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| - The Port Authority bus system in Pittsburgh gets a lot of attention. There are lots of articles in the newspapers, regular protests, petitions, etc over route reduction and fare hikes and so on. Some people think its slow, unreliable and overcrowded.
There's a general sense that its unfair that Pitt students ride for free while much of the Pitt staff do not. And, of course, the rest of the city has to pay too.
But I think all this is just a testament to the health of the system. People - students at all the college and universities, long-term residents, downtown commuters, school kids - actually value and use the bus system.
In other university towns (not to name names) the schools just give up entirely and shuttle their students around in private buses, which means, in the end, less ridership, fewer routes less frequently and less money for the public transportation.
I also found the drivers to be considerate - especially of the elderly and disabled - and as helpful as they could be, given the demands on their time and attention.
Depending on your living situation, the buses make it possible to live in Pittsburgh with one car, or none. And I found that it's safer to take a bus in the snow, too, (if not quicker, which it *sometimes* also is).
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