[tua21506]

More frequent buses. Late-night trains. Better weekend service.

That's what SEPTA promises in the next few weeks and months as it launches what it calls its most ambitious service expansion ever.

After decades of cuts, SEPTA will announce today a $10 million project aimed at easing overcrowding and improving daily service. The first of the 65 upgrades will begin Aug. 25, and all of the changes are to be made by Nov. 3.

The changes will include bigger buses on busy Route 14 along Roosevelt Boulevard between Northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County, more frequent service on Route 23 between Chestnut Hill and South Philadelphia, and after-midnight trains on the R5 Paoli/Thorndale, R6 Norristown, and R7 Trenton Regional Rail lines.

"This is really unprecedented for us," SEPTA general manager Joseph Casey said. "We need to respond to increased ridership and other customer needs."

With commuters reacting to higher gasoline prices and switching from cars to public transit, SEPTA's ridership has increased by about 6 percent, or 38,000 trips a day, from a year ago. Rail ridership is up 12 percent, to its highest point in 25 years, and many rush-hour trains are packed with standing passengers.

"It's been getting pretty crowded" on his daily commute, Rico Paolino of Horsham said yesterday as he waited for an R5 train at Suburban Station. When he catches his usual 6:30 a.m. train in Ambler, "you may not get a seat."

Now, at the height of summer-vacation season, crowding isn't too bad, he said. "But the first week everybody's back in school, it will really be packed."

Casey, who became general manager early this year, credited the state's new transportation-funding law, Act 44, with providing the money to make the improvements possible. He said more expansion might be on the way, as SEPTA tries to hang onto its new riders and attract more.

To handle the expanded service, SEPTA is hiring 184 bus and train operators, mechanics, cleaners, police officers, maintenance workers, and customer-service agents.

The new bus service is made possible by the arrival of the first 40 of more than 400 hybrid diesel-electric buses to be delivered over the next four years.

New rail cars also have been ordered, but the first of the 120 Silverliner V cars are not likely to be in service until 2010. In the meantime, eight used rail cars bought from NJ Transit will be added to SEPTA's fleet by October to help ease overcrowding.

SEPTA will tout its improved service with a $1 million advertising campaign on TV, newspapers and radio, and it will pitch its late-night service to college students with whimsical ads on bar coasters, coffee-cup sleeves, and Internet banners.

The chance to add service is a big change for SEPTA after decades of route cutbacks, "doomsday scenarios," and higher fares. After lowering riders' expectations for years, SEPTA officials acknowledged the challenges they face in offering more to passengers.

"Certainly, there is a risk," said Pat Nowakowski, assistant general manager for operations. "We will create expectations, and we have to work to make sure we meet them."

Kim Scott Heinle, assistant general manager for customer service, said, "We don't want to invite people to a party and then have a bad time." Heinle said his staff would work to make sure details such as signs and rider information make the new service easy for passengers to use.

Of the 65 route changes, 26 are designed to reduce overcrowding on SEPTA buses. Nine upgrades involve adding peak-hour trips to improve service, such as the addition of 14 round trips on Route 201 in Fort Washington. And 30 of the changes are designed to improve midday, evening, weekend and late-night service for buses and trains, such as the addition of a 1:32 a.m. train from Trenton to give Friday-night passengers out of New York a later connection.

"We're no longer a 9-to-5 society," said Charles Webb, chief planning officer for SEPTA. He said the later trains "are a test of this market. We've received a lot of requests for later service."

At Suburban Station, Regional Rail riders said any changes to reduce overcrowding would be welcome. But peak-hour commuters said they wouldn't see much benefit from the new late-night service.

"Sometimes we stay in Center City for the theater and dinner, and late trains might help then," Paolino said. "We might not feel so rushed."

Stephanie Hartman, 26, of Somerton, said she would rather see SEPTA add earlier trains.

"When I have to go to the airport early, there aren't any trains running. Even 5 a.m. would be better."

And she bemoaned infrequent midday service: "There's only one train an hour."

Bus riders said more frequent service and less-crowded buses would be a good thing. Regular passengers said that they had noticed the increase in ridership and that, in some cases, SEPTA's actions had made things worse.

On Route 27, from Center City to Roxborough, passengers have noticed that large 60-foot "articulated" buses, which can hold up to 100 riders, have been replaced with standard 40-foot buses, which can accommodate 60. SEPTA says it is shifting articulated buses from Route 27 to Route 14 to ease overcrowding there.

"It's even more crowded now," said Nicole Green, 18, waiting for a bus to take her home to Roxborough from her summer job at a Rita's Water Ice stand at 15th and Market Streets. "I don't understand that."

From a rider's perspective, SEPTA's expansion plan "is all good. . . . The only thing I'd like to see is things they can't do because they don't have the equipment," said Bob Clearfield, chairman of the Citizen Advisory Committee, a passengers' advocacy panel that advises SEPTA.

