Port Authority’s Q1 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. 

Additionally, Port Authority’s new Bus Stop Consolidation program aims to eliminate 20-30% of stops in the entire system. PPT’s feelings about this program are complicated (Blog 1, Blog 2), but every 6-months PAAC plans to announce plans for stop consolidation on 4-6 new routes. We’re also going to begin including information about this program in these quarterly service adjustment blogs.

The next set of service adjustments will go into effect on Sunday, March 15, 2020. You can check Port Authority’s website to follow these quarterly service changes.

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 they’re support and happy to share this rundown of the quarterly service changes compiled by the @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline.


Rundown of quarterly Service adjustments, with takeaways from the @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline

The @Bus_Info_Hotline’s overall takeaway is that this Quarterly Service Changes Update is full of Wow factor this time around!

A lot of PPT mini-victories here and other public goods being served this go around.

👏 So clap along with us cause we’re happy, and building a system for and by its riders.👏

Route changes below will go into effect on Sunday, March 15, 2020:

2 – Mount Royal – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed from the timetable to improve on-time performance. Weekend service has been added between Millvale and downtown Pittsburgh via the Strip District.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

The expanded 2 service is amazing! To start on the super positive side, PPT and the Community can claim this as a Victory since Millvale is getting their bus service back on Weekends + holidays! This was part of a community campaign of the organization going back to 2016! Lots of people organized for a long time to make this happen. Thanks to everyone who was involved.

On the downside, the new 2 service only runs a loop through Millvale Loop and leaves out the Royal-Shaler-Etna and McKnight Corridors. Unfortunately, the new weekend service starts way late in the AM and ends too early in the PM. Another concerning trend that we’ve seen is that Port Authority has been making slight changes to improve On Time Performance (OTP) – things like removing bus stops, tweaking headways, removing trips, etc. We’re a little concerned that these small changes will have a big effect on riders. Port Authority should not move to sweep these changes under the rug, no matter how seemingly small. For an example of this, see the changes made last year to routes like the 77 and 69; which now mean that some 69 trips have been skipping Wilmerding, and weekend 77 headways are farther apart and have lost a trip on the weekend.

On the whole, the 2 sees some great changes, but there is room for further improvement.

4 – Troy Hill Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Current schedules with new ones given past treatment of the 77 and 69 routes. Tiny changes that may have a big effect on riders.

12 – McKnight – Schedules have been revised and some time points have been removed from timetable to improve on-time performance.

28X – Airport Flyer – Buses traveling to the airport will not serve Boulevard of the Allies and will remain on Fifth Avenue in Uptown due to construction.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Scheduling revisions due to multiple ongoing as well as planned upcoming short and long term construction projects thru the next 1 to 3 years. Glad they decided to update the schedules instead of leaving bus riders with late buses for the next 3 years.

36 Banksville – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Current schedules with new ones given past treatment of the 77 and 69 routes. Tiny changes that may have a big effect on riders.

38 – Greentree – Trips operating to and from Mt. Lebanon will now operate along Greentree Road and through the West End and Carson Street. Travel times and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance. Some trips have been adjusted to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

At the request of their local elected representatives and with community support West End and the community of Ridgemont have won extra service in the form of rerouted 38M trips! Chalk one for transit advocacy!

41 – Bower Hill – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Current schedules with new ones given past treatment of the 77 and 69 routes. Tiny changes that may have a big effect on riders.

52L – Homeville Limited – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

53 – Homestead Park – Sunday service has been added. Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Another community victory after years of organizing! 53 will begin running 7-days a week with service added on Sundays. When we fight we win!

The only downside is in similar fashion to routes 2, 4, and 60; service will not start until late in the morning and will end far too early in the afternoon (6pm-ish).

We sincerely hope Port Authority extends service hours a bit in a future improvement.

53L – Homestead Park Limited – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

60 – Walnut-Crawford Village – Saturday service has been added. Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

This is definitely a community victory, and one that PPT would have organized for, but it turned out we didn’t have to!

PPT and some amazing operators that work with PPT including amazing West Mifflin operators like Sue Scanlon (who volunteers on PPT’s Coordinating Committee) had previously discussed a PPT Campaign for the 60 however it seems the battle was won before it started.

The 60 will begin running Saturday service but again will suffer like the 2 and 53 from the 11 FINEVIEW syndrome only worse. A Saturday schedule that feels like a Sunday schedule yet starts late in the morning and stops way too early for a Saturday. The biggest disappointment on the 60 is when they implied weekend service some expected Sunday too.

We sincerely hope PAAC will look at more services in future improvements or at a bare minimum making the schedule on the Saturday more in line with actual real Saturday service 

67 – Monroeville – Weekend service has been extended to CCAC’s Boyce Campus.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Great news for CCAC students and most especially folks working or traveling to UPMC East Hospital or even past Monroeville Mall.

Complete weekend schedule revisions and the announcements that 7 day a week service is being established beyond Monroeville Mall

The only disappointment is this expansion doesn’t do much to increase the span of service but Weekend riders will likely appreciate having options now

68 – Braddock Hills – Will no longer operate on the weekends. Weekend service will instead be provided by the P68. Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Route essentially eliminated, but don’t Panic because of the new news on the P68. Read on to learn more!

P68 – Braddock Hills Flyer – Weekend service has been added.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Will run 7 days a week and provide a “1 seat ride with no transfer needed” for folks all along the 68/P68 route. ALL 68 trips have been converted to P68 – WHICH DOES IN FACT SERVICE THE EAST BUSWAY FULLY INBOUND, from Hay Street Ramp to Penn Station. The only exception being Wilkinsburg.

