Swissvale, Wilkinsburg Giant Eagles Offer Port Authority ConnectCard Service

The Giant Eagle stores in Edgewood Towne Centre and Braddock Hills Shopping Center are among nearly 50 of the grocery chain's locations that will begin selling and renewing the Port Authority's new ConnectCard.

The reloadable smart cards are intended to replace paper transit passes and tickets, according to a statement from the Port Authority. Transit patrons can purchase weekly or monthly passes and load that amount onto their cards, then present the cards to ride a Port Authority vehicle.

Both the Edgewood Towne Centre and Braddock Hills stores will permit customers to buy and load a card for weekly or monthly use and to check their balances.

The new cards are being sold at Giant Eagle locations throughout Allegheny County and surrounding areas. Port Authority patrons who already have ConnectCards may reload them at participating Giant Eagle stores, according to Port Authortity officials.

Weekly passes for the week of March 10-16 go on sale Thursday in Giant Eagle stores, while monthly passes for April will be sold starting March 16. 

ConnectCard machines for card loading and balance checking are available at the Roslyn and Swissvale East Busway stations in Swissvale, and the Wilkinsburg and Hamnett stations in Wilkinsburg.

The cards had been available only at the Port Authority’s Downtown Service Center and at two Giant Eagle stores in Pittsburgh's Shadyside and South Side neighborhoods. Until now, patrons could load them at those locations or at ConnectCard machines in some bus and light-rail T stations.

Click here for a map showing all Giant Eagle locations that offer ConnectCard services.

Do you prefer this new offering? Or are you more comfortable with traditional paper passes and tickets? Tell us in the comments box.

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