ComplaintsforPittsburgh Regional Transit

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bus 71 C put back to pickup at outbound *************************************** please

  Business response

  10/08/2024

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a 
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business 
  Bureau by a customer on or about September 18, 2024. 

  
  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  “Bus 71 C put back to pickup at outbound Miltenberger & Forbes please”
  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT 
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT and PRT responds as follows:
  Although the customer may not be aware, PRT’s Route 71C’s service from Uptown to 
  Oakland and at the Miltenberger and Forbes Avenue Bus Stop (the “Bus Stop”) was eliminated in
  October 2023, as part of the ongoing implementation of the University Line Bus Rapid Transit 
  Project. This service change occurred following robust public engagement and analysis consistent 
  with federal requirements and PRT policies. While PRT has no current plans to resume Route 
  71C service from Uptown to Oakland at this time, the customer may still access the 71C Route 
  from the Bus Stop by taking the 71B, 61A, 61B, or 61C Routes to Oakland and transferring to the 
  71C Route at PRT’s Fifth and Atwood Station. 

  
  
  If the customer needs additional assistance to explore the service alternatives available 
  from the Bus Stop, the customer may: 1) use the “Trip Planner” feature on the mobile 
  “Ready2Ride” app; 2) consult the bus schedules available on PRT’s website 
  (https://www.rideprt.org/all-schedules/); or 3) call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 (Weekdays 
  6:00 AM – 7:00 PM; weekends and holidays 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM). Customer Service is best 
  positioned to help the customer address any future concerns with PRT’s service and identify the 
  best alternatives to meet the customer’s transit service needs. Additionally, the PRT Customer 
  Service Digital Team may be able to specifically assist with trip planning online via a chat function 
  available on PRT’s website at https://ww.rideprt.org (Weekdays 5:00 AM – 8:00 PM; weekends 
  and holidays 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM) . We hope this information is useful to the customer. 

  
  Very truly yours,
  
  Eric S. McCoy

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  the bus route 51 outbound from downtown to carrick either shows up 20 minutes late or doesnt show up at all. every single day causing people to have to spend money on rideshares even tho we pay port authority for the buses, and when they finally arrive theyre very rude and or disrespectful. i was waiting on the 8:20 bus which was scheduled late and ended up not coming at all, im currently waiting on the 8:56 bus that is also scheduled late, this is very unfair because we pay, and it makes people late for work.

  Business response

  08/21/2024

  Dear Ms. ******:

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about August 1, 2024.
  

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  

  the bus route 51 outbound from downtown to carrick either shows up 20 minutes
  late or doesnt show up at all. every single day causing people to have to spend
  money on rideshares even tho we pay port authority for the buses, and when they
  finally arrive theyre very rude and or disrespectful. i was waiting on the 8:20 bus
  which was scheduled late and ended up not coming at all, im currently waiting on
  the 8:56 bus that is also scheduled late, this is very unfair because we pay, and it
  makes people late for work.
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.
  

  Below are PRT’s findings:
  

  PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) could not fully investigate the
  circumstances of this complaint because the complaint omitted the information Customer Service
  requires to conduct a full investigation (i.e., the date(s) and time(s) when the customer experienced
  the delay; and the bus stop(s) where the customer experienced the delay(s)). Nevertheless,
  Customer Service checked its records for any correspondence between Customer Service and the
  author of this complaint, or any records of anonymous complaints alleging similar circumstances
  as the ones asserted above, to no avail.
  

  PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”) likewise were unable to fully
  investigate the circumstances of this complaint because the complaint omitted the information
  Operations requires to conduct a full investigation (i.e., the date(s) and time(s) when the customer
  experienced the delay(s); and the bus stop(s) where the customer experienced the delay(s)).
  Despite the complaint’s ambiguity, PRT’s Special Services, Events, and Detours
  Department noted that a variety of short notice or unpredictable events may cause traffic delays,
  which could impact whether buses serving the 51 Carrick Route arrive at their stops on time.
  Although PRT strives to provide timely service, the actions of third parties—who often give PRT
  as little as twenty-four hours’ notice (and sometimes even less or no notice in the event of an
  accident or unscheduled closure) that an event that could impact traffic might occur—limit PRT’s
  ability to adjust its service to compensate for third parties’ actions. Additionally, certain
  obstructions (e.g. holiday traffic or roadway construction) create traffic issues that interfere with
  all drivers’ travel schedules. Although PRT certainly works to minimize the impact of these traffic
  issues, complete resolution of the traffic issues is outside of PRT’s control.
  

