In case you missed it, Port Authority released a new fare proposal back in March. The bad new is that the proposal misses a huge opportunity to create real change for low-income riders. The good news is that we can organize riders to speak up to win more impactful change.
The Port Authority has finally published the fare recommendations from a 2019 $210,000 contract with Four Nine Technologies. After more than two years, and in the midst of a pandemic, Port Authority announces just three potential changes:
Public comment is being taken on these recommendations until May 5th. This public comment period is our opportunity to call for more systemic changes that truly build equity for all riders. See below or visit Port Authority’s page for info on giving public comment.
To be clear, the proposal does have some merits. Free transfers on for CONNECT card stored value is a very good policy change. The rolling timeline for weekly and monthly bus passes is also good, and will make buying passes more attractive. We have been calling for these changes since 2016. At this point, the Port Authority should pass these policies quickly. And they must take the fare hike off the table during a pandemic while people are suffering an economic downturn.
However, Port Authority already has some of the highest fares in the nation. And the pandemic has furthered existing inequities and has proved that low-income riders are the ones keeping our transit system afloat and that riders are essential workers, keeping our communities afloat. Port Authority needs to take the fare hike off the table. They need to pass the common-sense transfer & rolling pass policy. And they must move swiftly to overhaul its fare structure to benefit all riders.
Pittsburghers for Public Transit worked hard with our partners at Casa San Jose, Just Harvest, the Alliance for Police Accountability, and the Thomas Merton Center to provide solutions for these issues in our #FairFares platform. Riders have voiced solutions multiple times throughout the pandemic to extend emergency fare relief to low-income riders. And people have spoken up about fares during Port Authority’s 2020 “Listening Tour”, and in hundreds of NEXTransit long-range plan comments.
Riders have taken time to put forward solutions to fare inequity. But it is clear that the Port Authority has not heard its riders clearly enough.
The proposal does nothing to address the unfair cost burden of cash users. Cash riders already pay a full $2.75 for every trip and transfer. Prior to the pandemic, cash riders made up 9% of ridership, but they paid 15-16% of total fare revenue. That’s not right.
Routes with high cash usage run through disproportionately low-income and high minority communities. These routes often require more transfers, and with them more full cash transfer fees of $2.75.
CONNECT cards are harder to access for low-income riders. Access points like ticket venting machines and Giant Eagle/Goodwill stores are not prevalent in lower-income, suburban communities. These are also the same communities that have limited and less frequent service.
In other words, poor riders pay more money for worse transit service. And this is even more pronounced during COVID, when reduced schedules and capacity limits are leaving riders stranded.
Professionals can access pre-tax commuter benefits, saving them ~30% on bus pass costs. Seniors are free. Youth under 6 are free. University and some PPS students are free. Disabled people and youth between the ages of 6-12 pay half-fare.
Why is it that we are charging those with the least means to pay the most? We need emergency fare relief for low-income riders now, to ensure that riders can access critical needs during this pandemic and economic crisis, AND we need Port Authority to move towards implementing a long-term low-income fare program.
Low-income riders can easily pay more than the cost of a weekly or monthly bus pass in single CONNECT card payments over the course of a week or month—up to 180% more—simply because they don’t have the upfront money to pay the full cost of a bus pass at one time. That’s why we also need fare capping, which puts a cap on the amount that any rider can pay in single rides over a given period of time, at the cost of a pass.
Right now, only universities can access bulk bus pass rates.
Port Authority needs to have bulk bus pass packages that can be purchased by employers to give to their employees. These programs can also be used by developers to give access to tenants, for social service agencies to give to their clients, and for conferences to provide for their attendees. A bulk bus pass program is a pathway for large companies pay for the transit system that they disproportionately benefit from… especially those large untaxed exployers like UPMC who currently pay nothing for the transit system that keeps their businesses running.
Bulk passes will also drive up ridership at a time when ridership is hovering at 35% of pre-pandemic levels.
