City Council
Council asks State for a $117 Million Budget Increase for Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
Without more state funding, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will cut up to 35% of its fixed-route service. Dozens of bus routes would be eliminated, fares would rise, and service would end after 11 pm. Council has now urged the governor and state lawmakers to help. Two council members said the $117 million request should be just the start.
Written by Amy Whipple
- Council approved a Will of Council urging the State General Assembly and Governor to help “prevent a catastrophic loss of transit service.”
- The shortfall comes from increasing costs due to inflation & rising healthcare costs, decreased ridership from COVID, and the end of COVID-era Federal Funding
- Without additional funding, PRT will cut up to 35% of fixed-route services and increase fares by 9%.
- Forty-one bus routes would be fully eliminated, 34 would have major reductions, and 20 would have slight reductions; service would end after 11 pm.
- Paratransit services for disabled riders would be cut by 62% and face a 20% fare increase.
- Councilmembers Warwick and Mosley noted that robust public transit is vital for housing and economic growth initiatives and that the $117 million request should be just the start.
- PRT has 120,000 daily riders, contributes $1 billion to the state economy, and keeps 39,000 cars off the road.
- One in four Pittsburgh households does not have access to a car.
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- City Council · April 29, 2025
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