The agency changed its public-facing brand to Pittsburgh Regional Transit in 2022, although it is still legally and commonly known as the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

[6][7] Three years later, the legislation was amended to allow the Port Authority to acquire privately owned transit companies that served the area.

[10] In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Port Authority hoped to introduce a modern rapid transit system known as Skybus with rubber-tired vehicles running on rails, but the plan fell through.

[11] In the early 1970s, the Port Authority entered what was dubbed by its fans the "Mod" era, with buses repainted in splashy paint schemes.

[6] During the 1980s, with gas prices falling and population loss from the decline of the steel industry, ridership decreased and the agency lowered fares to attract new riders in the middle of the decade.

[15] Also in the 1980s, construction began on the conversion of the remaining South Hills trolley lines to a modern light rail system.

Act 89 provided dedicated funding to Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which set the agency on more solid financial footing.

The side destination signs were moved immediately to the left of the front door starting with the 1998 Neoplan AN-460 (articulated bus) order.

[18] The reason was the system's decision to return to a back-to-basics approach and to save costs on wholesale repainting and refurbishing.

On June 9, 2022,[34] at Gateway Station, it was announced that the Port Authority of Allegheny County was rebranding due to their name being a misnomer.

Beginning January 1, 2022, ConnectCard users paid $2.75 single-fare ride with a three-hour free transfer period.

These changes are also intended to discourage paying fares with cash in favor of increased ConnectCard use, which the agency also says will speed up trip times.

The agency also eventually plans to implement a proof of payment system, with riders required to scan their ConnectCards at kiosks on station platforms prior to boarding and Pittsburgh Regional Transit fare officers performing random inspections on board to ensure payment.

All rides within the downtown zone are free, at all times on the light rail system (called the "T") and until 7 p.m. on buses, seven days a week.

In combination with the downtown Free Fare Zone, this fare collection system permits boarding to take place via all doors in downtown (except evenings), greatly reducing loading delays in the part of the system with the heaviest concentration of transit routes and passenger boarding per stop.

[42] Pittsburgh Regional Transit sells non-discounted single-use tickets, and discounted weekly, monthly and annual passes.

[43] Each carries a small discount over earlier time-based passes and is valid for an unlimited number of trips/transfers in the specified zone(s) for that time period.

[44] Pittsburgh Regional Transit installed new fareboxes on all buses in 2011,[45] and has converted to a smart card fare collection system marketed as the "ConnectCard"[46][47][48] starting in early 2012.

Because individuals affiliated with the Universities ride for "free," the system serves only to authenticate the validity of the ID card, and no fares are calculated or assessed.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit operates a 26-mile (42 km) light rail system called the "T" from downtown subway stations to neighborhoods and suburbs south of the city on surface tracks with right-of-way.

The system comprises three lines, all of which have a northern terminus at Allegheny station on Pittsburgh's North Shore near Acrisure Stadium and the Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh's mass transit system also includes two unique funiculars (called "inclines" locally) from the top of Mt.

On Sunday, September 10, 2000, Port Authority opened its West Busway, which provides service from downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie.

On July 22, 2011, the Port Authority approved spending at least $1 million, including $837,993 in federal funding and $209,498 in county money, to study developing a rapid bus line from Downtown to the Oakland section.

[53] Under the PRT-sponsored ACCESS program, a private contractor provides door-to-door service to elderly and disabled passengers throughout the county, seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight.

[54] Between 2001 and 2004 the Port Authority worked with the local community group Ground Zero to create and operate the "Ultra Violet Loop"; known to some as the "party bus", the UV Loop bus was special service operated on Friday and Saturday nights through the early morning, serving city nightlife and university centers.

While it was well regarded in the abstract, it never achieved the ridership and consistent service needed to continue without external support.

The construction of a light rail line from Oakland to Pittsburgh International Airport has been proposed by County Executive Dan Onorato and former Congressman Mike Doyle, projected to cost about $3.5 billion.

[27][29][30] The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission approved a plan by Governor Ed Rendell to allocate $45 million for the Authority to help reduce service cuts to only 15% on March 27, 2011.