Port Authority of Allegheny County
Encyclopedia
Port Authority of Allegheny County (also known as the Port Authority or sometimes by its former nickname PAT, and formerly known as PATransit) is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania
and the 11th-largest in the United States
. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S. in population, per person the Pittsburgh area enjoys more transit service than 9 larger metro areas. The county owned, state funded agency is based in Pittsburgh and is overseen by a CEO and a ten member board of directors, who report to the county executive.
The Port Authority's bus and light rail system covers Allegheny County
. On a few of its longer-distance routes, service extends into neighboring counties such as Beaver
, Washington
and Westmoreland
counties. Those counties also have their own transit systems, including several routes that run into downtown Pittsburgh, where riders can make connections with Port Authority service.
in 1956 to allow for creation of port facilities in the Pittsburgh area. Three years later, the state legislation was amended to allow the Port Authority to acquire privately owned transit companies that served the area. This included the Pittsburgh Railways Company and a total of thirty-two independent bus and incline
operations.
On April 19, 1963 the Board of Allegheny County Commissioners authorized the acquisition of thirty-two transit companies, including the Pittsburgh Railways Company, which had provided bus and streetcar service to the city of Pittsburgh
since January 1902, and an incline plane company; these acquisitions were made at a cost of about $12 million. On March 1, 1964 Port Authority Transit began service.
Shortly after the Port Authority began service, 150 new GM "Fishbowl" buses were introduced to replace aging ones acquired from its predecessors, a new route numbering convention was introduced, and the fare system was streamlined. Due to urban sprawl
, the transit agency introduced new routes that served new communities. In the following years, additional buses were ordered and several new transit garages opened. Many of the trolley lines acquired from Pittsburgh Railways were abandoned, and turned into bus lines instead; however, South Hills lines via Beechview and Overbrook were retained. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Port Authority hoped to introduce a modern rapid transit system known as Skybus with rubber-tired vehicles running on rails, but the plan fell through.
In the early 1970s, the Port Authority entered what was dubbed by its fans as the "Mod" era, in which buses were repainted in various splashy paint schemes. Furthermore, several new flyer routes and routes to Oakland's
university core were introduced, as part of a new general marketing
strategy. A commuter rail line to McKeesport
, the PATrain
began service in 1975. These new routes, coupled with the 1973 oil crisis
, generated a major increase in ridership. Yet, due to the poor state of the economy at the time
, fares increased and there was a brief strike
in 1976. In spite of these setbacks, the South Busway
opened in 1977 and plans for other capital investments were made.
During the 1980s, with gas prices falling and population loss from the decline of the steel industry, ridership decreased and the agency actually lowered fares to attract new riders in the middle of the decade. Many new buses were ordered, and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
opened in 1983. Construction of a light rail
line that started in downtown and went south to traverse Beechview
, with separate lines going to South Hills Village
and Library
progressed during the decade. Part of the light rail line was an updated version of the old trolley system. In July 1985, the downtown subway opened; the Beechview line followed in 1987 and the Library line a year later. In 1989, the agency celebrated its twenty-fifth year of existence. Also that year, the commuter rail service to McKeesport was discontinued.
In the early part of the 1990s, the agency was rocked by a four-week strike due to a labor dispute in 1992. The strike, coupled with changing demographic patterns, caused a decrease in ridership. New buses that were compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
were introduced into the system early in the decade. In 1993, the badly detiorated Overbrook light rail line was shut down, necessitating that all trains heading into and out of downtown to use the Beechview line. Several capital projects, such as the construction of a new western busway and light rail extensions were considered. In 1998, the agency rebranded itself as "Ride Gold" with new paint schemes and a new marketing campaign.
In 2000, the West Busway
from the shores of the Ohio River
to Carnegie
was opened. Shortly thereafter, new bus routes to outlying communities, such as Cranberry, were established. In 2003, a short extension of the East Busway was completed. The following year, another rapid transit addition was made when the Overbrook light rail line was re-opened after a lengthy reconstruction. Construction also started on another light rail extension to Pittsburgh's North Shore near Heinz Field
, known as the North Shore Connector
. Unfortunately, in spite of the capital projects expansion, the agency was in serious financial trouble by the middle of the decade. In June 2007, the agency went through with a fifteen percent service cut in order to cut the deficit. Also, in order to provide a dedicated source of funding to the agency, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
introduced the controversial 10% Allegheny County Alcoholic Beverage Tax
in 2008 to fund the agency. Later that same year, another strike was narrowly averted. The agency is currently planning a major service overhaul that will begin to go into effect in March 2010.
The Port Authority pays $168,763 annually to Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
and $48,750 annually to Greenlee Partners
to lobby the Pennsylvania General Assembly
.
into a toll road to increase revenues, but the federal government denied the request, leading to a gap in the state transportation budget of $472 million.
On November 24, 2010, the Port Authority's board of directors approved a massive service cut and fare hike to go into effect in March 2011. The service cut would reduce total service hours by approximately 35 percent, including the elimination of 45 routes. The Port Authority's budget from the state is to be substantially reduced for 2011, and as chairperson Joan Ellenbogen noted, the Port Authority is legally required to adopt a balanced budget. Chairperson Guy Mattola stated that "Unfortunately, we are now at the point that all options have been exhausted...It is necessary to move forward with this service reduction plan recognizing the devastating consequences for riders and non-riders alike."
On December 13, 2010, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission approved a plan by governor Ed Rendell
to allocate $45 million in temporary funding for the Port Authority to help reduce the magnitude of these service cuts. Many details of the emergency funding, including how long the Port Authority must make the $45 million last and exactly how many routes slated to be cut could be saved, were not settled by the end of 2010.
By 1972 it entered what was dubbed by fans the "Mod" era, as buses were given flashy new paint schemes. Buses were painted with color at the front and rear, slanted to line up with the windows), and a large white portion in between.
In the 1980s that scheme gave way to one that featured an updated version of its white with red strip look from the 1960s. The red strip was larger, a black strip was painted around the window area, and the white background covered most of the bus exterior. That look was seen around the area [via the Flxible
and NovaBus 'classics' series], although these buses were later repainted and refurbished into the uniform color livery up until their retirements.
In 1998 Port Authority rebranded itself as "Ride Gold" to coincide with its 35th anniversary. Today, some of Port Authority's bus fleet is in various colors with a splatter of gold "G"s adorning the exterior.
More recently, Port Authority's buses have included various transportation-related words and phrases repeated across the exterior, such as the words "move", "go" "ride" or "connect", combinations of "rockin'" and "rollin'", "ziggin'" and "zaggin'", or "here" and "there". Newer articulated buses feature Burma-Shave
-style poetry such as "Parking got you down / Don't make Faces / Hop on the bus / There's plenty of spaces", "This big shiny bus / Is really no riddle / But it sure is odd / How it bends in the middle", "Getting to work / Is no trouble / When you ride / The daily double", "There's the church / There's the steeple / And here's the bus / With all the people", and "If you're tired of all the traffic / And could use an assist / Hop aboard a bus / With a bit of a twist".
