[naviga:h3]Bike program gets $200K grant[/naviga:h3]

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh’s Health Ride bike-sharing program has received a $200,000 grant to expand.

The program has 500 rental bikes at 50 stations in 11 of the city’s neighborhoods. People can rent the bikes by the half-hour or by purchasing a monthly membership. The program has more than 40,000 registered users since it began in May 2015.

Erin Potts, marketing director for the Pittsburgh Bike Share nonprofit that runs the program, said the state grant will expand the program to 75 stations throughout the city.

More than 40 similar programs operate in other states.

Each Pittsburgh bike has a GPS chip, so it can be tracked if it’s not properly returned.

[naviga:h3]Transit authority union OKs contract[/naviga:h3]

PITTSBURGH — The union representing 2,200 bus and light-rail drivers and other employees of the Pittsburgh area’s transit agency has approved a new tentative contract.

Steve Palonis, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85, said the majority of the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s unionized workers voted in favor of the contract between workers and the public transit agency on Sunday evening.

Palonis said the four-year contract includes an 11.25 percent wage increase for workers — 2.75 percent in the first three years and 3 percent in the fourth year.

Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said the board will hold a special meeting Tuesday to vote on the contract.

By The Associated Press