Image Description: a PRT bus, person in wheelchair, and person joyously riding a bike
How easy is it to get around Pittsburgh without a car? Do you think your neighbors know what that’s like? What about your elected officials, transit agencies, and other local decision-makers?
The Week Without Driving is a national challenge designed to uplift the experience and needs of people who can’t or don’t drive—whether due to disability, economic factors, or choice. This year, PPT, Bike Pittsburgh, Access Mob, Age Friendly Greater Pittsburgh, and Complete Streets at Pitt invite you to participate in the Week Without Driving, October 1-8, 2026. By taking part, you can call for the meaningful change our region deserves!
What is the Week Without Driving?
Whether due to disability, age, or income, non-drivers come from all walks of life, all over our region. The Week Without Driving was developed by disability advocates in Washington state and is now a national initiative, led by America Walks and the Nondrivers Alliance. There are concurrent events and challenges all across the country, all intended to amplify the experiences of people who cannot or do not drive—and call for change.
Here in Pittsburgh, PPT is proud to join the movement, raising awareness for accessible, affordable, dignified, and robust mobility needs in the Steel City. When you participate in the challenge, from October 1st to October 8th, you are raising awareness of the transportation needs that all Pittsburghers have, and calling for change that improves mobility and access for all.
As Pittsburghers like you take the challenge and share their stories with their neighbors and elected officials, those in power will come to understand the challenges non-drivers face in their own communities—and what they can do to help.
This is all about making the case for robust freedom of mobility across Pittsburgh. It helps decision-makers see that they all have a stake in the forms of public transportation—not just cars—and the infrastructure that allows people to get to, from, and between them without driving.
How to participate in the Week Without Driving
The Week Without Driving is a hands-on way to call for change. There are many ways to participate—choose one or all!
Get wherever you need to go that week however you want—as long as it’s not driving yourself. Walk, bike, transit, ask for a ride from a friend or family member – it’s all on the table. If you find yourself asking for rides, reflect on that choice: what does it feel like to rely on others? Does it change what trips you take?
Consider what choices you have, and what choices others have access to. It’s easier to give up your keys if you can afford to live in a walkable area well served by transit. Understand what choices you have and why.
If you still have to drive, you haven’t “failed.” There may be trips you can only make if you drive yourself. Reflect on what someone who could not drive would have done in your situation. How long would it have taken? How much would it have cost? Would it have been feasible at all?
Getting around Pittsburgh without a personal car may be challenging. Plan ahead, think through where you need to go, and make backup plans.
Share your story!
The Week Without Driving is an opportunity to collectively build a narrative: that non-drivers exist in Pittsburgh, that they matter, and that we can invest in infrastructure that improves their experience.
As you’re moving around town without driving, document the experience and share it! You can:
Chat with your neighbors and friends about what it’s like to run errands without driving
Take pictures and video of your journeys, and share them on social media. Tag us and/or our local co-hosts (Bike Pittsburgh, Access Mob, Age Friendly Greater Pittsburgh, Complete Streets at Pitt)—this will help build a community of practice and engagement, and a stronger shared story!
Use the social media templates provided in our Week Without Driving PGH Comms Toolkit to start conversations on your own social media. Again, feel free to tag us!
Join the events!
The Week Without Driving Pittsburgh will be chock-full of fun and educational events uplifting the non-driver experience in our region. Save the date and RSVP for these events to build community and share your story:
Multimodal “race” and happy hour celebration Friday, October 9th, 4:30-6:30 PM “Race” starts at Station Square; happy hour is at Shore Thing, 5-6:30 PM. This will be a fun, lighthearted challenge to illustrate the difficulties—and joys—of navigating Pittsburgh by transit, bike, or walking. RSVP to learn more and choose your team!
Image Description: film strip with headshots of 7 new PPT Board Members, surrounded by doodles
Congratulations to the new PPT Board Members, elected by the general membership to lead us 2026-2028!
Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a democratic, grassroots, member-led union of transit riders and workers.
Each Spring into Summer, PPT members participate in a democratic process to determine a new group of leaders who will join the organization’s highest decision-making body: the Board of Directors. The PPT Board of Directors is responsible for guiding the direction of the union’s campaigns and organizational development.
This democratic, participatory leadership election is core to PPT’s organizing. It keeps a strong team of enthusiastic and committed members at the organization’s helm. To review Pittsburghers for Public Transit’s election process:
At our July Monthly Meeting all nominees have a moment to introduce themselves and make their case for why they should be elected to join the Board of Directors.
The ballot stays open from the July Monthly Meeting to the Summary Party in August. During this time all PPT Members in good standing have a chance to submit their ballot.
Votes are all tallied and winners are announced to serve a 2-year term!
And now….drumroll please…the results of all that grassroots democratic process and participation: PPT is excited to welcome this amazing community of new and returning Board Members!
These leaders will all serve from 2026 to 2028! Read a little more about these leaders below!
