Pittsburgh Regional Transit will hold its federally required hearing Thursday on a proposed program to sell bulk bus passes to groups such as employers or apartment residents.
But the agency says it isn’t holding the hearing just to meet its legal obligation any time it changes fare policy. It says it is using the hearing and other meetings with potential users of the proposed PRTner Pass to hear what they want in the new program.
This will be the agency’s first effort to sell bulk passes at a reduced rate in this manner. It operates the U Pass program with a series of local colleges, where the school pays for passes that are given to students at no direct cost but PRT negotiates a price with the institutions.
Under the new program, an employer, building owner or other group can buy passes at a reduced price as long as they are distributed to all members of the group for the same price or lower. The hope is that participants will use the passes as an incentive to draw more employees or residents, PRT will gain ridership, and the public will benefit from reduced traffic congestion and air pollution.
The agency would sell the 31-day passes, which ordinarily cost $97.50, for $28. That’s a discount of about 70%.
Jim Ritchie, PRT’s chief communications officer, said the agency is treating the hearing and previous meetings with potential participants as “a learning tool.”
“We are listening,” he said. “It gives us the place to hear the kinds of things they are focused on and what other things they might be interested in.”
Ritchie said the agency expects the bulk program to be popular with large businesses and apartment complexes located along transit facilities such as the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway and the light rail system to the South Hills and North Shore. The program is to start early next year.
About 20 people had signed up to speak at the hearing by Wednesday afternoon.
The hearing will be at PRT headquarters on Sixth Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh, from 1 to 3 p.m., but it also will be available online. Speakers and online participants must register in advance.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.