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Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Pittsburgh Regional Transit's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 30 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 10 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:04/22/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I arrived at the bus stop on wood st & 5th Ave at 8:14 am to catch the 48 to Arlington no bus arrived to go to Arlington until 9:15 am what happened??Business Response
Date: 05/13/2024
Dear M** ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about April 22, 2024.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
I arrived at the bus stop on wood st & 5th Ave at 8:15 am to catch the 48 to
Arlington no bus arrived to go to Arlington until 9:15 am what happened??Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.Below are PRT’s findings:
PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) was asked to investigate the
customer’s complaint. If a customer contacts Customer Service (by calling 412-442-2000
weekdays from 6:00 am to 7:00 am, or weekends or holidays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm) depending
on the context of the issue the customer is concerned about, Customer Service may be able to
redirect the customer to alternatives which may allow the customer to arrive at their original
destination, or at least provide the customer with resources that will help the customer avoid future
negative experiences.
In this case, Customer Service was unable to uncover any record of a previous contact with
the customer and, in fact, was not notified of the customer’s negative experience until a day after
it occurred via the instant Complaint; and therefore, Customer Service’s ability to attempt to
address the customer’s concerns in this circumstance was extremely limited, and it was unable to
attempt to timely respond to the customer’s concerns in response to this complaint.PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”) also investigated the
circumstances of the customer’s complaint. PRT’s only current stop located on a block abutting
the intersection of Wood Street and Fifth Avenue is bus stop number ****; therefore, Operations
determined that this is the stop the customer referred to as the bus stop at Wood Street and Fifth
Avenue. According to PRT’s bus racking systems, the bus scheduled to serve the 48 route arrived
at bus stop number **** at 8:12 am and discharged multiple passengers. Therefore, the bus
scheduled to serve the 8:15 am route was not delayed, but rather arrived at bus stop number ****
slightly earlier than the scheduled time, and the bus that arrived at stop **** at 9:15 am was the
regularly scheduled bus at that stop for that time.If this situation recurs the customer is strongly urged to call Customer Service as soon as
possible at 412-442-2000 (Weekdays 6 am – 7 pm; weekends and holidays 8 am – 4:30 pm). Any
communication with Customer Service regarding the issues addressed in this response should
include: (1) the identifying number of the bus stop where the delay was experienced; (2) the date
and time the delay occurred; and (3) the route served by the delayed bus. Additionally, the
customer is advised to routinely check PRT’s profile on X (the social media platform formally
known as “Twitter”), subscribe to text and email alerts on PRT’s website
(**************************************************************************), or use PRT’s mobile
platform Ready2Ride to receive the most timely updates on bus service and changes to bus service.
PRT regrets that the customer was unable to use transit as planned and hopes this response
will help the customer avoid future difficulties.
Very truly yours,Eric *. M****
Initial Complaint
Date:03/19/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Pittsburgh regional transit is run by incompetent people. My bus was 20 min late yesterday (58, 3pm, to Oakland), 20 min late today (65, 9:15, to downtown). I called them multiple times over the years: my bus wouldn't stop for me, was late, was early. GPS would dissappear so you couldn't tell where the bus. Once I had to direct driver how to go because he didn't know the route. They'll file a complaint if I push, I'd leave my name and phone, never got a call back. We need completely new management, otherwise it's just public money going down the drain.Business Response
Date: 04/05/2024
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about March 19, 2024.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
Pittsburgh regional transit is run by incompetent people. My bus was 20 min
late yesterday (58, 3pm, to Oakland), 20 min late today (65, 9:15, to
downtown). I called them multiple times over the years: my bus wouldn't stop
for me, was late, was early. GPS would dissappear so you couldn't tell where
the bus. Once I had to direct driver how to go because he didn't know the
route. They'll file a complaint if I push, I'd leave my name and phone, never
got a call back. We need completely new management, otherwise it's just
public money going down the drain.
Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.Below are PRT’s findings:
Although the customer omitted what bus tracking technology they experienced difficulties
using, PRT’s Department of Intelligent Transportation (“Transportation”) investigated the
customer’s claim that the bus tracking technology they used occasionally omitted the global
positioning system (GPS) coordinates of buses serving the 58 or 65 routes. PRT’s buses
communicate their location to third-party applications through onboard equipment that relays the
location information at a standard interval of time. To the extent the customer has experienced
buses “disappearing” from a third-party applications’ map, it may be due to issues outside of PRT’s
control. For example, a delay of up to two (2) minutes may occur between a bus’s transmission of
its GPS information and the display of the bus’s location on the map of a third-party application
due to the latency of the transmission. Hardware malfunctions, or geographical obstructions
impeding the transmission of information from a bus may also cause a bus to “disappear” from a
third-party application’s map. Transportation could not provide more information about the
circumstances of the customer’s complaint or take corrective action without knowing the bus stop
where the customer experienced their problem or the specific dates when the issue occurred.Although the customer did not include the specific bus stop where they have been
experiencing delays of buses serving the 58 and 65 routes, PRT’s Operations Management
Personnel (“Operations”) were able to uncover some additional information about the delays the
customer experienced.Operations investigated the customer’s concerns regarding the timeliness of a bus serving
the 58 Route around 3:00 pm on March 18, 2024, and the timeliness of a bus serving the 65 Route
on March 19, 2024. Operations found that the bus serving Route 58 on March 18, 2024, was
delayed by approximately thirteen (13) minutes over the entire span of its service to Route 58 on
that date. Operations also found that the bus serving Route 65 at an unspecified time on March 19,
2024, was delayed by approximately ten (10) minutes over the entire span of its service to Route
65 on that date.PRT strives to minimize the effect of unpredictable delays in service; however, in this
instance, Operations confirmed that both delays above were caused by circumstances beyond
PRT’s control (i.e., delay due to changing traffic conditions during the training of a student
operator and delay necessary to address an operator’s unexpected medical issue.) Additionally,
there is no way to know whether the overall delay in service to Routes 58 and 65 affected the