Andrew Hussein
Background and vision for PPT
I live in North Versailles/Mon Valley. My primary routes are 59, 55, P76, 69, and P69… but to be truthful, you can find me on just about any route (no exaggeration) because I eat/sleep/breathe/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.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Current President of the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC) =
current Executive Committee Member, and have been involved at PPT for 8 years
I am also the founder and COO of the Bus Info Hotline, a Twitter and phone info line that is open for people to find out info and ask questions about Port Authority that I’ve been running for nearly 25+ years. Check out our Twitter at @PGH_BUS_INFO
Involved in many of the successful neighborhood service campaigns started in 2014 that restored service to transit deserts through our county.
I am a PPT Communications Committee Member.
I lead the creation of our Blog Series on the Quarterly Service Updates.
I have a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system, PPT staff calls me all the time with questions about our system.
Bill McDowell
Background and vision for PPT
Bill McDowell is a long-time disability rights advocate. He has been a member of PPT for more than eight years and is passionate about equitable infrastructure, accessibility, and fair fares. Bill has been a member of the PRT’s Committee for Accessible Transportation for many years and in that role has listened to the concerns and needs of the disability community in depth and has learned from those conversations over the years. Bill also believes that no one should be turned away from public transportation for the inability to pay a fare. Bill’s fight for an equitable transit system in Pittsburgh has been long, but is long from over. He appreciates the ability to do the work alongside so many other passionate transit justice advocates. In his new term, Bill is excited to oversee PPTs transition to a 5O1C4 and working on the campaign to create more accessible seating on buses.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
PRT Committee for Accessible Transportation
PPT Research Committee
Fair Fares Coalition
PPT Organizing Committee – organizing for better sidewalk infrastructure
Elise MacDonald
Background and vision for PPT
I’ve worked as a grade 5-12 educator, proofreader, editor, and career ed counselor (including helping folks with their job search documents, presentations, public speaking, etc.) I was the founder and admin for a Facebook group called Citizens for NH Capitol Corridor Regional Rail in Nashua, New Hampshire, fighting for the return of regional/commuter rail to a city of nearly 100K in NH; the 600+ member group is still thriving two years after I passed on admin duties to other members. When I commuted from NH to Boston over a period of five years, I ran a Twitter account called @MbtAtrophy which documented infrastructure/facilities problems on Boston’s T, bringing them to the attention of local officials; it became a community hub where other T riders also sent in their own photos and videos of emergent or chronic transit infrastructure issues.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
PPT sidewalk audit, summer 2025
Co-led transit tour during Spring Training weekend
Various phone banks
Canvassed transit riders re: Bus Line Re-Design
Addressed attendees at unveiling of new North Side bus stop, February 2026.
Kristen Greene
Background and vision for PPT
I started at PPT in May 2025; I’ve been involved in a lot of campaigns since then. I started with the Mon Valley Fellowship and went from there. My vision is for public transit to just get better! I would be a good PPT board member because I know our system really well, and I love helping people figure out the system. I’ve been riding these buses my whole entire life! I pay attention to the system and what people need from it. I depend on public transit to get around, and we need to know what’s going on! I’m friends with so many operators, and that gives me a really good perspective on the system. I have a really good relationship with a lot of operators. My vision is for us to improve bus service and win! Not just here in Pittsburgh, but for all of us. Not everyone can drive; public transportation it is. We need to be voices for people who ride the system. Like we always say: when we fight, we win!
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
The Mon Valley Organizing Fellowship
Determining sidewalk, bus stop, and bus shelter needs in the Mon Valley
Speaking at public hearings to save bus service
Fighting to keep bus service at the Waterfront
Going to Harrisburg to speak to legislators and fight for transit funding
Margot Nikitas
Background and vision for PPT
I am a labor union attorney with the United Electrical Workers (UE) and a longtime public transit user. I have been a dues-paying member of PPT since 2023, and would be honored to help lead the organization by serving as a board member. I believe that PPT’s power comes from its members. I am committed to helping PPT grow in Allegheny County and statewide by uniting all transit drivers and riders to fight for a more accessible, equitable and just transit system. As a board member, I believe that my legal skills will be an asset to PPT as it transitions to a 501(c)(4) structure and revises its bylaws. Thank you for your consideration.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Assisted with/attended PPT Spring Training
Participated in PPT membership drive
Participated in PPT legislative visit
Served as Organizing Chair for Fight Back Pittsburgh, a former community organizing project of United Steelworkers Local 3657
Nickole Nesby
Background and vision for PPT
My journey with PPT began in 2017, rooted in a shared baseline belief that transit is a fundamental civil right and an economic lifeline for our working-class communities. Building upon my previous six years of dedicated service—spanning three full terms on the board, including my time serving as Treasurer—I am ready to step back onto the front lines to continue our collective fight for accessible, affordable, and equitable transit for all.
My commitment to transportation justice is deeply intertwined with my executive leadership as the Mayor of the City of Duquesne from 2018 to 2022. Serving the Mon Valley firsthand showed me how structural transit austerity disproportionately impacts marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods. During my time on the board and in office, I worked tirelessly alongside riders and workers to protect our transit network. I am incredibly proud of our grassroots organizing campaigns that successfully pushed to restore the 61-series services, ensuring our vital corridors stayed connected. Beyond community-level organizing, I have consistently taken our fight straight to decision-makers by participating in lobby days at our state capitol in Harrisburg, advocating face-to-face with state legislators to demand the robust, dedicated funding our transit networks desperately need.
