Pittsburgh Regional Transit Board Approves Four-Year Union Contract With 15% Wage Increase

Pittsburgh Regional Transit's board approved a four-year collective bargaining agreement with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85, covering about 2,100 operators, mechanics and other system employees, the agency said. Yahoo reported the approval on October 23, 2026.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Four-Year ATU Local 85 Contract

The agreement includes a 15% total wage increase over four years, modified health insurance plans and work rule adjustments. Union members ratified the contract on Sunday after negotiations that began in March, following the expiration of the previous four-year agreement on June 30 and a tentative deal reached on October 9.

Employees will receive 4% pay raises in each of the first two years and 3.5% increases in each of the final two years. By 2027, the starting wage for a new operator will be nearly $34 an hour, with top pay exceeding $40 an hour. Starting January 1, 2027, new hires will reach the top pay rate after 36 months, shortening the progression timeline by 12 months compared with the previous contract.

Health insurance changes will increase employee deductibles and copays for the first time since 2012. The agreement also increases seasonal service adjustments from three to four times annually, and establishes a standard one-hour call-off requirement for employees unable to report to work, replacing a former rule based on estimated commute times. A joint management-union committee will evaluate maintenance work assignments throughout the system.

PRT Chief Executive Officer Katharine Kelleman said, "This agreement recognizes their contributions, supports our employees and helps ensure we can attract and retain the qualified workforce we need to provide reliable service to our riders for years to come."

Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Budget and Fare System Work

According to akta.pro company records, Pittsburgh Regional Transit's board adopted an FY2027 operating budget of $595.7 million and a capital budget of $211.6 million in May 2026, preserving current fares and service levels while advancing the University Line BRT project. The same records show the agency began system-wide installation of more than 80 new ReadyFare vending machines that month as part of the transition from the legacy ConnectCard system.

Earlier Pittsburgh Regional Transit Developments

Pittsburgh Regional Transit secured $9 million in funding to extend the PRTX University Line from Squirrel Hill to the city side of the Homestead Grays Bridge, American City Business Journals reported in July 2026. The project includes six station pairs with planned accessibility improvements.

In October 2026, Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced two rail closures affecting light rail and bus service, Yahoo reported, with the first suspending service between First Avenue and Steel Plaza stations Friday through Sunday. The agency also said it would take most technology systems offline starting 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, to relocate its primary data center, Yahoo reported.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Next Steps

The contract's new-hire progression timeline takes effect January 1, 2027, and the health insurance changes begin under the agreement's terms.