New students: Meet your new best friend, Port Authority

Such a big city, so much to do. From music venues to shopping, theaters to clubs, there’s… Such a big city, so much to do. From music venues to shopping, theaters to clubs, there’s plenty of entertainment available to Pitt students. But how do you get there? With no one willing to give you a lift to the Waterfront and your car most likely sitting in your parents’ driveway, how is a Pitt student to get to all of this great entertainment?

The answer is simple. Actually, the answer itself isn’t all that simple to understand, but it’s fast (except during rush hour) and easy.

Incoming students, meet your new best friend: the Port Authority bus.

Much more entertaining than a school bus, but still without offering of the comfort of your own vehicle, Port Authority is the easiest way to get anywhere in Allegheny County. With buses that go anywhere you can imagine, the transit system comes in handy every day. Want to go shopping in Shadyside? Hop a 71C or D. Looking for the latest movies? Find a 59U and hit the Waterfront. Need to get to the courthouse? (We hope not.) Any 61 or 71 bus will get you there.

Walk out on Forbes or Fifth Avenues and you almost always can find a bus heading in your direction. You honestly can’t miss them. With bright colors, foreign languages and pictures of quasi-famous Pittsburghers, the buses are more noticeable than a flock of undergraduates crossing Bigelow Boulevard en masse during rush hour. But which ones should you catch?

That’s where we come in. Bus schedules can be hard to find, but if you know where to look, you’re guaranteed to figure out what time you need to be where. First off, check out the William Pitt Union. The main floor, near the information desk, offers bus schedules for nearly all of Port Authority’s bus lines. If that’s too far of a walk for you, your best resource is www.ridegold.com, where you can find a schedule for every bus that Port Authority runs. Even if you don’t know which line you need, the site can help you find where you need to be, when to be there and what bus to look for.

But if both of those options are too much for you, here’s a thumbnail reference guide to lead you through your first few ventures into the world of Pittsburgh public transit.

Any 61 or 71 or 501: These buses will take you to anywhere Downtown. You can catch them anywhere on Fifth Avenue, and they run down Fifth Avenue to Duquesne University, where they turn onto Forbes Avenue. Down at Stanwix Street, deep in the heart of Downtown, the buses head back up Fifth Avenue and turn onto Forbes Avenue by Robert Morris University. They come frequently and are the easiest way to get Downtown.

54C: A great way to get to the South Side, the Strip District or North Oakland. You can catch it on Fifth Avenue at any of the bus stops — William Pitt Union side if you’re heading to North Oakland or the Strip, Soldiers and Sailors Hall side for the South Side. Never get on this bus if you’re trying to go Downtown. You’ll either end up in the Hill District or the South Side.

59U: This is your ticket to the Waterfront, Century Three Mall or Wal-Mart. Catch it at the stop by Hillman Library on Forbes Avenue, and you’re off to shop ’til you drop.

28X: For you out-of-towners or crazy spring breakers, this bus may be your preferred choice. Catch it by Alumni Hall on Forbes Avenue and you’re on your way to the airport. For you nontravelers, this bus is also a great way to get to Robinson Town Center, yet another shopping district.

If you need something more specific, Port Authority’s site has every bit of information you could possibly need to get anywhere from Pitt. Aside from the buses, there’s the incline, which will take you from Station Square to Mt. Washington, and the T, Pittsburgh’s very own subway system.

Although the ride is often bumpy and the passengers are “interesting,” public transit is the easiest way to get anywhere for a card-carrying Pitt student. If you’re like I was freshman year and think you’re above riding a bus, face it: You pay for it every semester, so why not use it?

Besides, the bus itself may provide you with more entertainment than anything you can find in Pittsburgh.