Yesterday, SEPTA announced that they will be launching a $10 million dollar project to expanded bus routes, more buses on the roads, and late night train services. The project is due to the fact that ridership has risen 6 percent in the past year, due to high gas prices and the affordability of public transportation. Forty of the four-hundred expected hybrid buses to be delivered will be put to use starting August 25th, when the route expansions and late night services will take effect. Due to the expansion, SEPTA is hiring 184 operators, mechanics, cleaners, police officers, maintenance workers and customer service employees. But will any of this affect yourday-to-day Magical SEPTA Experience? Let us investigate:
· Bus routes to/from Center City: Not so much, unless you count amped-up peak hours. The bus routes in the Center City area have not seemed to expanded a considerable amount. But expanded peak hours service does (theoretically at least) deal with rush hour crowding. Will the long line at 40th & Market shrink? Indicators say: Maybe?
· Early birds/late worms: The late night additions for the R5, R6, and R7 seem to be step in the right direction, but the main complaint seems to be that trains that run earlier were not added. For example, trains to the airport are not as efficient as they could be, and anyone that has had to be at Philadelphia International before 6am knows that I mean. After years of SEPTA making cuts, it’s good to see them taking steps to add to their services. And like the old slogan says, they’re, uh, getting there.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 15th, 2008 at 10:00 am.