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:
Learn more about the draft! The Bus Line Refresh is a big, complex plan—but you don’t need 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
Comment on the draft! 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.
Attend the public hearing! PRT needs to hear from you about how the final Bus Line Refresh impacts your community. Save the date: join transit riders at the public hearing Downtown on September 10th to give your testimony.
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!
PRT Must Set & Track Goals on Ridership, Service Reliability, Rider/Worker Satisfaction and Funding
A bus network redesign is a tool for massive change—whether good or bad. With the Bus Line Refresh, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) has the opportunity to make positive changes that our system needs. PRT has shown a commitment to rider needs by updating its Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0 to include valuable new neighborhood connectors, expanding service frequencies on popular routes, and more. But in order to make the system work for its riders, PRT needs to commit to improving ridership, reliability, funding, and rider/worker satisfaction—regardless of what shape the Refresh ends up taking.
A strong transit system is one in which ridership is robust, buses and trolleys show up on time, and both riders and workers feel positive about their experience with the service. A strong transit system is also one in which there is stable funding to maintain and expand the service.
Ridership, Reliability, and Satisfaction Metrics Should Come First
At May’s Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Board of Director’s committee meetings, we were pleased to see some progress in our organizing for more transit system accountability, with PRT staff reporting to their Board on ridership and reliability trends by month. That’s a start: with more attention paid to these metrics, we hope to see clearer plans for how PRT is going to improve them. We have seen 40% of our total transit service cut over the last 20 years, and PRT service reliability is poor- as a result, transit ridership levels are now at a devastating low. That is why it is critical that PRT identifies goals and a plan for strengthening our system, and makes it clear how the Bus Line Refresh will help meet those goals.
The Bus Line Refresh needs to be part of a coherent broader PRT strategy around transit restoration, growth and improvement-—not just managing or accelerating decline—and the public must be able to evaluate the success of the plan implementation against those metrics. A Bus Line Refresh that clearly lays out its purpose in strengthening our transit system to the benefit of riders can then be used as a tool to organize for stable and expanded state transit funding.
1 . PRT should establish specific goals for growing ridership, improving reliability, improving rider/worker satisfaction, and supporting advocacy for expanded state funding.
Whatever the Refresh looks like, our system cannot succeed without dedicated attention and clear progress towards these vital goals.
2 . PRT must create transparency and accountability towards these goals by collecting data related to the impact of the Bus Line Refresh—before, during, and after implementation.
PRT should report monthly on these critical metrics to the PRT website and Board of Directors, as well as the Western PA Regional Data Center. Data to report include
Average ridership by route
On-time performance by route
Crowding by route
Number and type of customer complaints and their resolutions (in particular, as a way of daylighting ongoing communications, scheduling, disability and safety-related issues).
In addition, PRT should run parallel transit rider and transit worker satisfaction surveys, before, during, and after the implementation of the Bus Line Refresh. This will provide critical insights on whether the Refresh has improved or worsened transit outcomes for its primary stakeholders- its users and its workforce.
Some key questions to ask riders in these surveys are:
Overall approval of transit
Ease of use
Perception of reliability
Satisfaction with amenities at stops, stations or on vehicles
Satisfaction with the safety, accessibility and proximity of the bus stops to trip origins and destinations
First-last mile accessibility
Satisfaction with value for the fare paid
Total commute time
Do you have more or fewer transfers under the Bus Line Refresh than before?
How long is the wait time for your transfer(s)?
Do you feel like your trip is very fast, ok, or too long?
Are you paying more, less, or the same for transit?
Is your bus easier or harder to identify with the new naming system?
Demographic and geographic data, to assess Refresh impacts based on those characteristics
3. PRT should maintain features that work for current riders—and make key improvements now, during regular service changes.
PRT should not cut bus stops as a part of the Bus Line Refresh. Bus stop usage and accessibility must be carefully evaluated before any consideration of stop removals are advanced.
PRT should maintain the existing route names to the greatest extent possible, to keep buses familiar and legible for riders.
Some widely beneficial aspects of the Refresh—like the restorations of the 61D and 71A/C/D Downtown—do not need to wait for a full Refresh implementation, and can be implemented during regular service changes. PRT can also make immediate changes to alleviate overcrowding, expand weekend service, and make other minor improvements as appropriate.
4. The rollout of the Bus Line Refresh is just as important as the plan itself.
The Bus Line Refresh is a massive change to almost the entire system. Without a thoughtful, clearly communicated plan for implementation, riders will not be able to successfully navigate it. Here are some ways that PRT can ensure a clear, harm-minimized rollout:
In implementing the full Refresh, it is important that neighborhoods gain any service improvements at the same time as any service losses, so that they do not suffer any gaps in transit service.
There must also be opportunities built into the implementation process in which PRT pauses and evaluates the impacts of the Refresh—and reverse course if necessary.
During implementation, PRT must pay careful attention to how they are scheduling multiple routes sharing a common corridor. PRT schedulers must ensure that those routes are evenly spaced, providing the most convenient level of service for riders, rather than having multiple buses arrive at the same time, with a subsequent large gap in service.
