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Proposed budget would increase funding for Pennsylvania public transit, boost PRT by $40 million

PITTSBURGH — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2024-25 budget proposal calls to increase funding by $280 million for public transit in Pennsylvania.

Forty million dollars in that budget proposal is slated for Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

“Well, if the buses would just show up more frequently and often, because I’m always standing here and its ridiculous,” said passenger Joseph Hines.

If you speak to public transit riders like Hines, you’ll likely hear plenty about how PRT can improve service for bus and light rail riders.

If lawmakers pass the Shapiro budget proposal, Pittsburgh Regional Transit would receive $40 million next year.

“It would invest so much in our workforce. So much in our infrastructure. It makes it possible for us to further invest in green buses and new technology,” said state Rep. Nick Pisciottano, a PRT Board Member.

Local leaders and Lt. Gov Austin Davis discussed how the money could benefit PRT and the more than 100,000 riders using light rail and buses when Austin came to Pittsburgh Friday.

“We can’t leave these folks standing alongside the road waiting for a bus or train that may not come, so we are calling on our friends in the legislature on both sides of the aisle to come together to get this done,” said Davis.

Davis says he’d like to see the funding expand service to remote areas such as McKeesport, West Mifflin and Penn Hills.

“We recognize that we need to connect more people with service. This is the first step in that process,’ said Davis.

This portion of the budget proposal also calls to increase money to other local transit agencies in the region, including $1 million for Westmoreland County and $1 million for the mid-Mon Valley area.

The Pennsylvania legislature’s deadline to vote on the budget proposal is June 30.

Channel 11 has reached out to PRT and is waiting to hear back.

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