Port Authority police shot and killed Bruce Kelley, Jr. at the Wilkinsburg East Busway station in 2016, with no consequences. Port Authority is moving towards a process of “off-board fare payment” which will require random fare payment checks on the T and on our busways in the coming years. However, unless changes to fare enforcement are made, those checks will be done by armed Port Authority police. Failure to prove a $2.75 payment will lead to $300 fines, jailtime, and criminal charges.
Similar policies in other cities have led to the acceleration of the school to prison pipeline, detainment and deportation of our immigrant neighbors, the incarceration of the poor, and racial profiling and murders of unarmed Black and Brown riders.
An equitable fare policy would ensure that fare enforcement be done by civilian, unarmed fare ambassadors, and that fare evasion be treated like parking tickets—with affordable civil penalties or community service.
When this new fare proposal was announced last month, Port Authority blamed the pandemic for why there was no public input into these proposals. But the reality is that Port Authority has asked riders to give feedback about fares on numerous times over the last two and a half years: during the announcement that they would hire a fare consultant in 2019, during the “Listening Tour” that started at the beginning of 2020, and at the dozens of NexTransit long-range planning meetings that have been held over the last year.
Each time, riders have made time to join these meetings and put forward sound policy proposals for an equitable system.
So riders are left asking, “how has all the feedback that we gave during that time been incorporated into this proposal? Where is the equity in asking us to talk about the same issues over and over again?”
Its time for the Port Authority to be transparent about the rider feedback they’ve gotten about fares over the last two years. And that they show how this feedback was– or wasn’t– incorporated into these suggestions. The agency also needs to give a detailed report of the feedback that they hear from riders during the 40-day comment period on this new proposal.
But we deserve more ambitious fare changes, that truly address our region’s equity issues that our fare system perpetuates, and a fare system that will support more ridership, not less.
Public transit is essential for Pennsylvanians. It keeps us moving to jobs, food, and healthcare. We won’t let our state transit funding get put on the chopping block. It is time to build our movement.
We need all Pennsyvania transit riders and workers to attend this meeting. Together we can build a proposal that expands our funding and puts transit riders and workers first. We will win more service, increased frequency, cleaner bus, better bus stops, affordable housing, higher wages and more.
This movement will mobilize transit riders and workers, sway politicians, shift the public narrative, and expand transit funding to keep our buses running & transform our cities.
Hosted by the Philadelphia Transit Riders Union, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, the Amalgamated Transit Union Joint Conference Board, 5th Square and Transit Forward Philadelphia.
Give us a call if you have any questions about how to use Zoom, or if you have any accessibility needs: 412-626-7353. Or email us at info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org
Four times every year, the Port Authority adjusts its transit schedules and routes to account for rider’s requests, ridership shifts, construction, road closures and/or all of the other unexpected hiccups that might affect Pittsburgh roads.
These quarterly adjustments were dialed back because of the pandemic, but they seem to be back on track. PPT has been publishing these blogs since 2019 with the @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline to give a rider’s perspective on what these adjustments mean for our service. Some quarters bring great changes (like Q4 2020 where we won weekend service on 95% of Local routes) some quarters are lackluster.
The next set of service adjustments will go into effect on Sunday, March 21, 2021. You can check Port Authority’s website to follow these quarterly service changes. Check out the upcoming changes below
The @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline is a volunteer-run twitter account that gives riders updates on Port Authority’s daily happenings. The Hotline has no official connection to the Port Authority (again, it is a volunteer-run twitter account) but the updates are helpful nonetheless. The Hotline is a big supporter of PPT, and an enormous advocate for public transit. We’re thankful for their support and happy to collab on these rider resources. Follow @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline on twitter for more grassroots transit updates.
Welp, this quarter the service changes were pretty minor, and to be honest, they’re a bit disappointing. Riders truly need the Port Authority to reverse the service reductions they started last summer. Riders are still struggling with crowded buses or too little service availability and frequency.
