destinations. We also encourage you to share your feedback with us to help us assess what we like about this proposal and what we should organize to change.

When reviewing and giving feedback on PRT’s draft redesign, make sure that you’re considering and speaking up on all these points:

1. GOOD THINGS 🚌🚌 What are the good things about the Bus Line Redesign that are important for you and your community to KEEP in the final proposal?

2. SERVICE QUALITY 🚌🚌 How do the proposed Bus Route Frequencies (how often the buses come) and Span (how early and late the buses are being scheduled for on weekdays and weekends) impact you and your community?

3. KEY DESTINATIONS 🚌🚌 What key destinations are being missed by this Bus Line Redesign proposal (eg. housing, healthcare, food access, social services, places of worship, parks, education and childcare etc)?

4. COMMUTE TIMES 🚌🚌 Do you have concerns about the length of trips to get to key destinations in this proposed map?

5. ACCESSIBILITY 🚌🚌 Are there any safety and accessibility issues with bus stops and nearby sidewalks and street crossings to get to destinations from the transit stops?

6. OTHER THOUGHTS 🚌🚌 Do you have any other concerns (particularly equity concerns) or suggestions about the Bus Line Redesign that aren’t captured by the above questions? 

Review the PRT Bus Line Redesign Draft Proposal here and make sure to join PRT at one of their upcoming pop-ups to learn more and ask questions in person.

Now, with that framework, take a minute to review PRT’s Bus Line Redesign or stop by one of the pop-ups below and then use the form below to tell us what you’re seeing! We at PPT want to develop a thoughtful, holistic public response that is informed by your knowledge. 

Join PPT for a CLOSER LOOK AT THE BUS LINE REDESIGN on November 13th @ 7pm