On September 21, 2006, the Port Authority announced that it was retiring the "Ride Gold" campaign and that the current and future bus and light rail fleet will follow the standard design and uniform colors of its Gillig
bus fleet. The reason was the system's decision to return to a back-to-basics approach and to save costs on wholesale repainting and refurbishing. Even its updated website has dropped the gold "G" and is now going with the simple "PORT AUTHORITY" fonts, which will now be used on the entire fleets. These include the aforementioned poetry on their more recent articulated buses. As of today, some of the Port Authority's buses and light rail vehicles have been repainted with the standard "Port Authority" font that is used by the agency today.
system (called the "T") and until 7 p.m. on buses, seven days a week. Originally, the free-fare zone applied only until 7 p.m. on both buses and light rail, but it was expanded to 24 hours on the latter in 1989.
Zone 1 is the zone closest to downtown Pittsburgh, and Zone 2 comprises the outer half of Allegheny County and all stops outside of Allegheny County. A few routes cross briefly into neighboring counties.
When passing from one zone to another, the fare increases. The 1A zone is an exception. Zone 1A is a "transition zone" from Zone 1 to Zone 2, and if traveling from Zone 1 to 1A or from 2 to 1A, one pays no increase in fare. See this fare structure table for specific zone boundaries and definitions.
The system usually uses an "outbound" pay system
for daytime transit to and from downtown. Fare is paid when boarding on the "outbound" part of the route. For example, if the bus or light rail vehicle is headed towards downtown, the rider pays when boarding. However, if the bus or light rail vehicle is headed out of downtown, the rider pays upon exiting. However, this system only applies on buses that serve downtown; on most of the bus routes that do not serve downtown, the rider always pays upon entry. During the evening, on buses serving downtown, the method changes on many routes to "pay when boarding" (also known as "pay enter"), due to the possibility of riders trying to avoid paying the fare
. In combination with the downtown Free Fare Zone, this fare collection system permits boarding to take place via all doors concurrently in downtown (except evenings), greatly reducing loading delays in the part of the system with the heaviest concentration of transit routes and passenger boarding per stop.
However, this system also creates a noticeable problem with people bunching up near the front of the bus during times when customers pay on exit. People are reluctant to move to the rear of the bus for fear they will have difficulty getting out, as only the front door is used as both entry and exit during these times. This issue is exacerbated by overcrowding and drivers who leave the stop too quickly, resulting in much yelling and pushing as people try to get off. This also leads to drivers unnecessarily skipping pickups, as they believe their bus is too full to allow further people to board, when really it is just crowded in the front.
The Port Authority also sells non-discounted single-use tickets, and discounted weekly, monthly and annual passes. Each carries a small discount over earlier time-based passes and is valid for an unlimited number of trips/transfers in the specified zone(s) for that time period. For example, for a zone 1 pass, the cost of a weekly is the equivalent of 9.5 one-way trips, a monthly is equivalent to 34 trips, and an annual is equivalent to 377 trips. An annual pass is a 12-month subscription to monthly passes, which can be either mailed or picked up at the Downtown Service Center on Smithfield Street.
Students and staff of several colleges in the area, most notably Carnegie Mellon University
and the University of Pittsburgh
, ride the bus at a discounted yearly rate, via a program whereby the students pay a fee each semester to the Port Authority to provide transit.
Port Authority has installed new fareboxes on all its buses and will complete the install on its 83 "T" vehicles by May 2011 to prepare to convert to a smart card fare collection system marketed as "CollectCard" starting in early 2012. The University of Pittsburgh has already begun using the new farebox system by equipping its ID cards with a chip the farebox can scan and recognize. However, because individuals affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh ride for free, the system serves only to authenticate the validity of the ID card, and no fares are actually calculated or assessed.
The system comprises three lines:
s (called "inclines" locally) which transport passengers from the top of Mt. Washington to its base along the Monongahela River, just across from Downtown Pittsburgh.
Both the Duquesne Incline
and the Monongahela Incline
have stations along Grandview Avenue atop Mt. Washington and in the Station Square
area at the base.
The Duquesne Incline is owned but not operated by the Port Authority. The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline operates the latter, and does so as a non-profit organization. It has the original cars and the original stations.
, and also service extends into neighboring Beaver
, Butler
, Washington
and Westmoreland
counties. Most of the bus routes operate seven days a week between the hours of 4:00 am to 2:00 am, some routes do not operate on Sundays or the weekends and holidays.
, the 4.3-mile South Busway
, which combined bus and light rail routes into an efficient and quicker connection between downtown Pittsburgh and the South Hills area. The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
, which used express routes to connect downtown with nearby east side communities like Swissvale
, Wilkinsburg
and Homewood
followed in February 1983. On Sunday, September 10, 2000 Port Authority opened its West Busway
, which provides service from downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie
. In 2003, the East Busway was expanded by a few miles to its current terminus in Swissvale and Rankin
.
On July 22, 2011, the Port Authority of Allegheny County approved spending at least one million dollars, including $837,993 in federal funding and $209,498 in county money, to study developing a rapid bus line from Downtown to the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.
Bus rapid transit, or BRT, provides bus service that resembles light rail, with higher frequency of service, fewer stops and, in several cities where it's running, buses that look like trains or trolleys. It doesn't come with the same costs, however, because no rail lines need to be built or kept up.
The study should take up to 18 months to be completed and will use no money from the Port Authority's operating budget.
Notes:
GMC Old Look series
GMC New Look (Fishbowl) series
Flxible New Looks (All air-conditioned)
Original order:
2300–2449 1993
Option order:
2450–2459 1994
2460–2496 1995
2505–2515 1994
2516–2524 1995
2541–2550 1994
2551–2560 1995
2575–2584 1994
2585–2594 1995
• The original order had a Voith 3-speed transmission, while the option order had Allison 3-speed.
• Originally ordered 150, but Flxible ceased operations, thus the gaps in the 1995 order.
AM General (All air-conditioned)
MAN/AM General Articulated
GMC RTSII series
Motor Coach Industries MC-9 series
Neoplan Pennliners
Orion Bus Industries
Ikarus (Now NABI) Articulated
Mid Bus Shuttle Transit Vehicles
NovaBus Classics (last transit system in the United States to receive Classics)
80 Mid Bus Shuttle Transit Vehicles (STV) (mostly used on crosstown or feeder routes)
lots in Allegheny County. The Port Authority also owns sixty-six transit bridges, eleven highway bridges and four tunnels.
Under the Port Authority-sponsored ACCESS program, a private contractor provides door-to-door service to elderly and disabled passengers throughout the county, seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight. Reservations are placed one day in advance.
Between 2001 and 2004 the Port Authority worked with the local community group Ground Zero to create and operate the "Ultra Violet Loop"; known to some as the "party bus", the UV Loop bus was special service operated on Friday and Saturday nights through the early morning, serving city nightlife and university centers. The UV Loop bus was part of special evaluative service supported in part by local foundations & businesses. While it was well regarded in the abstract, it never achieved the ridership and consistent service needed to continue without external support. The "Ultra Violet Loop" name is a play on the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System
.
s, and reduce the number of non-revenue bus and light rail trips.
