image description: photo of Bo Fan with caption "Bo Fan, PPT Member newly appointed to the PRT Board of Directors" next to text that reads "Congrats, Bobby!"

It is a major win for transit riders to have Bobby’s data-skills and deep belief in grassroots organizing added to the board. Getting riders and transit advocates appointed to the agency board was one of our core demands in last year’s County Executive Race. And because thousands of people organized with Pittsburghers for Public Transit during last year’s race to make transit a top issue, County Executive Innamorato promised to appoint riders and workers to the board. With this appointment, the Executive begins to make good on that promise.

image description: person wearing a yellow shirt holds a railing while riding transit

This is unacceptable. The failure to pass a transit funding measure this week will hurt working people and communities all across the Commonwealth. Transit riders and transit workers, as well as business and community leaders across the Commonwealth are calling on our Pennsylvania elected leaders to do their job and pass a budget with Governor Shapiro’s proposed 1.75% increased allocation of the excess sales tax revenue towards public transit.

image description: a bus with white words that say "Pittsburghers for Public Transit General Meeting" 

Join our monthly meeting to hear from the awesome candidates to the PPT Board of Directors before you vote (because PPT is an entirely democratic grassroots organization!), and to discuss how we should leverage the power of having a PPT member elected to the PRT Board.

image description: photos of all nominated candidates running for the PPT board with words encouraging members to vote

Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a democratic, grassroots, member-led organization and we practice what we preach.

So each Spring into Summer our members participate in a democratic process to determine a new group of leaders who will join our organization’s highest decision-making body: our Board of Directors. During May and June, members nominate fellow members to run for the Board. If the nomination is accepted by the nominee, the member is placed on the ballot with other nominees. Then, for two weeks in July, all other members in good standing cast their votes. The winners are all invited to serve a two-year term.

This democratic, participatory leadership process is at the heart of our organizing. It keeps a core team of enthusiastic and committed members at the helm. Our Board of Directors is responsible for guiding the direction of PPT’s campaigns and organizational development. 

We’re so excited to hear from this group of members running for the 2024-2026 PPT board seats!

image description: a picture of Lorena Pena with a yellow and red background, people riding a bus in the background and yellow words in the foreground

Every year PPT does a Summer Member Drive where we focus on our member relationships by making hundreds of calls with our members to other members (like you!) to hear their stories and encourage them to get re-engaged with transit justice work. Some of our most engaged members are the best people to have those conversations, so they lead our phone banks and conversations with other members, by sharing their experiences in the transit system, and their experiences as a member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. 

What's a great thing for you to do with PPT this summer? Make phone calls with us during our Summer Member Drive! Learn everything you need to know about PPT and our members by participating first hand in conversations with other members. This is how we build community as a member-led organization. Join a phone bank with us - pick up the phone for transit justice!

image description: photo of cartoon PRT bus frowning and crying with a downward graph across the windshield. Text reads "RIDERSHIP DECLINE And How to reverse it."

Notably, of the top 25 cities for bus ridership in the United States, all of them saw increases to transit ridership — except for Pittsburgh. (The New York City MTA is not represented on this chart, although it also saw increases to transit ridership over the past year.) On average, over the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) saw a daily weekday ridership drop of 9.4%. 

image description: flyer for PPT Summer Party has photos of PPT Members and the date and location, Wednesday August 14th, 6-9pm, Plympia Park, Mt Washington, PGH 15221.

image description: photo of PPT member smiling together at 2024 Spring Training day

Next Planning Committee meeting, tomorrow! 7/11 @ 6pm, to spark up another AMAZING PPT's Summer Membership Picnic!! We want your help to make sure this is a super sweet summertime family reunion. 

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