Agency History

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) - legally the Port Authority of Allegheny County - operates the region’s primary public transportation network. It is the second-largest transit agency in Pennsylvania and ranks among the largest in the United States. In 2024, PRT provided more than 37 million rides across Allegheny County and neighboring communities.

PRT operates a fully integrated system of bus, light rail (the “T”), and the Monongahela Incline - the oldest continuously-operating funicular in the country - along with funding the nationally-recognized ACCESS paratransit program for seniors and riders with disabilities. PRT also maintains more than 60 park-and-ride lots, 66 transit bridges, 11 highway bridges, and four tunnels - supporting a regional network that connects neighborhoods, job centers, schools, and hospitals across the Pittsburgh area.

Founded in 1956, the Port Authority began consolidated transit operations on March 1, 1964, after acquiring 33 private transit and incline companies, including the historic Pittsburgh Railways Company. Over the following decades, the agency modernized service and introduced new modes of service, including the South Busway (1977) - one of the first dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors in the nation - followed by the East Busway (1983) and West Busway (2000). PRT’s light rail system, opened in 1985, remains a key connection between Downtown Pittsburgh and the South Hills.

The agency weathered significant funding challenges in the early 2010s, avoiding deep service cuts after Pennsylvania enacted Act 89 in 2013, creating a dedicated state funding source for public transit.

In 2022, the agency rebranded as Pittsburgh Regional Transit to better reflect its modern, regional mission. PRT continues to expand and evolve, with major projects like the University Line bus rapid transit, now under construction, improving connections between Downtown, Uptown, and Oakland - Pittsburgh’s second-largest employment center.

PRT is governed by a board of 11 volunteers appointed by Allegheny County, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and the state legislature, and led by a professional chief executive officer. The agency’s administrative offices and customer service center are located in the Heinz 57 Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.