Riders can’t wait until the next Quarterly Adjustments (or Summer 2021) to see the COVID reductions reversed. By then weather will be warming, vaccines will be more widely available, and ridership will be on the rise. It will be a celebratory time full of opportunity, but not core transit riders including many “essential workers” if transit stays a these low levels.
19L-Emsworth Limited – Schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
These are very small changes and shows more care for OTP than riders
22-McCoy – The outbound time point at McCoy Rd at Island Ave Far Side will be removed from the schedule.
28X-Airport Flyer – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
31-Bridgeville – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
Pretty lackluster changes and shows more care for OTP than riders
G31-Bridgeville Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
54-North Side-Oakland-South Side – The Fifth Ave at Bigelow Blvd time point has been replaced with Fifth Ave at University Place due to nearby construction.
no significant changes but the time point change in our view is a welcome and overdue change to clarify to riders that the old stop isn’t coming back and will lay the groundwork for a BRT Station being considered in the BRT Project
55-Glassport – Trips operating to Glassport will be rerouted via the 15th Street Bridge in anticipation of upcoming construction on the Jerome Street Bridge. *See below for more details.
These are our biggest disappointments for these quarterly Service Adjustments. While the 55, 56 and 59 is being detoured through some major residential neighborhoods that had their service cut back in 2007 and 2012, none of these buses will stop to service these communities. This is a big missed opportunity to support people who live and work on Walnut Street in McKeesport and River Rd in Port Vue Liberty.
56-Lincoln Place – Trips operating inbound to downtown will be rerouted via the 15th Street Bridge in anticipation of upcoming construction on the Jerome Street Bridge. *See below for more details.
See prior comments on 55
59-Mon Valley – Trips operating to Century III Mall will be rerouted via the 15th Street Bridge in anticipation of upcoming construction on the Jerome Street Bridge. *See below for more details.
See prior comments on 55
P7-McKeesport Flyer – Weekday schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
Pretty lackluster changes and shows more care for OTP Than riders
Changes don’t address restoring any of the many trips lost to Covid not even the early PM Rush trip that shouldn’t have been cut
P68-Braddock Hills Flyer – Weekday and weekend schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed due to a routing change at Monroeville Mall. No stops are affected.
Changes fails to add any service or trips and doesn’t extend any of the short trips to Forbes Hospital
UPMC East still gets the shaft
P78-Oakmont Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some trip times have changed to improve on-time performance.
Pretty lackluster changes and shows more care for OTP Than riders
Changes fail to add services
Changes fail to add later trips or weekend service that is needed in this area
In anticipation of an upcoming City of Pittsburgh project, the following stops will be discontinued effective Sunday, March 21, 2021. Please use the designated alternative stops:
| Discontinued Stop | Alternative Stop |
| Stanton Ave at #5013 (outbound) | Stanton Ave opp Demarillac Home or Stanton Ave at Stanton CT East |
| Stanton Ave at #5012 (inbound) | Stanton Ave at Demarillac Home or Stanton at Oranmore St |
| Stanton Ave at Stanton CT West (outbound) | Stanton Ave at Stanton CT East or Stanton Ave opp McCabe St |
| Stanton Ave opp Stanton CT West (inbound) | Stanton Ave at Oranmore St or Stanton Ave opp Hawthorne St |
| Stanton Ave at #4243 (outbound) | Stanton Ave at Upview Terrace or Stanton Ave at Steps |
| Stanton Ave opp #4233 (inbound) | Stanton Ave at Woodbine St Far Side or Stanton Ave opp Steps Far Side |
Beginning Sunday, March 21, 2021 and until further notice, westbound bus routes 55-Glassport, 56-Lincoln Place, and 59-Mon Valley will be rerouted across the 15th Street Bridge in McKeesport in anticipation of the next phase of construction of PennDOT’s Jerome Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
Westbound route 55, 56 and 59 buses coming from downtown McKeesport will cross over the 15th Street Bridge, travel down River Rd, and through the 10th Ward neighborhood on Atlantic Ave, before taking Ramp # 2 to return to regular route on Fifth Ave. A map is provided below.