customer without knowing the bus stops where the customer experienced the delays. Therefore,
Operations is unable to provide more information about the circumstances of the customer’s
complaint or attempt to take further corrective action.PRT’s Department of Customer Service (“Customer Service”) investigated the customer’s
complaint concurrently with Operations to help uncover as much information as possible to
address the customer’s complaint. Customer Service found evidence of a single complaint filed
by the customer on October 23, 2023, regarding an asserted delay of a bus serving the 65 Route—
records show the complaint was investigated and resolved. No evidence of any additional
complaints registered directly with PRT by the customer was found. Therefore, Customer Service
was unable to investigate the circumstances of the customer’s complaint further or attempt to take
any additional corrective action.The customer noted that individual operators may have previously expressed their
willingness to file complaints with Customer Service on behalf of the customer. Operators may
choose to go beyond their primary job duties to address a customer’s concern with PRT’s services;
however, operators are ultimately not responsible for submitting complaints to Customer Service,
and operators may justifiably prioritize tasks within the scope of their job duties – which are
focused on safe operation of the bus they are operating and the safety of patrons while onboard
and entering and existing that bus – rather than logging and submitting a complaint to Customer
Service on behalf of a customer.In the future, the customer is advised to submit their concerns with PRT’s service directly
to PRT by calling Customer Service (412-442-2000 – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and
holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM). Customer Service is best positioned to help the customer to address
any future concerns with PRT’s service. Any communication with Customer Service regarding
the issue addressed in this response should include: (1) the name or identifying number of the bus
stop where the delay was experienced; (2) the date and time the delay occurred; and (3) the route
served by the delayed bus.Very truly yours,
Eric *. M****
Initial Complaint
Date:12/27/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
12/26/2023 I bought a 1 day pass for $7.00 & attempted to take the 6:33 am 28X outbound at stop 1125 at the corner of seventh &Smithfield. At the time I was at the stop there was a Hispanic man standing there with all black on & a black Nike sweatshirt. I saw the bus was supposed to be arriving on the tracker but it never showed up, so I decided to wait to see maybe the tracker was wrong & when I looked behind me the guy in the all black was gone. I continued to wait & started to get the feeling ONCE AGAIN Prt is trying to rob me thinking I was using a regular bus pass where I pay $2.75 every 3 hours to ride & not a 1 day unlimited rides pass, so I checked the bus tracker to see if the bus was closer to the airport, because if so then it DEFINITELY passed me by, so I checked the true time to see if the bus was by west Carson street & sure enough the bus was 2 minutes away from west Carson & then I knew that bus purposefully passed by my stop, so that I wouldn’t make my bus on time, & be forced to pay more. So to make sure it didn’t happen again I walked to the closest stop on liberty ave, stop 15266, & sure enough the Hispanic guy in the all black with the black Nike sweatshirt was at the the stop, waiting for that same 28x. Now it’s getting bad, because PRT is targeting me as a cash cow ready for the milking they are also having other ppl waiting with me missing their bus and being late for work, forcing them to pay more too! I have made so many complaints about PRT but this was the stick that broke the camels back because PRT purposefully trying to make me suffer now has other customers suffering too and I made complaint 113484 to PRT. When PRT contacts the bbb back, I want them to submit the pics of who was at from stop 1125 around 6:30 am then submit the pictures of the passengers that boarded the next 28X that showed up around 7 am at stop 15266 and it will show both me and that same man from stop 1125 boarding the bus because we were both refused service!Business Response
Date: 01/17/2024
Dear Ms. ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about December 27, 2023.PRT takes each Better Business Bureau complaint seriously and expends considerable
resources to investigate and respond appropriately, and when justified, PRT will make operational
changes and/or address employee conduct.Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint, PRT assessed whether the circumstances of
this complaint asserted an issue with PRT’s service that warranted a comprehensive response or
whether the issues raised in the complaint were previously addressed by PRT’s responses to this
customer’s ten (10) previous Better Business Bureau complaints all filed within the past two and
a half years. PRT has determined that the issues in this complaint did not assert an issue with PRT’s
service that warrants a comprehensive response.The customer is reminded that PRT’s Customer Service Department (************ –
Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for
the customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. The customer is strongly encouraged
to communicate directly with PRT’s Customer Service Department, which is best equipped to
investigate and respond to the customer’s issues.Very truly yours,
/s/ Eric *. M****
Customer Answer
Date: 01/21/2024
Better Business Bureau
i completely reject this response because it doesn’t address whatsoever why the bus driver would intentionally pass up a & refuse to provide services to a black woman and a Latino man in the morning while ppl are trying to get to work. Every time I take the 28X now I make sure I stand on liberty abe b/c I know the liberty ave stops are not going to be skipped, and that’s a shame. When you pay your bus fare to PRT it’s a contract I pay you for your services of being picked up at a PRT bus stop and taken to another PRT bus stop. If the bus is not picking up ppl at the designated bus stops YOU ALL ARE STEALING especially from minorities like me and that Latino man, and I’m so tired of it. It’s not weird that the same person repeatedly gets passed up by buses and refused to be let on buses. ITS NOT ME ITS PRT, if you all would get it together I wouldn’t have to tell the BBB which I do to gather all the documentation necessary to hopefully 1 day confront this company in front of the media regarding their deceptive business practices, you will never get another government grant in your life once it goes public you refuse service to blacks & Latinos.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
*** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
Regards,
**** *****Initial Complaint
Date:12/02/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I work for upmc I usually catch the the last 61c of the night at 1:33am at forbes avenue / jumonville but I got on the wrong bus the 61a got off at 1700 Murry ave at the right aid the 61A drop me off at 1:10am i've seen all the other busses come passed asked every other pittsburgh regional transit driver where the the 61c is they said it was coming never showed up i waited for over 1hour the 61c never showed i waited for the 1:14am 61c never showed 1:43am 61c never showed i would like a refund of $40 do to both busses never showing up I was forced to use uber never got picked up by uber until 2:28am required payment to uber was less do to surge pricing going down at pick upBusiness Response
Date: 12/22/2023
Dear Ms. ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about December 2, 2023.
