University Times

The University and Port Authority are continuing in negotiations on a new ridership agreement.

Under a five-year deal that expired July 31, the University paid $6.8 million for fiscal year 2012 in exchange for free rides on Port Authority vehicles in Allegheny County for Pittsburgh campus ID holders.

The agreement was extended through Aug. 31, but no additional extension had been announced, nor had a new ridership agreement been reached as the University Times went to press on Wednesday.

John Fedele, Pitt’s associate director of News, told the University Times: “In the event (an agreement) is not reached before the end of the month, we would hope to extend the current arrangement while negotiations continue.”

Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said, “We’re still talking,” but added that the transit authority would have no comment until a new agreement was completed.

He did, however, confirm that after Aug. 31 Pitt ID holders will continue to be able to ride as they have. “Everyone’s going to get to use their passes,” he said, adding that the Port Authority can opt to honor the IDs.

The University’s fare-free ride program has been in place since 1997, paid for by a $90 per term Pittsburgh campus student security, safety and transportation fee and funds from the Office of Parking, Transportation and Services’ auxiliary operations budget.

In previous agreements, Pitt’s payments were based on ridership as recorded manually by Port Authority drivers. Under the manual system, Pitt ID holders accounted for some 6 million rides each year on the Port Authority system.

A smart card system now in place was touted as a more accurate way of counting rides. Pitt ID holders tap their cards on the fare box, reducing human error and the use of invalid cards.

No figures were available for Pitt ridership under the smart card system, which was launched last August and fully implemented April 1.

—Kimberly K. Barlow