Pittsburgh Regional Transit launches new bus line redesign campaign

PITTSBURGH — For the next 21 months, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) wants to hear directly from riders, asking them what bus routes or schedules they would like to see and how those changes would make their lives easier.

For Theresa Gordon of Sheraden, getting to her doctor’s appointments in Oakland has become quite the headache.

“I suffer from arthritis in my feet and my knees, and it’s hard for me,” Gordon said, “and I have asthma, so it’s a double whammy for me to even walk up the hill. By the time I get to where I’m going, I’m out of breath and in pain.”

PRT wants to hear riders like Gordon, as transit officials rethink bus routes in a post-pandemic Pittsburgh. That’s the goal of its NEXTransit Bus Line Redesign Project, a nearly two-year mission to get feedback from riders that will help them to analyze and reconfigure bus routes across the region.

“Sometimes it’s a little difficult when they say the bus comes at a specific time, and it comes early or late, especially for someone like me who is always on the go between work, appointments, and just everything in general,” said Christina Gordon of Sheraden

Transit officials said it’s the right time to plan for these changes to promote ridership, equity, and inclusivity while simplifying the bus network. PRT will host pop-up in-person public meetings starting Monday morning in Wilkinsburg and has a full list of meetings and locations online. You can also click here to take the online survey.

While some riders like Mark Jameson are content with their current routes, they plan to take advantage of the survey being offered to share some ideas.

“If you know you’re going one-way…cause there’s an option of a three-hour pass, $2.75, you’re good for a three-hour span, as many as you want…maybe something under that if you’re just going stop to stop on the route, like $1,” Jameson said.

This is an ongoing effort to get feedback and should continue through the Spring of 2025. PRT will then propose a new bus network design.

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