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Regional Transit updating and simplifying how riders pay – Pittsburgh Union Progress

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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. 

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“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.

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Mobile ticket validators such as this one are now available to Pittsburgh light rail riders. (Courtesy of Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

“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.

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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.”

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With mobile tickets, customers present a QR code on their phone screen to be read by validators on the bus or rail car. (Courtesy of Pittsburgh Regional Transit)



Ed Blazina

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Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he’s currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.

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Pittsburgh leaders set aside another building to house homeless amid push to shut down encampments

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Pittsburgh leaders set aside another building to house homeless amid push to shut down encampments


Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey held a press conference on Monday about his plan for homeless housing, addressing the work that’s already been done and his plans to convert new spaces into places for the unhoused.

During this first phase, Gainey said the city has worked with Allegheny County and its Department of Human Services.

Gainey said in 2024, 16 homeless people who lived on trails died.

“We were forced to space people out of shelters and ultimately pushed people outside,” Gainey said. “Not having a safe, dignified space to call home is a hard way for anybody to live – anybody. And not anything any human should be subjected to.”

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Gainey says his goal is to have all people experiencing homelessness off the river trails by this winter. The city has already moved 100 people indoors.

Channel 11 also learned of a new facility on the North Side at the former McNaugher School in Perry South.

As Channel 11 has previously reported, the city has already changed the former Vincentian De Marillac nursing home facility in Stanton Heights into transitional housing. City officials say right now there are 40 beds they expect people to soon move into. The city also plans to add 50 transitional housing units and says 20 more beds will be coming in the new year.

>>> 11 Investigates Exclusive: Transitional housing facility opens despite pending legal action

Gainey says this facility is different from previous emergency shelters.

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“Your bed is your bed. Once you are given a bed the bed is your bed,” he said. “It’s not a place people are asked to leave at 7 a.m. in the morning and then report back in line each and every day to have a spot.”

Gainey says these moves give the homeless a pathway to safety and dignity and there will be county support services helping them out along the way.

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Penguins Gets Injury Update on Top Trade Piece

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Penguins Gets Injury Update on Top Trade Piece


The Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to be the center of attention as the NHL trade deadline approaches with multiple players possibly one the move. Most notable among them is top defenseman Marcus Pettersson who is likely going to be a top trade target from the Penguins roster.

Pettersson’s trade stock might slide a bit, however, as the Penguins announce he will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. Pettersson was an early exit in the Penguins overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, after taking a tough bump into the boards.

After just over six minutes of ice time, Pettersson left the game and did not return, forcing the Penguins to play short-handed on the blue line for most of the night.

The Penguins have been on a good run as of late with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games and are starting to flirt with a playoff spot. That’s a huge difference from seeing losing streaks pile up and being just a point out of last in the Eastern Conference.

The East is finally starting to show signs of separation in the standings, and the Penguins are above water for the moment.

Losing Pettersson might make things tough, however, as he is by far their best defensive defenseman. Proving to be capable of playing with either Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson, the Penguins have gotten outstanding defensive work from Pettersson over the last couple of seasons.

The 2024-25 season hasn’t been as kind to Pettersson, but he’s still a top name. The early struggles of the Penguins, and Pettersson in the final year of his contract makes him a perfect trade candidate with the deadline still to come.

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The Penguins have not yet made any corresponding moves to fill the gap that will be left in Pettersson’s spot. They have plenty of defensemen on the roster and have been impressed by the play of top defensive prospect Owen Pickering.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!





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Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles

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Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles


PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in tough fashion Sunday. While they did clinch a playoff berth with losses from the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts, between injuries and some key parts that fell flat in their play, they have questions to answer.

So, here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s game:

Winner: Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth is the first tight end since Heath Miller to score three touchdowns in three straight games. What a dazzling last few weeks he has put together, and all of the praise should go to him because Freiermuth has found his groove. The Steelers have started working with him more on the vertical plane, and it has unlocked another level to Freiermuth’s game.

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Is he perfect? No. But it is becoming clear that Freiermuth is an excellent seam buster who can take all the different routes on the vertical plane, including on his touchdown. Add in a leap in his blocking, and Freiermuth is on an upward trend despite most players going downward.

Loser: Najee Harris

Tough day at the office for Najee Harris, who had the huge fumble on the toss play that hit him right in the hands. Harris had to catch that ball, and even on his six runs, he did not maximize the runs often. The run game struggles are often schematic, but Harris had as poor of a game as he has had since he entered the NFL.

Right now, Jaylen Warren looks more dynamic and is in the groove. He is fully healthy and ready to go, so the Steelers should give him even more of a workload.

Winner: T.J. Watt

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The ankle injury aside, Watt gave Lane Johnson all kinds of trouble, which speaks to the type of player Watt is and has become. You want to know why no one leaves Watt on an island? Just look at what he did to Johnson in this game.

Johnson often looks great and has no worries each week, but Watt won consistently in this one, getting a forced fumble and two sacks. Watt got the better of Johnson far more than Johnson would have liked, and it led to one of the worst games of Johnson’s career, but all of that is drawn to Watt and his play.

Loser: Missed tackles

This can encompass a lot of different players. Patrick Queen missed more than a few tackles. Donte Jackson whiffed on Kenneth Gainwell on a third down that should have been a stop. Joey Porter Jr. had one of the worst tackling games of his career and turned the clock back to last year after it felt like he had taken the step forward needed in that area. The Steelers’ tackling was a huge part of giving the Eagles first downs by breaking tackles in the open field and that needs to be nipped in the bud now.

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