The Port Authority Board of Directors today approved agreements that encourage more people from the college community to use public transportation.
By year’s end, Chatham College students, faculty and staff need only display a valid Chatham College photo I.D. card aboard any Port Authority bus, light rail vehicle or the Monongahela Incline as payment for unlimited rides throughout the service area. The college will reimburse Port Authority $1.75, the price of the Zone 1 fare, for each ride taken by anyone displaying a Chatham photo I.D. card.
The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University have similar service agreements with Port Authority.
"We are very grateful to the Port Authority for approving this agreement because many of our 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students rely upon public transportation to commute to and from campus or into the city for internships," said Chatham College President Esther L. Barazzone, Ph.D. "This will also greatly benefit our resident student population and provide them with safe and convenient transportation to explore Pittsburgh."
Also today, the Board approved an agreement with Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) that allows it to sell discounted Port Authority monthly passes to its students, faculty and staff. In exchange for a $5 discount per pass, CCAC will help market Port Authority transit services to its college community and sell passes at its Allegheny, West and South campuses. As such, students, faculty and staff will pay $55 for Zone 1 and $70 for Zone 2 passes.
Point Park University, Carlow College, Robert Morris University and Everest Institute (formerly Duff’s Business Institute) already operate as monthly pass outlets and offer various
incentives for students and staffs to use public transportation.
The agreements with Chatham College and CCAC are for a one-year period, with the option to extend the agreements for an additional four years.