We’ve all gotten on a Port Authority bus and ended up in the exact opposite place that we planned on. Either that, or we’ve simply been avoiding Pittsburgh’s public bus system at all costs and spending way too much money on Lyft and Uber anytime we need to get somewhere outside of downtown and Oakland. Knowing how the bus system works is actually pretty simple and makes your life a lot easier.
Logging on to Port Authority’s website is the most efficient way to do this. There you can either search individual bus lines and see the approximate times of all the stops or, if you have absolutely no idea what bus to take, you can use the “trip planner” option. This allows you pick a landmark that you are near (i.e., Point Park University), and then choose your end destination. This option makes it easy to plan ahead, as you can even pick what time you want to leave. It then tells you the bus stop that is closest to your current destination, the approximate time that the bus will arrive, and how long it will take to get to your end destination. It’s as simple as that!
I’ve also never met a bus driver that hasn’t been helpful. If you are unsure of whether or not you are getting on the right bus, or even if you just want to double check for confirmation, ask the bus driver and they will surely guide you in the right direction.
Don’t forget about making use of your student ID! After 7 p.m. daily and throughout the entire weekend, bus rides are only one dollar when you show the bus driver your Point Park ID. That definitely makes things quite a lot cheaper than taking a Lyft at primetime!
The numbers of the buses that come to each bus stop are posted on the sign at each bus stop. They also post any delays or route changes on these signs, so make sure you take a look at them before you begin your wait for the bus!
If this all still seems to confusing, here’s a step-by-step guide to a few places Point Park collegiettes might be interested in going:
South Side
South Side is an extremely popular place for the twenty-one and over crowd, but there are also fun things to do for those who are still underage! There’s lots of shopping and restaurants, including a Cheesecake Factory, and Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake is reason enough to go to South Side, if you ask me. Just take Arlington 48 at Wood Street and Third Avenue and hop off at East Carson and 25th Street. Use the same bus to get back to Point Park at East Carson and 24th. Just make sure you are on the opposite side of the street you got off!
Oakland
Oakland is pretty easy to get to during the daytime hours with the Point Park shuttle running continuously to the Pittsburgh Playhouse. But how do you get back safely to your dorm when you went to a party with your friends and stayed way past the last shuttle? Just make your way to the corner of Fifth Avenue and Craft and hop on any of the 61 or 71 buses. There are eight different bus options to take you downtown, so your wait shouldn’t be longer than five minutes. The bus will drop you off at Fifth Avenue and Wood Street.
Strip District
While it isn’t too far of a walk from Point Park, sometimes we need inexpensive produce and get a craving for Grandpa Joe’s candy even in the middle of winter. If this is the case, just take either the Penn 88 or the Liberty 86, which board at Wood Street and Liberty Avenue. However, the only bus that will be in the Strip District to take you back downtown is the Penn 88, which you can get on at Liberty Avenue and 17th Street.
Shopping
What collegiette doesn’t crave going to the mall every so often? Both Robinson Mall and Ross Park Mall are fairly close and have buses that run right to their parking lots! For the Robinson Mall, get on the West Park 24 at Stanwix Street and Fourth Avenue. Just make sure you ask the bus driver to clarify that it is taking you all the way to the mall. Every other bus 24 only takes you about halfway to the mall to a Giant Eagle parking lot – I speak from experience! To get to Ross Park Mall, take the McKnight 12 bus and board at Liberty Avenue and 7th Street. Both of these bus routes pick up and drop off right in the mall parking lot. Just keep in mind that since these routes are in two zones, the fare is $3.75 each direction!
As you can see, the bus system isn’t too difficult. It simply takes some getting used to if you have never lived in a city before. Happy bussing!