Latest Posts
Why “microtransit” won’t work for Hazelwood
In his recent article “What is “Microtransit” For?”, transit expert Jarrett Walker breaks down what “Microtransit” is and where it is successful. “Microtransit” a current fad in tech-based mobility solutions and cities across the nation are putting tons of public money into them instead of building out their public transit systems. Unfortunately (and perhaps unsurprisingly) […]
Port Authority’s Q3 Service Adjustments, with comment from @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline
Each quarter 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. In case you missed it, the most recent set of schedule adjustments will go into effect on Sunday, Sept. 1st, 2019. You […]
After 3 Years, City Council Takes Up Questions of Driverless Vehicles
Last Month, after publishing its literature review “Wait, Who’s Driving This Thing?: Bringing the Public to the Autonomous Vehicle Table“, Pittsburghers for Public Transit worked with Councilmembers Theresa Kail-Smith, Deb Gross, and Corey O’Connor to hold the first City-sponsored conversation on the effects of Autonomous Vehicles. This was the first time that the Council has […]
Votes Are In: PPT Membership Elects New Coordinating Committee Members
Pittsburghers for Public Transit believes in transparency, accountability, public participation, democracy, collaboration, and shared leadership. And we want to practice what we preach. So each year PPT runs an open nomination and election process for our general membership to choose 5 people to serve on our Coordinating Committee (aka our Board of Directors). The Coordinating […]
Port Authority’s Q2 Service Changes, with comment from the PGH Bus Info Hotline
Each quarter 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. In case you missed it, the most recent set of changes went into effect Sunday, June 16, 2019. The next set of […]
“Charting a New Course for Urban Mobility”, PolicyLink Chimes Into PGH’s AV Conversation
It did not take much time for Pittsburghers for Public Transit to come to a decision about who to invite to write a forward to the organization’s new Literature Review on the impact of Autonomous Vehicle technology, “Wait, Whos Driving This Thing?: Bringing the Public to the Autonomous Vehicle Table”. Anita Cozart, Senior Director at […]
"We already know that there's an issue right now with bus overcrowding and pass-ups on certain routes, particularly routes that are going through Black and Brown communities, lower income communities...[Port Authority] needs to modify their schedules to accommodate the people that are currently riding," Wiens said.
"We've been pushing them the last several months to re-allocate service to where the ridership still remains robust and move it away from where the routes that are currently not seeing very many riders, because that is likely to continue in this fashion through the duration of the pandemic."
www.wtae.com/article/port-authority-pandemic-related-driver-shortage-behind-some-missed-trips/330...
Port Authority pandemic-related driver shortage behind some missed trips
www.wtae.com
"Obviously, this has huge impact on riders if the buses they anticipate coming don't show up," Laura Chu Wiens, executive director of Pittsburghers For Public Transit, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.This is the kind of leadership we like to see 👏🙌:
"Public transportation is an essential public good, but for too long we have not funded it like one. That’s why we are calling on Congress to pass our Freedom to Move Act, bold federal legislation to incentivize transit agencies to offer fare-free service and make long-overdue investments in public transportation for low-income and historically marginalized communities."
Thank you to US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senator Ed Markey and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu for leading the effort to ensure expanded transit service that prioritizes under-invested communities, and free transit for all riders!
www.masslive.com/opinion/2020/07/freedom-to-move-act-would-increase-mobility-connect-communities-...
www.masslive.com
Instituting fare-free transit is a commonsense solution to some of the most pressing challenges our region faces.How to make mask-wearing easy and protect riders and workers? Transit agencies in Oregon and California have started giving out masks directly to riders. transitcenter.org/making-mask-wearing-on-board-the-easy-choice/
Making Mask-Wearing on Board the Easy Choice
transitcenter.org
Universal mask-wearing on transit will be fundamental to managing COVID-19's spread. Portland’s TriMet and San Francisco’s BART provide an early look at how agencies are managing this shift.Shoutout to PAAC for new data transparency! This tool can help riders who have the flexibility in their schedules - although not everyone does. We still need to look at shifting some service to assist those who keep getting passed up on crowded routes: ow.ly/zTdx50AhSTd
New Port Authority tool will give riders even more information about full buses, crowded routes
ow.ly
Port Authority hopes the Room2Ride page on its website will help riders plan trips to avoid crowded buses that could pass without stopping.“The devastation that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic is both social and economic. Those hardest hit are our low-income neighbors, whose financial precarity is exacerbated by the crisis.” said Bethany Hallam, Allegheny Councty Council Member, At-large: ow.ly/s5By50AhJfs
Officials seek low-income fares for Port Authority transit riders
ow.ly
City, county and state legislators in the Pittsburgh region published a letter on Tuesday calling for the implementation of emergency low-income fares...