Potential Increase In Passengers Anticipated For Port Authority And Pittsburgh International Airport
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - As Allegheny County and most surrounding counties enter their first full week in the governor's yellow phase, there are some changes coming to local transportation.
The Port Authority and Pittsburgh International Airport are all preparing as more people are expected to be leaving home.
Beginning Monday, more Port Authority busses will hit the streets, according to spokesman Adam Brandolph.
"We're bringing about 39 bus routes back to regular service," he said.
A full list of routes can be found here.
"Starting like last Friday, Thursday, I can definitely see the difference," passenger Todd Banks said at a downtown bus stop.
"I really like the bus service because it's convenient," passenger Daniel Daugherty said at an Oakland bus stop.
"I use it everyday," Banks said.
The safety measures already put into place by the Port Authority will still be in effect, including limiting the number of riders on each bus.
For each 35-foot vehicle, up to ten passengers are allowed on board, while up to 15 passengers are allowed on 45-foot vehicles, and up to 25 passengers are allowed on 60-foot vehicles.
The Port Authority is still asking passengers to wear masks, enter at the back of the bus and avoid using cash to pay for their ride.
Brandolph says the Port Authority bus cleaning schedules will also stay the same.
"We'll be disinfecting once every 24 hours," he said. "Every vehicle that goes out that's going to pick up passengers is going to be disinfected."
KDKA's Shelby Cassesse reports:
Pittsburgh International Airport is also preparing to gradually see more travelers.
Beginning Monday, anyone inside the airport is required to wear a mask, as part of the "PIT Travels Safe" initiative.
According to a release, the airport also plans to promote social distancing by installing signs on the floors and removing or repositioning furniture in common areas to keep people apart.
Pittsburgh International is also considered the first airport in the country to be rolling out self-driving robots that clean with ultraviolet light.
Katherine Karolick, senior vice president of Information Technology for Pittsburgh International, says the goal is to restore passenger confidence after the travel industry took a major hit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Masks will also be required at the Pittsburgh International Airport. The airport is considered to be the first to have self-driving robots to clean the floors with ultraviolet light.
"We've partnered with Carnegie Robotics for the last year, testing the autonomous scrubber," she said. "When the pandemic hits we're able to pivot and add the ultraviolet to it to get that even deeper clean."
The airport says they are also looking into contact-free technology for paying for food and parking.