The fare system is to be simplified under the Transit Development Plan. The previous system of (not counting the downtown Free Fare Zone) three main zones and two transition zones was simplified into two fare-paying zones with the downtown Free Fare Zone left intact. The 2B transition zone and Zone Three merged into Zone Two on January 1, 2010. Furthermore, the Port Authority plans on introducing smart card
s for fare payment in the near future. This plan is proceeding; a pilot plan, testing the smart cards with the new fareboxes used by Port Authority employees was completed successfully. University of Pittsburgh students began using their smart card university IDs August 1, 2011. The Port Authority will begin transitioning customers using its regular fare products to smart cards in early 2012. A slight fare increase was the first change undertaken as a part of the TDP, as the Zone Two fare increased by fifteen cents and transfers increased by quarter on January 1, 2010; however, the Zone One fare remained at $2.
The route system used by the Port Authority will be radically altered by the TDP. The number of active routes used by the Port Authority will be reduced from 186 routes to 124 routes; however, transit service levels of will remain the same or actually increase for the vast majority of Port Authority riders under the plan. Many routes that duplicate service will be consolidated, and systemwide service levels will actually increase by eight percent.
The current numbering conventions are also slated to changed dramatically. Light rail lines, bus routes that travel solely on one of the busways, and bus routes that spend part of their route on a busway are to be renumbered according to a color-coded system. Light rail lines via Beechview are to be a part of the Red Line, light rail lines via Overbrook are to be a part of the Blue Line, and the light rail line via Allentown is to be a part of the Brown Line. For the busway system, all routes using the East Busway are to get a purple designation, all routes using the West Busway are to get a green designation, all routes using the South Busway are to get a yellow designation, and all routes using the Interstate 279
HOV Lane
are to get an orange designation. For example, the AV Allegheny Valley Flyer, which spends part of its route on the East Busway, is re-designated the P10 Allegheny Valley under this system (with the P standing for purple). Local bus routes, which are almost always designated by a number followed by a letter, are to simply become numbers under the TDP; however, the counterclockwise numbering system is to be retained. For example, the 51C Carrick is slated to be re-designated as the 51 Carrick.
Another key service change that may be implemented as a part of the Transit Development Plan is bus rapid transit that runs through Oakland and several other regions apart from its three currently existing busways. According to this plan, the agency seeks to purchase specialized buses that run on natural gas
, have off-vehicle fare collection and traffic signal priority to reduce travel times. The agency is currently seeking around $80 million of financial aid from the Federal government
under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
to help fund the new bus rapid transit system.
has been proposed by County Executive Dan Onorato and Congressman
Mike Doyle
, and would be projected to cost about $3.5 billion. Doyle has recently submitted a request to the Federal government to study the feasibility of the project. In addition to the proposed light rail line, the studies for the establishment of a commuter rail line from downtown to Arnold
along the right-of-way of the Allegheny Valley Railroad
and from downtown to Greensburg
along the right-of-way of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks are also underway. According to the feasibility study, it is unclear whether the Port Authority, the Westmoreland County Transit Authority
, or an as-yet created independent agency would operate the railway if it was constructed. Congressman Jason Altmire
has been a key proponent of the commuter rail project.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and the 11th-largest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S. in population, per person the Pittsburgh area enjoys more transit service than 9 larger metro areas. The county owned, state funded agency is based in Pittsburgh and is overseen by a CEO and a ten member board of directors, who report to the county executive.
The Port Authority's bus and light rail system covers Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
. On a few of its longer-distance routes, service extends into neighboring counties such as Beaver
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
, Washington
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
and Westmoreland
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
counties. Those counties also have their own transit systems, including several routes that run into downtown Pittsburgh, where riders can make connections with Port Authority service.
History
The Port Authority was created by the Pennsylvania General AssemblyPennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
in 1956 to allow for creation of port facilities in the Pittsburgh area. Three years later, the state legislation was amended to allow the Port Authority to acquire privately owned transit companies that served the area. This included the Pittsburgh Railways Company and a total of thirty-two independent bus and incline
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
operations.
On April 19, 1963 the Board of Allegheny County Commissioners authorized the acquisition of thirty-two transit companies, including the Pittsburgh Railways Company, which had provided bus and streetcar service to the city of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
since January 1902, and an incline plane company; these acquisitions were made at a cost of about $12 million. On March 1, 1964 Port Authority Transit began service.
Shortly after the Port Authority began service, 150 new GM "Fishbowl" buses were introduced to replace aging ones acquired from its predecessors, a new route numbering convention was introduced, and the fare system was streamlined. Due to urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
, the transit agency introduced new routes that served new communities. In the following years, additional buses were ordered and several new transit garages opened. Many of the trolley lines acquired from Pittsburgh Railways were abandoned, and turned into bus lines instead; however, South Hills lines via Beechview and Overbrook were retained. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Port Authority hoped to introduce a modern rapid transit system known as Skybus with rubber-tired vehicles running on rails, but the plan fell through.
In the early 1970s, the Port Authority entered what was dubbed by its fans as the "Mod" era, in which buses were repainted in various splashy paint schemes. Furthermore, several new flyer routes and routes to Oakland's
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
university core were introduced, as part of a new general marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
strategy. A commuter rail line to McKeesport
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
, the PATrain
PATrain
The PATrain, also known as the Mon Valley Commuter Rail, is a defunct commuter rail service formerly operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County in the Monongahela Valley...
began service in 1975. These new routes, coupled with the 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, generated a major increase in ridership. Yet, due to the poor state of the economy at the time
Stagflation
In economics, stagflation is a situation in which the inflation rate is high and the economic growth rate slows down and unemployment remains steadily high...
, fares increased and there was a brief strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 1976. In spite of these setbacks, the South Busway
South Busway
The South Busway is a two-lane bus rapid transit highway serving southern portions of the city of Pittsburgh. The busway runs for 4.3 miles from the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel across the Monongahela River from Downtown Pittsburgh to the Overbrook neighborhood of the city, bypassing the crowded...
opened in 1977 and plans for other capital investments were made.
During the 1980s, with gas prices falling and population loss from the decline of the steel industry, ridership decreased and the agency actually lowered fares to attract new riders in the middle of the decade. Many new buses were ordered, and the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway is a two-lane dedicated bus-only highway serving the city of Pittsburgh and many of its eastern neighborhoods and suburbs. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood, a length of 6.8 miles...
opened in 1983. Construction of a light rail
Pittsburgh Light Rail
The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County...
line that started in downtown and went south to traverse Beechview
Beechview (Pittsburgh)
Beechview is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip code of 15216, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council member for District 4 and for District 2 . Beechview was founded in 1905. It is Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Zone 4-10 and...
, with separate lines going to South Hills Village
South Hills Village
South Hills Village is a two-level shopping mall located in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. It was developed by the Oxford Development Co. as the first shopping complex to be built as a fully enclosed structure. The two-level complex is currently owned by Simon Property...
and Library
Library, Pennsylvania
Library, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in South Park Township, Pennsylvania along Brownsville Road. Originally known as Loafer's Hollow, it was re-named Library by its residents in honor of the first library in the area, founded by John Moore in 1833.South of Library, the original...
progressed during the decade. Part of the light rail line was an updated version of the old trolley system. In July 1985, the downtown subway opened; the Beechview line followed in 1987 and the Library line a year later. In 1989, the agency celebrated its twenty-fifth year of existence. Also that year, the commuter rail service to McKeesport was discontinued.