  In the future, the customer is advised to submit their concerns with PRT’s service by calling
  Customer Service, over the telephone, at 412-442-2000 (Weekdays 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM; weekends
  and holidays 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM). Customer Service is best positioned to help the customer
  address any future concerns with PRT’s service. Any communication with Customer Service
  regarding the issue addressed in this response should include: (1) the name(s) or the identifying
  number(s) of the bus stop(s) where the delay(s) were experienced; (2) the date(s) and time(s) the
  delay(s) occurred; and (3) the route(s) served by the delayed bus(es).
  

  Very truly yours,
  

  Eric *. M****

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I want to report PRT transit of stealing. 6/24/2024 i boarded the inbound P78 at Laketon/Howard at 8:07 am and the $2.75/3 hours fare was removed leaving me w/ a $0 balance. Once I got downtown I added an additional $5.50 on my card b/c i knew in 3 hrs around 11:07am I'll have to pay $2.75 for another 3 hrs of unlimited rides. I Then did took the y outbound to the west mifflin burlington & another Y inbound where i shopped at another Burlington downtown Pgh. I left downtown on the P1 around 11:07am outbound to negley & when i tapped the farebox it said I had $2.75 left on my card from the fare i put on in the morning & charging me $2.75 for another 3 hrs. When i left Market District at 12:13 pm I boarded the p68 to go downtown & the fare box charged me $2.50 & i only had a $0.25 balance on my card, when i was supposes to not be charged until around 2:07 pm. When i took the p78 downtown to go both home and back downtown, the fare box once again said I only had a 0.25 balance & was hoping maybe something was wrong with my card. Until I took a Y outbound to the walmart and it said insuffiencient funds. It was so embarrasing have to beg a bus driver for a free ride. I was humiliated by the looks of the other passengers faces looking at me as someone who didnt want to pay their fair share. So once back downtown from the walmart I had to put more money on the card to get home. And when i called customer service the next day about this stealing they refused to put the $2.75 back on the card, so blatantly stealing leaving me no choice but to deal with it. I am asking you to help me rectify this situation with PRT & my connect card number ************

  Business response

  07/23/2024

  Dear *** ******:

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about July 2, 2024.
  

  PRT takes each Better Business Bureau complaint seriously and expends considerable
  resources to investigate and respond appropriately, and when justified, PRT will make operational
  changes and/or address employee conduct.
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint, PRT assessed whether the circumstances of
  this complaint asserted an issue with PRT’s service that warranted a comprehensive response or
  whether the issues raised in the complaint were previously addressed by PRT’s responses to this
  customer’s numerous Better Business Bureau complaints filed within the past two and a half years.
  

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  

  I want to report PRT transit of stealing. 6/24/2024 i boarded the inbound
  P78 at Laketon/Howard at 8:07 am and the $2.75/3 hours fare was removed
  leaving me w/ a $0 balance. Once I got downtown I added an additional $5.50 on
  my card b/c i knew in 3 hrs around 11:07am I'll have to pay $2.75 for another 3 
  hrs of unlimited rides. I Then did took the y outbound to the west mifflin burlington
  & another Y inbound where i shopped at another Burlington downtown Pgh. I left
  downtown on the P1 around 11:07am outbound to negley & when i tapped the
  farebox it said I had $2.75 left on my card from the fare i put on in the morning &
  charging me $2.75 for another 3 hrs. When i left Market District at 12:13 pm I
  boarded the p68 to go downtown & the fare box charged me $2.50 & i only had a
  $0.25 balance on my card, when i was supposes to not be charged until around
  2:07 pm. When i took the p78 downtown to go both home and back downtown, the
  fare box once again said I only had a 0.25 balance & was hoping maybe something
  was wrong with my card. Until I took a Y outbound to the walmart and it said
  insuffiencient funds. It was so embarrasing have to beg a bus driver for a free ride.
  I was humiliated by the looks of the other passengers faces looking at me as
  someone who didnt want to pay their fair share. So once back downtown from the
  walmart I had to put more money on the card to get home. And when i called
  customer service the next day about this stealing they refused to put the $2.75 back
  on the card, so blatantly stealing leaving me no choice but to deal with it. I am
  asking you to help me rectify this situation with PRT & my connect card number ** **********
  

  PRT determined that this complaint alleged a unique issue with PRT’s service warranting
  a comprehensive response, and PRT investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contacts
  with PRT.
  

