The Pittsburgh public transit agency has rebranded itself as Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
Formerly known as the Port Authority of Allegheny County, the agency said the name change better reflects what it does.
“For decades, the name Port Authority has led people to jokingly ask where the boats are, so to have a name and brand that reflects the agency and its work is significant,” said Jeffrey W. Letwin, Chair of the 11-member PRT governing board.
“Our new name acknowledges that we’re not just part of the community; the community is a part of us,” said PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman.
Officials said they intend for the acronym to be pronounced not by its letters but as “part.”
The Port Authority established a unified public transit system in March 1964 through the consolidation of 33 private transit carriers, many of which had been in were in dire financial straits since 1959.
The new identity will be phased in over the next year with schedules, brochures, the website and signs redesigned in stages. Transit vehicle will receive decals and a wholly new design as they are purchased.
PRT officials said there will be no changes in fares or services.
The agency has 2,600 employees and operates light rail, bus, incline (Monongahela and Duquesne) and paratransit services serving 60 million riders a year.
The 26.2-mile light rail network serves 27 stations from downtown Pittsburgh.