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Image Description: An old-school blue and white PRT/PAAC bus stop sign on a rainy day in Downtown Pittsburgh. The blue part of the sign has been edited to read "PPT Monthly Meeting" with the PPT logo in white.
Follow the money, find the wins
It's no secret that 2025 has been a rough year for budgets. The federal government shutdown has jeopardized SNAP benefit disbursements for millions of families [[link removed]] , and PA is one of only two states [[link removed]] in America without a budget, causing financial chaos for public schools and services [[link removed]] .
In our movement for public goods, budgets are a crucial piece of the puzzle: what isn't in the budget often can't be funded.
Here's the good news: despite chaos at the federal and state level, we as advocates can still influence the budgets of Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh to win real, tangible improvements in our transit system.
At our November monthly all-member meeting, we'll learn all about the interplay between federal, state, and local budgets, and strategize how to influence them for the benefit of riders across the county.
RSVP for the virtual meeting [[link removed]]
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Image Description: PPT members of a range of ages wear red shirts and hold colorful blue and orange signs reading "bus lines = lifelines", "transit moves us", and "save our service". They stand in a crowd of ralliers at the Pittsburgh City-County Building.
Dive into Transit Justice by joining one of our committees!
If you've been looking for a way to get more involved with PPT, but aren't sure how, look no further than our committees! These are spaces to build your organizing skills, learn more about the issues facing our community, and connect with your fellow advocates.
1. Learn all about PPT's membership structure with the Organizing Committee on November 18th! [[link removed]] This is the second-last installment of the Organizing Committee's 2025 training series. Just in time for the Year-End Membership Drive, get the inside scoop on PPT's membership program, and get expert tips on how to make a membership ask.


2. Talk art and plan for 2026 with the Communications Committee on November 5th! [[link removed]] The Comms Committee works on PPT's communications projects--visual, written, and otherwise. This week, we'll be finalizing artwork for our Year-End campaigns, and dreaming up a training syllabus for 2026. If you want to learn more communications skills in an organizing context, we'd love to see you there!
RSVP for the Organizing Commitee [[link removed]] RSVP for the Comms Commitee [[link removed]]
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Image Description: a cartoon orange bus decked out with flags on an illustrated orange and yellow background. To its right, black text reads "The Future of Transit Justice: PPT's 2026 Strategic Plan".
We need your help to shape our campaigns!
PPT is a grassroots, member-driven union, and we take that very seriously. Each year, our Strategic Plan is set by our members, who suggest campaigns and focus areas for the year. We need your feedback on our current draft, which we'll ratify in December. Take a look at our plan, and fill out our feedback form to let us know what you think! [[link removed]]
Check out the 2026 plan [[link removed]]
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Image Description: white and yellow text on a black background reads "World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims". Below is a white dotted line with icons of a person walking in a crosswalk, a person in a wheelchair, a traffic light, a bus, a person on a bike, a car, and a person on a scooter. To the right are yellow lit candles.
Honor Road Traffic Victims in McKeesport by organizing for change
On Monday, November 17th, join BikePGH and QCares Foundation in honoring road traffic victims by making streets in McKeesport safer.
To recognize World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, BikePGH is teaming up with McKeesport organization QCares Foundation to conduct a walk audit of Lysle Boulevard.
With elected officials and PennDOT officials in attendance, we will demonstrate how urgently safe streets are needed in McKeesport--especially on this major road where people walk to a Senior Living Center, doctors' offices, banks, shops, and the McKeesport Transit Center.
Join us at the corner of Lysle Blvd and Coursin Street (by the McKeesport Eat'n Park) on Monday, November 17th at 8:30 AM. The audit will end around 9:30 AM.
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Image Description: A group of fellows, ranging in age, sit around a table with snacks and look at large transit service maps in the Pittsburgh region.
Closing one fellowship, opening another!