  Below are the findings of PRT’s investigation:
  

  PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) searched its records and
  determined that at exactly 8:07:07 AM the customer began using their first three-hour pass (the
  “First Pass”). Customer Service determined that the customer used the First Pass for three rides
  on June 24, 2024 (the rides occurred at approximately 8:32 AM, 8:46 AM, and 9:50 AM).
  Customer Service also determined that, at exactly 11:07:45 AM on June 24, 2024, the
  customer began using their second three-hour pass (the “Second Pass”) and was charged $2.75.
  PRT’s Transportation Technology Department (“Transportation Technology”), which manages
  the fare systems used by PRT, determined that the customer’s 11:07:45 AM ride on June 24, 2024,
  was not covered by the First Pass because the First Pass expired at 11:07:06 AM—thirty-nine
  seconds before the customer’s 11:07:45 AM ride. Therefore, the customer’s 11:07:45 AM on June
  24, 2024, occurred more than three hours after the First Pass’s coverage period, which began upon
  its first use and extended for exactly three (3) hours from its first use, began at 8:07: 07 AM.
  Transportation Technology also determined that the customer used the Second Pass for
  four rides on June 24, 2024 (the rides occurred at approximately 11:52 AM; 12:43 PM; 2:01 PM;
  and 2:47 PM). The customer rode for free at 2:47:09 PM on June 24, 2024. Transportation
  Technology determined that the customer received this free ride because a third-party contractor’s
  technical error extended the Second Pass’s coverage to include the customer’s 2:47 PM ride.
   
  PRT acknowledges that the customer did not expect to pay the charge they incurred at
  11:07:45 AM on June 24, 2024; however, for the reasons above, the charge was properly incurred
  by the customer and was not the result of any error by PRT.
  

  Although the customer did not receive their desired refund of $2.75 for the charge the
  customer incurred at 11:07:45 AM on June 24, 2024, the customer should note that, due to a

  thirdparty vendor’s technical error, was not charged the standard fare—also $2.75—for their ride at
  2:47 PM on June 24, 2024.
  

  PRT regrets that the customer could not use the transit system as anticipated. The customer
  is reminded that PRT’s Customer Service Department (412-442-2000 – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM;
  weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for the customer to address
  future concerns with PRT’s service. The customer is strongly encouraged to communicate directly
  with PRT’s Customer Service Department, which is best equipped to investigate and respond to
  the customer’s issues.
  

  Very truly yours,
  

   Eric *. M****

  Customer response

  07/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  I completely reject this because if u look at p68 schedule it is due in east liberty, q stop up from negley at 12:17 pm and when that p78 arrived at negley around 12:20 pm when i scanned my card it charged me an additional $2.50 after it had just charged me $2.75 to ridd on a 3 hour pass at 11:07 am, an hour & 15 minutes prior. If u see the Y driver letting me ride for free then thats the evidence that you did charge me extra b/c after i added the $5.75 to my card in the morning I should have had 2 more passes, not just the "second one". This is not a 3rd party error this is stealing. I have so much documentation from drivers passing me up while Im waiting for the bus at the bus stop or just takimg their own personal detour to pass up my stop completely. Now i dont have any choice but to use my phone instead of my card and i constantly worry is someone gonna snatch my phone while its out or i might leavs it behind on the bus because if i use the connect card prt will steal the money. Did you not see thoss huge boxes i had when i had to wood street station to re load the connect card again. I should have been able to get home off the 3 hour pass, i should have had to pay AGAIN

  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  the 51 bus either is 20 minutes late or canceled, almost every single day. we get left outside and are made late to work and are in exteeme heat, and the driver is rude if and when they finally arrive. i pay for a weekly pass and still have to spend money on rideshares because the buses never show up or show up 20 minutes late or longer.

  Business response

  07/25/2024

  Dear *** ******:

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about June 22, 2024.
  

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  the 51 bus either is 20 minutes late or canceled, almost every single day. we get left
  outside and are made late to work and are in exteeme heat, and the driver is rude
  if and when they finally arrive. i pay for a weekly pass and still have to spend money
  on rideshares because the buses never show up or show up 20 minutes late or
  longer.
  Disputed Amount: $30.00.
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.
  

  Below are PRT’s findings: 
  PRT’s Department of Customer Service (“Customer Service”) could not fully investigate
  the circumstances of this complaint because the complaint omitted the information Customer
  Service requires to conduct a full investigation (i.e., the date(s) and time(s) when the customer
  experienced the delay; and the bus stop(s) where the customer experienced the delay(s)). However,
  even if Customer Service could investigate the circumstances of this complaint, PRT would not
  refund the customer the requested thirty dollars ($30.00). The customer’s fare instrument (a
  weekly pass) was valued at twenty-five ($25.00) dollars, and the customer used the fare instrument
  to pay for twenty-three (23) rides on PRT’s transit system. Therefore, even if Customer Service
  could investigate further and PRT would determine that a refund was appropriate, the customer
  has already received significant amount of value from actively utilizing their weekly pass .
  Additionally, PRT does not generally refund customers due to a bus being late or not showing up
  because many factors outside of PRT’s control can affect normal bus schedules.
  

