Pittsburgh Regional Transit shares preparation strategies ahead of snow storm
The impending winter storm surely poses issues for driving over the next few days, but it could also have major effects on transit.
If you use Pittsburgh Regional Transit's access paratransit service, know that it is cancelled for Sunday, the transit agency said. PRT said Saturday it will make every effort to operate Monday morning paratransit service, but the current warning is to expect some delays.
It is an all-hands-on-deck effort for PRT over the next couple of days.
"We know that with the amount of snow that we are predicted to get, it's going to be an uphill battle," spokesperson Adam Brandolph said.
But as Brandolph said, PRT's goal as of Saturday night is to try and get ahead of it anyway. Crews will be salting bus ways, park-and-rides, and stations.
When the snow begins, PRT will be running trains without passengers to make sure the rails are free of snow and ice, ensuring service with passengers goes on largely uninterrupted.
Sleet cutters will also be put in to make sure the power connection to overhead lines is not lost.
Bus routes and train lines will run on a Sunday schedule as normal. On Monday, they'll run on the regular weekday schedule.
"We're going to be running the services as much as we can, as best as we can," Brandolph said. "But safety is going to be our No. 1 priority."
Some routes may experience delays or temporary changes.
"A good rule of thumb is that if you don't see cars coming down the street, buses probably can't get there either," Brandolph said.
This could happen especially with more hilly routes or ones not near main roads.
"If you really need to get somewhere, get to the main road where you know that it's more likely that it'll be salted and plowed," Brandolph said.
PRT's advice is simple for this winter storm: be proactive and patient.
"Plan ahead. Allow yourself additional travel time. Call customer service," Brandolph said.
Riders can check on PRT's X account for updates. You can also check TrueTime, too, to see what's going on with your route and your stop.