The following stops will be temporarily discontinued through the duration of this construction phase:
A temporary stop will be established at Ramp #2 at W 5th Ave.
Eastbound routes will continue to use the Jerome Street Bridge throughout construction.
In closing, this is another round of disappointment-laden changes from Port Authority. An opportunity exists to improve service for riders. PAAC needs to reverse the COVID service cuts as soon as possible to better-serve existing riders and bring back those who have stopped riding.
The PGH Bus Info Hotline will be back on PPT’s blog in for the next set of Quarter Service Adjustments. See ya then!
PITTSBURGHERS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT (PPT) and the PHILLY TRANSIT RIDERS UNION (PhillyTRU) are grassroots organizations of transit riders, transit workers, and residents. We mobilize together for equitable, affordable, and sustainable public transit.
The PA Statewide Transit Rider & Worker Organizing Fellowship will build a united and politically powerful constituency of PA transit riders and workers that can not be ignored. We will hire 5 fellows from regions across the state that are serviced by public transit systems – both large and small, urban and rural.
These fellows will spend April to July working with Pittsburghers for Public Transit, the Philly Transit Riders Union, and local transit workers to develop a coordinated, grassroots network of local “transit rider unions”. These transit rider unions will build local leadership among rider and worker advocates, agitate around local and statewide issues, educate elected officials, and win tangible improvements for fellow transit riders in PA.
The fellows will learn how to collectively run a successful statewide organizing campaign and set and meet attainable goals around community engagement. They will learn how to power-map local transit systems, identify allied stakeholders and volunteers, build and execute effective outreach plans, and engage local transit riders and workers to develop them as leaders in local and statewide organizing. Fellows will be able to talk with confidence about the importance of transit for individual household economic opportunity as well as statewide economic development. Fellows will be able to explain the difference between rider-led grassroots planning and top-down planning efforts.
Fellows should be ready to work with PPT & PhillyTRU to start their organizing immediately, beginning April 10th. The work will be part-time, and can be structured around other work or family commitments, but must be planned to achieve the goals listed below. Below is a general timeline of the campaign with expected duties/hours.
April 10th, from 11-1pm Fellowship Orientation– all Fellows will join for an orientation and planning call with Pittsburghers for Public Transit and the Philly Transit Riders Union
April 10th to April 27th Canvassing and Turnout– Fellows will host 5 canvass days (2-3 hrs each) to distribute masks to transit riders and build relationships by identifying local transit issues. The goal will be to build a regional contact list of a minimum of 100 local transit riders and 100 transit supporters. Organizing staff from Philly or Pittsburgh will travel to be present in-person to train fellows on canvassing and organizing. Fellows should recruit/train volunteers, and follow-up with new contacts. The fellow will work to turn out all new contacts to the statewide rider/worker strategy meeting on April 28th. PPT and/or PhillyTRU organizers will provide in-person and virtual support to help the fellow in establishing a process for the canvasses, volunteer recruitment and follow-up.
April 28th, 7-8:30pm Statewide Grassroots Transit Summit– Fellows and the local riders who they have organized will join for a historic statewide call of transit riders and workers from across PA. Riders and workers will use the call to build a grassroots transit funding platform, and sketch out a strategy for winning improvements at the state and local levels.
Strategy and Advocacy for Grassroots Transit Funding Platform– Fellows will continue recruiting volunteers & developing leaders to facilitate weekly mask distributions. Fellows will continue follow-up calls to contacts.
Fellows will join a weekly statewide leadership call, and a bi-weekly statewide rider call, to stay up to date in executing our campaign.
Fellows will organize local riders to plan and participate the public launch of the grassroots transit funding plan for PA. Fellows will also plan local actions and meet with local elected representatives to present demands and win their support.
Fellows will keep up frequent communication with PPT and/or PhillyTRU.
