Pittsburg, PA
Regional Transit updating and simplifying how riders pay – Pittsburgh Union Progress
Pittsburgh Regional Transit is starting a two-year process to update and simplify its fare payment system.
Over the next two years, most transit riders will have to change their ConnectCard for a new card. That new card will work with all aspects of a rider’s transit account, including vending machines and mobile payment scanners on transit vehicles.
Jeffrey Devlin, the agency’s chief innovation officer, outlined how the new system will work for the authority board’s technology committee Thursday. Essentially, the new system will take advantage of the flexibility of the Masabi Ready2Ride validators that handle the pay-by-phone app that debuted in August 2021.
The first step in the process will be replacing 76 fare vending machines located at prominent bus and light rail stations. The committee recommended the full board approve an $8.85 million contract with Parkeon Inc. for its Flowbird system when it meets next week, but committee chairwoman Jennifer Liptak said there will be additional contracts in the near future.
“This is the first step in a very long process,” Liptak said.
Other parts of the project will involve replacing ConnectCards, which should begin by the end of the year, and installing new cash-only fare boxes on 720 buses and 80 light rail trains. The agency promises a “robust” advertising campaign to make sure riders know about the changes.
CEO Katharine Eagan Kelleman said the agency will see what it can do to keep senior citizens from having to replace their free-ride cards.
Devlin said the current fare boxes are more than 14 years old and “have reached the end of their useful life.” The system also uses proprietary technology, so PRT couldn’t add equipment from another company and often had to wait behind other customers for updates.
Changing fare boxes and issuing new versions of the ConnectCard will allow the agency to use the flexibility of the Masabi system.
“We’re now ready to expand the Masabi system and use it to its full advantage,” Devlin said. “It’s not a fast change.”
Devlin didn’t have an expected cost for the entire project, but he said the new vending machines are expected to be the most expensive element.
Riders should see a series of benefits from the changes.
Now, for example, riders who have a ConnectCard and also use the mobile payment app have two separate transit accounts. Also, the ConnectCard system often takes a couple of days to add money to a rider’s account.
Cards with the Masabi system add money to the account instantly and can be used with new vending machines, third-party vendors such as convenience stores that sell transit products and to pay fares. Riders won’t need a second account.
The new system also will make it easier for the agency to implement fare capping for cash riders in the future. Right now, riders who pay in cash have to pay two full fares if they need to transfer to another transit vehicle to reach their destination while riders who use ConnectCards or the mobile app can transfer for free within three hours.
Laura Wiens, executive director of Pittsburghers for Public Transit, said her agency would be happy with it changes. PPT has been pushing for fare capping for several years.
“We’re supportive of that,” she said. “The current system hasn’t been able to provide the fare products we need.”
Devlin said the vending machines are the first step because it could take as long as a year to have them built and delivered.
“It’s a long rollout, but we think it will be beneficial to a lot of people,” Kelleman said. “The goal at the end is to make it as easy as possible for riders to use our system.”
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he’s currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect O’Connor continues to build administration with five new appointees
NFL Week 11 Bengals Vs. Steelers post game review
Bengals Beat Reporter Kelsey Conway discusses the Bengals loss to the Steelers
If the Cincinnati Bengals defense improved against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it wasn’t enough improvement.
Pittsburgh’s defense returned two turnovers for touchdowns in its 34-12 victory over Cincinnati on Nov. 16 at Acrisure Stadium. The deficit was lopsided and the Bengals’ defense allowed only 20 points, but it was the plays leading up to the two Kenneth Gainwell receiving touchdowns and two Chris Boswell field goals that proved problematic for a Cincinnati defensive unit that entered the contest ranked as the worst defense in the NFL.
Against a Steelers team ranked 29th in total offense, tackling and a lack of timely third-down stops were once again topics of conversation in the Bengals’ postgame media scrums.
Pittsburgh was 7-for-13 on third-down conversions, and also converted one fourth-down try. Even after quarterback Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the game through injury at halftime, veteran backup Mason Rudolph was about as effective as his future-Hall of Fame teammate.
