UV Loop celebrates first birthday

“Ten-ton 1-year-old celebrates birthday!” Now that’s a headline, and it’s true. And how did… “Ten-ton 1-year-old celebrates birthday!” Now that’s a headline, and it’s true. And how did this giant toddler spend its special day? By doing what it always does – going around the streets of Pittsburgh, picking people up and dropping them off. This story just keeps getting better. But I’m not talking about some B-movie or genetic experiment. No, I’m talking about the UltraViolet Loop – the beloved bus route of so many social Pittsburghers – which just celebrated its first birthday. This Nov. 1 marked one year since the unveiling of the UV Loop as a full-time route providing local residents and students alike with a way to reach some of Pittsburgh’s most vibrant and exciting neighborhoods on Friday and Saturday nights.

For those who don’t know, the UV Loop is the fleet of small, purple buses that you may have seen throughout Pittsburgh. The service is made up of six buses that run the loop from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. every Friday and Saturday, stopping at major points including Downtown, Station Square, the South Side, Oakland, Shadyside, East Liberty, Garfield, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville and the Strip District, before starting the loop again. The buses travel the route both clockwise and counterclockwise, with a bus leaving from any particular stop every half hour. Besides the designated spots, the UV Loop also stops at points of interest including theaters, galleries, cultural districts and restaurants

Many enjoy the service every weekend, but last November, it seemed that the UV Loop might last only half as long as it has. Born out the work of the UV Loop Advisory Board, an independently funded, nonprofit group, along with the Port Authority of Allegheny County and many local supporters – including the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Heinz Endowments and corporate sponsors such as the Pittsburgh Brewing Company and Station Square among others – the UltraViolet Loop secured only enough funding to last for a three-month demonstration. The advisory board wasn’t sure if it would be able to raise enough to keep the UV Loop running for an additional nine months – a concern intensified by the current budget difficulties and cuts surrounding public transportation

Now, a year later, the UV Loop is still running strong, with more and more people riding and many community and entertainment organizations joining up to partner with the bus route. One such program was the Poetry in Motion project, which placed poems and designs in the UV Loop buses, which then stopped at local poetry readings at the Wood Street Gallery, the Quiet Storm, Coca Coffee Lounge and Shadow Lounge.

The UltraViolet Loop is the perfect opportunity for new Pittsburghers or people without any clue of what to do in the city to find some of the most exciting spots in Pittsburgh. The fare for the UV Loop is $3 for a ride-all-night pass. Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh students, along with Port Authority monthly pass holders, just need to flash their student IDs or passes and ride – no fishing for pocket change. So put on your party hat, get some confetti, and take a seat on one of the youngest and most vibrant buses in Pittsburgh. And if anyone gives you any strange looks, just break out this song: “Happy birthday to U. Happy birthday to U. Happy birthday dear UV Loop. Happy Birthday to U.”