Compensation will be $20/hr, with an expected minimum of 50 hours of work over the 4-month period. Travel costs and equipment reimbursements will be provided as needed.
Applicants can apply by filling out the google form application here, by emailing answers to the application questions to josh@pittsburghforpublictransit.org, or by sending your answers via mail to PPT at 5129 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15224.
Public transit is essential for Pennsylvanians – It keeps us moving to jobs, food, and healthcare. But state transportation funding is in jeopardy. But politicians have left transit riders and transit workers out of conversations about a solution.
We need all Pennsyvania transt riders and workers to attend this meeting for expanded, progressive transit funding in PA. Together we can build a proposal that puts transit riders and workers first. We will win more service, increased frequency, cleaner bus, better bus stops, affordable housing, higher wages and more.
We will mobilize transit riders and workers.
We will sway politicians.
We will shift the public narrative.
We will win expanded transit funding to keep our buses running and transform our cities for our children.
Hosted by the Philadelphia Transit Riders Union, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, the Amalgamated Transit Union Joint Conference Board, 5th Square and Transit Forward Philadelphia.
Give us a call if you have any questions about how to use Zoom, or if you have any accessibility needs: 412-626-7353. Or email us at info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org
This is an exciting moment for riders. Port Authority is doing its first long-range plan in decades. This means that we have a chance to advocate for some big changes and priorities to steer the course of our transit system over the next 25 years.
As part of their planning process, PAAC just released a map along with a list of new potential new projects and priority areas.
It’s only lines on a map, but it’s exciting to see a vision of transit that connects Allegheny County. PPT members have been on the frontlines of advocating for many of these projects and policies over the years.
Now they want to hear public input.
Port Authority has been transparent with the fact that they receive a disproportionate amount of online feedback from folks who are white, younger, and more highly-educated. We need to ensure fair and proportionate feedback from transit riders and communities who are considered “hard-to-reach”
If you work with people riding transit right now please encourage them to take the survey.
Additionally, Port Authority has said that they are very willing to come to your organization’s meeting to speak with your members about working with the survey. You can send them an email here.
COVID has caused thousands of us to lose jobs and income. But we still need transit to access life’s essentials: food, healthcare, jobs, housing, family.
Now more than ever, the Port Authority needs to start a low-income fare program. This would support riders, and support everyone throughout Allegheny County.
Please take this survey to advocate for a low-income fare program at Port Authority. We will not share any of the survey information from this survey without your express consent. Leave your contact info and we will follow up to learn more about you. We can fight for change.
In efforts to make Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) a more accessible organization, we are conducting a survey to identify areas we need to improve on and things we can do differently.
Your thoughts irrespective of whether you attended a meeting or took part in a campaign are very valuable. We would appreciate it if you can spend around 15 minutes to complete our survey.
Your responses will help us to better engage transit riders and operators in Allegheny County in our efforts to expand and defend public transit.
* If you prefer to fill out a paper copy, need a large print copy, need the survey in another language, or need any other accommodations, email: Toni Haraldsen taharaldsen@gmail.com*
* If you prefer to fill this out over the phone, call or text to set up a time: Jessica Benner at 3042687672 *
* Si prefiere completar una copia en papel, necesita una copia en letra grande, necesita la encuesta en otro idioma o necesita cualquier otra adaptación, envíe un correo electrónico a: Toni Haraldsen taharaldsen@gmail.com *
* Si prefiere completar esto por teléfono, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto para programar una hora: Jessica Benner al 3042687672 *
For those of you who have followed the Downtown-Oakland Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, you’ll know about the vital part that transit rider organizing has played in bringing more equity to this project. For those who may not be familiar, you can check out a brief recap here.
We’re very close to having a strong and equitable BRT project that will serve riders through Downtown, Uptown, Oakland, the entire East End and Allegheny County – but rider advocacy is still needed!
The final public meeting for the Downtown-Oakland BRT project is Thursday 1/28 at 6pm.
You can join to support equity and raise any final changes you’d like to see!