On August 18, 2026, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) hosted a virtual public information meeting to present the final draft of their Bus Line Refresh (BLR). Representatives from PRT discussed various topics, including the proposed final network, the public hearing process, and how to submit official testimony or written comments. A moderated Q&A session followed to address clarifying questions.
PRT began by outlining their goals for the proposed final network, which include improving service quality and reliability, prioritizing equitable investment, and expanding connections. The BLR plan increases the number of bus routes with 20-minute or better weekday peak frequencies from 11 to 19, creating more frequent service corridors through overlapping routes. The plan includes 12 limited routes that maintain important peak-only commuter flyer services to Downtown as ridership recovers post-COVID pandemic. Additionally, BLR introduces 14 new routes across the county to provide new direct connections. Neighborhood circulators in McKeesport, Penn Hills, and the Allegheny Valley aim to restore historic local service to these communities, while new cross-neighborhood connections are established between Oakland and the North Hills, Carnegie and Brentwood, and Bellevue and the North Hills. However, 20 routes are proposed to be discontinued due to low ridership or duplication with other proposed routes.
The goal of the route naming and numbering updates is to make the transit network more comprehensible and enhance the rider experience by employing straightforward logic. This involves avoiding prefixes like D, O, or N, while using the suffix “X” for PRTX routes and “L” for limited commuter flyer routes. Whenever possible, the same or similar route numbers will be retained, adhering to the historic radial numbering system, and every route will receive a unique number. Distinctive route variant suffixes are being eliminated, and for short variants, the destination name with “short” will be used on the headsign. The focus will be on maintaining consistent route names and concentrating on core areas rather than endpoints. Public input is being sought through a series of information sessions and a public hearing scheduled for September 10, 2026, at the Heinz 57 Center, with sessions from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The public comment period will close on September 30, 2026, at 5:00 pm, with the PRT Board of Directors reviewing the Proposed Final BLR plan in November. Comments can be submitted via email to buslinerefresh@rideprt.org, by mail to the Pittsburgh Regional Transit at the Heinz 57 Center, or by leaving a voice message at (412) 566-5525. Additionally, comment forms are available at the downtown service center and can be downloaded from the project website. The proposed network can be explored through the Transit app or the project website, where an interactive network map and online survey are accessible.