The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
I work for upmc I usually catch the the last 61c of the night at 1:33am at forbes
avenue / jumonville but I got on the wrong bus the 61a got off at 1700 Murry ave
at the right aid the 61A drop me off at 1:10am i've seen all the other busses come
passed asked every other pittsburgh regional transit driver where the the 61c is
they said it was coming never showed up i waited for over 1hour the 61c never
showed i waited for the 1:14am 61c never showed 1:43am 61c never showed i
would like a refund of $40 do to both busses never showing up I was forced to use
uber never got picked up by uber until 2:28am required payment to uber was less
do to surge pricing going down at pick up
Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s complaint. Below are PRT’s findings:
PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”) investigated the circumstances
of the customer’s complaint. Operations’ investigation revealed that manpower shortages required
the cancellation of the bus service necessary for the passenger to utilize the 61C route at the
customer’s desired time and from the customer’s desired bus stop. Unfortunately, PRT, like other
public transit agencies across the nation, is still being adversely impacted by post-pandemic
staffing shortages, and as a result, PRT has had situations when a regularly assigned operator is
off where there are no qualified operators on the subject route available to operate the service in a
back-up capacity. However, PRT continues aggressively recruiting new operators and proactively
reviewing and adjusting its schedules and services, subject to certain work rules per the collective
bargaining agreement with the labor union that represented PRT operators, to best align with its
anticipated operator levels. PRT bus service will often be subject to fluctuations or cancellations
due to unpredictable road conditions, staffing challenges, and other factors. The website
*********************************** and the mobile phone application “**********” are the best
ways to obtain the most current arrival times for each bus stop. The customer is encouraged to
consult and actively utilize these resources for trip planning purposes.
PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) found no records of any
communications with the customer. Per long-standing policy, PRT does not refund third-party
transportation expenses, which include money spent on ride-share services, so PRT cannot refund
the costs reflected by the receipts the customer submitted. If the customer encounters any further
issues the customer is advised to contact Customer Service (************ – Weekdays 6 AM – 7
PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) because this remains the best resource for the
customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. Customer Service may also be able to
provide helpful information regarding the customer’s issues or resolutions to the customer’s issues
if contacted.
PRT regrets that the customer could not utilize PRT’s bus service as intended; however,
PRT appreciates the customer’s input.
Very truly yours,
Eric *. M****Initial Complaint
Date:11/09/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Prt of allegheny county has unreliable service. I have made numerous calls to their customer service about the P69 or P76 not appearing or running over 8 minutes late DAILY. I've explained I have a child I must pick up on time and I'm being charged a dollar per minute and if it accuses I could lose childcare or have cyf called for neglect. The people watching my child were trying to be understanding but let my child go due to it happening too many times between June 2023 and September, their conplaint was valid they close at a specific time and I was getting into Wilmerding or.north versailles after 6p.m. I take the bus because I was involved in a car accident and don't want to drive into downtown Pittsburgh from where I live. It's hard to stand not knowing if the bus is coming or not. It's tough finding childcare when I had the perfect set up behind prt not being accountable. I've made complaints and they were never properly followed up. A representative will call and say hey sorry that happend ill.forward this to the proper people. Or a general message from their email. No response. Those buses can not run on time in the afternoon then take them.off the road or put an extra bus on there but to have two buses from two different garages not services the area in it entirely is a disgrace.Business Response
Date: 11/29/2023
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about November 9, 2023.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
Prt of allegheny county has unreliable service. I have made numerous calls to
their customer service about the P69 or P76 not appearing or running over 8
minutes late DAILY. I've explained I have a child I must pick up on time and
I'm being charged a dollar per minute and if it accuses I could lose childcare
or have cyf called for neglect. The people watching my child were trying to be
understanding but let my child go due to it happening too many times between
June 2023 and September, their conplaint was valid they close at a specific
time and I was getting into Wilmerding or.north versailles after 6p.m. I take the
bus because I was involved in a car accident and don't want to drive into
downtown Pittsburgh from where I live. It's hard to stand not knowing if the bus
is coming or not. It's tough finding childcare when I had the perfect set up
behind prt not being accountable. I've made complaints and they were never
properly followed up. A representative will call and say hey sorry that happend
ill.forward this to the proper people. Or a general message from their email. No
response. Those buses can not run on time in the afternoon then take them.off
the road or put an extra bus on there but to have two buses from two different
garages not services the area in it entirely is a disgrace.Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT. Below are PRT’s findings:PRT’s Customer Service Department (“Customer Service”) retrieved its records of all the
customer’s communications with Customer Service regarding the asserted delays of buses serving
the P69 and P76 routes. The customer communicated with Customer Service three times:(1) On June 13, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and complained that two
buses—including a bus serving the P76 route—were delayed;(2) On October 17, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and complained that
multiple buses—including a bus serving the P69 route—were delayed; and(3) On November 7, 2023, the customer contacted Customer Service and claimed that two
