Rider-friendly transportation options in Pittsburgh
Do you want to see what the future of micromobility looks like? Look no further than Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the first U.S city to have a fully integrated mobility system all through one app. Pittsburgh introduced its new Transit app in July. It contains scheduling data for rideshares, electric mopeds, electric scooters, public transportation and the area’s light rail system known as the “T.” The entire integrated system is known as the first Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform.
There are also 50 mobility hubs spread throughout Pittsburgh where people can also find out the information they need to ride the transit options in those areas. People can reference the app or the mobility hub to find out precisely what scheduling information they need for any transit option.
Riders can find whatever transportation they need, including carsharing, electric mopeds, electric scooters, carpool matching, electronic charging for scooters, and public transit. Electric scooter provider and Edenred partner Spin is one of the companies that is part of the project. Getting accurate and relevant transportation in the hands of commuters in real-time was a major driver for Pittsburgh to create the integrated system and app. The goal is for people to move around without a car as easily as possible.
Currently, more than 40,000 people are accessing the app. While on the app, they can pay for the type of transportation they want. There’s also a pilot program giving lower-income residents access to the system. Nearly 80 percent of the people who are accessing the app do not have access to a car, according to Next Pittsburgh. This is also a system that works well with commuters who are using commuter benefits.
Commuter benefits allow employees to save $270 per month tax-free from their paychecks. The money can be used for different transportation needs, including qualified parking costs, public transportation, and rideshares. Employees can reduce their tax bill by lowering taxable income while businesses that offer commuter benefits pay less payroll tax.
Commuter benefits are not the only way to benefit under an integrated system like Pittsburgh’s. Businesses can purchase debit cards for employees to use on micromobility vehicles like electric bikes and electric scooters. If you are interested in learning more about what options exist for commuters, schedule a meeting with us to see what we can do for you.
