Westmoreland Transit Authority offers solo rides for seniors, reduces trips to Pittsburgh

The Westmoreland County Transit Authority is temporarily cutting routes to downtown Pittsburgh as the number of riders dwindle due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Several morning and evening trips are getting cut, including three morning Route 1F trips, three evening Route 1F trips and one evening Route 2F trip.

The move comes after the bus service had 50 riders Thursday compared to 245 who traveled into Pittsburgh last Friday.

“We are still providing more than enough service for people to continue to get in and out of city if they need to for work or medical appointments,” a statement reads.

Impacts from the virus could lead to additional cuts in commuter services along with local services. A decision on those routes could be made next week.

To help stop the spread of the virus, transit workers are following enhanced bus cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

To help keep vulnerable populations from coming in contact with the virus, the authority is introducing GO Solo, a senior transportation service, to help people 65 and older access places like grocery stores and pharmacies.

The service, which offers seniors a solo trip rather than riding with other passengers, will be available during normal GO Westmoreland hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.

To schedule a trip, call 724-832-2706 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Those interested should request a GO Solo ride with the reservationist.

For those who will still utilize GO Westmoreland, trips can be scheduled to access essential items, meaning a bus will wait up to 15 minutes to pick up items like food and medicine.