In the early part of the 1990s, the agency was rocked by a four-week strike due to a labor dispute in 1992. The strike, coupled with changing demographic patterns, caused a decrease in ridership. New buses that were compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
were introduced into the system early in the decade. In 1993, the badly detiorated Overbrook light rail line was shut down, necessitating that all trains heading into and out of downtown to use the Beechview line. Several capital projects, such as the construction of a new western busway and light rail extensions were considered. In 1998, the agency rebranded itself as "Ride Gold" with new paint schemes and a new marketing campaign.
In 2000, the West Busway
West Busway
The West Busway is a two-lane bus-only highway serving the western portions of the city of Pittsburgh and several western suburbs. The busway runs for 5.1 miles from the southern shore of the Ohio River near Downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie...
from the shores of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to Carnegie
Carnegie, Pennsylvania
Carnegie is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,972 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Carnegie is located at . It is approximately southwest of Pittsburgh...
was opened. Shortly thereafter, new bus routes to outlying communities, such as Cranberry, were established. In 2003, a short extension of the East Busway was completed. The following year, another rapid transit addition was made when the Overbrook light rail line was re-opened after a lengthy reconstruction. Construction also started on another light rail extension to Pittsburgh's North Shore near Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
, known as the North Shore Connector
North Shore Connector
The North Shore Connector project is a 1.2 mile tunnel under construction in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is an extension of Pittsburgh's 25-mile subway/light rail system from its current terminus at Gateway Center Station in Downtown to the new North Side Station and Allegheny Station on the...
. Unfortunately, in spite of the capital projects expansion, the agency was in serious financial trouble by the middle of the decade. In June 2007, the agency went through with a fifteen percent service cut in order to cut the deficit. Also, in order to provide a dedicated source of funding to the agency, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
Dan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
introduced the controversial 10% Allegheny County Alcoholic Beverage Tax
Allegheny County Alcoholic Beverage Tax
The Allegheny County Alcoholic Beverage Tax is a county tax on retail sale of alcoholic beverages within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.The tax, a 10% levy on served alcohol, was passed by the Allegheny County Council and signed into law by Dan Onorato, Allegheny County's Chief Executive on...
in 2008 to fund the agency. Later that same year, another strike was narrowly averted. The agency is currently planning a major service overhaul that will begin to go into effect in March 2010.
The Port Authority pays $168,763 annually to Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney P.C. is a large U.S. law firm and lobbying group based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The firm has more than 450 lawyers in sixteen offices nationwide, and was ranked 108th on the National Law Journal's 2010 list of the 250 largest law firms in the United...
and $48,750 annually to Greenlee Partners
Greenlee Partners
Greenlee Partners, LLC is a lobbying firm in Pennsylvania, possibly best known as the Republican-leaning firm that represented the City of Philadelphia in the 1990s.-Firm history:...
to lobby the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
.
Funding crisis of 2010–11
Between 2007 and 2010, the Port Authority cut its annual expenses by $52 million and raised its revenues by $14 million to help alleviate a statewide transportation funding crisis. The funding crisis only grew worse, however. The state legislature assumed it would receive permission to convert Interstate 80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
into a toll road to increase revenues, but the federal government denied the request, leading to a gap in the state transportation budget of $472 million.
On November 24, 2010, the Port Authority's board of directors approved a massive service cut and fare hike to go into effect in March 2011. The service cut would reduce total service hours by approximately 35 percent, including the elimination of 45 routes. The Port Authority's budget from the state is to be substantially reduced for 2011, and as chairperson Joan Ellenbogen noted, the Port Authority is legally required to adopt a balanced budget. Chairperson Guy Mattola stated that "Unfortunately, we are now at the point that all options have been exhausted...It is necessary to move forward with this service reduction plan recognizing the devastating consequences for riders and non-riders alike."
On December 13, 2010, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission approved a plan by governor Ed Rendell
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
to allocate $45 million in temporary funding for the Port Authority to help reduce the magnitude of these service cuts. Many details of the emergency funding, including how long the Port Authority must make the $45 million last and exactly how many routes slated to be cut could be saved, were not settled by the end of 2010.
The Port Authority brand
Although Port Authority is part of the local fans' folklore, its off-beat imaging is more notorious. Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s the bus fleet was very recognizable with its fleet of air-conditioned GM "Fishbowls" (from their 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1971 orders) sporting a white top with small red strip. Other noticeable features included side destination signs placed near the exit door and an unusual seating arrangement with one side facing forward and the other lining up to match the seating placed on the wheel well. PAT would continue ordering buses in that specification until 1995 when they ordered buses with both seating sides facing front except when on wheel wells. The side destination signs were moved immediately to the left of the front door starting with the 1998 Neoplan AN-460 (articulated bus) order. This continued with the Neoplan Metroliner order but skipped the Neoplan AN-440LF order in 1999. The 2003 order of Gillig Advantage low-floors and all subsequent orders have conformed with the side sign next to front door configuration. It is worth noting that the 1980 GM's RTS buses acquired were specified with the current side sign configuration.By 1972 it entered what was dubbed by fans the "Mod" era, as buses were given flashy new paint schemes. Buses were painted with color at the front and rear, slanted to line up with the windows), and a large white portion in between.
In the 1980s that scheme gave way to one that featured an updated version of its white with red strip look from the 1960s. The red strip was larger, a black strip was painted around the window area, and the white background covered most of the bus exterior. That look was seen around the area [via the Flxible
Flxible
The Flxible Co. was a motorcycle sidecar, funeral car, ambulance, intercity coach and transit bus manufacturing company based in the United States that was founded in 1913, and which closed in 1996.-History:In 1913, Hugo H. Young and Carl F...
and NovaBus 'classics' series], although these buses were later repainted and refurbished into the uniform color livery up until their retirements.
In 1998 Port Authority rebranded itself as "Ride Gold" to coincide with its 35th anniversary. Today, some of Port Authority's bus fleet is in various colors with a splatter of gold "G"s adorning the exterior.
More recently, Port Authority's buses have included various transportation-related words and phrases repeated across the exterior, such as the words "move", "go" "ride" or "connect", combinations of "rockin'" and "rollin'", "ziggin'" and "zaggin'", or "here" and "there". Newer articulated buses feature Burma-Shave
Burma-Shave
Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its advertising gimmick of posting humorous rhyming poems on small, sequential, highway-billboard signs.-History:...
-style poetry such as "Parking got you down / Don't make Faces / Hop on the bus / There's plenty of spaces", "This big shiny bus / Is really no riddle / But it sure is odd / How it bends in the middle", "Getting to work / Is no trouble / When you ride / The daily double", "There's the church / There's the steeple / And here's the bus / With all the people", and "If you're tired of all the traffic / And could use an assist / Hop aboard a bus / With a bit of a twist".