buses serving unspecified routes were delayed.Customer Service records show that PRT closed the customer’s June 13, 2023, complaint
after conducting an investigation. Customer Service records further indicate that, in this instance,
the bus serving the P69 route arrived five minutes after the scheduled arrival time. Under PRT
policy, which factors in the often unpredictable nature of vehicular traffic, a bus is considered to
have arrived “on-time” if it arrives between one minute early and five minutes late. Finding that
no PRT policy violation occurred, PRT closed the complaint.Customer Service records also show that PRT investigated the circumstances surrounding
the customer’s October 17, 2023, communication. Customer Service determined that the delay
the customer experienced occurred due to traffic conditions beyond PRT’s control and followed
up with the customer to notify them of these findings. PRT then closed this complaint.Finally, the circumstances of the customer’s November 7, 2023, communication with
Customer Service were not investigated further because, based on the information the customer
provided, Customer Service was unable to identify the allegedly delayed bus. Customer Service
closed the complaint due to insufficient information provided.The records of the customer’s previous communications with Customer Service were also
provided to PRT’s Operation’s Management Personnel (“Operations”).Operations’ investigation of the customer’s June 13, 2023, communication with Customer
Service confirmed Customer Service’s finding that the bus serving the P76 route arrived no more
than five minutes after the scheduled arrival time.Operations was unable to investigate the circumstances surrounding the customer’s other
communications with Customer Service due to the customer’s omission of the date and time each
delay occurred and the specific bus stop where each delay occurred. However, PRT’s Planning
and Service Development Department confirmed that the majority of the buses servicing the P69and P76 routes between June and September of 2023 arrived on time. It should also be noted that
PRT continually monitors its on-time performance including reviewing its routing and service
needs and adjusting routing and staffing to maintain and improve service as necessary, subject to
contractual rules and limitations for doing so under the collective bargaining agreement PRT hasin place with the labor union representing its bus operators
PRT regrets that the customer was unable to utilize PRT’s bus service as intended;
however, PRT appreciates the customer’s input. PRT bus service will oftenbe subject to
fluctuations due to unpredictable road conditions, staffing challenges, and other factors. The
website *********************************** and the mobile phone application “Ready2Ride” are
the best ways to obtain the most current arrival times for each bus stop. The customer is encouraged
to consult and actively utilize these resources.A call to Customer Service (************ – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and
holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for the customer to address future concerns
with PRT’s service. Any communication with Customer Service regarding the issue addressed in
this response should include: (1) the name or identifying number of the bus stop where the delay
was experienced; (2) the date and time the delay occurred; (3) the route served by the delayed bus;
and (4) the four digit bus number (visible on both the exterior and interior of all PRT’s buses) for
the delayed bus where the patron waits for and board the bus at a later time than it was originally
scheduled to arrive.Very truly yours,
Eric S. M****Initial Complaint
Date:10/10/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
10/10/2023 around 2:10 pm I took the P1 from the Smithfield stop to east liberty busway to stop at the target on penn avenue before I boarded the P68 that was due to leave east liberty at 3:38 pm. While on the P1 outbound I saw the P68 coming inbound and I started tracking its true time till it got to east liberty busway to see if I had time to stop at target which I did, it said it would be there in 10 minutes.The whole time I was in target I was tracking the bus and as I left target at exactly 2:36 pm (time shown on receipt) the tracker told me the bus would be there in 3 minutes. The east liberty busway is right next to a fitness studio called solidcore which I used as a reference point and you can see on the map the walk from target to their is 2 mins. I walked very fast almost jogged to my stop and started counting down on the tracker when it would arrive. When it finally said approaching a couple buses that said “east liberty garage” rode past and at the time I didn’t think much of it, till my bus didn’t come and I realized the driver of the P68 changed his sign banner to say “east liberty garage” instead of “P68” so that I wouldn’t be able to make my connecting bus and I would have to pay extra because $2.75 only pays for 3 hours of transportation, this is stealing, PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT STEALS! At 1:40 bus is no longer on tracker b/c it passed & I called prt and spoke to Janice (ref # 109661) who told me the p68 leaves downtown at 2:12 pm WHICH IS A BOLD FACE LIE BECAUSE I WAS JUST DOWNTOWN! PRT’s mission statement is to provide reliable transit but there is nothing reliable when drivers are changing their bus banners so customers miss their connecting buses AND the call agents are giving the wrong times, I have the schedule right in front of me. I need to know I’m not going to be robbed anymore, I’m known to have an emergency savings so when I come out prt wants to drain it and that’s not right!Business Response
Date: 10/30/2023
Dear M** ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about October 10, 2023.PRT takes each Better Business Bureau complaint seriously and expends considerable
resources to investigate and respond appropriately, and when justified, PRT will make operational
changes and/or address employee conduct.Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint, PRT assessed whether the circumstances of
this complaint were novel and warranted further investigation or whether the issues raised in the
complaint were previously addressed by PRT’s responses to this customer’s nine (9) previous
Better Business Bureau complaints all filed within the past two and a half years. It should also be
noted that the customer has filed three (3) complaints just in the month of October 2023. PRT has
determined that the issues in this complaint are not novel and have been previously addressed in
prior responses and that therefore no additional investigation or response is warranted.
