A public comment period is opening today where people will be able to let their voice be heard about Pittsburgh Regional Transit's proposed cuts to service and proposed fare increases.

Emotions have been high since the proposal, which would cut nearly 1/3 of PRT's service came out earlier this month and now the agency's leaders say they need feedback from the public to help get more funding from Harrisburg.

The public comment period opens on Monday at 8 a.m. and there a number of ways people can give feedback to what PRT is proposing. 

PRT will have an online survey on its website along with a public comment inbox which you can be transferred to when calling the customer service number at 412-442-2000.

Paper comment forms can also be filled out and turned in at PRT's Downtown Service Center located at 623 Smithfield Street in Downtown Pittsburgh. 

Written feedback can be sent to PRT at the following address:

Pittsburgh Regional Transit
ATTN: Funding Crisis
345 Sixth Ave, 3rd floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222  

Three public hearings will be held later this year where people can comment in person. 

The hearings will be held on Tuesday, April 29 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, on Tuesday, May 6 at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, and on Thursday, June 12 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

The hearings each day will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

This all comes as PRT is facing a $100 million deficit next year that's expected to rise to nearly $2 billion in 10 years.

PRT leaders say this has been a long time coming and if there aren't drastic increases in state funding, leaders say they need to make catastrophic changes and is why they're encouraging people to speak up so that they can show lawmakers the impact this will have on the future of public transportation in the Pittsburgh area.