The 43 drives through Wood St. The Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s new bus route design could add more destinations to lines such as this one. Photo by Avery Jerina.
By: Avery Jerina
Aeri Ghee, a 22-year-old Sheraden native, uses Pittsburgh’s bus system anywhere from two to five times a week.
Although she owns a vehicle, she chooses to use public transportation to avoid high parking costs. Ghee most often uses the bus to travel to work, but she claims that this can interfere with her timeliness.
“Sometimes the drivers are late because of traffic,” Ghee said. “It’s made me late to work a lot of times.”
Delays are the most common complaint among bus-goers, with only 65% appearing on time this past July. Pittsburgh Regional Transit is gearing up for a significant Bus Line Redesign project that it hopes will address the problem, Adam Brandolph, Director of Public Relations, said.
This upcoming project aims to revamp every bus route in the city and potentially introduce new ones, he said. Planning is set to kick off in mid-October with the anticipated implementation date approximately a year away. As part of the redesign, routes may be extended to better accommodate the needs of passengers, Brandolph said.
To make sure the revamped system aligns with the needs and expectations of Pittsburgh residents, PRT will begin inviting feedback from the public by the end of the year.
“I tried using the app (Ready2Ride) to track my bus, but it was never on time,” said Bella Courard-Durso, 20, from Downtown. “I stopped using the bus because of that.”
Her decision to stop using the service due to reliability reflects a common sentiment among riders. For many, these changes for a more reliable transportation system cannot come soon enough.
In addition to this ongoing project, PRT is working with retailers to introduce upgraded ticket vending machines, Brandolph said. The many Pittsburgh residents who don’t have phones cannot access PRT’s Ready2Ride app, making ticket purchases more difficult. Through participating retailers, locals can simply walk in and purchase their tickets at various locations.
So, what exactly is causing buses to show up late or not appear at all?
Brandolph said many factors play into this ongoing issue. For one, PRT faces a shortage of operators, a problem that has been occurring since before the pandemic.
Additionally, traffic congestion, lengthy construction projects and operator retirements have all contributed to service disruptions and delays, he added.