Our regional transit infrastructure is navigating a critical juncture, facing shifting route networks and high-stakes state funding choices. Now more than ever, PPT needs experienced leadership that seamlessly bridges local municipal governance, grassroots organizing, and statewide legislative advocacy. I believe that my voice should be utilized not to speak for the community, but to uplift all of our voices collectively—ensuring that the real, lived experiences of transit-dependent residents and workers remain the driving force behind every policy decision.
I look forward to bringing my historical knowledge, executive experience, and unyielding passion back to the board to ensure we build a public transit system that truly serves everyone. Thank you for your consideration.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
3 full terms on PPT Board, including one as Treasurer
Mayor of City of Duquesne, 2018-2022, serving marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods
Campaign restoring service to 61-series buses
Participation in lobby days at state capitol in Harrisburg
Sue Scanlon (Running for Transit Operator seat)
Background and vision for PPT
I’m in my 26 year as an operator for PRT, a member of Local 85 of the ATU, and very proud long time member of PPT/Transit for All PA. I have enjoyed being part of PPT and am so impressed with our growth as an organization built on rider and worker determination for better transit.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Developing the Riders Bill of Rights, way back in PPT’s early years
Winning service restoration on the 59
Increasing service on the 75
Stopping the Mon-Oakland connector
Being a part of the board as we moved from small grassroots to a 501c3 to a 501c4
Developing better communication with local politicians by taking part in ride alongs with candidates
The list goes on and I’m so proud to be part of the incredible growth and accomplishments we’ve made.
The final draft of the Bus Line Refresh (BLR) is here: the major change to Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s bus service that has been in the works since 2024. Last week, we shared some topline key points around the BLR: to maximize benefits and reduce harms, Pittsburgh Regional Transit should use it as an opportunity to show Harrisburg why they should fund a visionary transit plan to meet the service needs of all communities.
Now, riders have until September 30th to tell Pittsburgh Regional Transit how the draft would impact them. To help you craft your comment, we’ve put together a deep dive into some of the finer points of the BLR final draft.
This is a massive, complex proposal—and you don’t have to piece through it alone! Below are some major takeaways, both good and bad, after a week of analyzing the final draft. We’ve also included some important resources that can help you determine how the plan will impact your communities before you submit your comment to PRT.
PPT’s member-led Research Committee has been analyzing the BLR final draft continuously since it was released. Here’s some of what the Committee found:
Less service area, but more service frequency where it exists. Since the BLR is cost-neutral, the final draft eliminates service in several outlying communities in order to increase service frequency in areas that currently have higher ridership. In other words, the bus would go fewer places than it does now—but for many of those places, service would likely be more frequent.
The Busline Refresh plan overall would provide more service for high equity communities- except for older adults. The Research Committee cross-referenced the BLR with census data, and found that service gains go more frequently to areas with more Black, Brown, car-free, and lower-income residents. Conversely, service losses are more frequently found in whiter, more suburban areas. Older adults (65+) are the group which will lose the most service. (Note that this is an imperfect way of measuring bus service, and does not account for factors such as sidewalk conditions, final destination, and availability at different times of day.)
Buses would be scheduled at much more predictable and regular intervals. Currently, buses are scheduled in odd and unpredictable intervals (like every 37 minutes), making it difficult for riders to calculate when the next bus is going to arrive. Under the Bus Line Refresh Draft 3.0, buses are scheduled in intervals like every 15 min, 20 min, 40 min, or once an hour.
Key resources
As you put together your comment to PRT, here are some resources you can use to determine how the BLR would impact you specifically.
Communities most harmed
We believe it’s important to highlight the communities that stand to lose the most service under the BLR. In order to minimize harms, PRT needs to hear feedback from people most harmed by the plan, especially those who have no other transportation options. Here is a list of communities that would lose the most, sorted alphabetically. Please look this through to see if your communities are listed, and learn more about the impacts.
To model your commutes and estimate travel times, you can use the Transit App! Check out our tutorial for this feature. (Note that this only works on mobile devices, and requires an app download and login.)
For a more in-depth system map, and stop-by-stop information, check out the interactive map below, built by a Research Committee member! This is a treasure trove of info, and works best on desktop. More on that below.
Interactive system map
This interactive map, built by PPT Research Committee member and founder of Lemali Consulting, Max Chis, is your best bet if you want to really dive deep into BLR data. Note that it’s best on desktop, and may have a few bugs, but it is the best way to view changes to the system stop by stop.
The map has multiple views: Locations (individual bus stops), Surfaces (100m blocks around bus stops), and Streets (streets that currently or would have a bus run on it). Each view is color-coded to show if that stop or street would gain, lose, or maintain its current level of service if the BLR is implemented.
The map can show whether your stop gains or loses one-stop rides to Oakland, Downtown, or any other point you choose. It can also be toggled to show weekday, Saturday, or Sunday service levels.
Here’s the good news: transit riders like you still have the chance to make sure the Bus Line Refresh maximizes benefit, while minimizing harms. Here’s how:
Attend office hours and learn more! If you’d still like support understanding the BLR final draft, you don’t have to piece through it alone.
