Funding Crisis

Act 89 of 2013 created a multi-modal fund to support public transit statewide. The bill sustained public transit in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania for a decade. In the latter years of Act 89, funding has been unable to keep up with the needs of Allegheny County.

Beginning in 2021, federal pandemic relief funding subsidized fare losses, delaying the impacts of the funding deficit.

Having exhausted federal pandemic relief funding in FY24, Pittsburgh Regional Transit is now facing a structural deficit, meaning expenses, year after year, are greater than the funding that’s brought in, and the difference becomes greater each year.

In FY25, PRT plans to address a $50 million budget deficit by dipping into its emergency reserve fund.

With a projected $100 million deficit in FY26, PRT would need a $117 million infusion of state funding – with compounding annual increases – to support current service levels for the next decade. This would allow PRT to cover expenses and account for rising costs.

Absent new funding, the only way we're able to make meaningful changes to narrow the funding gap is to cut service and increase fares. 

Eliminated: This route would no longer exist.
Major Reduction: Reduction of 30% or more weekly service hours.
Minor Reduction: Reduction of less than 30% of weekly service hours.

View the methodology behind this proposal

View a mobile-friendly version of the table below

View the methodology behind this proposal

Click on the photo below for an interactive map

Proposed Service Changes: Effective February 2026

ADA law requires transit authorities offer complementary paratransit service (ACCESS) alongside fixed route service (PRT bus and T) to eligible individuals, but only in those places and at those times when fixed route service is available.

The ADA defines the service area for complementary paratransit as any location within three-fourths of a mile on each side of an operating fixed route (excluding commuter routes).

Currently, ADA-eligible riders can travel to or from locations outside of the ADA service area and still receive the ADA protections that accompany trips within the service area.

Under this proposal, those protections will be scaled back to the minimum required by law. This means that trips where either the pick-up or drop-off location are outside of the service area will be subject to trip denials, time changes, and standing order restrictions. The proposed PRT service reduction will also reduce the size of the ACCESS ADA service area.

Click on photo for interactive map

Proposed Fixed Route (bus, light rail, incline) Fare Increases

Proposed Paratransit Fare Increases

To help riders and stakeholders understand the impact of transit in the Pittsburgh region and what might happen if a state funding solution is not identified, PRT has created a new site with relevant data and analyses. The resources will be added to on an ongoing basis. Materials are provided in a number of formats to allow the public to use them as they see fit.

TRANSIT CUTS: WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The public comment period on the service reductions and fare increases will begin at 8 a.m. on March 31 and end at 5 p.m. on June 18.

There are several ways you can provide feedback:

Complete the online survey: https://engage.rideprt.org/research/comments-2026-cuts

Call our public comment inbox at 412-566-5525. Please be sure to leave your name, zip code, and a message.

Complete a paper survey at PRT's Downtown Service Center:

623 Smithfield St
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Paper surveys are also able to be downloaded below (available in English and Spanish). Completed surveys can be mailed to us or dropped off with one of our representatives at the Downtown Service Center:

2025 Funding Paper Survey -  English

2025 Funding Paper Survey - Spanish/Español

Write to us!

Pittsburgh Regional Transit
ATTN: Funding Crisis
345 Sixth Ave, 3rd floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Attending a public hearing:

Individuals are encouraged to register to provide comments at the public hearings, but walk-ins are welcome.

REGISTER TO SPEAK AT A PUBLIC HEARING

HEARING #1 - Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3^rd Floor), 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

HEARING #2 - Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum (1^st Floor Auditorium), 4141 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

HEARING #3 - Thursday, June 12, 2025, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Room 302-204), 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

After learning more about the costs associated with providing a livestream of the public hearings, we feel that it would be irresponsible to spend additional and unnecessary money during a funding crisis. Therefore, a livestream of the hearings will not be provided.