The customer is reminded that PRT’s Customer Service Department (************ –
Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the best resource for
the customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service. The customer is strongly encouraged
to communicate directly with PRT’s Customer Service Department, which is best equipped to
investigate and respond to the customer’s issues, versus continuing to file numerous and often
repetitive complaints with the Better Business Bureau.Very truly yours,
Eric *. M****, EsquireInitial Complaint
Date:10/03/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
To ride the bus in Pgh you pay $2.75 and you get to transfer to as many buses as you want for 3 hours. On Monday October 3, 2023 I took the 67 from monroeville and got to the busway by the beer distributor around 5 pm. I walked over to the side of the busway near the fire station and I saw several buses lined up AT THE BUSWAY coming down the ramp. I was looking at the bus numbers and saw the bus I wanted to take the P78 outbound and walked over to the drivers door to open it, AND HE SHOOK HIS HEAD NO! His front door wasn’t sitting directly at the bus stop but he was not on the street yet, HE WAS AT THE BUSWAY AND WOULDNT LET ME ON! I was so shocked I’m sure he could see it on my face and then he opened the door. I am so offended. First, once again I feel like PRT is robbing customers. They know there is only a 3 hour window and once it expires I would have to pay another $2.75 so of course they want people to miss their buses so thry can make more money. Second, this bus stop is in kind of a bad neighborhood people pissing in the street smoking weed. I’m sure PRT will pull up the footage and see that I’m a very pretty girl dressed in nice trendy clothes, why would any man want to leave a woman in such a compromising situation. Third, these drivers have 1 job that they don’t want to do because the more people the let on the more people they have to let off, and that’s a lot of starting and stopping. I want to be contacted about this not only as a paying customer whose tired of being robbed but also because I’m a really pretty girl, how misogynistic to not want to let me on the bus. I just can’t wrap my head around why any man would refuse to do his job to force a woman to be in danger, and we’re both black so it can’t be racism.PRT complaint #******Business Response
Date: 10/23/2023
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about October 3, 2023.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
To ride the bus in Pgh you pay $2.75 and you get to transfer to as many
buses as you want for 3 hours. On Monday October 3, 2023 I took the 67
from monroeville and got to the busway by the beer distributor around 5
pm. I walked over to the side of the busway near the fire station and I saw
several buses lined up AT THE BUSWAY coming down the ramp. I was
looking at the bus numbers and saw the bus I wanted to take the P78
outbound and walked over to the drivers door to open it, AND HE SHOOK
HIS HEAD NO! His front door wasn’t sitting directly at the bus stop but he
was not on the street yet, HE WAS AT THE BUSWAY AND WOULDNT LET
ME ON! I was so shocked I’m sure he could see it on my face and then he
opened the door. I am so offended. First, once again I feel like PRT is
robbing customers. They know there is only a 3 hour window and once it
expires I would have to pay another $2.75 so of course they want people to
miss their buses so thry can make more money. Second, this bus stop is in
kind of a bad neighborhood people pissing in the street smoking weed. I’m
sure PRT will pull up the footage and see that I’m a very pretty girl dressed
in nice trendy clothes, why would any man want to leave a woman in such
a compromising situation. Third, these drivers have 1 job that they don’t
want to do because the more people the let on the more people they have to
let off, and that’s a lot of starting and stopping. I want to be contacted about
this not only as a paying customer whose tired of being robbed but also
because I’m a really pretty girl, how misogynistic to not want to let me on
the bus. I just can’t wrap my head around why any man would refuse to do
his job to force a woman to be in danger, and we’re both black so it can’t
be racism. PRT complaint #******Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contact with PRT.Below are the findings of PRT’s investigation:
PRT conducted a search of its records and retrieved a customer service record of a call
from the customer which occurred on October 3, 2023. To summarize the call, it relayed similar
issues as those addressed by this complaint (i.e. that an Operator for a bus serving Route P78
refused to allow the customer to board the bus while it was stopped at an intersection near, but not
at, the East Busway and Hay Street Ramp Outbound Shelter bus stop).Thereafter, surveillance video footage of the incident the customer reported was reviewed.
The video indicated that the Operator, while the bus was stationary at an intersection at a
significant distance from the East Busway and Hay Street Ramp Outbound Shelter stop, initially
declined to open the bus door, but eventually opened the bus door and admitted the customer onto
the bus. The video also clearly showed that a different bus was directly in front of the East Busway
and Hay Street Outbound Shelter bus stop.PRT policy requires Operators to stop and allow passengers onto the bus only if the
passengers are located at a bus stop and the bus is making a scheduled stop at the section of the
road adjacent to the bus stop. This policy is intended to prevent passengers from causing a safety
risk for themselves and others by pursuing buses into active lanes of traffic or causing buses to
stop in unsafe locations, and it is intended to ensure safe and efficient fixed route bus services as
allowing passengers to board whenever and wherever they choose to would be unsafe and
practically unmanageable. In this case, the bus was paused at an intersection close to the East
Busway and Hay Street Ramp Outbound Shelter stop, which was being serviced by another bus.
Under current PRT policy, Operators are not required to allow passengers to board in this situation.
However, Operators may exercise their discretion to make a courtesy stop to accommodate
passengers if they deem it safe to do so, and the operator did so in this case; but they are not
required to. The Operator fully complied with PRT policy by initially declining to allow the
customer onto the bus since she was not at the bus stop as she herself stated in her complaint, but
ultimately, the Operator extended her a courtesy and allowed her to nevertheless board the bus.PRT has investigated the complaint and regrets that the customer’s expectations were not
met, however, PRT’s Operator complied with PRT policy in this instance, and the customer’s
apparent position that customers should be able to board buses wherever they choose versus as
designated bus stops is unsafe and practically unmanageable.Customer Answer
Date: 10/24/2023
Better Business Bureau:
This is a some complete BS. Any time I make a BBB complaint prt will include pictures and I want to see the pictures hat proves that this bus was a significant distance from the actual bus stop BECAUSE WE BOTH KNOW THATS A COMPLETE LIE! I was at the bus way standing right across from the bench that sits to the right of the pole that has the actual “bus stop” sign and to the left of the intersection of the bus way and hay street. I WAS AT THE BUSWAY SHOW THEM THE PICTURE OS WHERE I WAS STANDING AND LETS SEE HOW SIGNIFICANT THE DISTANCE WAS FROM THE ACTUAL BUS STOP! No apology nothing, just excuses and this keeps happening to me every time! I see buses all the time letting homeless people and degenerates on in the middle of the street but when a beautiful sexy well dressed woman doesn’t get let on the bus while standing 5 feet away from the bus stop The driver is “doing his job” THATS SOME STRAIGHT BS!!!!!!
