The most recent data from Pittsburgh Regional Transit show rides on public transportation are up, but they still fall below pre-pandemic levels.
PRT reports weekday ridership grew more than 8% from May 2025 to May 2026. It credits the increase to higher usage of several bus routes, including the P1-East Busway with 778 additional rides, and 54-North Side-Oakland-South Side, which had 671 more rides.
Bus ridership for May 2026 was 113,615 — a 9% increase from May 2025, according to PRT. Rides on the T averaged 11,450 in May — a 1% increase — while rides on the Monongahela Incline were in decline by 30% compared to May 2025.
May numbers came in below April of this year, which got a bump of 485,000 rides during the three days of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. April weekday rides averaged 120,434.
PRT said the draft also gave the agency a financial boost, generating more than $1.2 million in new revenue from advertising, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships.
Monthly ridership has been trending up each month this year compared to 2025, but it is still tens of thousands of rides below what PRT saw in 2019.
PRT will soon unveil a proposed final draft and collect comments on its Bus Line Refresh, an effort to improve and streamline transit service in the county and attract more riders.
The refresh is designed to be cost-neutral, meaning it won’t cost more or less to operate than the current system.
PRT is facing an uncertain budget future. Last year, in the face of a $100 million budget shortfall, the authority got permission from the state legislature to use capital funds for operations over two years.
This year’s state budget failed to include new money to stabilize transit agencies.