On September 21, 2006, the Port Authority announced that it was retiring the "Ride Gold" campaign and that the current and future bus and light rail fleet will follow the standard design and uniform colors of its Gillig
Gillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
bus fleet. The reason was the system's decision to return to a back-to-basics approach and to save costs on wholesale repainting and refurbishing. Even its updated website has dropped the gold "G" and is now going with the simple "PORT AUTHORITY" fonts, which will now be used on the entire fleets. These include the aforementioned poetry on their more recent articulated buses. As of today, some of the Port Authority's buses and light rail vehicles have been repainted with the standard "Port Authority" font that is used by the agency today.
Fare structure
Port Authority currently uses a fare structure based on four main zones (1, 1A, and 2). The downtown area is an unnumbered zone, named the Free Fare Zone, which was established in 1985 to encourage transit use in downtown and reduce stop "dwell" times (the amount of time a transit vehicle must remain stopped for passengers to board or alight). All rides taken solely within the downtown zone are free, at all times on the light railPittsburgh Light Rail
The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County...
system (called the "T") and until 7 p.m. on buses, seven days a week. Originally, the free-fare zone applied only until 7 p.m. on both buses and light rail, but it was expanded to 24 hours on the latter in 1989.
Zone 1 is the zone closest to downtown Pittsburgh, and Zone 2 comprises the outer half of Allegheny County and all stops outside of Allegheny County. A few routes cross briefly into neighboring counties.
When passing from one zone to another, the fare increases. The 1A zone is an exception. Zone 1A is a "transition zone" from Zone 1 to Zone 2, and if traveling from Zone 1 to 1A or from 2 to 1A, one pays no increase in fare. See this fare structure table for specific zone boundaries and definitions.
The system usually uses an "outbound" pay system
Exit fare
An exit fare is a method of collecting ridership fees, or fare, from a transportation system where the fee is collected from passengers upon reaching their destination....
for daytime transit to and from downtown. Fare is paid when boarding on the "outbound" part of the route. For example, if the bus or light rail vehicle is headed towards downtown, the rider pays when boarding. However, if the bus or light rail vehicle is headed out of downtown, the rider pays upon exiting. However, this system only applies on buses that serve downtown; on most of the bus routes that do not serve downtown, the rider always pays upon entry. During the evening, on buses serving downtown, the method changes on many routes to "pay when boarding" (also known as "pay enter"), due to the possibility of riders trying to avoid paying the fare
Fare evasion
Fare evasion, as distinct from fare avoidance, is the act of travelling on public transport in disregard of the law and/or regulation, having deliberately not purchased the required ticket to travel . It is a problem in many parts of the world, and revenue protection officers operate on many systems...
. In combination with the downtown Free Fare Zone, this fare collection system permits boarding to take place via all doors concurrently in downtown (except evenings), greatly reducing loading delays in the part of the system with the heaviest concentration of transit routes and passenger boarding per stop.
However, this system also creates a noticeable problem with people bunching up near the front of the bus during times when customers pay on exit. People are reluctant to move to the rear of the bus for fear they will have difficulty getting out, as only the front door is used as both entry and exit during these times. This issue is exacerbated by overcrowding and drivers who leave the stop too quickly, resulting in much yelling and pushing as people try to get off. This also leads to drivers unnecessarily skipping pickups, as they believe their bus is too full to allow further people to board, when really it is just crowded in the front.
The Port Authority also sells non-discounted single-use tickets, and discounted weekly, monthly and annual passes. Each carries a small discount over earlier time-based passes and is valid for an unlimited number of trips/transfers in the specified zone(s) for that time period. For example, for a zone 1 pass, the cost of a weekly is the equivalent of 9.5 one-way trips, a monthly is equivalent to 34 trips, and an annual is equivalent to 377 trips. An annual pass is a 12-month subscription to monthly passes, which can be either mailed or picked up at the Downtown Service Center on Smithfield Street.
Students and staff of several colleges in the area, most notably Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
and the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, ride the bus at a discounted yearly rate, via a program whereby the students pay a fee each semester to the Port Authority to provide transit.
Port Authority has installed new fareboxes on all its buses and will complete the install on its 83 "T" vehicles by May 2011 to prepare to convert to a smart card fare collection system marketed as "CollectCard" starting in early 2012. The University of Pittsburgh has already begun using the new farebox system by equipping its ID cards with a chip the farebox can scan and recognize. However, because individuals affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh ride for free, the system serves only to authenticate the validity of the ID card, and no fares are actually calculated or assessed.
Light rail
The Port Authority operates a 25 miles (40.2 km) light rail system called "The T", which provides service from downtown Pittsburgh's subway to a number of neighborhoods and suburbs south of the city on a surface light rail right-of-way.The system comprises three lines:
- Red Line
- Blue Line – Library
- Blue Line – South Hills Village
Funiculars
Pittsburgh's mass transit system also includes two unique funicularFunicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
s (called "inclines" locally) which transport passengers from the top of Mt. Washington to its base along the Monongahela River, just across from Downtown Pittsburgh.
Both the Duquesne Incline
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline is a inclined plane railroad, or funicular, located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington. Designed by Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed in 1877 and is long, in height, and is inclined at a 30 degree angle...
and the Monongahela Incline
Monongahela Incline
The Monongahela Incline, built by John Endres in 1870, islocated near the Smithfield Street Bridge in Pittsburgh. It is the oldest continuously operating funicular in the USA. It is also one of two surviving inclines from the original 17 passenger-carrying inclines built in Pittsburgh starting...
have stations along Grandview Avenue atop Mt. Washington and in the Station Square
Station Square
Station Square is a indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
area at the base.
The Duquesne Incline is owned but not operated by the Port Authority. The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline operates the latter, and does so as a non-profit organization. It has the original cars and the original stations.
Buses
The Port Authority operates 844 buses on in Allegheny CountyAllegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, and also service extends into neighboring Beaver
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
, Butler
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Washington
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
and Westmoreland
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
counties. Most of the bus routes operate seven days a week between the hours of 4:00 am to 2:00 am, some routes do not operate on Sundays or the weekends and holidays.
Bus rapid transit
In December 1977 Port Authority unveiled its first dedicated buswayBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
, the 4.3-mile South Busway
South Busway
The South Busway is a two-lane bus rapid transit highway serving southern portions of the city of Pittsburgh. The busway runs for 4.3 miles from the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel across the Monongahela River from Downtown Pittsburgh to the Overbrook neighborhood of the city, bypassing the crowded...
, which combined bus and light rail routes into an efficient and quicker connection between downtown Pittsburgh and the South Hills area. The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway is a two-lane dedicated bus-only highway serving the city of Pittsburgh and many of its eastern neighborhoods and suburbs. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood, a length of 6.8 miles...
, which used express routes to connect downtown with nearby east side communities like Swissvale
Swissvale, Pennsylvania
Swissvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of downtown Pittsburgh. Named for a farmstead owned by abolitionist and early feminist Jane Swisshelm, during the industrial age it was the site of the Union Switch and Signal Company of George Westinghouse. The population was 8,983 at...
, Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated...
and Homewood
Homewood, Pennsylvania
Homewood is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 147 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homewood is located at ....
followed in February 1983. On Sunday, September 10, 2000 Port Authority opened its West Busway
West Busway
The West Busway is a two-lane bus-only highway serving the western portions of the city of Pittsburgh and several western suburbs. The busway runs for 5.1 miles from the southern shore of the Ohio River near Downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie...