PRT needs to ensure that their communications on their website, social media, Ready2Ride and third-party transit apps, on the printed schedule and at the bus stop are aligned, so that riders are clear about the changes before they happen.
Whether you live in McKeesport or McKees Rocks, the Hill District or the South Hills, our public transit system needs to work for everyone.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will soon close their community engagement period for the second draft of their Bus Line Redesign (BLR). The redesign proposes a completely redrawn map of where transit routes will run. It includes new schedules for how frequently and how late at night buses and trains operate, and renames all the routes in the system.
Tens of thousands of people who use the system every day will be affected. Allegheny County Transit riders, transit workers, businesses, social service providers—we all have a stake in a Bus Line Redesign that works for all.
This is the last opportunity for the public to weigh in before PRT finalizes and ratifies this transit plan—one that will impact our transit service for generations!
Notable Improvements Under the Proposed Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0
Under the Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0, some communities are being proposed for transit service improvements: higher frequency service, or new direct connections to critical destinations. Other communities will see transit service cuts; this is the consequence of Pittsburgh Regional Transit deciding to develop a “cost-neutral” plan rather than a more visionary proposal for service restoration and expansion.
But riders spoke up about Bus Line Redesign Draft 1.0 and Pittsburgh Regional Transit made important changes based on our feedback! In particular, PRT took our advice to scale back the proposed disruption to our routes. They also provided riders with a commute “calculator”, allowing riders to model proposed changes to our trips, and ensured that the proposed “microtransit zone” communities like McKeesport, the Southern Hilltop and Natrona Heights would be provided with expanded fixed route buses, not irregular on-demand shuttles.
Check the list below to see if your routes/communities would gain significant service under the Refresh Draft 2.0.
Note: Old route numbers are listed where those numbers are continuing to be used, otherwise the new route number is listed here. Routes are listed numerically regardless of alpha-prefix.
Service Restoration
Restoration of service to Arnold
N63 restored Jenny Lind Ave service
71C Restored to downtown and uptown
P78 restoration of weekend service
Service Extensions
6 Spring Hill extension to North Hills Village
12 McKnight extension to Wexford
16 Brighton extension to Emsworth
28X extension to Carnegie
79 extension from Lincoln Park to East Liberty via Larimer
N1/N3 Extends and restores service to parts of Allegheny And Natrona Heights
Improvements in Service Span
7 Spring Garden all day service on weekdays
D25 Moon/Robinson to Downtown all day, 7 day service ( Also restores 25A connection between Robinson and Moon cut over 15 years ago )
N77 all-day weekday service on Universal Rd in Penn Hills
New Connections
O9 new connection between the East End to McKnight Rd ( Pseudo 12U restoration )
N17 new connection between Bellevue/Avalon/West View to McKnight Rd ( pseudo restoration of 15A / Partial 9/11C restoration )
27 new connection between McKees Rocks to Crafton-Ingram shopping center ( Partial Restoration of 24A )
N34 new connection between Carnegie crosstown to Brentwood loop
O35 new connection between West Liberty to Oakland
N41 new connection between Bower Hill Rd to Carnegie
O45 new connection between Carrick to Oakland to East Liberty
54 new connections between Polish Hill to Bloomfield and the Southside Works
D58 new connections between Swisshelm Park, Squirrel Hill and Greenfield
64 new connection to Millvale
N66 new connection North Braddock to Walmart
O73 new connection between Homewood to Bates St to Southside Works to Wharton Square
81 new connection between Lawrenceville to Bloomfield to Hill District to Mercy Hospital
N84 new connection between the Hill District and the Strip District
86 new connection between the Strip District and Penn Hills
87 new connection between the Downtown to the Strip District to Garfield Heights
D89 new connection between the Lawrenceville to Stanton Heights to East Liberty
Image Description: photo of Downtown Pittsburgh taped on a paper background, with stickers of a football and a red PRT bus.
New data shows that transit was the star of the NFL Draft—here’s what we learned (and how we can use it to win better transit in the future)!
Public transit is the reason the Draft succeeded! Event buses were full, and the roads were free of traffic. Places that had transit access to the Draft grew crowds; places without it, didn’t.
It pays to pay transit workers! Operators were paid higher wages for working a strenuous event, and they did a fabulous job. We can, and should, pay essential workers according to their high value.
Free fares = better service, higher ridership! They reduce barriers to entry, increase access for low-income riders, and even saves time en-route. Sheetz, the Pittsburgh Organizing Committee and The Pittsburgh Foundation paid the T and “football flyers” fares, so PRT lost no money. Plus, higher ridership actually generates more revenue for PRT (thanks to state funding laws).
Free fares can be implemented for more than just special event attendees; it can benefit low-income riders AND the agency.
People love taking the bus—when it’s easy! Draft service was direct, frequent, clearly communicated, and easily understandable. And it paid off for almost 485,000 rides!