  PRT’s Transportation Management Personnel (“Transportation”) were also unable to fully
  investigate the circumstances of this complaint because the complaint omitted the information that
  Transportation requires to conduct a full investigation (i.e., the date(s) and time(s) when the
  customer experienced the delay(s); and the bus stop(s) where the customer experienced the
  delay(s)). Therefore, Transportation could not provide further input regarding the alleged delays
  the customer experienced or address the alleged delays’ causes.
  

  In the future, the customer is advised to submit their concerns with PRT’s service by
  directly calling Customer Service, over the telephone, at 412-442-2000 (Weekdays 6:00 AM –
  7:00 PM; weekends and holidays 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM). Customer Service is best positioned to
  help the customer address any future concerns with PRT’s service and explain PRT’s policies and
  practices concerning requested fare instrument refunds. Any further communication by the
  customer with Customer Service regarding the issue addressed in this response should include: (1)
  the name(s) or the identifying number(s) of the bus stop(s) where the delay(s) were experienced;
  (2) the date(s) and time(s) the delay(s) occurred; and (3) the route(s) served by the delayed bus(es).
  

  Very truly yours,
  

  Eric *. M****

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I arrived at the bus stop on wood st & 5th Ave at 8:14 am to catch the 48 to Arlington no bus arrived to go to Arlington until 9:15 am what happened??

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  Dear M** ******:

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about April 22, 2024.
  

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  

  I arrived at the bus stop on wood st & 5th Ave at 8:15 am to catch the 48 to
  Arlington no bus arrived to go to Arlington until 9:15 am what happened??
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.
  

  Below are PRT’s findings:
  
  PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) was asked to investigate the
  customer’s complaint. If a customer contacts Customer Service (by calling 412-442-2000
  weekdays from 6:00 am to 7:00 am, or weekends or holidays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm) depending
  on the context of the issue the customer is concerned about, Customer Service may be able to
  redirect the customer to alternatives which may allow the customer to arrive at their original
  destination, or at least provide the customer with resources that will help the customer avoid future 
  negative experiences.
  
  In this case, Customer Service was unable to uncover any record of a previous contact with
  the customer and, in fact, was not notified of the customer’s negative experience until a day after
  it occurred via the instant Complaint; and therefore, Customer Service’s ability to attempt to
  address the customer’s concerns in this circumstance was extremely limited, and it was unable to
  attempt to timely respond to the customer’s concerns in response to this complaint.
  

  PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”) also investigated the
  circumstances of the customer’s complaint. PRT’s only current stop located on a block abutting
  the intersection of Wood Street and Fifth Avenue is bus stop number ****; therefore, Operations
  determined that this is the stop the customer referred to as the bus stop at Wood Street and Fifth
  Avenue. According to PRT’s bus racking systems, the bus scheduled to serve the 48 route arrived
  at bus stop number **** at 8:12 am and discharged multiple passengers. Therefore, the bus
  scheduled to serve the 8:15 am route was not delayed, but rather arrived at bus stop number ****
  slightly earlier than the scheduled time, and the bus that arrived at stop **** at 9:15 am was the
  regularly scheduled bus at that stop for that time.
  

  If this situation recurs the customer is strongly urged to call Customer Service as soon as
  possible at 412-442-2000 (Weekdays 6 am – 7 pm; weekends and holidays 8 am – 4:30 pm). Any
  communication with Customer Service regarding the issues addressed in this response should
  include: (1) the identifying number of the bus stop where the delay was experienced; (2) the date
  and time the delay occurred; and (3) the route served by the delayed bus. Additionally, the
  customer is advised to routinely check PRT’s profile on X (the social media platform formally
  known as “Twitter”), subscribe to text and email alerts on PRT’s website
  (**************************************************************************), or use PRT’s mobile
  platform Ready2Ride to receive the most timely updates on bus service and changes to bus service.
  PRT regrets that the customer was unable to use transit as planned and hopes this response
  will help the customer avoid future difficulties.
  
   Very truly yours,
  

   Eric *. M****

• Initial Complaint

  03/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Pittsburgh regional transit is run by incompetent people. My bus was 20 min late yesterday (58, 3pm, to Oakland), 20 min late today (65, 9:15, to downtown). I called them multiple times over the years: my bus wouldn't stop for me, was late, was early. GPS would dissappear so you couldn't tell where the bus. Once I had to direct driver how to go because he didn't know the route. They'll file a complaint if I push, I'd leave my name and phone, never got a call back. We need completely new management, otherwise it's just public money going down the drain.

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau by a customer on or about March 19, 2024.

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:

  Pittsburgh regional transit is run by incompetent people. My bus was 20 min late yesterday (58, 3pm, to Oakland), 20 min late today (65, 9:15, to downtown). I called them multiple times over the years: my bus wouldn't stop for me, was late, was early. GPS would dissappear so you couldn't tell where the bus. Once I had to direct driver how to go because he didn't know the route. They'll file a complaint if I push, I'd leave my name and phone, never got a call back. We need completely new management, otherwise it's just public money going down the drain.

