Emily Fritz & Josh Imhof | a&e editor & staff writer

After the typical roll call and minute approval, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) opened its March 28 board meeting with comments from 17 members of the local community, each bringing their own concerns about route cuts, decreased service and rising fares, and the official start of a public commenting period from March 31 through June 18.

The public transit company faces a $100 million deficit, which threatens to eliminate 41 bus lines and the Silver light rail line, as well as decrease service to 31 remaining routes. If necessary state funding is not secured before the 2026 fiscal budget comes due at the end of June, the PRT could face extinction within three years.

Among those who spoke directly to the board was Marcelese Cooper, a daily PRT rider and university educator. His bus line, the 39-Brookline, would become obsolete by the proposed cuts.

“My household of four working adults has one car, so I rely primarily on the 39 to get to work,” Cooper said. The next nearest line, the 41-Bower Hill is also going to be taken out of service.

The need for additional PRT funding is rippling across the 19 municipality coverage area, the news coming as a shock to many. On Duquesne’s campus, these changes could drastically alter how students and faculty travel to campus as well as the costs associated with UPass, a contract between PRT and the university to offer community members with reduced rates.

Sophomore music therapy major and former Commuter Assistant Heyd Reyes has been taking the 8-Perrysville bus every day to and from campus. Although his line isn’t slated to be taken offline, the reduced service hours could impact his day.

Including downtimes and walking between his stop and destination, Reyes spends more than an hour commuting one way. As a long-time Pittsburgh local, he contends that the Steel City has one of the better public transportation systems compared to others.

Reyes said that he could pick up rides here and there, but purchasing a personal vehicle is out of the question.

“I was planning to stay in the area to [fulfill] my internship requirement, but I would consider moving if they were to terminate the public transportation system,” he said to The Duke.

Sophomore Hari Oberoi, a computer science major, lives in Lawrenceville and takes the 88-Penn and 91-Butler Street buses to campus. Despite the latter sometimes having an inconsistent schedule, this is his most reliable way to get to campus. Without it, he does not know how else he would get to school year-round.

“It will impact me a lot because this is the only way to come here,” he said.

Oberoi sometimes rides a POGOH bike during the summer months, but during the winter, he said this wouldn’t be possible due to the cold and snow.

Another commuter, freshman Caitlin Daley, travels in from Mt. Lebanon each day. She usually gets a ride to school, but sometimes she takes the “T” light rail into the city. If the Silver line were to be cut as proposed, she worries that she would be stuck.

“If I didn’t have a ride then there would be no way … getting here. I hope that doesn’t happen,” Daley said.

Alternative options like Uber and Lyft are possible, but not cost effective for daily transportation, she explained.

PRT spokesperson Adam Brandolph anticipates service cuts to ripple beyond regular riders; if fewer people are able to take buses and light rails on the daily, this could culminate in fewer parking spaces and more congestion on the roads.

Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary Services Scott Richards reaffirmed Duquesne’s commitment to the UPass program, but did not disclose how long the current contract is expected to last.

“Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) has not yet determined whether there will be service reductions, so we remain committed to sharing verified details and information,” Richards said in an email to The Duke. “We look forward to maintaining these positive initiatives [the UPass program and parking in Chatham Garage] to support our community’s needs.”

Richards did not offer comment when asked how Auxiliary Services will prepare for changes or participate in the PRT public comment period.

Newly inaugurated SGA President Nick Miller, who spearheaded the Transportation Committee in its infancy this year, plans to send a transportation survey to the Duquesne community in order to determine where need lies.

He said that the SGA-sponsored loop bus, which services the Oakland and Southside neighborhoods, could be adjusted to better accommodate needs in light of PRT changes.

“SGA has the ability to change the locations of where the loop bus goes,” Miller said. “The Transportation Committee wants to know what the biggest concern is in terms of transportation and whatever that is, according to the survey, we will focus our goal[s] on that.”

While the survey will likely not be administered until after the period for public comment has ended, those interested in sharing their thoughts with PRT can do so in writing, in-person at one of three monthly town halls or by completing an online survey at https://engage.rideprt.org/research/comments-2026-cuts.