Big events like this would not be possible without a functional, accessible, affordable transit system—all the time. We don’t need to wait for the next big event to roll around to build and fund a transit system that works for our city. We can build one that generates economic benefits, now, for our city.
Promoting transit works! PRT, the Mayor, and the County Executive—not to mention Visit Pittsburgh, local news outlets, and local influencers—regularly promoted the benefits of transit, and urged visitors to hop on the bus to avoid congestion and high parking costs. And it worked!
Image Description: red graphic with Bus Line Refresh logo at the center and white text reads “These Communities Will Lose All Service”.
These communities will lose all service with the Bus Line Refresh proposal – RSVP by 5/27 for your final chance to give feedback on the plan
Whether you live in McKeesport or McKees Rocks, the Hill District or the South Hills, our public transit system needs to work for everyone.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will soon close their community engagement period for the second draft of their Bus Line Redesign (BLR). The redesign proposes a completely redrawn map of where transit routes will run. It includes new schedules for how frequently and how late at night buses and trains operate, and even proposes renaming all the routes in the system.
Tens of thousands of people who use the system every day will be affected. Allegheny County Transit riders, transit workers, businesses, social service providers—we all have a stake in a Bus Line Redesign that works for all.
This is the last opportunity for the public to weigh in before PRT finalizes and ratifies this transit plan- one that will impact our transit service for generations!
Join other transit riders to speak up about impacts of the Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0 – the good and the bad – at our press conference and public testimony on Friday, 5/29 at 8:30 am at Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Board meeting.
The Communities Slated for the Greatest Transit Losses under PRT’s Bus Line Refresh 2.0
Under the Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0, some communities are being proposed for transit service improvements with higher frequency service or new direct connections to critical destinations. Other communities will see transit service cuts- this is the consequence of Pittsburgh Regional Transit deciding to develop a “cost-neutral” plan rather than a more visionary proposal for service restoration and expansion.
In the coming days, we will publish a proposed list of transit service improvements under the BLR 2.0, but right now, it’s most important that transit riders who are slated to lose access to all transit service get a chance to review and respond to the plan.
Below, we lay out the communities in which transit service currently exists, but under the proposed Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0 will be left little to no service.
We used existing route numbers (not the route numbers proposed in the new plan) to help riders identify whether they will be impacted. Routes are listed numerically regardless of alpha-prefix.
77/P16 – Penn Hills/Plum: Hulton Arbors – 15235, 15239
77/P16 – Penn Hills: Monroeville Trestle Rd and Saltsburg Rd, North Bessemer, Leechburg Rd – 15235
79/P17 – Lincoln Park: Mark Drive, Grove Rd, Chaske St, Mt Carmel Rd – 15206/15235/15147
P76 – White Oak: Rt 48 corridor – 15131
P76 – North Versailles: Rt 30 beyond Walmart – 15235
Major Severed Routes: Where New Transfers May be Required for Current Trips
Some current bus lines are being broken up into 2 or 3 different routes. For riders on these routes, that might mean new transfers where you currently have a direct trip.
We know that 84% of transit trips today taken by PRT riders who use a CONNECT card are direct trips, completed without having to transfer. New transfers can add additional significant time to commutes, can add uncertainty around timing to get to our destinations and more exposure to the elements. Moreover, transit riders who pay with cash will have to pay an additional fare for each additional transfer. We know that riders strongly prefer direct trips over trips requiring a transfer, and so want to ensure that riders have a chance to see and respond to these substantial changes.
Below we list current routes in numerical order, regardless of alpha-prefix, and the point in the route where they have been severed:
1 Freeport Rd at the Waterworks Mall
13 Bellevue/14 Ohio River Blvd/17 Shadeland have been segmented and reassembled in various ways
21 Coraopolis – Coraopolis to Moon/Sewickley
31 Bridgeville at Carnegie Station
41 Bower Hill: Washington Rd at Bower Hill Rd
54 N Side-Oakland-S Side – Lawrenceville/Bloomfield to South Side/Mount Oliver/Beltzhoover/Bon Air
59 Mon Valley – across the Monongahela River
67 Monroeville – Oakland/Squirrel Hill to Monroeville/CCAC Boyce
69 Trafford – Oakland/Squirrel Hill to Forest Hills/Wilmerding/Pitcairn
69 Trafford – to Forbes Hospital
74 Homewood-Squirrel Hill Squirrel Hill to Larimer
75 Ellsworth – to South Side Works
81 Oak Hill/83 Bedford Hill – connections to Hill District Business Area (Centre-Devilliers)
87 Friendship – Bloomfield/Friendship to Morningside/Stanton Hts/Upper Lawrenceville
93 Lawrenceville-Oakland-Hazelwood – Lawrenceville/Bloomfield to Greenfield/Hazelwood
P10/1 – Extend all N1 trips from East Liberty to Downtown to avoid forced transfer
Y47 Curry Flyer from Keeport-Knoedler to Walmart
Join other transit riders to speak up about impacts of the Bus Line Refresh Draft 2.0 – the good and the bad – at our press conference and public testimony on Friday, 5/29 at 8:30 am at Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Board meeting.