, which provides service from downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie
Carnegie, Pennsylvania
Carnegie is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,972 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Carnegie is located at . It is approximately southwest of Pittsburgh...
. In 2003, the East Busway was expanded by a few miles to its current terminus in Swissvale and Rankin
Rankin, Pennsylvania
Rankin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River. Early in the 20th century, Rankin specialized in manufacturing steel and wire goods...
.
On July 22, 2011, the Port Authority of Allegheny County approved spending at least one million dollars, including $837,993 in federal funding and $209,498 in county money, to study developing a rapid bus line from Downtown to the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.
Bus rapid transit, or BRT, provides bus service that resembles light rail, with higher frequency of service, fewer stops and, in several cities where it's running, buses that look like trains or trolleys. It doesn't come with the same costs, however, because no rail lines need to be built or kept up.
The study should take up to 18 months to be completed and will use no money from the Port Authority's operating budget.
Active
| Order Year | Builder | Model | Fleet/(Qty.) | Engine/Transmission | Fuel Propulsion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <<< 35 Feet >>> | |||||
| 2003 | Gillig Gillig Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:... |
Phantom | 1501-1560 (60) |
|
Diesel |
| <<< 40 Feet >>> | |||||
| 1996 | NovaBUS | TC40-102A | 2600-2770 (170) |
|
Diesel |
| 1999 | Neoplan USA | AN440LF | 5001-5160 (160) |
|
Diesel |
| 2003 | Gillig | Advantage | 5201-5365 (165) |
|
Diesel |
| 2005 | Gillig | Advantage | 5371-5376 (6) |
Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... Allison Allison is a family name of English and Scottish origin.When used as a given name it is traditionally masculine, as opposed to the feminine name Alison.... |
Diesel-electric Hybrid |
| 2005 | Gillig | Advantage | 5401-5460 (60) |
ZF Friedrichshafen ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg.... |
Diesel |
| 2006 | Gillig | Advantage | 5501-5587, 5589-5590 (89) |
Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... Voith The Voith GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations.... |
Diesel |
| 2006 | Gillig | Advantage | 5588 (1) |
Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... |
Diesel |
| 2009 | Gillig | Advantage | 5600-5679 (80) |
|
Diesel |
| 2009 | Gillig | Advantage | 5701-5720 (20) |
|
Diesel-electric Hybrid |
| 2010 | Gillig | Advantage | 5721-5722 (2) |
|
Diesel-electric Hybrid |
| 2011 | Gillig | Advantage | 5730-5733 (4) |
|
Diesel-electric Hybrid |
| 2011 | Gillig | Advantage | 5801-5824 (24) |
|
Diesel |
| <<< 45 Feet >>> | |||||
| 2000 | Neoplan USA Neoplan USA Neoplan USA was a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Denver, Colorado, which was entirely separate from the German corporation, Neoplan, licensing its designs from the German company of the same name. The company was founded in 1981 and folded in 2006. It was originally a subsidiary... |
AN345 Metroliner | 1901-1940 (40) |
|
Diesel |
| <<< 60 Feet >>> | |||||
| 1998 | Neoplan USA | AN460 | 3051-3075 (25) |
|
Diesel |
| 2005-2006 | Neoplan USA | AN460 | 3101-3125 (25) |
|
Diesel |
| 2011 | New Flyer New Flyer Industries New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:... |
D60LFR | 3200-3259 (60) |
Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... |
Diesel |
Notes:
- Most NovaBUS Classics have been retired, however nearly 20 remain and the model is still active in the fleet.
- 5201, 5203, 5204, 5205, 5231, 5234, 5236, 5329 and 5330 are repowered by the Cummins ISL and are EPA-10 compliant
- 3068, 2625, 2719, 3068 and 5019 caught fire and were destroyed.
- 5035, 5062, 5072, 5073 are retired as of 10/2011.
- The 3100s are two feet longer than the 3000s.
- 2005-2006 are the last Neoplan USA buses to be manufactured.
Reserve fleet
96 NovaBus Classics (last transit system in the United States to receive Classics)-
- 2600–2770 1996 (Detroit Diesel Series 50/ Allison B400R)
- PAT is keeping some Classics in service until 2012, although a handful had been retired or sold.
- 2600–2770 1996 (Detroit Diesel Series 50/ Allison B400R)
Retired fleet
This list featured buses models that were the most used on PAT routes. The companies listed are in the order that they made their debut in the PAT fleet.GMC Old Look series
- Pre-PAT:
- 200-375 (1952 to 1959; 200-317 were Pittsburgh Railways Co.)
- 400-410; 425-459 (1953–1955; Single-door transit)
- 475-496; 700-766; 770-790; 800-902 (1947–1959; Suburban configuration)
- Post-PAT:
- 1800-1844 (1965; rebuilt prior to purchase)
GMC New Look (Fishbowl) series
- 35 ft Transit:
- Pre-PAT (prior to acquisition in 1964)
- 500-545 (1959/60; 96 in version. 501-520 were former PRC buses)
- 550-554 (1961; 96 in version, air-conditioned)
- 570-572 (1960; 96 in version, single front-door transit)
- 580-584 (1960; 96 in version, suburban configuration)
- Purchased by PAT (1964 onward)
- 1000-1049 (1964; 102 inch version, air-conditioned)
- 1100-1174 (1966; 96 inch version, air-conditioned)
- Pre-PAT (prior to acquisition in 1964)
- 40 ft Suburban (all air-conditioned):
- 1910-1924 (1971)
- 1970-1979 (1966)
- 1980-1987 (1970)
- 40 ft Transit (The 2000s on up were air-conditioned):
- 1959 (Built 1961, purchased 1964; was rebuilt as a prototype)
- 1963 (Built 1963, purchased 1964; later used as mobile display/info center vehicle)
- 2000-2099 (1964)
- 2013 (1964; replacement for original 2013 that was destroyed en route to Pittsburgh and the only GM-built bus to have a bus number match its serial number)
- 2100-2234 (1965)
- 2250-2264 (1965)
- 2300-2399 (1966)
- 2265-2266 (1967)
- 2400-2584 (1971)
Flxible New Looks (All air-conditioned)
- 1200-1249 (1975; 35 ft/102 in. version)
- 1500-1522 (1977/1978; 30 ft/96 in. version)
- 2600-2619 (1975; 40 ft/102 in version)
- 257 FlxibleFlxibleThe Flxible Co. was a motorcycle sidecar, funeral car, ambulance, intercity coach and transit bus manufacturing company based in the United States that was founded in 1913, and which closed in 1996.-History:In 1913, Hugo H. Young and Carl F...
Metros All Metros have been decommissioned.
Original order:
2300–2449 1993
Option order:
2450–2459 1994
2460–2496 1995
2505–2515 1994
2516–2524 1995
2541–2550 1994
2551–2560 1995
2575–2584 1994
2585–2594 1995
• The original order had a Voith 3-speed transmission, while the option order had Allison 3-speed.
• Originally ordered 150, but Flxible ceased operations, thus the gaps in the 1995 order.
