Speaking Points for General Manager/CEO

May 15, 2020

Thank you Mayor Kenney for the opportunity to speak TODAY…

Updated Messaging

• Like many other transit agencies, SEPTA is working to meet the changing needs of our region in this unprecedented crisis.

• We continue to face many challenges at SEPTA to run the maximum amount of service possible with our limited number of healthy and available employees.

• We know that the essential travelers who need to utilize our system right now are often forced to travel on vehicles with too many non-essential travelers that does not allow for proper social distancing to occur.

• Many of those non-essential travelers are members of the region’s vulnerable population, and are creating unhygienic conditions, including open drug use and human excrement in our stations and on our buses and trains

• We recognize that our service may not be perfect, but it’s what we can do right now to serve essential workers and prepare for expected increased service needs in the coming weeks with so many of our operators absent.

Resuming Regular Schedules for Transit Week of May 17

SEPTA recognizes that our riders will be looking to us in the coming weeks as restrictions in the five-county area are expected to be eased.

As our employees begin returning to work, and to respond to overcrowding on some vehicles, SEPTA is gearing up by expanding service, moving to a spring schedule starting Monday, May 18

SEPTA is starting to resume additional service now in order to be fully prepared when our riders are ready to come back.

We are still discouraging non-essential travel and see this as an opportunity to reduce crowding and practice social distancing on our vehicles.

-        SEPTA will be marking off seats as unavailable to discourage close contact

-        We will also be marking off a yellow line to provide six feet of distance from bus operator

While most Transit service will be activated and run on a timetable schedule, absenteeism continues to be a challenge and customers should be prepared that service will be inconsistent in the coming weeks.

MFL and BSL stations now closed will remain closed to focus our cleaning resources on the stations now in operation

Front-Door Boarding

Also with the return to normal schedules, SEPTA will resume front-door boarding and fare collection on buses and trolleys.

Rear-door boarding was implemented to protect operators from unnecessary exposure.  All buses, trolleys and Norristown High Speed Rail vehicles are now equipped with protective shields.

SEPTA is reinstituting fare collection on board buses and trolleys to limit the number of non-essential riders.

We are seeing dramatic increases in incidents of unhygienic conditions in our stations and on our buses and trains from our vulnerable populations, including the homeless, the mentally ill and people with addictions.   Requiring fare payment will decrease the number of number of people taking shelter on our system.

SEPTA Key customers should to load their Key Cards in anticipation of the expanded service

In order to protect operators, riders should board vehicles prepared to pay their fares and move on to their seats and sit at least six feet apart when possible

Riders are still strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings, following the guidance of the CDC and Governor Wolf, and follow one-way traffic flow – boarding at the front of the bus and exiting at the center door.

Fare Restructuring Proposal

We know that our riders and families throughout the region are facing financial difficulties and uncertainty, and we are doing all we can to help.

As part that, SEPTA announced this week that we will do our fare restructuring in phases to delay all increases – and sooner implement measures that will help us better serve the needs of low-income communities and traveling families. It will also allow us to address the changing needs of our riders.

Upon board approval, we are focused on implementing two initiatives from the plan in July:

First, SEPTA Key customers will get one free transfer – saving them $1 per trip. The free transfer will also provide flexibility allowing riders to use multiple vehicles without a transfer fee, enabling faster connections on the SEPTA Transit route network

Second, we will introduce a lower $1 fare for children ages 5 to 11 on both Rail and Transit. In addition, the number of children eligible to ride free, with a fare paying adult, will increase from two to three

SEPTA will also advance on new three-day passes for possible rollout in the fall, providing new options for workers and other customers who ride SEPTA less than five days a week. This will include a Three-Day Convenience Pass for Transit that is valid for 72 hours after the initial tap. There will also be new three-day individual Independence Passes for Transit and Regional Rail.

All proposed fare increases will be deferred until at lease January, and possibly longer.

MORE INFORMATION:

The best ways to get the most up –to-date information is to follow ISEPTAPHILLY on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or visit our website….SEPTA.ORG.

Remember, we are ALL in this TOGETHER! Stay Safe and Thank you!