Pittsburgh Regional Transit is facing a catastrophic budget crunch – and saving our bus service means taking action to advocate for a better transportation funding strategy in Harrisburg.
The current crisis has been 20 years in the making, the result of back-to-back 10-year fixes that weren’t sustainable. Act 44 of 2007 provided dedicated funding by increasing Turnpike tolls, but the solution was designed to be temporary. Act 89 of 2013 tried to pick up the slack, but the increase to gasoline taxes it authorized wasn’t enough to solve Act 44’s shortcomings. Increased federal funding for transportation infrastructure under the Biden administration gave us an extra three years’ reprieve... but time is now up: Pennsylvania needs to get serious about funding public transit.
Fares cover less than half the cost of running bus service – that's been true since Port Authority was created in 1956. Without additional public funding, PRT will reduce the number of routes, cut back on frequency, and raise fares. Those actions might seem like prudent solutions to the problem, except those are the very things that make transit less useful, less accessible, and more hassle than people might think it’s worth. If fewer people ride the buses, the whole system collapses, and pretty soon there’s no transit at all.
Oakland is a major destination for transit riders from around the county, and that’s fantastic. One thing all Oakland residents understand very well: our neighborhoods can’t handle more car commuters. Making room for parking makes housing more expensive and has a big impact on our quality of life. Whether or not you ride the bus, robust transit really matters for Oakland.
What you can do…
Speak at the public hearing on:
Thursday, June 12
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
David Lawrence Convention Center, Room 302-204.Complete PRT’s survey online or visit in person at the Downtown Customer Service Center at 623 Smithfield Street.
Mail your comments to:
Pittsburgh Regional Transit
ATTN: Funding Crisis
345 Sixth Ave, 3rd floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222Contact your state representative and senator and let them know how important transit is to you and those you serve.
Find your state representative here.
Find your state senator here.