Both quarterbacks threw a touchdown pass to Gainwell, and oversaw drives ending in successful Boswell kicks.
It’s true that the defensive showing was one of Cincinnati’s better outings of the year, as Bengals head coach Zac Taylor asserted afterward. The 20 points scored by Pittsburgh’s offense constituted the second-fewest points allowed in a game this season by Cincinnati.
Taylor also acknowledged problematic tackling.
“It was one of the better games they played,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “They gave us those opportunities, only allowing 10 points going into halftime after giving up the first drive of the game. I was happy with the punts they forced. Unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize on offense and get enough points on the board to take advantage, especially getting the ball in the second half. Overall, during the second half, those two (scoring) possessions we just got to get them on the ground.
“There’s a lot of opportunities. We’ve got to get them on the ground. Working like crazy. Talking like crazy. We’ve just got to show up.”
The Steelers’ second half scoring drives were propelled by third-and-long conversions in the second half, including on 3rd-and-11 and 3rd-and-17 situations on the drive that lead to a Boswell field goal for a 13-9 lead. Both conversions came in Pittsburgh territory, and the 3rd-and-17 was a catch-and-run by bruising tight end Darnell Washington.
Washington also made a highlight-reel catch and run late in the first half, stiff-arming and tossing Bengals aside as he went.
On the drive late drive that resulted in a Gainwell touchdown for a 27-12 lead, the Steelers converted another 3rd-and-11. That was also on Pittsburgh’s side of midfield.
Later on that drive, with Pittsburgh behind schedule on a 1st-and-23, Gainwell had a catch-and-run to pick up the first down to move Pittsburgh inside the Bengals’ 10-yard line.
Quarterback Joe Flacco said the Bengals defense showed improvement. Rookie linebacker Barrett Carter wasn’t as convinced, though.
“I saw slight improvements but just nowhere where it needs to be,” Carter said.
Of the tackling, Carter said the Bengals were “horrible,” adding: “It just needs to be better, all levels.”
Zac Taylor on Flacco after win against Steelers
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor speaks at a press conference on Monday October 20, 2025.
The Cincinnati Bengals travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in Week 11 looking for a sweep on the season.
Cincinnati (3-6) beat the Steelers (5-4) 33-31 on Oct. 16 at Paycor Stadium.
Quarterback Joe Flacco won in his second start for the Bengals and Ja’Marr Chase reset his own franchise record with 16 receptions on 23 targets in the game.
Cincinnati is coming off its bye while Pittsburgh is coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here are the keys to victory for the Bengals in Week 11:
Follow the example the Chargers made
The Bengals didn’t register a sack or hit against the Steelers last month and quarterback Aaron Rodgers had plenty of time to carve up Cincinnati’s defense. Los Angeles registered five hits and three sacks on Rodgers on Nov. 9 en route to a 25-10 victory.
Cincinnati will be without defensive ends Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, which means they’ll need to get creative in finding ways to get to Rodgers.
If the Bengals can’t pressure Rodgers and disrupt his timing, it’ll mean the offense will need an even bigger Herculean effort than the past two games where Cincinnati scored 80 points against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears and still lost.
Run the ball, control the clock and utilize play action
Winning a track meet is possible for the Bengals’ offense, but it’s best to avoid being in those positions, as they saw in the losses to the Jets and Bears.
Yes, Flacco and the offense can score from anywhere on the field, but it’d be best to control the game by running the ball and not forcing the defense to go back out on the field in less than two minutes in the second half.
Chase Brown needs to have a big game and keep the Bengals ahead of the sticks at Acrisure Stadium so Flacco isn’t having to throw the ball 50 times against what’s likely to be a different defensive look from the Steelers.
Zone busters for everyone
Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in the Bengals’ Oct. 16 win and the Steelers played man coverage for the most part.
Expect the Steelers to move more to zone looks to limit big play potential for wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase had 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown and Higgins had six catches for 96 yards and a score.
This means Flacco will need to find the soft spots in the zone coverage via a variety of route concepts and possibly get Brown more involved catching the ball out of the backfield.
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