Pittsburgh pilot program to offer low-income residents free transportation

Pittsburgh is launching a pilot program to provide 50 low-income residents with free transportation to work.

“Having access to affordable and reliable transportation is critical in helping families across our city find a pathway to prosperity,” Mayor Ed Gainey said.

The yearlong Guaranteed Basic Mobility pilot program will give participants free access to Move PGH’s shared mobility and transportation options, including public transit, Spin scooters, POGOH bikes and Zipcar. Other participants will receive monetary compensation for participating.

The city wants to see if the program helps participants get jobs or extra hours at work. It also will evaluate whether the participants see improved access to education, health care, social services and recreational activities.

The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is partnering with Carnegie Mellon University and the Manchester Citizens Corp. to identify the 50 eligible participants. They will come from the Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods, an area with a median income that is 14% below the city’s average area median income.

To qualify, participants must be receiving some form of government-funded social assistance and lack regular access to a personal car. They also must be currently looking for a job, a different job or additional hours.

The pilot program was funded by a $200,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Spin also has committed $50,000 to the initiative.

“This pilot program will help us more fully understand just how much of an impact transportation has on the lives and well-being of people in Pittsburgh,” Gainey said.