You already pay for it, so you might as well utilize PAT buses

Greg Sciulli waits for the 61C outside of Hillman Library on the corner of Forbes Avenue and… Greg Sciulli waits for the 61C outside of Hillman Library on the corner of Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard.

He’s going to Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill to see “Spider-Man 3,” and he’s taking the same bus from Squirrel Hill to the Waterfront after the movie.

Since Sciulli is a Pitt student, a simple flash of his Panther Card earns him a ride on any Port Authority bus. Otherwise, he’d pay about $10 to venture to all ends of the city.

“I take the bus so much,” he said, “I probably save about $100 a year. And since I don’t drive a car, I don’t pay for gas, so I probably save about $500 on that alone by not driving myself.”

Use of Port Authority transportation — buses, the inclines on Mount Washington and the T – is a unique perk of being a Pitt student. Students can ride for free because the University earmarks a portion of every student’s tuition for the Port Authority.

Other students in the city don’t have the privilege of riding the buses for free.

The money you save by not paying for buses can be used toward the amenities of your destination.

For instance, if you’re itching for a night on the Southside or you and a date are up for dinner and a movie at the Waterfront, then the 59U is your ticket to ride. Wait on the corner of Atwood and Forbes in front of Starbucks for the 59U outbound heading to the Waterfront. For the Southside, take the 59U inbound from the corner of Fifth and Bigelow. This bus usually comes every 45 minutes.

If you’re traveling to Squirrel Hill, the 61A, 61B and 61C pick up passengers at the same place the 59U does, as well as any of the bus stops along Forbes Avenue (like Forbes and Bigelow, next to the library).

These buses also pass Carnegie Mellon, in case you have some friends or a party to crash there.

Take note: 61A, 61B and 61C each travel through Squirrel Hill on different routes. The 61A follows Forbes through Squirrel Hill and continues on to Wilkinsburg and the East End. The 61B also follows Forbes but travels to Regent Square, Swissvale and Braddock. The 61C takes a right off of Forbes onto Murray Avenue and continues through Greenfield to the Waterfront.

If you’re looking to travel downtown, wait at any Fifth Avenue stop for any bus that says “Downtown” on the electric ticker above the windshield. These buses will take you past the Mellon Arena, Duquesne University (get off at Washington Place and Fifth for both) and continue through downtown Pittsburgh.

To get to Pirates, Steelers or Panther games or the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore, take the 54C or the 500. Students can catch either of these buses at the Fifth and Atwood stop headed toward downtown.

The 500 is a great bus to mention. Outbound, it can take you from Oakland through Shadyside all the way to Highland Park. Inbound, it transports from Oakland to Downtown – and even to the North Shore.

Use the Port Authority website, www.portauthority.org, if you want more details about stops. The site is a great resource for any adventurous student and is extremely user-friendly. You can also call the Port Authority any time for up-to-date bus schedules at (412) 442-2000.

Use the Port Authority’s buses and enjoy all the benefits that Pittsburgh has to offer. After all, you’re paying for them whether you ride or not.