Unfortunately outbound still retains it’s stricter stop restrictions (see @PGH_BUS_INFO Twitter for an ongoing petition to remove nuscience stop restrictions).

The other upside to this 68/P68 expansion is its another prime example of expansion and modifications done the right way by PAAC. These changes effectively expand service hours on Braddock Hills service to a little past 9pm on Saturday’s (long overdue but still not late enough) and around 9pm on Sunday. It also adds a helper bus on the East Busway in between abysmal P1 service.

71 – Edgewood Town Center – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Unfortunately, we remain disappointed to see that 71 trips still after years of pleading have not yet been converted to P71 and that 71 as well as P71 service and direct services to Edgewood Towne Center still end way to early in our opinion. It remains our hope that someday 71 or P71 can run all day via ETC on Weekdays till say 11pm and hopefully gain lost weekend service it’s predecessors had.

G3 – Moon Flyer – Morning outbound and evening inbound trips have been modified to provide service to Cherrington Parkway.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

An out of nowhere but pretty good community surprise. Beginning in March reverse commute trips will begin serving Cherrington Corporate Center like the old 28K days. Our disappointment though is it’s a limited service only on reverse commutes and also does very little for the Airside Industrial Business Park on the opposite side of a non-pedestrian friendly higher or for the still underserved University Blvd and Robert Morris College parts of the Moon corridor 

We hope more improvements can be forthcoming someday.

O5 – Thompson Run Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed from timetable to improve on-time performance.

O12 – McKnight Flyer – New service was added traveling outbound in the morning and inbound in the evening along Babcock Boulevard and Perry Highway and serving CCAC’s North Hills campus. Seven additional outbound AM trips and two inbound PM trips have been added to better connect the North Hills with downtown Pittsburgh.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Another PPT Victory AND Community Victory! Previously part of PPT’s “Perry Highway Campaign”. After years of fighting, begging, pleading, suggestions and more PAAC has graciously used the 012 to restore some modicum of service to CCAC NORTH Campus and a sliver of Perry HWY that includes Pines Plaza, Manor Care, Northland Library, CCAC, and some walk-ability to Ingomar Road, Highland Road, Memorial Drive, and Sheetz.

Unfortunately this service is ONLY on reverse commute trips but for pass or multi-use fare product riders just barely navicable during peak/rush hours. We do hope that Mid-Day , evening and eventually other options are considered for Perry HWY + CCAC North

The other upside to this change is 012 will see some expanded service hours in both AM and PM Rush.

P7 – McKeesport Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Disappointed to see that no nonpeak service is added as of yet…

P12 – Holiday Park Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Disappointed to see no later morning or later evening trips and no added reverse commute trips but hopeful for the future 

P13 Mount Royal Flyer – Some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Again disappointed that no reverse commutes added, yet disappointed the route still  hasn’t returned to using the East Busway and Washington Blvd and disappointed no later AM OR PM trips added yet.

P71 – Swissvale Flyer – Schedules have been adjusted and some time points have been removed to improve on-time performance.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Again as previously stated disappointed that no Midday – PM Evening or weekend services added  but hopeful for the future 

Blue Line Library – The Blue Line Library has been renamed the Silver Line Library to avoid confusion with the Blue Line South Hills Village.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

The hippest change on the list which Port Authority even has a small ad campaign for. Beginning in March the T gets an extra Silver Lining both literally and figuratively.

Yes. in case you haven’t heard the news; it’s shiny, it’s spiffy, and new.. the Blue Line Library ( BLLB ) becomes SILVER LINE Library!!! WOW! Mind blown?

The change had been considered in the past but wasn’t a top priority. The change is being made to hopefully lesson rider confusion by patrons that confuse the 2 current Blue Line variations and we gotta say the name and new schedules and signage look pretty swanky.

So when your S Hills commute is looking a little blue remember Port Authority has that silver lining!


Rundown of Quarterly Stop Consolidation, with takeaways from the @PGH_Bus_Info Hotline

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline’s takeaway:

Riders have been making their voices heard in their call for a better process on Bus Stop Consolidation! They were able to slow down the process – PAAC moved their program to a 6-month timeline. This will give more time to better improve how they’re including riders as leaders in shaping the process. Check out PPT’s blog on this here.

We won’t see stop consolidation again until next quarter, but riders should give Port Authority their feedback on how consolidation on the 48. 88, 16, and 51 have effected their rides.

@PGH_Bus_Info Hotline, signing out:

This was an exciting quarter of Additionally, there may be more unexpected PPT Victory forthcoming such as 2 Mt Royal-Millvale on weekends and holidays 60 On Weekends and holidays and other positive changes between that. And keep on the lookout for potentially starting 24/7 service on a few routes next fall 2019 to 2020!

It looks to be another amazing year at PortAuthority and for riders despite a few missteps. We applaud the authority for continued system improvements but remind them that continued improvements must not stop or slow down!


Port Authority Customer Service can be reached via twitter, the website or a phonecall: 412-442-2000


The @PGH_BUS_INFO Hotline can be reached by phone @ 412-759-3335 ONLY When PortAuthority Customer Service is Closed/unavailable 

Or via Twitter anytime: @PGH_BUS_INFO

The PGH Bus Info Hotline will be back on PPT’s blog in for the next set of Quarter Service Adjustments. See ya then! (And if you want, you can check out 2019’s changes in these blogs: Q4 changes here, Q3 changes here, Or Q2’s changes here)