What is PRT's economic impact?

Over the past five years, Pittsburgh Regional Transit has invested more than $2 billion across 30 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, a powerful reminder that the value of public transit extends far beyond the vehicles on the road. This investment includes more than just buses, railcars, and infrastructure; it encompasses employee wages, procurement contracts, construction projects, maintenance services, and more. In doing so, PRT helps power local economies across southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.

The wages earned by transit employees ripple outward, supporting families, neighborhoods, and entire communities. Those paychecks help workers put food on the table, pay mortgages or rent, send their children to college, contribute to local taxes, and support nearby small businesses. Every dollar earned by a PRT employee doesn’t just support that household, it circulates across the Commonwealth.

Beyond direct wages, PRT’s investment reaches hundreds of vendors, contractors, and suppliers. From steel manufacturers and technology firms to construction crews and uniform suppliers, these businesses depend on steady transit funding to maintain jobs and grow operations.

Public transit keeps people employed, sustains local businesses, and supports a stronger, more resilient economy throughout Pennsylvania.

Key Stats

• For every dollar public transit agencies take in, $5 is reinvested in our communities and beyond.¹
• Public Transit supports nearly 40,000 jobs across the state of Pennsylvania.
• In Allegheny County, PRT's 2,600 employees operate, maintain, and support service that residents rely on to make more than 115,000 trips each weekday.²
• PRT adds more than $3.2 billion in housing value and more than $100 million in additional tax revenue statewide.
• PRT has invested nearly $2 billion in businesses located in 30 counties across Pennsylvania in the last five years.

¹ apta.com/news-publications/public-transportation-facts/
² CY2024

Explore the Data

Use the maps below to explore PRT's spending impacts across Pennsylvania: