Dozens of transit riders and community members came out to speak and to stand together in the fight for better bus service. Many testimonies and heartfelt accounts were given about the lack of service and its effect on individuals from all walks of life. Groups from Penn Hills, Garfield, and Perry Highway came out in support of transit improvements in their neighborhoods and for all those who need it.

The event garnered a large amount of media attention and was covered by WPXI, WTAE, the Post-Gazette, WESA, and KDKA:

Dozens rally Downtown in push for expanded bus service in North Hills, East End

Group urges Port Authority of Allegheny County to fund more transit routes

Port Authority continues to hear pleas for expanded bus service

Suburban residents fill Port Authority meeting to max capacity, demanding bus service additions

Riders rally downtown for more Port Authority bus service

Port Authority Board Hears Resident Requests

Rally Calls For Increased Port Authority Bus Service

Highlights from speakers:

Ken Love (Penn Hills): I see young single mothers walking with their little kids, struggling to keep their kids safe, and then struggling to come back with 3 or 4 bags.

Annie Howard (Perry Highway): Today we alluded to a possible trend in less ridership, which I find strange, because there is a whole room of people behind me that are clamoring for service.

Del Royce Tatum (Garfield) : I would like to invite you to a weekend adventure in Garfield heights, we will go shopping, maybe the movies if you like. Please understand our plight, we have no cars, or a bus to get there. We have the 89 running Monday through Friday. But on the weekends we have nothing. We buy monthly bus passes just like everybody else, but we don’t have monthly service. You have been robbing us of our monies and are freedoms, because we don’t have bus service on the weekend.