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
*** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
Regards,
**** *****Initial Complaint
Date:09/10/2023
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
The incident occured on Saturday, Sept 9. Between 11:56 and 12:30. Aboard a PRT bus, 55M from the north Versailles Wal Mart to Clairton. I boarded the bus without incident. Then as the bus was heading to my destination a young heavy set woman boards the bus and starts fumbling to get a dollar bill into the fare box. Then the woman remains in front of the fare box and engages in a conversation with the driver (a young black woman with short hair.) The heavy set woman remains in front of the fare box while talking to the driver. The bus drives all the way to Clairton while this woman stays in that spot and does not take a seat. Then the bus approaches my stop. I get up and try to get off, but the heavy set woman steps to one side and a couple of other people board the bus. There was no room for me to walk past these people and the heavy set woman, so I had to wait. Then the bus starts to drive off. I call for the driver to stop. That's when the driver became enraged and made the statement, seriously? Everybody else got off the f***ing bus! I calmly explained to the driver that I tried to get off, but there was no room for me to get by. The driver repeats her vulgar comment, everybody else got off the f***ing bus! Not wishing to escalate the situation I said nothing else as I exited the bus. A couple of other people at the bus stop heard the exchange and stated that the driver was extremely rude. I have been riding the bus for years and this had to be the most ignorant and unprofessional behavior that I have ever gotten from a PRT driver. In such a situation other drivers vers would tell people wanting to board the bus to hold off until people got off. The driver felt the need to give me a vulgar response to make up for not doing her job. And the heavy set woman standing in front of the fare box during the trip could have been a safety issue. If the driver had told her to take a seat none of this would have happened. I was very insulted by this drivers behavior.Business Response
Date: 09/29/2023
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about September 10, 2023.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
The incident occured on Saturday, Sept 9. Between 11:56 and 12:30.
Aboard a PRT bus, 55M from the north Versailles Wal Mart to Clairton. I
boarded the bus without incident. Then as the bus was heading to my
destination a young heavy set woman boards the bus and starts fumbling to
get a dollar bill into the fare box. Then the woman remains in front of the
fare box and engages in a conversation with the driver (a young black
woman with short hair.) The heavy set woman remains in front of the fare
box while talking to the driver. The bus drives all the way to Clairton while
this woman stays in that spot and does not take a seat. Then the bus
approaches my stop. I get up and try to get off, but the heavy set woman
steps to one side and a couple of other people board the bus. There was no
room for me to walk past these people and the heavy set woman, so I had to
wait. Then the bus starts to drive off. I call for the driver to stop. That's
when the driver became enraged and made the statement, seriously?
Everybody else got off the f***ing bus! I calmly explained to the driver that
I tried to get off, but there was no room for me to get by. The driver repeats
her vulgar comment, everybody else got off the f***ing bus! Not wishing to
escalate the situation I said nothing else as I exited the bus. A couple of
other people at the bus stop heard the exchange and stated that the driver
was extremely rude. I have been riding the bus for years and this had to be
the most ignorant and unprofessional behavior that I have ever gotten from
a PRT driver. In such a situation other drivers vers [sic] would tell people
wanting to board the bus to hold off until people got off. The driver felt the
need to give me a vulgar response to make up for not doing her job. And the
heavy set woman standing in front of the fare box during the trip could have
been a safety issue. If the driver had told her to take a seat none of this
would have happened. I was very insulted by this drivers behavior.Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contacts with PRT. Below are PRT’s findings:PRT’s Customer Service department retrieved a record of the customer’s contact with a
customer service representative, which occurred at or about 3:10 PM on September 9, 2023. The
customer noted concerns similar to those raised above.Thereafter, surveillance video footage of the incident the customer reported which occurred
on bus **** at or about 12:41 PM on September 9, 2023, was reviewed. The surveillance video
did not contain an audio component; however, it did depict that the customer encountered some
difficulty getting past other patrons including the person described in the customer’s complaint, to
exit the bus, and it appears that some words were exchanged between the customer and the
operator.The above information was directed to Operation’s Management Personnel, and, after
conducting further investigation, appropriate action will be taken to ensure that the high standard
for the courtesy PRT operators are expected to extend to patrons is upheld.PRT regrets that the customer was unable to utilize PRT’s bus service as intended;
however, PRT appreciates the customer’s input, which can be drawn upon to help PRT advance
its goal of providing courteous, efficient services. A call to PRT’s Customer Service Department
(###-###-#### – Weekdays 6 AM – 7 PM; weekends and holidays 8 AM – 4:30 PM) remains the
best resource for the customer to address future concerns with PRT’s service.Very truly yours,
Eric *. M****, EsquireInitial Complaint
Date:08/02/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
3/18 #**** 7:11 AM 71B highland park via Oakland and Shadyside hospital. Said I have a disability and need him to wait for me to sit down and repeated myself. He told me to hold onto something while continuing to drive which is against city bus policy. Driver refused to stop until I got seated upon request. He just kept driving after asking him to wait until I get seated for disabilities and he said while continuing to drive I could hold on to something but they are required to stop upon request until I'm safely seated but my disabilities involve that my shoulders dislocate extremely easily so I actually can't grab on to something because it could pull out of socket [even with little force on a slow vehicle] and I have multiple balance disorders so I need the stability of a steady vehicle to safely make it to the bus seat. I could've fallen and he heard me loud and clear and deliberately decided to continue moving the vehicle and make a backhanded comment back to me presumptive of my capabilities; my disabilities are invisible--recklessly dangerous. 3/26 7:43 AM Same driver as prior of 71B 71D bus# **** Hamilton via Oakland Shadyside-5th Ave pulled me aside to speak said he spoke to his boss and said he is hardly moving if I would just hold on 11:05 AM 8/2 **** 75 ellsworth at 5th & McKee driver wouldn't lower ramp for me with a heavy suitcase said it is for wheelchairs and I had to tell him I have a shoulder issue to get him to put it down and that he is legally required to drop the ramp on request and I'm not supposed to be required to disclose disabilities and then finally he dropped the ramp begrudgingly and then even after that when I got on, then said it was half inch onto the bus and complained about ramp that I should have just been able to lift it. Didn't want me to pay on the way on so he could close the ramp. I couldn't stand up to pay during the ride due to disability, but I rode the bus and paid when I got off 10 min later anyway. Many other examples.Business Response