AM General (All air-conditioned)
- 1260-1299 (1978; 35 ft/102 in. version)
- 2650-2789 (1978; 40 ft/102 in. version)
MAN/AM General Articulated
- 3000-3019 (1979; Built as MAN/AMG vehicle)
- 3050-3079 (1983; Built as MAN vehicle)
GMC RTSII series
- 1400-1454 (1980; 35 ft/96 in. version)
- 2800-2870 (1980; 40 ft/102 in. version)
Motor Coach Industries MC-9 series
- 1930-1945 (1980; carried MCI tag)
- 1950-1969 (1984; carried TMC tag)
Neoplan Pennliners
- 35 ft versions:
- 1600-1644 (1983)
- 40 ft versions:
- 3500-3864 (1982/83)
- 3900-3959 (1986)
Orion Bus Industries
- 35 ft versions:
- 1650-1687 (1992)
- 40 ft versions:
- 2000-2119 (1990)
- 2120-2124 (1990; CNG fueled)
- 2200-2289 (1992)
- 2290-2299 (1993)
Ikarus (Now NABI) Articulated
- 3020-3044 (1991)
Mid Bus Shuttle Transit Vehicles
- 8510–8589 (1998)
NovaBus Classics (last transit system in the United States to receive Classics)
-
- 2600–2770 1996 (Detroit Diesel Series 50/ Allison B400R)
80 Mid Bus Shuttle Transit Vehicles (STV) (mostly used on crosstown or feeder routes)
- 8590–8599 2002--Retired 2011 due to Funding Crisis
- 8601–8670 2003--Retired 2011 due to Funding Crisis
Other services
Port Authority operates more than 60 park-and-ridePark and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
lots in Allegheny County. The Port Authority also owns sixty-six transit bridges, eleven highway bridges and four tunnels.
Under the Port Authority-sponsored ACCESS program, a private contractor provides door-to-door service to elderly and disabled passengers throughout the county, seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight. Reservations are placed one day in advance.
Between 2001 and 2004 the Port Authority worked with the local community group Ground Zero to create and operate the "Ultra Violet Loop"; known to some as the "party bus", the UV Loop bus was special service operated on Friday and Saturday nights through the early morning, serving city nightlife and university centers. The UV Loop bus was part of special evaluative service supported in part by local foundations & businesses. While it was well regarded in the abstract, it never achieved the ridership and consistent service needed to continue without external support. The "Ultra Violet Loop" name is a play on the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System
Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System
The Allegheny County Belt System color codes miscellaneous county roads to form a unique system of routes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and around the city of Pittsburgh....
.
Park and Ride Locations
| Name | Municipality | Spaces | Routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Village | Monroeville | 245 | P12 Holiday Park Flyer |
| Ambridge | Ambridge | 160 | 14 Ohio Valley BCTA Route 1 BCTA Route 3 |
| Bell | Carnegie | 34 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Bethel Park | Bethel Park | 286 | Blue Line - Library via Overbrook |
| Beulah Church | Churchill | 100 | 67 Monroeville P16 Penn Hills Flyer |
| Bladerunners Hockey Rink | Marshall Township | 160 | 13K Marshall Express |
| Carnegie | Carnegie | 215 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Castle Shannon | Castle Shannon | 500 | Red Line - Overbrook Junction via Beechview Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview |
| Century III Mall | West Mifflin | 160 | Y46 Elizabeth Flyer Y1 Large Flyer |
| Allegheny County Airport | West Mifflin | 120 | 53L Homestead Park Limited |
| Covenant Church | Scott Township | 75 | 36C Green Tree 38C Green Tree Express |
| Crafton | Crafton | 106 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Dormont Junction | Dormont | 132 | Red Line - Overbrook Junction via Beechview Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview |
| Dorseyville | Indiana Township | 72 | P11 Middle Road Flyer |
| Duquesne | Duquesne | 311 | P7 McKeesport Flyer 61C McKeesport-Homestead |
| East Allegheny | North Versailles Township | 70 | 67J Lincoln Highway 68J Lincoln Highway Express |
| Elizabeth | Elizabeth | 25 | Y46 Elizabeth Flyer |
| Forest Hills | Forest Hills | 168 | 69 Trafford 68F Trafford Express 67J Lincoln Highway 68J Lincoln Highway Express |
| Franklin Park* | Franklin Park | 44 | 13J Franklin Park Express |
| Glenfield | Glenfield | 20 | 14 Ohio Valley |
| Hamnett | Wilkinsburg | 128 | EBA East Busway All Stops P3 East Busway-Oakland |
| Hebron | Penn Hills | 50 | 68B Blackridge-Laketon Express 77 Penn Hills |
| Holiday Park VFD | Plum | 110 | P12 Holiday Park Flyer |
| Idlewood | Crafton | 33 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Ingram Knights of Columbus | Ingram | 50 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Large | Jefferson Hills | 440 | Y1 Large Flyer |
| Library | South Park Township | 430 | Blue Line - Library via Overbrook MMVTA Route A |
| Lincoln Place Elks Lodge | Pittsburgh | 50 | 56 Lincoln Place |
| McKeesport | McKeesport | 32 | P7 McKeesport Flyer 56 Lincoln Place 61C McKeesport-Homestead |
| Memorial Hall** | Castle Shannon | 340 | Blue Line - Library via Overbrook Blue Line - South Hills Village via Overbrook |
| Middle Road VFD | Indiana Township | 70 | P11 Middle Road Flyer |
| Millvale | Millvale | 42 | 3 Millvale |
| Monroeville Mall | Monroeville | 140 | 67 Monroeville P67 Monroeville Flyer |
| Monroeville Plaza | Monroeville | 227 | P12 Holiday Park Flyer |
| Mt. Lebanon | Mt. Lebanon | 22 | Red Line - Overbrook Junction via Beechview Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview |
| Neville Island | Neville Township | 239 | 21 Coraopolis |
| North Fayette VFD | North Fayette Township | 120 | 29 Robinson |
| North Park | McCandless | 500 | O5 Thompson Run Flyer |
| North Versailles | North Versailles Township | 200 | 67J Lincoln Highway 68J Lincoln Highway Express |
| Olympia | McKeesport | 81 | 67J Lincoln Highway 68J Lincoln Highway Express |
| Potomac | Dormont | 22 | Red Line - Overbrook Junction via Beechview Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview |
| Ross | Ross | 480 | 8 Perrysville 13X Perrysville Park & Ride Express |
| Sheraden | Pittsburgh | 177 | G1 West Busway - Robinson G2 West Busway - Oakland |
| Showcase Cinema | McCandless | 250 | 12A North Hills Shopper 13A North Hills Express 13B Babcock Express O4 McKnight-Oakland Flyer |
| South Fayette | South Fayette | 31 Bridgeville G31 Bridgeville Flyer |
|
| South Hills Village** | Bethel Park | 2200 | Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview Blue Line - South Hills Village via Overbrook |
| Spring Garden | Pittsburgh | 14 | 7 Spring Garden |
| Springdale VFD | Springdale | 50 | P10 Allegheny Valley Express |
| St. Anne’s Church | Castle Shannon | 130 | Red Line - South Hills Village via Beechview Blue Line - Library via Overbrook Blue Line - South Hills Village via Overbrook |
| Swissvale | Swissvale | 163 | EBA East Busway All Stops P3 East Busway-Oakland |
| Tarentum | Tarentum | 29 | 1 Freeport Road P10 Allegheny Valley Flyer |
| Thorn Run | Moon Township | 110 | 21 Coraopolis |
| University Blvd | Moon Township | 600 | G3 Moon Flyer |
| Wabash** | Pittsburgh | 160 | 40 Mt. Washington 41 Bower Hill 41D Brookline 43 Bailey 44 Knoxville 48 Arlington 51 Carrick Y1 Large Flyer Y46 Elizabeth Flyer Y47 Curry Flyer Y49 Prospect Park Flyer MMVTA Route A FACT Commuter Route |
| Warrendale | Marshall Township | 112 | 13K Marshall Express |
| Washington Junction | Bethel Park | 230 | Red Line South Hills Village via Beechview Blue Line Library via Overbrook Blue Line - South Hills Village via Overbrook MMVTA Route A |
| West Library | South Park Township | 115 | Blue Line - Library via Overbrook MMVTA Route A |
| Wilkinsburg | Wilkinsburg | 748 | EBA East Busway All Stops P3 East Busway-Oakland EBS East Busway Short |
| Woodville | Collier Township | 136 | 31 Bridgeville 38C Green Tree Express G31 Bridgeville Flyer |
- *Franklin Park Borough permit required to use the facility.
