Bus Line Redesign (BLR) is a systemwide effort to rethink the bus network based on where, when, and how people travel throughout Allegheny County in a post-pandemic world. The Draft Network 1.0 is the culmination of over a year’s worth of work to analyze the existing network, transit demand, and gather community input to improve bus service. This draft reflects a collaborative, data-driven approach aimed at answering key questions—where our bus routes should go, when should they operate, and how frequently they should run.

Our goal is to deliver a bus network that reflects the mobility needs of our riders today, not just those of the past. The pandemic dramatically altered how people use PRT’s transit service. Because of increased remote work, fewer people are using transit to commute to Downtown Pittsburgh. Ridership on PRT’s local routes has rebounded, but ridership on Downtown commuter routes remains low. Draft Network 1.0 addresses this by reallocating some service hours away from commuter flyer routes to improve the frequency on routes that provide service to riders during the midday, evenings, and weekends. The redesign also provides new direct connections between communities and to Oakland.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit and its consultants developed Draft Network 1.0 through a rigorous analysis of the existing transit system, aimed at understanding transit demand and addressing equity needs. This process was informed by a comprehensive transit market study, which utilized origin-destination datasets to identify potential demand, and integrated public input gathered during the first two phases of the project. Several key factors were taken into account in network development, including ridership trends, route performance metrics, demographic data, and physical considerations such as topography, turn feasibility, and real-time traffic conditions.

The market study provided a granular analysis of transit demand across Allegheny County, examining variations by day, time, and trip purpose. It identified high-demand areas, including zones of concentrated employment, population, and equity needs, as well as areas experiencing growth. This analysis also highlighted where current transit users live and work, providing detailed origin-destination patterns. Additionally, PRT incorporated public feedback from stakeholder and focus groups conducted in fall and winter 2023 to further refine the network design.

In areas where route discontinuations were proposed, these decisions were typically driven by persistently low ridership or the ability to merge routes without significant service loss. The proposed network reflects a data-driven response to regional transit demand, ensuring enhanced connectivity and optimized service coverage throughout the region.

During previous rounds of engagement, riders told us they want greater access to Oakland, for the bus network to better utilize our Busways and Light Rail, and more direct connections between neighborhoods and top destinations without having to transfer in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The Draft Network 1.0 proposal responds to these requests with a focus on new one-seat rides between neighborhoods and improved reliability and frequency of service to key job centers, healthcare facilities, grocery stores, shopping centers, and top destinations like Oakland. There are nine additional proposed routes providing better community connections and seven proposed routes providing one-seat rides to Oakland.

It also includes improved route connections at transit hubs, which could be Busway stations, Light Rail stations, or other designated locations throughout the County. Transit hubs will serve as major connection points between multiple routes. Riders can expect that these hubs will have shelters, seating, information about local transit connections, lighting, and other improvements to create a comfortable and safe transfer experience.

Throughout the BLR planning process, PRT has consistently heard there is a need to increase transit service beyond what is possible with the agency’s current funding. The Draft Network 1.0 responds to these desires with the +20% Proposal.
This proposal creates a menu of services that PRT could provide with more funding and what those services would cost. The total cost of these proposals corresponds with an approximate 20% increase in service hours.
The +20% menu includes:

• Upgrading some non-core routes to core high frequency routes;
• Improved frequencies and spans on many non-core routes;
• Expanded airport connections through new routes; and
• Expanded coverage with additional microtransit zones.

The Draft Network 1.0 proposes increasing the number of one-seat ride connections between communities in Allegheny County, without the need to travel to Downtown Pittsburgh first. It also expands access to destinations by creating a faster and more convenient system of bus transfers happening at an expanded system of transit hubs that would have lighting, shelter, seating, bus information, and other amenities. It also proposes increasing the number of one-seat rides to Oakland. The draft improves the reliability and frequency of routes and improves access to jobs, grocery stores, shopping, and health facilities. For example, the draft proposes increasing the number of routes providing 30-minute or better service frequency from 25 routes in our existing network to 43 routes in our draft network. It increases transit service throughout the day and on weekends and proposes consistent trip frequencies. It also makes better use of both busways by proposing that all bus routes using the busways open their doors at all stops, meaning riders won’t have to wait more than a few minutes to catch the next bus.

Yes! The Draft Network 1.0 proposes expanded connectivity and additional one-seat rides between communities and to Oakland. Also, great care was taken to better connect routes to grocery stores, health facilities, shopping, and job centers. The proposal also includes more frequent and reliable service, to make it easier to meet daily needs using transit.

The Draft Network 1.0 proposal would improve service reliability by:

• Shortening many of the routes that are long and therefore prone to delays.

• Setting regular frequencies for routes to make it easier to understand when buses will arrive. For example, buses on a route would arrive every 15, 20, 30, 40 or 60 minutes during regular periods of the day.

• Incorporating actual, real-world bus speeds in our scheduling to account for conditions that can delay buses, such as traffic.

• Increasing the Purple Line (currently known as P1) frequency to every 5 minutes during peak hours.

• Connecting more routes to stations along the East and West Busways, with the buses stopping at every station.

Yes. The Draft Network 1.0 proposes an increase of 30-minute or better service by 27% systemwide. One way this is accomplished in the draft was reallocating some service hours away from the commuter flyer routes where ridership has waned, to improve frequencies of local routes where there is higher transit demand, which run middays, nights, and weekends. The draft proposes service span improvements to 7-day service where possible, and numerous routes will have increased spans, such as the Purple Line (P1) extension to 2 a.m. For more information about improvements to evening and weekend service for specific routes, please visit the Find My Route page on our website to learn more.