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.

  Below are PRT’s findings:

  Although the customer omitted what bus tracking technology they experienced difficulties using, PRT’s Department of Intelligent Transportation (“Transportation”) investigated the customer’s claim that the bus tracking technology they used occasionally omitted the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of buses serving the 58 or 65 routes. PRT’s buses communicate their location to third-party applications through onboard equipment that relays the location information at a standard interval of time. To the extent the customer has experienced buses “disappearing” from a third-party applications’ map, it may be due to issues outside of PRT’s control. For example, a delay of up to two (2) minutes may occur between a bus’s transmission of its GPS information and the display of the bus’s location on the map of a third-party application due to the latency of the transmission. Hardware malfunctions, or geographical obstructions impeding the transmission of information from a bus may also cause a bus to “disappear” from a third-party application’s map. Transportation could not provide more information about the circumstances of the customer’s complaint or take corrective action without knowing the bus stop where the customer experienced their problem or the specific dates when the issue occurred.

  Although the customer did not include the specific bus stop where they have been experiencing delays of buses serving the 58 and 65 routes, PRT’s Operations Management Personnel (“Operations”) were able to uncover some additional information about the delays the customer experienced.

  Operations investigated the customer’s concerns regarding the timeliness of a bus serving the 58 Route around 3:00 pm on March 18, 2024, and the timeliness of a bus serving the 65 Route on March 19, 2024. Operations found that the bus serving Route 58 on March 18, 2024, was delayed by approximately thirteen (13) minutes over the entire span of its service to Route 58 on that date. Operations also found that the bus serving Route 65 at an unspecified time on March 19, 2024, was delayed by approximately ten (10) minutes over the entire span of its service to Route 65 on that date.

  PRT strives to minimize the effect of unpredictable delays in service; however, in this instance, Operations confirmed that both delays above were caused by circumstances beyond PRT’s control (i.e., delay due to changing traffic conditions during the training of a student operator and delay necessary to address an operator’s unexpected medical issue.) Additionally, there is no way to know whether the overall delay in service to Routes 58 and 65 affected the customer without knowing the bus stops where the customer experienced the delays. Therefore, Operations is unable to provide more information about the circumstances of the customer’s complaint or attempt to take further corrective action.

  PRT’s Department of Customer Service (“Customer Service”) investigated the customer’s complaint concurrently with Operations to help uncover as much information as possible to address the customer’s complaint. Customer Service found evidence of a single complaint filed by the customer on October 23, 2023, regarding an asserted delay of a bus serving the 65 Route— records show the complaint was investigated and resolved. No evidence of any additional complaints registered directly with PRT by the customer was found. Therefore, Customer Service was unable to investigate the circumstances of the customer’s complaint further or attempt to take any additional corrective action.

  The customer noted that individual operators may have previously expressed their willingness to file complaints with Customer Service on behalf of the customer. Operators may choose to go beyond their primary job duties to address a customer’s concern with PRT’s services; however, operators are ultimately not responsible for submitting complaints to Customer Service, and operators may justifiably prioritize tasks within the scope of their job duties – which are focused on safe operation of the bus they are operating and the safety of patrons while onboard and entering and existing that bus – rather than logging and submitting a complaint to Customer Service on behalf of a customer.

  In the future, the customer is advised to submit their concerns with PRT’s service directly to PRT by calling Customer Service (412-442-2000 – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM). Customer Service is best positioned to help the customer to address any future concerns with PRT’s service. Any communication with Customer Service regarding the issue addressed in this response should include: (1) the name or identifying number of the bus stop where the delay was experienced; (2) the date and time the delay occurred; and (3) the route served by the delayed bus.

  Very truly yours,

  Eric *. M****

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  12/26/2023 I bought a 1 day pass for $7.00 & attempted to take the 6:33 am 28X outbound at stop 1125 at the corner of seventh &Smithfield. At the time I was at the stop there was a Hispanic man standing there with all black on & a black Nike sweatshirt. I saw the bus was supposed to be arriving on the tracker but it never showed up, so I decided to wait to see maybe the tracker was wrong & when I looked behind me the guy in the all black was gone. I continued to wait & started to get the feeling ONCE AGAIN Prt is trying to rob me thinking I was using a regular bus pass where I pay $2.75 every 3 hours to ride & not a 1 day unlimited rides pass, so I checked the bus tracker to see if the bus was closer to the airport, because if so then it DEFINITELY passed me by, so I checked the true time to see if the bus was by west Carson street & sure enough the bus was 2 minutes away from west Carson & then I knew that bus purposefully passed by my stop, so that I wouldn’t make my bus on time, & be forced to pay more. So to make sure it didn’t happen again I walked to the closest stop on liberty ave, stop 15266, & sure enough the Hispanic guy in the all black with the black Nike sweatshirt was at the the stop, waiting for that same 28x. Now it’s getting bad, because PRT is targeting me as a cash cow ready for the milking they are also having other ppl waiting with me missing their bus and being late for work, forcing them to pay more too! I have made so many complaints about PRT but this was the stick that broke the camels back because PRT purposefully trying to make me suffer now has other customers suffering too and I made complaint 113484 to PRT. When PRT contacts the bbb back, I want them to submit the pics of who was at from stop 1125 around 6:30 am then submit the pictures of the passengers that boarded the next 28X that showed up around 7 am at stop 15266 and it will show both me and that same man from stop 1125 boarding the bus because we were both refused service!