Attend Organizer Office Hours on Wednesday, September 2nd (in person or virtual) to learn more about the draft, and practice shaping your feedback to PRT
Canvass riders to help them give testimony! PPT members are hitting the streets on September 10th to talk to transit riders about the BLR—and prep them to give testimony or public comment. Sign up to canvass!
Comment on the draft! There are lots of ways to comment on the BLR. The Bus Line Refresh is a massive, confusing proposal, and it can be hard to draft comments. That’s why we made a Mad-Libs-style comment template, to help youcraft a comment for PRT. Check out our tool, make a copy, and customize it to show how the Refresh impacts you, alongside the things our system needs as a whole.
After over 20,000 comments from riders, the public’s last chance to provide input on this major change will be between August 17th and September 30th of this year.
A network redesign like the Bus Line Refresh could be used as an opportunity to win the funding and service PRT riders deserve. With this final draft, PRT has a choice: set riders up for success in the future, or lock Allegheny County transit into managed decline.
The Bus Line Refresh could be a tool to win the state funding we need—if it puts forth a visionary proposal for the service that PRT riders deserve.
The Bus Line Refresh draft, as currently proposed, is a cost-neutral plan: it assumes the same level of funding and overall service as the system currently has. Unfortunately, PRT has been continuously cutting service since 2019, leaving Allegheny County transit riders with 20% less service than they did before the pandemic.In the context of such reduced service, a cost-neutral redesign can only lock in a state of disinvestment.
This year, the need for transit investment is particularly acute. The state funding for every transit system in the state of Pennsylvania has run out—and without new money from the state, PRT will face drastic service cuts and fare increases in 2027. PRT has the opportunity to use the Bus Line Refresh to show Harrisburg what transit riders really need in Allegheny County—not just what they could make do with.
Here’s how PRT could maximize the benefits of the Bus Line Refresh:
Name and plan for a specific, visionary growth possibility, so that PRT can win the money it urgently needs. Decades of disinvestment and rider organizing have made it clear that current service levels are not meeting riders’ needs; if PRT designs under the assumption of no new service, Harrisburg will have no reason to fund it.
Minimize harm for existing riders. With a cost-neutral redesign, any service improvement in one community will come at the expense of another community. PRT must minimize cuts to communities who have no other option (stay tuned for our analysis of which communities could be harmed the most under this final draft).
Name clear, specific goals and metrics to demonstrate that the Bus Line Refresh increases ridership, reliability, and rider satisfaction. PRT aims to increase all these metrics under the refresh, and riders agree! By clearly naming and regularly reporting on success metrics like rider satisfaction, ridership increase, and service reliability, PRT can ensure this major change actually accomplishes what it sets out to.
How to influence the Bus Line Refresh final draft
Here’s the good news: transit riders like you still have the chance to make sure the Bus Line Refresh maximizes benefit, while minimizing harms. Here’s how:
Attend office hours and learn more! If you’d still like support understanding the BLR final draft, you don’t have to piece through it alone.
Attend Organizer Office Hours on Wednesday, September 2nd (in person or virtual) to learn more about the draft, and practice shaping your feedback to PRT
Canvass riders to help them give testimony! PPT members are hitting the streets on September 10th to talk to transit riders about the BLR—and prep them to give testimony or public comment. Sign up to canvass!
Comment on the draft! There are lots of ways to comment on the BLR. The Bus Line Refresh is a massive, confusing proposal, and it can be hard to draft comments. That’s why we made a Mad-Libs-style comment template, to help you craft a comment for PRT. Check out our tool, make a copy, and customize it to show how the Refresh impacts you, alongside the things our system needs as a whole.
In early August, PPT members joined with elected officials and City of Pittsburgh employees to celebrate the launch of Downtown City employees’ newest benefit: free transit passes through the PRTner pass program!
The City of Pittsburgh is the latest and largest employer to purchase bulk fare passes for its employees through PRT’s PRTner pass program—a win-win program that PPT members have called for since 2019.
With free transit passes on their side, hundreds of City employees will find their commutes more affordable, less stressful, safer, and more beneficial for Pittsburgh’s roads and air quality. The PRTner pass brings sustainable income to PRT, while being a great deal for employers like the City (to the tune of 70% off)!
Image Description: film strip with headshots of 9 PPT Board candidates, surrounded by doodles
The ballot is open! Active PPT members can cast their ballots in the member-run, member-elected Board of Directors. Election will close on August 13th!
If you weren’t able to attend the July all-member meeting and hear each candidate introduce themselves, read their bios below before casting your vote!
Overview of PPT’s Board Election Process
Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a grassroots, democratic, member-led organization that fights for racial justice and public transit as a human right. The election of a Board of Directors from and by our general membership is a cornerstone of what keeps us accountable to our members. The Board is responsible for strategizing and executing the organization’s campaigns, outreach, governance, and fundraising.
The Board’s Executive Committee chooses how many seats will be up for PPT’s board election each year. Our bylaws say that 2 board seats are reserved for transit workers connected to a local transit union. Earlier this year, the Executive Committee decided to open 6 seats to be elected from our general membership, and 1 seat to be elected to a transit worker.
Each spring, PPT members nominate 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 to speak about their qualifications for 3 minutes at the July General Member Meeting.
