Thanks for posting that interesting information, Q.

Here's some more information and clarification about Pittsburgh/Pittsburgh area jitneys.

For the record, "jitneys" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and its surrounding area aren't buses or small vans, but are the drivers' private vehicles. A driver might use his-or her-new car to jitney, but usually jitneys are older cars.

The building where "jitney drivers" wait for "jitney trips" is called a "jitney station". Most Pittsburgh lower/middle income African American/integrated communities such as The Hill, Homewood, East Liberty, The Northside, The Southside, The West End, and the various sub-sections of those large neighborhoods, have several jitney stations. Also, comparable racial & income neighborhoods in towns near Pittsburgh, PA such as Wilkensburg, Braddock, Rankin, North Versailles, and McKeesport, also have a number of jitney stations within their geographical areas. Residents of specific Pittsburgh area neighborhoods who don't have their own private car, or whose private car is "down" {unable to be used}, usually know
"by heart" {from memory} the telephone number to more than one jitney station. If no one is available at one station or if the station's line is busy, then the person needing a jitney calls another number until they get someone who response affirmatively to their request for "car service".

When a person telephones for a jitney, the person who picks up the phone answers the call by saying "Car service". The individual calling then says that she or he wants a car at abc address to go xyz place. Usually, it's a jitney driver himself {or, in much rarer occasions, herself} who answers the phone. However, some larger jitney stations have an owner/manager who answers the phone. Jitney trips are generally given out by turns. However, a person who needs a jitney can ask for a specific driver. Even if that specific driver is not next in line for a trip, he can take that trip because that is "one of his regular customers". Regular customers probably also have their regular driver's or drivers' home {land line} telephone number and/or cell phone number. In that case, they would call those numbers instead of calling the main jitney number. It's my understanding that neighborhood jitney drivers have to pay a nominal fee to the owner of a jitney station {where the station is housed}. Since supermarket & downtown {Fifth Avenue} jitney drivers aren't housed in any building, they don't have to pay a fee to anyone. For a short while, the supermarket jitney drivers at the Giant Eagle supermarket where I shop wore a certain color baseball hat to identify themselves as being bona fided jitneys. However, for whatever reason or reasons, they stopped that practice. Btw, the managers of the stores knew that jitneys operated outside their store. It seems to me that they didn't mind that because it helped their customers get to and from the store. However, another Giant Eagle supermarket about 10 minutes by car away from the other Giant Eagle store doesn't have jitneys, because there are fewer poor customers in that store than in the other store.

When people ask for car service-by either walking to that neighborhood station or calling that station, they might specify that they need a larger car or a van because there are a number of people needing to be transported, or they have a number of belongings that need to be taken with them. After finding out where the person wants to go, a jitney driver will ask "how many people need the car" {i.e, how many people are with the person calling}. Jitney drivers can and often do refuse trips for any number of reasons including their cars are too small, the trip is too far. Since most neighborhood jitney drivers don't double up on trips {i.e. take multiple passengers going the same way or nearby} like supermarket jitneys or downtown jitneys do, it's sometimes more profitable for them to take one trip in the neighborhood than take one long trip to a neighborhood that is relatively far away. That said, neighborhood jitney drivers like to have trips to the airport {which is usually far away from the neighborhoods that they are based in}. Jitney drivers have been known to refuse to take a trip that is called in by young men or which include too many people. In that case, a driver may ask others in the jitney station if they "want that trip" or if they know that particular person who is calling. If the person is known to another jitney driver, even if it isn't his turn, he can take that trip.

There are no meters in private vehicles which are used as jitneys. However, passengers know the set rate for particular jitney trips. If they don't know how much the trip will cost, it behooves them to ask. Passengers pay their fare once they arrive at their destination. It is expected that supermarket jitney drivers will help their passengers {usually women shoppers} get their groceries to their door {not inside their house}. Neighborhood jitneys will usually help women or older passengers with their belongings. I've less experience with downtown jitneys, but that driver may also help passengers carry belongings to their door. Unlike cab drivers, jitneys don't expect, and rarely receive, a tip.

Before I had a car, I used neighborhood and supermarket jitneys a lot. In all those years, I only recalling having one White jitney driver. In my neighboorhood of East Liberty/Garfield, a small number of the jitney drivers were born in Ghana or Nigeria {West Africa}. That was probably because one person recruited his friends and acquaintances. Needless to say, I enjoyed conversing with these drivers and learning about their cultures.

I should also note that I'm uncertain if there are jitney stations in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh areas' low & middle class predominately White neighborhoods. Perhaps these neighborhoods don't need jitneys because legal cabs will more readily respond to calls in those neighborhoods.