  Business response

  01/17/2024

  Dear Ms. ******:
  

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about December 27, 2023.

  PRT takes each Better Business Bureau complaint seriously and expends considerable
  resources to investigate and respond appropriately, and when justified, PRT will make operational
  changes and/or address employee conduct.
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint, PRT assessed whether the circumstances of
  this complaint asserted an issue with PRT’s service that warranted a comprehensive response or
  whether the issues raised in the complaint were previously addressed by PRT’s responses to this
  customer’s ten (10) previous Better Business Bureau complaints all filed within the past two and
  a half years. PRT has determined that the issues in this complaint did not assert an issue with PRT’s
  service that warrants a comprehensive response.
  

  The customer is reminded that PRT’s Customer Service Department (************ –
  Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for
  the customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. The customer is strongly encouraged
  to communicate directly with PRT’s Customer Service Department, which is best equipped to
  investigate and respond to the customer’s issues. 
  

  Very truly yours,
  

  /s/ Eric *. M****

  Customer response

  01/21/2024

  Better Business Bureau

   

  i completely reject this response because it doesn’t address whatsoever why the bus driver would intentionally pass up a & refuse to provide services to a black woman and a Latino man in the morning while ppl are trying to get to work. Every time I take the 28X now I make sure I stand on liberty abe b/c I know the liberty ave stops are not going to be skipped, and that’s a shame. When you pay your bus fare to PRT it’s a contract I pay you for your services of being picked up at a PRT bus stop and taken to another PRT bus stop. If the bus is not picking up ppl at the designated bus stops YOU ALL ARE STEALING especially from minorities like me and that Latino man, and I’m so tired of it. It’s not weird that the same person repeatedly gets passed up by buses and refused to be let on buses. ITS NOT ME ITS PRT, if you all would get it together I wouldn’t have to tell the BBB which I do to gather all the documentation necessary to hopefully 1 day confront this company in front of the media regarding their deceptive business practices, you will never get another government grant in your life once it goes public you refuse service to blacks & Latinos.

  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  *** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I work for upmc I usually catch the the last 61c of the night at 1:33am at forbes avenue / jumonville but I got on the wrong bus the 61a got off at 1700 Murry ave at the right aid the 61A drop me off at 1:10am i've seen all the other busses come passed asked every other pittsburgh regional transit driver where the the 61c is they said it was coming never showed up i waited for over 1hour the 61c never showed i waited for the 1:14am 61c never showed 1:43am 61c never showed i would like a refund of $40 do to both busses never showing up I was forced to use uber never got picked up by uber until 2:28am required payment to uber was less do to surge pricing going down at pick up

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  Dear Ms. ******:
  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about December 2, 2023.
  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  I work for upmc I usually catch the the last 61c of the night at 1:33am at forbes
  avenue / jumonville but I got on the wrong bus the 61a got off at 1700 Murry ave
  at the right aid the 61A drop me off at 1:10am i've seen all the other busses come
  passed asked every other pittsburgh regional transit driver where the the 61c is
  they said it was coming never showed up i waited for over 1hour the 61c never
  showed i waited for the 1:14am 61c never showed 1:43am 61c never showed i
  would like a refund of $40 do to both busses never showing up I was forced to use
  uber never got picked up by uber until 2:28am required payment to uber was less
  do to surge pricing going down at pick up
  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s complaint. Below are PRT’s findings: 
  PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”) investigated the circumstances
  of the customer’s complaint. Operations’ investigation revealed that manpower shortages required
  the cancellation of the bus service necessary for the passenger to utilize the 61C route at the
  customer’s desired time and from the customer’s desired bus stop. Unfortunately, PRT, like other
  public transit agencies across the nation, is still being adversely impacted by post-pandemic
  staffing shortages, and as a result, PRT has had situations when a regularly assigned operator is
  off where there are no qualified operators on the subject route available to operate the service in a
  back-up capacity. However, PRT continues aggressively recruiting new operators and proactively
  reviewing and adjusting its schedules and services, subject to certain work rules per the collective
  bargaining agreement with the labor union that represented PRT operators, to best align with its
  anticipated operator levels. PRT bus service will often be subject to fluctuations or cancellations
  due to unpredictable road conditions, staffing challenges, and other factors. The website
  *********************************** and the mobile phone application “**********” are the best
  ways to obtain the most current arrival times for each bus stop. The customer is encouraged to
  consult and actively utilize these resources for trip planning purposes.
  PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) found no records of any
  communications with the customer. Per long-standing policy, PRT does not refund third-party
  transportation expenses, which include money spent on ride-share services, so PRT cannot refund
  the costs reflected by the receipts the customer submitted. If the customer encounters any further
  issues the customer is advised to contact Customer Service (************ – Weekdays 6 AM – 7
  PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) because this remains the best resource for the
  customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. Customer Service may also be able to
  provide helpful information regarding the customer’s issues or resolutions to the customer’s issues
  if contacted.
  PRT regrets that the customer could not utilize PRT’s bus service as intended; however,
  PRT appreciates the customer’s input.
  Very truly yours,
  Eric *. M****

