Butler Transit Authority buses prepare to head out on their routes at the terminal on W. New Castle Street in 2024. Butler Eagle File Photo

For the first time since 1989, Butler Transit Authority is eyeing an expansion of service, but doing so will require two new buses and significant community outreach before it can be implemented.

The authority’s board voted 5-0 at a meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, to authorize executive director John Paul to submit a formal request to PennDOT for technical assistance.

The letter to the state Department of Transportation comes after receiving results from a study conducted by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

“We had the study. It was completed by a company through SPC primarily, but we don’t have the final report yet. We just have the PowerPoint and they’re recommending the change in service,” Paul said.

He explained a change in service requires extensive public outreach and opportunities for public input to be compliant with federal regulations. He said the next step was to reach out to PennDOT to ensure changes are finalized and get the buses they need to service them.

“We can’t do that without this study and the approval of PennDOT to approve the vehicles because we can’t change service levels the way it’s been planned without additional buses,” he said.

Paul said the new routes are “preliminarily planned,” but the authority cannot move forward without receiving the buses. However, the state should already have buses for the authority thanks to the federal Low or No Emission Grant Program.

“The preliminary study is done. This is to finalize and formalize everything, but PennDOT has to agree that they’re going to go forward and allow us to go for it. If they say ‘no’ at this point, it’s a no, and everything stays,” he said.

Paul said his hope is the change to service can be fully implemented by July 1, 2027.