Our 2025 Mon Valley Organizing Fellowship just wrapped, and we had a banner session! meeting weekly for 4 months, our fellows rode the bus, audited bus shelters and stops, and met with local stakeholders to learn how transit choices get made. We couldn't be prouder of our fellows and all the amazing work they did this summer!
Read about the Mon Valley Fellowship [[link removed]]
And we've just started our next fellowship, our 2025 South Hilltop Organizing Fellowship! We're working every week with our Hilltop fellows, leaning more about transit access, infrastructure, financial barriers, and equitable development.
We'll be posting an update from the Hilltop fellowship every few weeks. Take a look at our first update to see what the fellowship has been up to!
Read our first Hilltop update [[link removed]]
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Image Description: A flock of birds is featured in the center of this circular image. Framing them are the words: “YOU ARE NOT ALONE.” Illustration by Kevin Caplicki, used here courtesy of JustSeeds.
Vote for change, keep our communities fed
Tomorrow is election day!
Tomorrow is November 4th, Election Day, and this year's races for our judges are crucially important for PA Supreme Court and Allegheny County Judges. These seats impact major issues like redistricting, environmental justice, and reproductive justice.
We can't tell you who to vote for, but we can urge you to make a plan to vote and familiarize yourselves with the candidates so that your voice is heard! Our local partner organization, 412 Justice, has a great slate of political education resources where you can learn more. [[link removed]]
Check out 412Justice's voter guide [[link removed]]
Food resources during the federal shutdown
About 162,000 people in Allegheny County receive SNAP benefits, and around 35% of them are children. With no end in sight to the federal shutdown, SNAP benefits have not yet been disbursed for November, putting hundreds of thousands of people in uncertainty.
CityPaper has assembled a long list of food assistance resources across the Pittsburgh area [[link removed]] . Please, take a look at this list and share widely with your neighbors. We know that food justice and transit justice are deeply interconnected in our fight for public goods. CityPaper also recommends places to donate food, time, or money, if you are able.
CityPaper's food access resource list [[link removed]]
News from the PPT universe 🌌
* Some excellent news for you: transit is staying at the Waterfront, thanks to your advocacy! We threw a combination press conference/victory parade at the Waterfront to celebrate. It was affirming, joyous, and maybe a little goofy--and we showed the Waterfront shops that they need transit riders and workers! Check out our recap video and blog here. [[link removed]]
* More good vibes: PPT had a movie night! We hit up Harris Theater downtown to watch Ikiru, a critically-acclaimed movie about the transformative power of community organizing. Check out our Ikiru recap here! [[link removed]]
* Our very own Laura Chu Wiens was featured in a book about transit organizing! The book has been praised by Bill McKibben, the War on Cars podcast, and more. It's a start-to-finish guide on how to start, and win, Transit Justice campaigns. You can pre-order If You Want to Win, You've Got To Fight: A Guide to Effective Transportation Advocacy, and use the discount code FIGHT for 20% off pre-orders, if you want to check it out. [[link removed]]
Upcoming Events:
📝 PPT & T4APA Communications Committee [[link removed]]
Wednesday, November 5th, 6:00-7:00 PM, virtual
🔎 PPT & Transit for All PA! Research Committee Meeting [[link removed]]
Friday, November 7th, 3:00-4:00 PM, virtual
🚌 Win Local Budgets to Move Us All (PPT Monthly Meeting) [[link removed]]
Wednesday, November 12th, 7:00-8:30 PM, optional social hour at 6:30 PM, virtual
🤝 PPT Organizing Committee Training: Membership at PPT [[link removed]]
Tuesday, November 18th, 6:00-7:30 PM, IN PERSON at our Shadyside office
☎️ Phone Bank to Build Our Movement! [[link removed]]
Wednesday, December 17th, 6:30-7:30 PM, virtual
[[link removed]] [[link removed]] Pittsburghers for Public Transit is a grassroots union of transit riders, transit workers and neighbors. Get involved with PPT: Come to an upcoming event [[link removed]]
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Pittsburghers for Public Transit
5119 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
United States
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