• Initial Complaint

  11/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Prt of allegheny county has unreliable service. I have made numerous calls to their customer service about the P69 or P76 not appearing or running over 8 minutes late DAILY. I've explained I have a child I must pick up on time and I'm being charged a dollar per minute and if it accuses I could lose childcare or have cyf called for neglect. The people watching my child were trying to be understanding but let my child go due to it happening too many times between June 2023 and September, their conplaint was valid they close at a specific time and I was getting into Wilmerding or.north versailles after 6p.m. I take the bus because I was involved in a car accident and don't want to drive into downtown Pittsburgh from where I live. It's hard to stand not knowing if the bus is coming or not. It's tough finding childcare when I had the perfect set up behind prt not being accountable. I've made complaints and they were never properly followed up. A representative will call and say hey sorry that happend ill.forward this to the proper people. Or a general message from their email. No response. Those buses can not run on time in the afternoon then take them.off the road or put an extra bus on there but to have two buses from two different garages not services the area in it entirely is a disgrace.

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about November 9, 2023.

  The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
  

  Prt of allegheny county has unreliable service. I have made numerous calls to
  their customer service about the P69 or P76 not appearing or running over 8
  minutes late DAILY. I've explained I have a child I must pick up on time and
  I'm being charged a dollar per minute and if it accuses I could lose childcare
  or have cyf called for neglect. The people watching my child were trying to be
  understanding but let my child go due to it happening too many times between
  June 2023 and September, their conplaint was valid they close at a specific
  time and I was getting into Wilmerding or.north versailles after 6p.m. I take the
  bus because I was involved in a car accident and don't want to drive into
  downtown Pittsburgh from where I live. It's hard to stand not knowing if the bus
  is coming or not. It's tough finding childcare when I had the perfect set up
  behind prt not being accountable. I've made complaints and they were never
  properly followed up. A representative will call and say hey sorry that happend
  ill.forward this to the proper people. Or a general message from their email. No
  response. Those buses can not run on time in the afternoon then take them.off
  the road or put an extra bus on there but to have two buses from two different
  garages not services the area in it entirely is a disgrace.
  

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
  investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT. Below are PRT’s findings:
  

  PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) retrieved its records of all the
  customer’s communications with Customer Service regarding the asserted delays of buses serving
  the P69 and P76 routes. The customer communicated with Customer Service three times:
  

  (1) On June 13, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and complained that two
  buses—including a bus serving the P76 route—were delayed;
  

  (2) On October 17, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and complained that
  multiple buses—including a bus serving the P69 route—were delayed; and
  

  (3) On November 7, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and claimed that two
  buses serving unspecified routes were delayed.
  

  Customer Service records show that PRT closed the customer’s June 13, 2023, complaint
  after conducting an investigation. Customer Service records further indicate that, in this instance,
  the bus serving the P69 route arrived five minutes after the scheduled arrival time. Under PRT
  policy, which factors in the often unpredictable nature of vehicular traffic, a bus is considered to
  have arrived “on-time” if it arrives between one minute early and five minutes late. Finding that
  no PRT policy violation occurred, PRT closed the complaint.
  

  Customer Service records also show that PRT investigated the circumstances surrounding
  the customer’s October 17, 2023, communication. Customer Service determined that the delay
  the customer experienced occurred due to traffic conditions beyond PRT’s control and followed
  up with the customer to notify them of these findings. PRT then closed this complaint.
  

  Finally, the circumstances of the customer’s November 7, 2023, communication with
  Customer Service were not investigated further because, based on the information the customer
  provided, Customer Service was unable to identify the allegedly delayed bus. Customer Service
  closed the complaint due to insufficient information provided.
  