PPT Members in good standing can cast their ballots online, until August 13th, or in-person at the PPT Summer Party. Members can vote for up to 7 candidates. The nominees with the highest vote totals are invited to join the Board of Directors for a 2-year term.
Who is eligible to vote?
All PPT members in good standing can vote in Board elections. PPT members are people who support the Transit Bill of Rights, and have either
Supported PPT by supporting its capacity (participating in monthly meetings, volunteer-led committees, campaign organizing drives, rallies, events, or direct actions) in the past year
All candidates are listed below in alphabetical order.
Kris Chandler
Background and vision for PPT
Hey everyone! My name is Kristopher Chandler and I am excited at the prospect of serving on the Board of PPT. Originally from Erie, PA, I have spent the last 10 years living in Pittsburgh and calling this city home. I attended Point Park University to get my BA in Screenwriting with a minor in Political Science, and ever since coming here for school, I knew that it was important for me to have my voice be heard when it came to matters of public policy, community development, and political activism. With this being the mentality that propelled me into my work, I took it upon myself to dive into the culture of the City – whether that be traversing the South Hills via the T or spending weekends trekking through our various parks and greenspaces. With these lived-experiences, however, also came understanding and experiencing where our City (and our City government) lack innovation and inspiration as it pertains to our built environment, transportation efforts, and planning practices. This is where PPT comes in, and this is what I would aspire to help the organization continue to advocate for. Currently, I am a Principal Planner with DOMI, and prior to this role I’ve worked in transportation and urban planning for numerous non-profits for just over 5 years now. It is my desire to bring this experience to PPT, and to help shape a transit system and built environment that works for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Currently I am a Principal Planner with DOMI, with which I am the project manager for a $1.4 million federally funded Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program project (Manchester ReUnited)
I have formerly served on the board-of-directors for Lawrenceville Corporation (now Lawrenceville Together), during which I was part of the Community Development Committee
I am member of the City of Pittsburgh’s Complete Streets Advisory Group
I frequently participate in the Lawrenceville/Millvale/Polish Hill Neighborhood Assembly, which is a local advocacy group helping to bring community members together around a shared desire to better connect and fight for community needs
I have numerous years of experience under my belt volunteering for various political campaigns, most recently having served as the Campaign Treasurer for a PA State House candidate in the 28th District
Kelda Gorman
Background and vision for PPT
My vision for the PPT community is to keep making the incredible gains we are in transit, and continue to fight where there needs to be gains!
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Speaker at multiple press conferences for PRT
Leader at multiple organized advocacy events with PPT
Over 20 years of advocacy experience
Kristen Greene
Background and vision for PPT
I started at PPT in May 2025; I’ve been involved in a lot of campaigns since then. I started with the Mon Valley Fellowship and went from there. My vision is for public transit to just get better! I would be a good PPT board member because I know our system really well, and I love helping people figure out the system. I’ve been riding these buses my whole entire life! I pay attention to the system and what people need from it. I depend on public transit to get around, and we need to know what’s going on! I’m friends with so many operators, and that gives me a really good perspective on the system. I have a really good relationship with a lot of operators. My vision is for us to improve bus service and win! Not just here in Pittsburgh, but for all of us. Not everyone can drive; public transportation it is. We need to be voices for people who ride the system. Like we always say: when we fight, we win!
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
The Mon Valley Organizing Fellowship
Determining sidewalk, bus stop, and bus shelter needs in the Mon Valley
Speaking at public hearings to save bus service
Fighting to keep bus service at the Waterfront
Going to Harrisburg to speak to legislators and fight for transit funding
Andrew Hussein
Background and vision for PPT
I live in North Versailles/Mon Valley. My primary routes are 59, 55, P76, 69, and P69… but to be truthful, you can find me on just about any route (no exaggeration) because I eat/sleep/breathe/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.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Current President of the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC) =
current Executive Committee Member, and have been involved at PPT for 8 years
I am also the founder and COO of the Bus Info Hotline, a Twitter and phone info line that is open for people to find out info and ask questions about Port Authority that I’ve been running for nearly 25+ years. Check out our Twitter at @PGH_BUS_INFO
Involved in many of the successful neighborhood service campaigns started in 2014 that restored service to transit deserts through our county.
I am a PPT Communications Committee Member.
I lead the creation of our Blog Series on the Quarterly Service Updates.
I have a significant all-around and general knowledge of the Port Authority system, PPT staff calls me all the time with questions about our system.
Elise MacDonald
Background and vision for PPT
I’ve worked as a grade 5-12 educator, proofreader, editor, and career ed counselor (including helping folks with their job search documents, presentations, public speaking, etc.) I was the founder and admin for a Facebook group called Citizens for NH Capitol Corridor Regional Rail in Nashua, New Hampshire, fighting for the return of regional/commuter rail to a city of nearly 100K in NH; the 600+ member group is still thriving two years after I passed on admin duties to other members. When I commuted from NH to Boston over a period of five years, I ran a Twitter account called @MbtAtrophy which documented infrastructure/facilities problems on Boston’s T, bringing them to the attention of local officials; it became a community hub where other T riders also sent in their own photos and videos of emergent or chronic transit infrastructure issues.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
PPT sidewalk audit, summer 2025
Co-led transit tour during Spring Training weekend
Various phone banks
Canvassed transit riders re: Bus Line Re-Design
Addressed attendees at unveiling of new North Side bus stop, February 2026.
