Port Authority Riders Frustrated With Delays And No-Shows

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Some Port Authority riders say they're being left behind, and it's a problem that's been going on for more than a year.

The Port Authority says driver shortages are fueling the problem. In some cases, buses are showing up late or not at all, and that's leading to a lot of frustrated riders.

"For me, it's very inconvenient cause then I'm running late for my second job," said rider Nick Pawloski.

Pawloski depends on Port Authority buses to get around, just as thousands of people across the area do. He also expects it to be on time and more so to show up, otherwise he could lose his job. But, at least twice a week, he says the bus is a no-show.

"It would be harder to make ends meet if I lost my job due to me being late for me not being able to control the situation. I'm not driving the bus."

The Port Authority admits that yes, sometimes, it does happen. Routes shut down last minute and they're unable to alert their riders, essentially stranding them or leaving them to wait long periods of time for another bus. To alleviate that, they encourage riders to check before leaving home to see if their trips have been pulled from service.

"We have social medial so through Twitter our customer service team lets people know as early and as in advance as possible," said Port Authority spokesperson Adam Brandolph.

But for some, that's hard to do. Not everyone has the internet or social media.

"I've had the bus show up late. I've had the bus pass me because it had too many people on it. I've had buses that didn't show up at all and they didn't put anyone else in that schedule," said rider Tulsa Harris.

Harris says she has to take two buses to get anywhere because of where she lives, so for her, it's paramount that her buses are on time.

Brandolph says he understands the riders' issues and blames the problem on a driver shortage, but wants riders to know it's starting to improve.

"The fact that we have a goal of 2 percent out of service really shows how much it means to us and the fact that we're hitting that goal even during a pandemic really shows how important it is to us and how seriously we take it," he said.

The Port Authority tells KDKA they are still hiring drivers.