  The records of the customer’s previous communications with Customer Service were also
  provided to PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”).
  

  Operations’ investigation of the customer’s June 13, 2023, communication with Customer
  Service confirmed Customer Service’s finding that the bus serving the P76 route arrived no more
  than five minutes after the scheduled arrival time.
  

  Operations was unable to investigate the circumstances surrounding the customer’s other
  communications with Customer Service due to the customer’s omission of the date and time each
  delay occurred and the specific bus stop where each delay occurred. However, PRT’s Planning
  and Service Development Department confirmed that the majority of the buses servicing the P69 
  

  and P76 routes between June and September of 2023 arrived on time. It should also be noted that
  PRT continually monitors its on-time performance including reviewing its routing and service
  needs and adjusting routing and staffing to maintain and improve service as necessary, subject to
  contractual rules and limitations for doing so under the collective bargaining agreement PRT has
  

  in place with the labor union representing its bus operators
  PRT regrets that the customer was unable to utilize PRT’s bus service as intended;
  however, PRT appreciates the customer’s input. PRT bus service will oftenbe subject to
  fluctuations due to unpredictable road conditions, staffing challenges, and other factors. The
  website *********************************** and the mobile phone application “Ready2Ride” are
  the best ways to obtain the most current arrival times for each bus stop. The customer is encouraged
  to consult and actively utilize these resources.
  

  A call to Customer Service (************ – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and
  holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for the customer to address future concerns
  with PRT’s service. Any communication with Customer Service regarding the issue addressed in
  this response should include: (1) the name or identifying number of the bus stop where the delay
  was experienced; (2) the date and time the delay occurred; (3) the route served by the delayed bus;
  and (4) the four digit bus number (visible on both the exterior and interior of all PRT’s buses) for
  the delayed bus where the patron waits for and board the bus at a later time than it was originally
  scheduled to arrive.
  

  Very truly yours,
  Eric S. M****

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  10/10/2023 around 2:10 pm I took the P1 from the Smithfield stop to east liberty busway to stop at the target on penn avenue before I boarded the P68 that was due to leave east liberty at 3:38 pm. While on the P1 outbound I saw the P68 coming inbound and I started tracking its true time till it got to east liberty busway to see if I had time to stop at target which I did, it said it would be there in 10 minutes.The whole time I was in target I was tracking the bus and as I left target at exactly 2:36 pm (time shown on receipt) the tracker told me the bus would be there in 3 minutes. The east liberty busway is right next to a fitness studio called solidcore which I used as a reference point and you can see on the map the walk from target to their is 2 mins. I walked very fast almost jogged to my stop and started counting down on the tracker when it would arrive. When it finally said approaching a couple buses that said “east liberty garage” rode past and at the time I didn’t think much of it, till my bus didn’t come and I realized the driver of the P68 changed his sign banner to say “east liberty garage” instead of “P68” so that I wouldn’t be able to make my connecting bus and I would have to pay extra because $2.75 only pays for 3 hours of transportation, this is stealing, PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT STEALS! At 1:40 bus is no longer on tracker b/c it passed & I called prt and spoke to Janice (ref # 109661) who told me the p68 leaves downtown at 2:12 pm WHICH IS A BOLD FACE LIE BECAUSE I WAS JUST DOWNTOWN! PRT’s mission statement is to provide reliable transit but there is nothing reliable when drivers are changing their bus banners so customers miss their connecting buses AND the call agents are giving the wrong times, I have the schedule right in front of me. I need to know I’m not going to be robbed anymore, I’m known to have an emergency savings so when I come out prt wants to drain it and that’s not right!

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  Dear M** ******:

  Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
  Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
  Bureau by a customer on or about October 10, 2023.

  PRT takes each Better Business Bureau complaint seriously and expends considerable
  resources to investigate and respond appropriately, and when justified, PRT will make operational
  changes and/or address employee conduct.

  Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint, PRT assessed whether the circumstances of
  this complaint were novel and warranted further investigation or whether the issues raised in the
  complaint were previously addressed by PRT’s responses to this customer’s nine (9) previous
  Better Business Bureau complaints all filed within the past two and a half years. It should also be
  noted that the customer has filed three (3) complaints just in the month of October 2023. PRT has
  determined that the issues in this complaint are not novel and have been previously addressed in
  prior responses and that therefore no additional investigation or response is warranted.
  The customer is reminded that PRT’s Customer Service Department (************ –
  Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for
  the customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. The customer is strongly encouraged 
  to communicate directly with PRT’s Customer Service Department, which is best equipped to
  investigate and respond to the customer’s issues, versus continuing to file numerous and often
  repetitive complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
  

  Very truly yours,
  Eric *. M****, Esquire

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