This story was updated at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, June 9.
Looking for public transit in Pittsburgh?
Keep an eye out for slate blue signs and vehicles with yellow circles with the letters PRT for Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
That’s Port Authority's new name and slogan.
The transit agency announced the new approach at a news conference Thursday morning at the Gateway T station in Downtown Pittsburgh. The rebranding effort is designed to bring uniformity in color scheme, signs and transit stops to the system, making it easier for locals and outsiders alike to navigate their way around the area.
“We stand at the very beginning of a new era,” agency CEO Katharine Eagan Kelleman said. “We’ve rethought everything.”
In addition to the physical changes, the authority also is revamping its approach to customer service. Operators and other employees who deal with the public will go through training classes to improve their interaction with the public, beginning with new employees.
The rebranding process actually was developed more than two years ago by research firm Campos and branding agency Red House Communications under a $544,000 contract awarded in 2018. They talked with riders at transit stops and conducted a series of focus groups to see what riders expect from the transit system.
The plan was finished in early 2020 but was put on the shelf when the pandemic reached this area and decimated transit ridership. The plan was tweaked slightly, authority spokesman Adam Brandolph said, but the basic needs for clean, reliable and courteous service remained the same.
Initially, a few buses will be wrapped with the new logo and color scheme, but the program will roll out over an extended time to hold down the cost. The first new, fully branded buses will likely be available beginning in September, and schedules and many signs will change according to their regular schedule.
"You're not going to see everything change overnight," Mr. Brandolph said. "We're trying to be very efficient in our costs. But people are going to know the new brand — the new Port Authority."
The agency also will conduct a media campaign to promote its new name beginning later this month and lasting about two months, said chief communications officer Jim Ritchie. A follow-up will occur in the fall.
The authority had one of its rebranded buses on display Thursday outside the station on Liberty Avenue, and workers were changing the sign outside the station from Port Authority to Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
Ms. Kelleman said many people had suggested the agency return to it roots by adopting Pittsburgh Area Transit — similar to PAT, as it was known for many years — but she said the agency wanted to get away from any possible link to “port,” which suggests a water-based service.
The overall goal is to make transit easier to use, Ms. Kelleman said.
“People here are going places, and for many years, Port Authority has been the way they got there. We want people to use Pittsburgh Regional Transit, not because it’s the only option but because it’s the best option.”
Overall, the rebranding is expected to cost about $772,000.
Ed Blazina: eblazina@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1470 or on Twitter @EdBlazina.
First Published: June 9, 2022, 2:13 p.m.
Updated: June 9, 2022, 4:39 p.m.