Bill McDowell
Background and vision for PPT
Bill McDowell is a long-time disability rights advocate. He has been a member of PPT for more than eight years and is passionate about equitable infrastructure, accessibility, and fair fares. Bill has been a member of the PRT’s Committee for Accessible Transportation for many years and in that role has listened to the concerns and needs of the disability community in depth and has learned from those conversations over the years. Bill also believes that no one should be turned away from public transportation for the inability to pay a fare. Bill’s fight for an equitable transit system in Pittsburgh has been long, but is long from over. He appreciates the ability to do the work alongside so many other passionate transit justice advocates. In his new term, Bill is excited to oversee PPTs transition to a 5O1C4 and working on the campaign to create more accessible seating on buses.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
PRT Committee for Accessible Transportation
PPT Research Committee
Fair Fares Coalition
PPT Organizing Committee – organizing for better sidewalk infrastructure
Nickole Nesby
Background and vision for PPT
My journey with PPT began in 2017, rooted in a shared baseline belief that transit is a fundamental civil right and an economic lifeline for our working-class communities. Building upon my previous six years of dedicated service—spanning three full terms on the board, including my time serving as Treasurer—I am ready to step back onto the front lines to continue our collective fight for accessible, affordable, and equitable transit for all.
My commitment to transportation justice is deeply intertwined with my executive leadership as the Mayor of the City of Duquesne from 2018 to 2022. Serving the Mon Valley firsthand showed me how structural transit austerity disproportionately impacts marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods. During my time on the board and in office, I worked tirelessly alongside riders and workers to protect our transit network. I am incredibly proud of our grassroots organizing campaigns that successfully pushed to restore the 61-series services, ensuring our vital corridors stayed connected. Beyond community-level organizing, I have consistently taken our fight straight to decision-makers by participating in lobby days at our state capitol in Harrisburg, advocating face-to-face with state legislators to demand the robust, dedicated funding our transit networks desperately need.
Our regional transit infrastructure is navigating a critical juncture, facing shifting route networks and high-stakes state funding choices. Now more than ever, PPT needs experienced leadership that seamlessly bridges local municipal governance, grassroots organizing, and statewide legislative advocacy. I believe that my voice should be utilized not to speak for the community, but to uplift all of our voices collectively—ensuring that the real, lived experiences of transit-dependent residents and workers remain the driving force behind every policy decision.
I look forward to bringing my historical knowledge, executive experience, and unyielding passion back to the board to ensure we build a public transit system that truly serves everyone. Thank you for your consideration.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
3 full terms on PPT Board, including one as Treasurer
Mayor of City of Duquesne, 2018-2022, serving marginalized, transit-dependent neighborhoods
Campaign restoring service to 61-series buses
Participation in lobby days at state capitol in Harrisburg
Margot Nikitas
Background and vision for PPT
I am a labor union attorney with the United Electrical Workers (UE) and a longtime public transit user. I have been a dues-paying member of PPT since 2023, and would be honored to help lead the organization by serving as a board member. I believe that PPT’s power comes from its members. I am committed to helping PPT grow in Allegheny County and statewide by uniting all transit drivers and riders to fight for a more accessible, equitable and just transit system. As a board member, I believe that my legal skills will be an asset to PPT as it transitions to a 501(c)(4) structure and revises its bylaws. Thank you for your consideration.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Assisted with/attended PPT Spring Training
Participated in PPT membership drive
Participated in PPT legislative visit
Served as Organizing Chair for Fight Back Pittsburgh, a former community organizing project of United Steelworkers Local 3657
Sue Scanlon (Running for Transit Operator seat)
Background and vision for PPT
I’m in my 26 year as an operator for PRT, a member of Local 85 of the ATU, and very proud long time member of PPT/Transit for All PA. I have enjoyed being part of PPT and am so impressed with our growth as an organization built on rider and worker determination for better transit.
Past campaigns related to transit justice, PPT, activism, and/or movement building
Developing the Riders Bill of Rights, way back in PPT’s early years
Winning service restoration on the 59
Increasing service on the 75
Stopping the Mon-Oakland connector
Being a part of the board as we moved from small grassroots to a 501c3 to a 501c4
Developing better communication with local politicians by taking part in ride alongs with candidates
The list goes on and I’m so proud to be part of the incredible growth and accomplishments we’ve made.
Image Description: lo-fi waves on a yellow, red, and blue sunset gradient, decorated with white text and stars
Look out on the horizon: rider power is building, and transit justice is on the way. Celebrate the wins with PPT at the summer party!
Transit riders and workers like you have been hard at work building transit justice in Pittsburgh and across the state. Join the crew to kick back, relax, and have fun with neighbors, friends, and co-conspirators 🏖️
Olympia Park Shelter House 1010 Virginia Ave Pittsburgh, PA, 15211
What to expect
The summer party will be a casual, indoor/outdoor celebration. It will be family friendly, with kids’ activities and childcare providers.
