PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced Thursday that the upcoming University Line will feature all-door boarding when it begins service in 2027.
The new procedure is intended to speed up bus service, reduce delays at stops and ease sidewalk congestion.
The all-door boarding system will be implemented on 60-foot articulated buses serving the new bus rapid transit line. The project aims to provide more reliable service between Downtown, Uptown and Oakland through upgraded station infrastructure and rider amenities.
Riders will be able to pay fares by tapping mobile devices or transit cards at validators located at the front, middle and rear doors. Pittsburgh Regional Transit plans to install these additional validators at the middle and rear entrances before the line begins service. Passengers who pay with cash will still be required to enter through the front door.
The transit agency expects the new procedure to create more efficient boarding while reducing dwell times at stations. The system is also intended to decrease crowding on sidewalks near University Line stops. Accessibility features, including ramps and operator assistance, will remain available at the front door.
Agency officials addressed potential concerns about fare evasion by citing data from 2025. During that year, the fare evasion rate for the transit system was 6%. Pittsburgh Regional Transit noted this figure is lower than rates reported by transit systems in Philadelphia, N.Y., Wash. and San Francisco.
The University Line project is moving through several construction phases. Workers completed the Downtown Loop portion of the project in June 2025. Current work in the Uptown and Oakland sections is scheduled to conclude in 2027 to coincide with the launch of the new boarding system.
The University Line is scheduled to open in 2027. Pittsburgh Regional Transit will monitor the all-door boarding program after the launch and may adjust procedures if needed.
For the latest updates on the University Line, click here.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW