SEPTA Plans Fee Hikes, Smart Cards, Public Hearings
Several changes are set to take effect July 1 of this year and July 1, 2014.
SEPTA is planning several large-scale changes to its transit operations, including a fare increase and the implementation of a smart-card payment system, that would take effect July 1.
The agency describes its plans on the SEPTA website. Some of the most noticeable effects would be as follows:
- The standard cash fare would increase from $2 to $2.25 on July 1, then be scheduled to increase again, to $2.50, on July 1, 2014. (The full schedule of fare increases across all platforms is attached to this article.)
- Tokens would cost 25 cents more as well, increasing from $1.55 to $1.80 on July 1. Tokens would then disappear a year later, replaced by what SEPTA calls Smart Media cards that would become its standard currency.
- Starting with the rollout of the Smart Media cards, photo IDs would be required for both disabled fares and free senior-citizen rides.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported SEPTA will conduct an internal 30-day test of the new fare system this summer, followed by another 30-day test in the fall that includes selected riders.
Five public hearing dates on SEPTA's planned changes are scheduled for mid-April:
- Monday, April 15 in Media at the Delaware County Court House, 201 W. Front St. Hearings will take place at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, April 16 in Norristown at the Montgomery County Human Services Center, 1430 DeKalb Pike. Hearings will take place at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 17 in Philadelphia at SEPTA headquarters, 1234 Market St. Hearings will take place at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Friday, April 19 in West Chester at Borough Hall, 401 E. Gay St. Hearings will take place at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Monday, April 22 in Doylestown at the Bucks County Free Library, 150 S. Pine St. Hearings will take place at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Whether or not you plan to attend one (or more), please tell us in the comments section below what you think of the changes.
In This article
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Media Courthouse
201 W Front St # Med, Media, PA -
West Chester Borough
401 E Gay St, West Chester, PA
David Dawson
5:20 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Will they take the ACCESS CARD? Cause I'm Opressed..Ya-Mean...
Mal S
2:36 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Its really not fair to keep raising the amount of the fare. While septa will get you where you need to go 70% of the time without dealys, riders are still forced to deal with highly unsanitized conditions (i.e dirty seats, horrid smells, and trash) as well as late busses, full with no seats. If I have to pay more money to ride the buss, why shouldnt there be more busses running, more frequently, with clean seats available. However, I think the smart card is a fab idea.
RoxGuy
3:03 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
perhaps they can offer you a warm hand towel, some champagne and a copy of the WSJ too
PhillyRes
4:28 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Both of you are right? I don't expect the highest quality of service in public transit as that's a lot to take care of both equipment and stations but completely agree I should be able to get on at a subway stop without it smelling like piss.
I also have a problem with SEPTA raising prices when they received a huge bailout from us not long ago quoted in a planphilly article
"In July, Governor Rendell signed into law Act No. 2007-44 (Act 44) establishing the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Trust Fund. The trust fund combines state funds from a number of sources into a single pool to then be distributed statewide. Those sources include a percentage of state sales taxes, Turnpike Commission funds, lottery money, and allocations from pre-existing dedicated transit funding sources. This new unitary source of funds should allow SEPTA to eliminate the annual scramble to close its operating deficit and put it on relatively firm financial footing."
Firm footing, how is it a firm footing if we are raising prices again and not seeing improvements.
Perhaps if we didn't pay drivers 50k a year to, you know, drive a bus. We would have a little leftover to a) not charge people more or b) improve the quality of public transit and not have people pissed there's an increase without an increase in value. That is the real problem, not the increase but rather that we get nothing in return!
Brian A.
10:52 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
PhillyRes, it is quite amusing of you to begrudge the bus drivers their salary, which doesn't get you that much in this area, when the fare increases they are talking about will likely cost you no more than $100 per YEAR.
Oh and those bus drivers almost certainly work harder than you and I do.
Debbie Thomas
3:27 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
SEPTA needs to make the school students start paying at least a few dollars for those free Transpasses they use. You know that cost is being passed along to the adult riders.
rocuall
4:07 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Students, disabled and senior citizens fares are subsidized thru the goverment..not the adult fares..But be prepared..what I want to know is when they get rid of the tokens there is no means of getting a cheaper fare..that card is just a way of getting more out of you..it will be 2.50 in 2014 no matter what...thanks SEPTA
Brian A.
10:54 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wrong. Fare with the Smart Card will be $1.80, cash fare will be $2.50. in 2014. Read the PDF above first next time, eh?
Will
6:46 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
First and foremost, everyone needs to realize the economic benefits SEPTA provides to our region. It gets people where they need to go efficiently and connects them to jobs to sustain their families and our nation (taxes).
The cost we spend to run this service is truly a necessary evil.
SEPTA is unfortunate in that it is very underfunded. As Philadelphians, we find it very easy to say that SEPTA wastes too much of state money...until we look at their budget.
Let me show you the numbers:
SEPTA: $303 million.
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) (Chicago) - $1.7 Billion
New Jersey Transit (NJT) (New Jersey) - $1.2 Billion
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) (Washington, DC) - $997 Million
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) (Boston) - $815 Million
What makes it worse is we inherited a system of century old facilities that has long been underfunded and neglected, and while ridership is at a 25 YEAR HIGH, the budget is at a 25 YEAR LOW!
Be kinder to SEPTA.
rocuall
11:34 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
the ridership for SEPTA is NOTHING like the citys and or trains you are making a example of...WMATA puts septa to shame and its small compared to SEPTA. they even have GPS in every station ( HELLO SEPTA)..you forgot to mention NYC. but we wont go there..even THEY are more modern .. Next time you take the NJT count how many cars are on the line at any given time of the day..HINT..at least 20 and they are FULL..septa????..LOL..2 on average maybe 4 during peak hours..SEPTA relies to much on GOVERMENT FUNDS...everytime they strike it comes from u and me and uncle sam
Yaya
1:08 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
You obviously have never used their services on a regular basis.
Unreliable is their middle name.
Don't get me started on the drivers' attitude.
Get out of your Bentley.
rocuall
6:31 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I use Public transportation a lot..and not Just in Philly..I have experienced all of the above transportation's except Chicago...Septa has cracked down on their lateness..they are pretty close to the mark except during the holadays when there is tons of traffic..But this has nothing to do with what the thread says...they were supposed to modernize 5 years ago and NADA..just Poor mouthing ..welcome to the blue state...PS..why did they get rid of all the Ticket machines??..they said it couldn't read the new bills!!!..they could of swapped out the reader for a new one and Ta da..progress....NJ did why couldn't they?....
Feudi Pandola
11:06 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I've used SEPTA much of my life and have great admiration for the drivers who risk their lives every day with all the nutcases they have to handle. They have to be a psychologist, and a smooth politician who is street smart and courteous, all while collecting fares and hauling around precious cargo through some pretty tough traffic situations. They work hard and should be paid well.
Feudi Pandola
11:09 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I don't get why SEPTA can't handle any debit card. That IS a problem and there;s no excuse for it. The technology exists to just swipe your debit card. Either that, or sell EZ Pass cards that get charged to your bank account.
Andrew
10:30 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
So I have to pay more to ride the train in West Chester??.. Oh yeah. There isn't one... So who cares?..