Date: 08/22/2023
Dear *** ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about August 2, 2023.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
3/18 #**** 7:11 AM 71B highland park via Oakland and Shadyside
hospital. Said I have a disability and need him to wait for me to sit down
and repeated myself. He told me to hold onto something while continuing to
drive which is against city bus policy. Driver refused to stop until I got
seated upon request. He just kept driving after asking him to wait until I get
seated for disabilities and he said while continuing to drive I could hold on
to something but they are required to stop upon request until I'm safely
seated but my disabilities involve that my shoulders dislocate extremely
easily so I actually can't grab on to something because it could pull out of
socket [even with little force on a slow vehicle] and I have multiple balance
disorders so I need the stability of a steady vehicle to safely make it to the
bus seat. I could've fallen and he heard me loud and clear and deliberately
decided to continue moving the vehicle and make a backhanded comment
back to me presumptive of my capabilities; my disabilities are invisible--
recklessly dangerous. 3/26 7:43 AM Same driver as prior of 71B 71D bus#
**** Hamilton via Oakland Shadyside-5th Ave pulled me aside to speak
said he spoke to his boss and said he is hardly moving if I would just hold
on 11:05 AM 8/2 **** 75 ellsworth at 5th & McKee driver wouldn't lower
ramp for me with a heavy suitcase said it is for wheelchairs and I had to tell
him I have a shoulder issue to get him to put it down and that he is legally
required to drop the ramp on request and I'm not supposed to be required
to disclose disabilities and then finally he dropped the ramp begrudgingly
and then even after that when I got on, then said it was half inch onto the
bus and complained about ramp that I should have just been able to lift it.
Didn't want me to pay on the way on so he could close the ramp. I couldn't
stand up to pay during the ride due to disability, but I rode the bus and paid
when I got off 10 min later anyway. Many other examples.Desired Settlement:
Pgh regional transit doesn't address these issues adequately in their
training or correctly address complaints. I don't solely want an apology or
to be acknowledged that this is wrong but I also want much, much better
training and complaint resolution.Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
investigated the circumstances of the customer’s contacts with PRT. Below are PRT’s findings:Customer Service’s investigation revealed records of complaints made to Customer
Service received on March 18, 2023, March 27, 2023, and August 2, 2023, as referenced in the
Better Business Bureau complaint. Upon receipt of the calls, Customer Service then forwarded
records of the calls to PRT’s Department of Bus and Rail Training for investigation.The complaints were reviewed by staff within the Department of Bus and Rail Training
and forwarded to the Division Management for further investigation. The records produced by this
investigation noted that in each instance, PRT personnel timely and diligently investigated each of
the customer’s complaints. It should be noted that such investigations may result in a range of
actions including re-training, policy change, and in appropriate cases, discipline. While PRT
cannot release confidential information pertaining to personnel matters, PRT can confirm that the
compliance with PRT’s policy on lowering the accessibility ramp upon customer request was
reviewed and reiterated with the subject operator.PRT regrets that the customer was unable to utilize PRT’s bus service as intended;
however, PRT appreciates the customer’s input and bringing their concerns to PRT’s attention. It
is acknowledged that the customer diligently pursued resolution of each complaint referenced
above with Customer Service. PRT regrets if the customer did not receive the resolution they
desired in this instance; however, PRT is eager for another opportunity to provide the customer
with the support they require. The customer is encouraged to again call PRT’s Customer Service
Department (************ – Weekdays 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.; weekends and holidays 8 a.m. – 4:30
p.m.) in the event that future issues utilizing PRT’s public transportation services arise.Very truly yours,
Eric *. M****, Esquire
Initial Complaint
Date:07/25/2023
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On July 25, 2023 at approximately 5:10PM I attempted to enter the 61D ( vehicle # ****) on Murray and Beacon Street inbound. I witnessed the bus driver verbally assaulting a passenger because her transit card did not register on the console. as the passenger attempted to pay again without success, he screams at her 'Did you not understand me? Go sit down, God how stupid can you get!'. The crestfallen woman (elderly) sits down. I started not to enter, but I had an appointment and needed to get to my destination quickly. I hold my bus pass up to the payment station and much like the person before me, it failed to register. He started screaming again 'God how hard it this? Hold it on the pad!' I attempt again, 3 times it does not register. So the entire time, he's screaming (literally) about how stupid I am for not being able to perform this task. I advised not to speak to me in that tone and to 'calm down'. Well, that made him furious. He being to use profanity, saying 'you don't tell me to calm the 'f*** down', over and over. At this point I decided not to engage him any further. He was furious. So we drive about 2 blocks and he suddenly slams on the brakes. There were no obstructions in the roadway. The deliberate braking was so sudden and severe, there several passengers almost fell. I was standing up on the right side approximately 3 feet from the driver. After he hit the brakes, he laughed softly. So as we were crossing the bridge into Greenfield he begin to move the steering wheel to the left and right, the bus was actually swaying slightly back and forth. Afterwards he laughed softly. The remaining 2 blocks were uneventful. The treatment of the passenger as I was boarding was outrageous. The treatment I received was deeply concerning. This is clearly a person who should not driving a 50+ passenger vehicle. The behavior that I and a bus load of passengers witnessed was that of a person who is clearly mentally unstable, perhaps dangerous.Business Response