Olympia Park has a playground and outdoor space for enjoying the summer evening. We will also have indoor activities, like great tunes, updates on exciting campaigns, and party games. You’ll get the chance to vote on our member-run, member-elected board of directors, and review our campaign roadmap for the coming year.
Attendees should not feel obligated to attend the entire event. Drop in as you are able—we would love to see you!
Food and drink
Food is complimentary with registration! Please RSVP so that we know how many people to expect.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available. All ingredients will be posted for each food item. We will also serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
We will be enjoying yummy catering from Aladdin’s eatery, including falafel, tabouli, hummus, baba ghannouj, wraps with a variety of meat and vegetarian fillings, and more.
Getting there
The Olympia Park Shelter House is accessible to the following transit stops:
40 Mount Washington-Duquesne Heights bus: ¼ mile away, about a 5 minute walk or roll, on a slight grade
Duquesne Incline: 10-15 minute walk or roll
The parking entrance is on Virginia Ave; turn into the park across from Olympia Street. Additional street parking is available on Hallock St. There are reserved accessible parking spots closer to the shelter.
If you need help with transportation, you can find another PPT member/attendee who can help by posting in the PPT Facebook Group. If you’re able to provide transportation, you can check the box on your registration form to let us know.
Accessibility
The path to the venue from the bus stop is on a slight grade; take care when using a manual mobility device. There is a 400 foot downhill walking path from Virginia Ave to the shelter house.
The venue has indoor bathrooms and an accessible stall, but do not have an access button.
We will be playing music inside the building, but will do our best to play it at a volume that is comfortable for all attendees. Attendees are welcome to party both inside and outside the shelter house; outside will be quieter. Be prepared for variable mid-August weather and lighting.
ASL interpretation is available upon request; please be sure to indicate your needs while reserving your tickets.
COVID mitigation
The party will take place both indoors and outdoors. Masks are not required, but are encouraged; we will have masks available to all at the check-in table.
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. These mitigation measures will help the party stay safe and fun for everyone in the community!
Developers are asking Pittsburgh City Council to vote on another major tax giveaway scheme – giving up to $200 million dollars to a handful of Downtown private real estate companies, without any requirements around public benefit. This vote to implement the Downtown Transit Revitalization Improvement District (TRID) will divert tax revenue from the Strip District, Downtown and the North Shore for the next 40 (!) years into the coffers of private corporations.
Right now, when working people and our public agencies are struggling to make ends meet, Pittsburgh City Council is being asked (via the Urban Redevelopment Authority) to hand the Golden Triangle yet another golden ticket.
A TRID is a type of legislation intended to fund transit improvements—but this one won’t do that. Instead, here’s how this proposal would work:
The City (i.e., taxpayers) would initially borrow $50 million to invest exclusively in the TRID area: the Strip District, parts of the North Shore, and Downtown. This money would effectively be a grant paid to wealthy developers, with the City gambling on future tax revenue to pay down the debt.
Only 20% of this money would be invested in public infrastructure—but they’ve not named any particular public projects that would benefit. By contrast, the remaining 80% has been earmarked for specific, private, for-profit real estate developers.
All future public tax dollars from Downtown, the Strip District, and the North Shore for the next 40 years would be diverted to a “Golden Triangle Reinvestment Fund”, exclusively financing development in a small pocket of Downtown. This fund would be controlled by the non-elected Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA)—not City Council, a public body that is accountable to the public.
Members of Pittsburgh City Council and the Mayor’s administration have said that we are facing a massive City budget crisis. So why are they fast-tracking a $200 million handout to Downtown developers, with almost no public process?
What’s at stake
We have already given almost a billion dollars to Downtown developers in tax breaks over the past 5 years. Enough is enough.
Our communities deserve so much more: public transit infrastructure, affordable housing, local food initiatives, street and sidewalk repairs, childcare programs and more. These are critical investments for the well-being of our City—and we cannot fund them if our City Councilmembers signs away millions in tax dollars to private developers for the next four decades.
Transit riders must tell our elected officials to vote NO on implementing the Downtown Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID). Public dollars – whether borrowed or generated from tax revenue – should be invested across all communities – from Fairywood to Fineview, Brookline to Bloomfield. Our resources should be allocated through the annual City budgeting process, with robust public input to ensure that our tax resources are distributed equitably and address the needs of the moment.
Moreover, this process is proceeding in violation of the state law: In order to legally establish a TRID, a TRID planning study must take place per the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law. However, the URA’s “planning study” appears to be entirely created using generative AI, and lacks any documentation of a public process. The Downtown TRID is anchored by PRT’s Bus Rapid Transit corridor (the forthcoming University Line) connecting Uptown and Oakland, but the value-capture boundary proposed in the URA’s plan extends into the Strip District (which will not receive any University Line BRT service). State law also specifies that TRIDs are supposed to be anchored by a transit stop or station, not an entire corridor.
We say: no more handouts to Downtown corporations until our neighborhoods, our small businesses, our workers and our students are given their fair share!
Soy madre y miembro de la comunidad latina que lucha con PPT por un sistema de transporte que realmente sirva a todos. ¿Te unirás a mí haciéndote miembro que paga cuotas?
