The Pittsburgh City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers. All nine council members were present. The meeting featured the adoption of a resolution calling for state-level regulation of autonomous vehicles, extensive public testimony regarding Black business inclusion in the upcoming NFL Draft, debates over immigration enforcement policies, and the unanimous approval of several city contracts, land transfers, and departmental appointments.
Council Member Erika Strassburger introduced a resolution (2026-0291) calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to investigate and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for driverless rideshare vehicles. The resolution highlighted Pittsburgh's history as a proving ground for autonomous vehicle technology since 2016, its unique infrastructure challenges (steep hills, narrow streets, 440+ bridges), and the need for safety reporting, data transparency, labor transition support, and municipal consultation. Strassburger argued that existing state law (Act 130 of 2022) is "state focused" and "cuts out municipalities from decision making." The resolution was adopted unanimously.
The Council announced an executive session on litigation matters later that afternoon, a special Finance and Law committee meeting on the budget reopening, and a briefing on the Pittsburgh Water Customer Assistance Program for the following day (April 1). Council offices will be closed on Friday, April 3, in observance of Good Friday.
Good morning and welcome to the regular meeting of City Council on Tuesday, March thirty first, two thousand twenty six. Mr. Codhill. Ms. Gross. Mr. Mosley. Here. Mr. Salonetra. Here. Mrs. Strasberger. Here. Mrs. Warwick. Mr. Wilson. Mr. Lavelle President. Here. Five members present. For those who are able, please rise for a Pledge of Allegiance. During our moment of silence, please keep uh Councilwoman Warwick and her family in prayer as they deal with the passing of her mother. Thank you. Our next order of business is to amend the agenda. Is there a motion to amend? So move. Second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Our next order of business is going to be public comment. I would like to remind everyone with Oh, so I apologize. Our next order of business is actually we have a will of counsel from Councilwoman Strasberger. Do you want it? Autonomous vehicles. In the entirety. Yes, please. Councilperson Strasburger presents, whereas autonomous or driverless vehicles are expanding rapidly in cities across the United States with multiple companies now operating or testing commercial robotaxi services in dense urban environments. And whereas Pittsburgh has served as a proving ground for autonomous vehicle technology since 2016, when Uber's advanced technology group began testing on city streets, followed by Argo AI, Aurora Innovation Active, and most recently Waymo, which began manual test drives in Pittsburgh in December 2025 and secured a Penn Dot certificate of compliance in early 2026. And whereas Pittsburgh's transportation network includes steep hills, narrow neighborhood streets, over 440 bridges, aging infrastructure, heavy pedestrian and cyclist traffic, and challenging winter weather conditions that present unique considerations for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles. And whereas, since 2021, autonomous vehicles operating nationally have been involved in reported crashes, roadway obstructions, and software-related incidents, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened multiple investigations into autonomous vehicle safety. And whereas federal oversight alone has not fully addressed localized concerns related to safety, labor displacement, traffic operations, emergency response coordination, and municipal planning associated with autonomous vehicle deployment. And whereas thousands of workers in the Pittsburgh region depend on driving-based employment, including taxi, rideshare, and delivery services, and the city of Pittsburgh has among the highest rates of taxi and ride hailing commuting of any major U.S. city, making the local workforce particularly sensitive to chart to changes in this sector. And whereas Pittsburgh is also home to a significant autonomous vehicle research and development sector, with companies including Aurora Innovation and Waymo maintaining substantial local operations, and the industry has created an estimated 6,300 jobs in the Western Pennsylvania region since 2015. And whereas Pennsylvania currently lacks a comprehensive statewide regulatory framework governing autonomous vehicle deployment, safety reporting requirements, data transparency, labor impact mitigation, and coordination with municipal governments. And whereas state level regulation would provide clarity, accountability, and consistency while ensuring that municipalities like Pittsburgh retain a meaningful role in protecting public safety, planning for infrastructure impacts and supporting affected workers. And whereas a formal review process conducted by the Commonwealth would allow policymakers to evaluate real-world safety data, labor market effects, infrastructure readiness, and equity considerations before allowing the widespread commercial deployment of autonomous rideshare vehicles. And now therefore now, therefore be it resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby calls on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to investigate and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework and guidelines for driverless ride share vehicles operating in Pittsburgh and throughout the Commonwealth, including provisions for safety reporting, data transparency, labor transition support, and municipal consultation and infrastructure impact assessment.