We encourage members of the community to provide testimony by attending a public hearing, calling the hotline, or submitting written testimony online or by mail.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the current funding crisis facing Pittsburgh Regional Transit?
PRT is facing a significant budget shortfall due to the scheduled expiration of Act 89 funding, which has provided critical, predictable support for transit operations since 2013.

What is Act 89 and why is it expiring?
Act 89 is a transportation funding bill passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in 2013. It provided a long-term investment in the state’s transportation infrastructure, including public transit. However, some of its key provisions—particularly the transfer of funds from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission—are set to end, with no permanent funding mechanism in place to replace them.

What is PRT's deficit?
PRT used $50 million from its reserve fund to fill a budget deficit in Fiscal Year 2025. In Fiscal Year 2026, the deficit is projected to grow to $100 million, and it will continue to grow each year if no replacement for Act 89 is established.

What will happen if new funding isn’t secured?
Without new, sustainable funding, PRT may have to reduce service levels, eliminate routes, raise fares, and delay or cancel capital projects. This would disproportionately affect riders who rely on transit for work, school, and essential services—especially those in marginalized or transit-dependent communities.

Why is public transit funding important to the region?
A strong public transit system supports regional economic growth, provides access to jobs and education, reduces traffic congestion and emissions, and enhances quality of life. Transit also supports workforce participation, especially for people without access to a car.

What is PRT doing to prevent service cuts?
PRT is actively engaging with state and federal leaders, local officials, businesses, and community stakeholders to advocate for a long-term funding solution. The agency is also exploring operational efficiencies.

How can I help?
Riders, employers, and residents can help by contacting their state legislators and urging them to support sustainable public transit funding. Participating in public meetings, spreading the word on social media, and joining local advocacy efforts can also make a difference.

Why doesn’t PRT operate smaller buses? Would that save money?
While it might seem like smaller buses would be cheaper to operate, the reality is more complex. The biggest cost of transit service is labor—not fuel or vehicle size. A driver operating a 15-passenger van costs roughly the same as one driving a 40-foot bus, but the larger vehicle carries more people, making it more efficient on busy routes.

Additionally, most PRT buses are scheduled to be on the road all day, serving a variety of trips. While a smaller vehicle might make sense for a lightly used portion of the day, it wouldn’t be able to handle higher ridership during peak times. Sending a vehicle back to the garage to swap for a larger one adds cost, delays, and inefficiencies. PRT does use smaller vehicles where appropriate—especially in low-ridership areas or for paratransit—but for most routes, full-size buses are the most flexible and cost-effective choice.

What type of efficiencies have been implemented by PRT to control costs?
PRT has taken a number of significant steps to reduce costs and operate more efficiently, especially in response to post-pandemic ridership patterns:

• Service adjustments: Since the pandemic, PRT has reduced scheduled service by approximately 13%, aligning operations with current demand while maintaining service equity.

• Parking cost reduction: By adjusting to new commuter patterns, PRT reduced the annual amount it spends on leases and licenses for park-and-ride and commuter parking spaces by approximately 65% from FY 2020 to FY 2024.

• IT infrastructure savings: PRT’s IT team has migrated significant data storage to in-house servers, saving approximately $38,000 per month currently. Over the next eight months, as more data is transitioned, monthly savings will increase to $109,000, resulting in over $1 million in annual savings once the project is complete.

• Fuel price management: By locking in diesel fuel prices well below budget estimates, PRT expects to save approximately $1.3 million in FY25 and $1.9 million in FY26.

• Healthcare cost control: In 2025, PRT eliminated coverage of GLP-1 medications when used for weight loss alone. This change will avoid an estimated $1.15 million in annual costs.

These efforts reflect PRT’s ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility while continuing to provide essential transit services to the region.

If additional state and local funding is provided, how will the funds be spent?
PRT will put any additional funds received directly toward maintaining and improving service. The $117 million being sought for FY 2026 and beyond would allow PRT to avoid cuts, maintain its current service levels for at least the next decade, and move forward with the Bus Line Redesign—an ambitious effort to expand and modernize the system, improving frequency, access, and countywide connectivity.