Me llamo Evelyn Ulysse Alcántara. Uso el transporte público a diario para ir al trabajo, al médico, actividades de ocio, reuniones, llevar a mi hijo al colegio— para todo.
Soy latina y mi inglés no es perfecto, así que cuando me mudé a Pittsburgh me costó usar el transporte público porque había muy poca información disponible en español. Por eso me ofrecí de voluntaria para ayudar como embajadora en los Recorridos de tránsito de PPT. Fue muy frustrante y aislante intentar aprender a usar el sistema de transporte público por mi cuenta. Sabía que si podía hacer algo para apoyar el aprendizaje de mi comunidad, ¡tenía que hacerlo!
Ser miembro de PPT no solo ha mejorado mis propias necesidades de transporte. Me abrió la puerta para ayudarme a marcar la diferencia.
Cuando hubo recortes en el transporte público en Beechview, hubo ocasiones en que el autobús o el Tren no venían—y no sabía la razón, porque los cambios sólo se comunicaban en inglés. Pero hoy, si vas a Steel Plaza o Wood Street Station, ¡escucharás anuncios en español! Y hay instrucciones paso a paso en español en la web de PRT. Esto se debe a que PPT y Casa San José se unieron para dar voz a mi comunidad, para que PRT pudiera entender el verdadero impacto que esto estaba teniendo en nosotros.
Este es el verdadero poder de PPT: realmente escuchan a la gente.
Cuando descubrí que PPT, me pedían testimonios sobre el papel que tiene el transporte público en la vida de las personas, para mostrar lo importante que sería un programa de media tarifa. Sabía que tenía que dar mi testimonio, porque necesitábamos actuar para mejorar el acceso. En aquel entonces solo era una idea y un proyecto, pero hoy es una realidad que lleva el servicio de transporte a la gente.
Me encanta el PPT porque sé de primera mano lo que podemos lograr juntos.
Solo en 2026:
Llevamos a 120 miembros a Harrisburg para arrojar luz sobre la brecha presupuestaria de 80 millones de dólares y enfatizar la importancia de los servicios para tránsito y viajes compartidos para nuestros representantes.
Compartimos habilidades y construimos poder con 170 personas de todo el país, compartimos habilidades y construyeron poder en nuestro Entrenamiento de Primavera 2026.
Formamosa13becariosdeorganizacióncomunitaria en toda la colina del barrio de PGH, y las regiones de Lancaster y Lehigh Valley en Pensilvania.
Por eso quería preguntar: ¿apoyarán el trabajo urgente de PPT haciéndote miembro que paga cuotas hoy?
Puedes apuntarte por solo 2,75 $, ¡el precio actual del billete de autobús del PRT! Ese dinero va directamente a la defensa de un presupuesto de transporte que mueve a TODOS los habitantes de Pensilvania. Todo el mundo merece acceso al transporte público.
Image Description: Evelyn Ulysse Alcantara, a dark-skinned woman in a red PPT shirt, smiles in front of a collaged picture of Pittsburgh
I’m a mother and member of the Latino community fighting with PPT for a transit system that truly serves everyone. Will you join me by becoming a dues-paying member?
My name is Evelyn Ulysse Alcantara. I use public transportation daily for going to work, the doctor, leisure activities, meetings, bringing my son to school—everything.
I’m Latina and my English isn’t perfect, so when I first moved to Pittsburgh I struggled to use public transportation because there was so little information available in Spanish. This is why I volunteered to help be an ambassador for PPT’s Transit Tours. It was so frustrating and isolating to try and learn how to use the system by myself. I knew that if I could do something to support my community’s learning, I had to do it!
Being a PPT member hasn’t just improved my own transit needs. It opened the door to help me make a difference.
When there were cuts to transit in Beechview, there were times the bus or T didn’t come—and I didn’t know why because the changes were only communicated in English. But today, if you go to Steel Plaza or Wood Street Station, you’ll hear announcements in Spanish! And there are step by step instructions in Spanish on PRT’s website. This is because PPT and Casa San Jose came together to uplift my community’s voice, so that PRT could understand the true impact this was having on us.
This is PPT’s real power: they truly listen to the people.
When I first found out about PPT, they were asking for testimonies about the role transit has in people’s lives, to show how important a half-fare program would be. I knew I had to give my testimony, because we needed to take action to improve access. Back then it was just an idea, but today it’s a reality that brings transit service to the people!
I love PPT because I know firsthand what we can accomplish together.
In 2026 alone, we have:
We brought 120 members to Harrisburg to shed light on the $80 million dollar transit budget gap, and emphasise the importance of paratransit and shared ride services to our representatives.
We trained 13 community organizing fellows across the Hilltop neighborhood of PGH, and the Lancaster and Lehigh Valley regions of PA.
Shared skills and built power with 170 people from across the country at our 2026 Spring Training.
That’s why I wanted to ask: will you support PPT’s urgent work by becoming a dues-paying member today?
You can join for just $2.75—the current cost of a PRT bus fare! That money goes directly towards advocacy for a transit budget that moves ALL Pennsylvanians. Everyone deserves access to public transportation. Will you help us make that dream a reality?
Donate now to join Evelyn as a member—and build transit for the people!