Date: 08/14/2023
Dear *** ******:
Please allow this correspondence to serve as Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a
Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (“PRT’s”) response to the complaint filed with the Better Business
Bureau by a customer on or about July 25, 2023.The complaint as it relates to PRT states the following:
“Customer’s Statement of the Problem:
On July 25, 2023 at approximately 5:10PM I attempted to enter the 61D
(vehicle # ****) on Murray and Beacon Street inbound. I witnessed the bus
driver verbally assaulting a passenger because her transit card did not register
on the console. as the passenger attempted to pay again without success, he
screams at her 'Did you not understand me? Go sit down, God how stupid can
you get!'. The crestfallen woman (elderly) sits down. I started not to enter, but
I had an appointment and needed to get to my destination quickly. I hold my
bus pass up to the payment station and much like the person before me, it failed
to register. He started screaming again 'God how hard it this? Hold it on the
pad!' I attempt again, 3 times it does not register. So the entire time, he's
screaming (literally) about how stupid I am for not being able to perform this
task. I advised not to speak to me in that tone and to 'calm down'. Well, that
made him furious. He being to use profanity, saying 'you don't tell me to calm
the 'f*** down', over and over. At this point I decided not to engage him any
further. He was furious. So we drive about 2 blocks and he suddenly slams on
the brakes. There were no obstructions in the roadway. The deliberate braking
was so sudden and severe, there several passengers almost fell. I was standing
up on the right side approximately 3 feet from the driver. After he hit the brakes,
he laughed softly. So as we were crossing the bridge into Greenfield he begin
to move the steering wheel to the left and right, the bus was actually swaying
slightly back and forth. Afterwards he laughed softly. The remaining 2 blocks
were uneventful. The treatment of the passenger as I was boarding was
outrageous. The treatment I received was deeply concerning. This is clearly a
person who should not driving a 50+ passenger vehicle. The behavior that I
and a bus load of passengers witnessed was that of a person who is clearly
mentally unstable, perhaps dangerous.Desired Settlement: Disciplinary action (s) by superiors.”
Upon receipt of the notice of the complaint from the Better Business Bureau, PRT
conducted an investigation into the circumstances of the customer’s contacts with PRT. Below are
PRT’s findings:PRT’s Customer Service Department conducted a search of its records for complaints or
comments by the complaining customer. PRT’s customer service records indicate that on July 25,
2023, the customer called customer service and submitted a complaint at 5:13 p.m. Customer
service records note the following:Bus #**** Driver was yelling to older woman who kept tapping card
repeatedly on farebox. "Don't you Fing understand me? Go sit
down" When patron tried tapping her card it did not go through the first
time and driver yelled, "What the F is going on?" Driver kept dropping F
bombs. Patron asked driver to calm down. Driver said "You Fing calm
down" Driver spiked brakes in the middle of road and there were no cars
around and patrons were yelling as bus was crowded and bus driver then
started laughing. Driver did that several times. Driver was also "turning
the wheel so the bus would sway."PRT’s Operations Management Personnel initiated an investigation and determined that
the farebox reader on Bus # **** was functioning as designed on July 25, 2023.
PRT’s Operations Management Personnel also investigated the circumstances of the
customer’s complaint. It was determined that on July 25, 2023, Bus # **** was assigned to run
the 61D Route at the time indicated in the customer’s complaint. Video obtained via surveillance
cameras positioned on Bus #**** was reviewed and the following is noted:Video from the bus’s cameras show that a patron wearing a blue shirt with a large black
handbag boards the bus at Murray Avenue and Darlington Road. The patron passes by the farebox
and sits down behind the Operator on the first side-facing seat. The bus proceeds on its route while
the patron searches for a fare instrument and the patron then returns to the farebox and taps their
card but it is not read. The patron turns to walk away but returns to try the tap again but it is not
read a second time, and a third time and a fourth. As the patron is repeatedly attempting to
successfully tap her card, the bus is now servicing a stop at Murray Avenue and Beacon Street. At
the same time another customer (evidently the complaining customer) is on the sidewalk preparing
to board and watches through the open bus door as the first patron attempts a final tap which is
read this time. The complaining customer hesitates and then enters the bus and unsuccessfully taps
the farebox reader with her card. The customer taps again and the second time the reader accepts
the card. It is apparent that there is conversation between the customer and the Operator, but it is
not known what words are exchanged.The complaining customer then stands at the very front on the curb side of the bus and
appears to be paying close attention to the Operator. It appears that more conversation is exchanged
between the Operator and the complaining customer. As the bus proceeds through a green light at
the intersection of Murray Avenue and Hobart Street, the bus jerks and passengers can be observed
being jostled about in their seats.The bus proceeds on its route over the bridge into Greenfield. It cannot be discerned from
the video if there is any swaying of the bus as indicated. The bus proceeds until the complaining
customer exits the bus at Murray Avenue and Lilac Street. As the bus pulls away from the bus stop
the complaining customer can be seen making a phone call.Following review of the bus video, PRT Operations Personnel initiated further
investigation into the bus Operator’s alleged conduct. Following the investigation, the Operator
was referred for additional review pursuant to PRT’s internal disciplinary process. While PRT is
precluded from disclosing any specific measures taken or the results of the disciplinary process as
it is a confidential personnel matter, PRT can represent that appropriate action has been taken
consistent with PRT’s disciplinary process and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
PRT appreciates the complaining customer’s interest in promoting safety and the high
service standards that its riders are entitled to and have come to expect. PRT takes each complaint
seriously and regrets that the complaining customer did not experience the level of service that
they should have.Very truly yours,
Robert *. M****
Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
**** ****
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