Pittsburgh transit moved 485,000 riders

Pittsburgh Regional Transit said on May 13 that it carried 485,000 riders during the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh from April 23 to April 25 and generated more than $1.2 million in new revenue. The agency’s three-day total was 51% above the average ridership for two typical weekdays and one Saturday in March, according to figures reported by WPXI. Nearly 60,000 passengers used four special Football Flyer routes, and light-rail service ran every 15 minutes, with more frequent service in Downtown Pittsburgh and on the North Shore. The draft numbers offer a detailed look at how Pittsburgh handled the largest event on its 2026 calendar. PRT made light rail and the Monongahela Incline fare-free during the event through a partnership with Sheetz, while special Football Flyer buses connected park-and-ride lots across Allegheny County with Downtown and the North Shore. The agency had promoted transit as the primary way to reach the draft, which was held in Pittsburgh from April 23 to April 25. (wpxi.com) ### Where did the 485,000 rides come from? WPXI reported that the 485,000 total covered the three days of the draft and included riders across PRT’s network, not just the special event shuttles. The agency said the Football Flyer routes alone carried nearly 60,000 riders, providing direct service from the north, south, east and west to the draft footprint. (rideprt.org) PRT’s event page shows how broad that service plan was. The Blue and Red lines ran as two-car trains every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day, the Silver Line ran every 30 minutes between Library and Washington Junction, and the Football Flyer buses served park-and-ride locations including McCandless, Monroeville, the South Hills and the airport corridor. ### Why was so much of the service free? (wpxi.com) PRT’s event plan said all light-rail service and the Monongahela Incline were fare-free during the draft through a partnership with Sheetz. The Football Flyer buses were also fare-free, with that service funded by the Pittsburgh Organizing Committee and The Pittsburgh Foundation, according to the agency’s draft page. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on May 13 that more than 180,000 passengers used those free transit options during draft week. (rideprt.org) WPXI separately reported that key regional partners helped finance the operation, including a $350,000 contribution from VisitPITTSBURGH to support expanded bus service. ### How did PRT make money if so many riders did not pay fares? WPXI reported that the more than $1.2 million in new revenue included about $494,000 from advertising sales. The station said the revenue also reflected partner support tied to the event, even as parts of the system operated fare-free. (post-gazette.com) Terri Landis, PRT’s advertising director, told WPXI that the draft gave brands exposure to “hundreds of thousands” of riders and visitors. Katharine Kelleman, PRT’s chief executive, said the event showed transit at the center of a coordinated regional effort. ### What did local officials say the ridership showed? (wpxi.com) Sara Innamorato, the Allegheny County executive, said PRT helped make the draft accessible and delivered “real economic value for our region,” according to WPXI. Kelleman said the event showed what the region could do “when we invest in a system that works.” (wpxi.com) CBS Pittsburgh reported on April 28 that PRT spokesperson Adam Brandolph described the draft operation as useful evidence as the agency seeks support in Harrisburg. Brandolph said the agency had proof it could move large crowds, but he also said PRT would not want to make a habit of shifting to special schedules for ordinary events. ### How does this fit into PRT’s larger funding fight? (wpxi.com) PRT’s funding-crisis page says the agency is using up to $106.7 million in capital funding, along with other state, local and reserve money, to plug a $100 million hole in its 2025-26 operating budget and delay proposed cuts for two years. The same page says the agency had previously warned that, without a permanent funding solution, it could eliminate extra service, including service for events such as the 2026 NFL Draft. (cbsnews.com) The agency’s June 27, 2025 budget release said its board adopted a fiscal 2026 operating budget that assumed a 35% service cut and a 9% fare increase, though Kelleman said at the time that those changes were not final and depended on state funding decisions. That backdrop helps explain why PRT officials have tied the draft’s ridership performance to their case for sustained public-transit support. (rideprt.org) ### What comes next for riders? PRT’s draft service page remains online with route maps, schedules and park-and-ride details from the April 23-25 event. PRT’s broader funding page says the agency is continuing to press for a long-term state funding solution as it plans future service levels. (rideprt.org 1) (rideprt.org 2)