Free ride: Pittsburgh Regional Transit to offer employers and other groups bulk transit passes at reduced cost

After a successful trial last year, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will start a program early next year to offer employers, apartment owners and schools the opportunity to buy blocks of transit passes at sharply reduced prices.

The program, called the PRTner Pass, would make 31-day passes that normally sell for $97.50 available to groups for $28 — a discount of about 70% — with the requirement that they are distributed to everyone in the group. The sponsor could charge for the passes, but no more than it paid.

Chief Finance Officer Donminika Brown briefed the authority’s Finance Committee about the program Thursday. Under federal rules, the agency will have to go through a formal process of holding public hearings on the plan because it involves a fare change.

Using a $50,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments, the agency ran a pilot program last year with four employers that involved passes being made available to 113 employees. Interviews done by an outside agency showed the participants expanded their use of public transit, and the possibility of getting a transit pass influenced their job choice.

Employers were “eager” to see the program continue, the agency said. Brown noted that about 50 employers wanted to participate in the trial.

The program would be open to groups that have 10 or more participants and could include schools — including high schools — that aren’t involved in the agency’s University Pass program, where colleges or universities pay for passes distributed to students for free. Groups must buy a pass for all members, and members must be between 12 and 65 years old.

Brown said other transit agencies across the country, including the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority around Philadelphia, have established similar programs. The goal is to increase ridership and reduce the number of private vehicles on local roadways.

The committee voted to approve beginning the process to set up the program. The full board is expected to vote Friday to hold hearings and a public comment period required for federal approval of the fare change.