Yes. One of the goals of the Bus Line Redesign project is to prioritize equitable investment, and the Draft Network 1.0 proposes improving services in underserved neighborhoods in several ways. Some improvements for these neighborhoods include:

• Increased service frequencies (e.g., 30 minutes or better)

• More transit options and connections

• New one-seat connections and greater access from underserved areas to job centers, healthcare facilities, grocery stores, and shopping centers

• More frequent transit service during the midday, evenings, and weekends

Yes. PRT is expanding transit amenities, such as lighting, bus shelters, and fare vending machines at bus stops. PRT is also working on creating transit-supportive infrastructure on high-ridership routes, like with the University Line PRTX services. The Bus Line Redesign project team is also collaborating with partners across the region to improve infrastructure that is not owned by PRT, to enhance the overall experience for riders. To better connect PRT service with other transit operators regionally, there are complexities to coordinate solutions for with other operators and PRT will continue to work on this.

The Draft Network 1.0 proposal creates more direct local connections in communities without needing to transfer Downtown and creates more one-seat rides to Oakland from all parts of Allegheny County. 10% of all the top origin/destination trips would have a more direct trip. The proposal does replace some direct connections with new local bus routes that connect riders the Busways and Light Rail lines, to make connections as easy and fast as possible. Only 5% of the top origin/destination trips are now proposed to include a transfer, and many of these trips include a transfer to the Purple Line or Route X80. The frequency of the Purple Line (currently Route P1) on the East Busway is proposed to increase to every 5 minutes at peak times and every 12-20 minutes throughout most of the day. The frequency of Route X80 (currently Route P3) connecting the East Busway and Oakland is proposed to increase to every 10 minutes at peak and 20 minutes throughout most of the day.

For more information about specific routes, please visit the Find My Route page on our website to learn more.

We will continuously compile all the input we receive, categorize it, and begin to respond to it during this process. In early 2025, our project team will analyze the feedback we received on the Draft Network 1.0 proposal and make revisions based on that feedback that will go into our second draft, the Proposed Network 2.0. PRT will then hold another round of public engagement to share the Proposed Network 2.0 with the public in the spring of 2025.

There are specific pages on the Bus Line Redesign website for each route, that explain the proposed new routes, route modifications, or route and segment discontinuations. These can be found on the Bus Line Redesign website. The public can refer to each route page to provide feedback on specific routes and further engage with the project to help us refine the Draft Network 1.0. We have also created route change sheets for each route which can be found on each route page as well. We will use these as a visual tool during our in-person engagement activities.

PRT is proposing a new route naming system as part of the Bus Line Redesign that would make it easier for riders to understand where each route is going, with consistent names that tell you where the route terminates and the key stops along the way. Routes would continue to have similar numbers as today but will have new prefixes to designate where they go.

• Standard bus routes that end in downtown Pittsburgh will start with a “D”

• Standard bus routes that end in Oakland will start with an “O”

• Limited or commuter peak hour only routes will start with an “L”

• Routes that connect neighborhoods and/or transit hubs will start with an “N”

• Frequent, high-capacity services operating on streets with upgraded improvements such as large stations and dedicated bus lanes will start with an “X” to indicate they are part of PRT’s premium “PRTX” network.

• PRT light rail, busway primary lines, and the inclines will be color-coded with abbreviations for the designated color (e.g., the primary West Busway line will be designated as “Green Line” and the primary East Busway line will be the “Purple Line”)

To learn more about changes to route names, please visit the Simplified Route Naming Page on our website.

Specific locations of new bus stops have not been determined in the Draft Network 1.0 proposal. The stops included on maps at this stage are a very basic concept of where they may be located as the proposal develops. Further analysis will be conducted to determine stop locations.

• For street segments PRT serves today, stops will be evaluated for balancing when changes to the network are implemented.

• For streets PRT doesn’t currently serve, new bus stops will be designed to adhere to our Bus Stop and Street Design Guidelines.

The stop balancing effort will include public input as well as an analysis focusing on pedestrian infrastructure, equity considerations, ADA accessibility, rider usage, and potential route connections.

To provide input about specific routes, please visit the Find My Route page on our website to learn more.

Bus Line Redesign is unrelated to bus fares. The service plan for Draft Network 1.0 is based on PRT’s current operating budget levels. PRT is working closely with all levels of government regarding transportation funding and identifying other funding opportunities to continue to provide services for the region well into the future (See the +20% Proposal for more information about future possibilities). There will be other capital cost needs that result from implementing this network such as updating signage, passenger materials, and other supportive infrastructure. PRT will collaborate with local partners and secure funding to support and prioritize these improvements alongside its other capital needs.

For routes that may now require transfers, those using the mobile app will not be impacted. Riders can purchase a ticket using the app that is valid for three hours once activated, which can be used as many times as needed during that window. For those using cash, they will have the ability to load cash to their mobile wallet at the TVMs, retail locations, the service center, and at other various retail locations through Vanilla Direct called Ready Cash. They can then use that cash to purchase any of our fare products on the mobile app. There is no other way to pay with cash that will include transfers, as fares paid with cash have no way to track the amount of time lapsed within the 3 hour free transfer window. PRT is working to improve and publicize the Ready Cash process before the Bus Line Redesign is implemented.

After our public engagement ends in early 2025, the project team will analyze all public feedback received and revise the Bus Line Redesign proposal. A new proposal called Proposed Network 2.0 would be released in the spring of 2025 along with another round of public engagement to understand any remaining changes that are needed in the final plan. The final plan is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025 and then reviewed by PRT's board. Bus Line Redesign implementation would be phased, with the earliest route proposals from the plan potentially going into effect in early 2026.

Changes that don’t require major infrastructure changes could be rolled out as early as 2026. Other service changes will come in later phases.

To stay up to date on the progress of the Bus Line Redesign project, please visit the Bus Line Redesign website, and click “Join” on the tool bar to sign up to receive updates and notifications.