Giant Eagle Stores in McCandless to Offer Port Authority ConnectCard Service

Giant Eagle's stores at McIntyre Square and Pine Creek 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.

The McIntyre Square store is located at 8050 McKnight Road. The Pine Creek Center store is located at 9805 McKnight Road. Both 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. 

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.

What's your preference—traditional paper passes and tickets, or the new plastic ConnectCard? Tell us in the comments box below.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

Check out some of today's other top stories here.