- **Fee required. $2 per day at Memorial Hall and South Hills Village. $5 per day at Wabash.
Future of the Port Authority
The Port Authority is currently in the midst of a major service overhaul called the Transit Development Plan in which the fare structure is to be changed, routing and timing is to be altered to make service simpler, and route number conventions will be altered.Transit Development Plan
The Transit Development Plan (TDP) was approved by the Port Authority Board of Directors on October 23, 2009, and seeks vast and dramatic improvements of the Port Authority's service. Many of the changes are drastic, and virtually every aspect of the system is to be modified in some way. A major rationale behind the service redesign is to better meet demand due to population shifts in the area. The Transit Development Plan is also expected to make service easier to understand, eliminate route variants, consolidate stops, run buses and light rail vehicles on clockface headwayHeadway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
s, and reduce the number of non-revenue bus and light rail trips.
Dead mileage
Dead mileage, dead running or dead heading, in public transport, describes a practice of non-revenue running, especially in bus transport.- Causes :...
The fare system is to be simplified under the Transit Development Plan. The previous system of (not counting the downtown Free Fare Zone) three main zones and two transition zones was simplified into two fare-paying zones with the downtown Free Fare Zone left intact. The 2B transition zone and Zone Three merged into Zone Two on January 1, 2010. Furthermore, the Port Authority plans on introducing smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
s for fare payment in the near future. This plan is proceeding; a pilot plan, testing the smart cards with the new fareboxes used by Port Authority employees was completed successfully. University of Pittsburgh students began using their smart card university IDs August 1, 2011. The Port Authority will begin transitioning customers using its regular fare products to smart cards in early 2012. A slight fare increase was the first change undertaken as a part of the TDP, as the Zone Two fare increased by fifteen cents and transfers increased by quarter on January 1, 2010; however, the Zone One fare remained at $2.
The route system used by the Port Authority will be radically altered by the TDP. The number of active routes used by the Port Authority will be reduced from 186 routes to 124 routes; however, transit service levels of will remain the same or actually increase for the vast majority of Port Authority riders under the plan. Many routes that duplicate service will be consolidated, and systemwide service levels will actually increase by eight percent.
The current numbering conventions are also slated to changed dramatically. Light rail lines, bus routes that travel solely on one of the busways, and bus routes that spend part of their route on a busway are to be renumbered according to a color-coded system. Light rail lines via Beechview are to be a part of the Red Line, light rail lines via Overbrook are to be a part of the Blue Line, and the light rail line via Allentown is to be a part of the Brown Line. For the busway system, all routes using the East Busway are to get a purple designation, all routes using the West Busway are to get a green designation, all routes using the South Busway are to get a yellow designation, and all routes using the Interstate 279
Interstate 279
Interstate 279 is a north–south Interstate Highway spur that lies entirely within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Its southern end is at Interstate 376 at the Fort Pitt Bridge in Pittsburgh, and the north end is in Franklin Park at Interstate 79...
HOV Lane
High-occupancy vehicle lane
In transportation engineering and transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane is a lane reserved for vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers...
are to get an orange designation. For example, the AV Allegheny Valley Flyer, which spends part of its route on the East Busway, is re-designated the P10 Allegheny Valley under this system (with the P standing for purple). Local bus routes, which are almost always designated by a number followed by a letter, are to simply become numbers under the TDP; however, the counterclockwise numbering system is to be retained. For example, the 51C Carrick is slated to be re-designated as the 51 Carrick.
Another key service change that may be implemented as a part of the Transit Development Plan is bus rapid transit that runs through Oakland and several other regions apart from its three currently existing busways. According to this plan, the agency seeks to purchase specialized buses that run on natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, have off-vehicle fare collection and traffic signal priority to reduce travel times. The agency is currently seeking around $80 million of financial aid from the Federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
to help fund the new bus rapid transit system.
Potential capital expansions
Several capital expansions in the future have been proposed from various sources. The construction of a light rail line from Oakland to Pittsburgh International AirportPittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
has been proposed by County Executive Dan Onorato and Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Mike Doyle
Michael F. Doyle
Michael F. "Mike" Doyle is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Pittsburgh and includes most of Allegheny County....
, and would be projected to cost about $3.5 billion. Doyle has recently submitted a request to the Federal government to study the feasibility of the project. In addition to the proposed light rail line, the studies for the establishment of a commuter rail line from downtown to Arnold
Arnold, Pennsylvania
Arnold is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 5,667 at the 2000 census.-History:...
along the right-of-way of the Allegheny Valley Railroad
Allegheny Valley Railroad
The Allegheny Valley Railroad is a class III railroad that operates in Western Pennsylvania, and is owned by Carload Express, Inc.AVR acts as a feeder line connecting its many and varied customers to Class I railroads such as CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway , and regional lines...
and from downtown to Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
along the right-of-way of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks are also underway. According to the feasibility study, it is unclear whether the Port Authority, the Westmoreland County Transit Authority
Westmoreland County Transit Authority
The Westmoreland County Transit Authority is the operator of mass transportation in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Using 35 buses, a total of 18 routes are operated, the majority of which serve the urbanized corridor that makes up the western portion of the county...
, or an as-yet created independent agency would operate the railway if it was constructed. Congressman Jason Altmire
Jason Altmire
Jason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
has been a key proponent of the commuter rail project.
See also
- List of rapid transit systems
- SEPTA
External links
- Port Authority's official website
- Another collection of Port Authority bus photos
- April 2005 story on the new hybrid buses Pittsburgh has started to use
- Shawn's Site on Pittsburgh's Transit History
- Buskarma a.k.a. bus.maya.com, a bus system trip planner, run by volunteers
- Google Transit page for Port Authority
- Online trip planner tailored to mobile devices specifically for Port Authority