Pittsburgh Regional Transit Board Adopts FY 2026 Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (June 27, 2025) – Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Board today approved the agency’s Fiscal Year 2026 operating and capital budgets.

The $539.3 million operating budget assumes a 35% service cut and 9% fare increase in 2026, however PRT’s decision to cut service and raise fares will hinge on any new funding for public transit in the state’s FY26 budget.

While the budget fulfills statutory requirements under the Second Class County Port Authority Act, it reflects current revenue projections and the financial constraints the agency faces as state funding discussions continue in Harrisburg.

PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman emphasized that the approved budget is not an indication that service cuts are finalized. Instead, it positions the agency to meet its legal obligation to pass a balanced budget by July 1 while preserving the flexibility to amend the budget later in the fiscal year should state funding levels change.

The Board is “simply giving us a balanced budget within the required deadline,” Kelleman said. “We remain hopeful for a long-term solution to fund public transit.”

The $187.9 million capital budget allows the agency to continue advancing key infrastructure and investments that support a safer, more reliable transit network for the region. The capital budget also includes $38 million for new buses, $16.1 million to rehabilitate the Panhandle Bridge – the span that carries light-rail vehicles over the Monongahela River – and $15 million to replace the tracks inside the Mt. Lebanon Transit Tunnel, which travels between Dormont and Mt. Lebanon.

Kelleman thanked both the Board, state legislators, employees, and riders for their continued engagement and support. PRT will continue working closely with state leaders and local stakeholders to advocate for a sustainable, long-term investment in public transit, she said.

“Our region’s future depends on transit,” Kelleman concluded. “It’s how we grow, how we compete, and how we make opportunities real for everyone.”

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