"I'd like to see more trains or more train capacity, but they're making maximum use of the equipment they have," Clearfield said.




here is another article...



NJ Transit, SEPTA enter joint ticketing agreement

By Paul Nussbaum

Inquirer Staff Writer
NJ Transit and SEPTA will sell tickets to all of each other's stations, as part of a joint ticketing operation announced yesterday.

Tickets to SEPTA and NJ Transit destinations are now available at NJ Transit vending machines, at rail ticket windows at the Trenton station, and at SEPTA ticket windows at Suburban and Market East stations. (SEPTA padlocked the last of its ticket-vending machines in January 2007, citing their inability to accept newly designed U.S. currency.)

Fares will not be affected. Passengers will pay the combined SEPTA and NJ Transit rate. For example, a Philadelphia-to-New York one-way fare will be $20.50, and a Hamilton-to-Philadelphia International Airport one-way fare will be $11.50. Princeton-to-Paoli would be $14.

The arrangement is designed to make it easier for New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents to travel between the states, spokesmen for the systems said in yesterday's joint announcement.

The general managers of the two agencies - Richard Sarles at NJ Transit and Joseph Casey at SEPTA - are relatively new in their positions, and both have talked about making bistate travel less cumbersome.

They also have expressed interest in creating an electronic "smart card" that would work on SEPTA and NJ Transit.

[PhillyRising]

I for one cannot wait until the late night service begins. I can get totally trashed in town, roll onto the train and roll up the hill from the train station into my house.

I can attest that the 12:15pm R5 on weekends is always full going out to the burbs. It just sucks that you have to leave town so early in order to use the train.

[miketoronto]

This is great news. Transit systems sometimes are so worried about big projects, that they forget little improvments like more bus service and train service can attract alot of new riders and keep current ones.

SEPTA is going to need way more service increases though, as their suburban service leaves alot to be desired.

[miketoronto]

A listing of some of the improvments from the SEPTA website.

8 Olney Transportation Center to Frankford Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 8 minutes in the AM
and to every 15 minutes in the PM November 3, 2008

31 Overbrook Park to Center City
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 20 minutes
in the AM and to every 15 minutes in the PM November 3, 2008

56 Tacony to Nicetown
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 7 minutes November 3, 2008

57 South Philadelphia to Fern Rock Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 5 minutes in the AM November 3, 2008

93 Norristown Transportation Center to Pottstown
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 30 minutes November 3, 2008

201 Fort Washington Station (R5) to Fort Washington Office Center
-Create 14 new Weekday roundtrips to connect with peak
Lansdale-Doylestown trains November 3, 2008

J Bridesburg to Germantown
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 15 minutes in the PM November 3, 2008

K East Falls to Arrott Terminal
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to 8 minutes in the PM November 3, 2008

101 69th Street Terminal to Media
-Improve Weekday, mid-day service to every 20 minutes August 25, 2008

102 69th Street Terminal to Sharon Hill
-Improve Weekday mid-day, service to every 20 minutes August 25, 2008

105 69th Street Terminal to Ardmore
-Establish Weekday evening service operating every 60 minutes August 25, 2008

113 69th Street Terminal to Marcus Hook
-Establish Weekday, mid-day service between 69th Street Terminal and Darby
to operate every 15 minutes August 25, 2008

105 69th Street Terminal to Ardmore
-Establish Saturday evening service operating every 60 minutes August 30, 2008

111 69th Street Terminal to Chadds Ford
-Extend Saturday service from Granite Run Mall to Chadds Ford to operate
every 60 minutes August 30, 2008

120 69th Street Terminal to Cheyney University
-Improve Saturday limited service (3 round trips) to operate every 2 hours August 30, 2008

28 Tacony to Fern Rock Transportation Center
-Adjust Sunday service to every 60 minutes (same as Saturdays) August 31, 2008

37 South Philadelphia to Eastwick and Chester
-Provide Daily Owl service to Philadelphia International Airport and
Harrah’s Casino from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. August 31, 2008

93 Norristown Transportation Center to Pottstown
-Extend two Sunday evening trips from Collegeville to Pottstown August 31, 2008

96 Norristown Transportation Center to Lansdale
-Extend Sunday evening service from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. August 31, 2008

99 Norristown Transportation Center to Phoenixville
-Extend Sunday evening service from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. August 31, 2008

100 69th Street Terminal to Norristown
-Improve Sunday service to every 20 minutes August 31, 2008

105 69th Street Terminal to Ardmore
-Establish Sunday evening service to operate every 60 minutes August 31, 2008

111 69th Street Terminal to Chadds Ford
-Establish Sunday service to operate every 60 minutes August 31, 2008

120 69th Street Terminal to Cheyney University
-Improve Sunday limited service (3 round trips) to every 2 hours August 31, 2008

129 Oxford Valley Mall to Morrell Park
-Establish Sunday service to operate every 60 minutes August 31, 2008

8 Olney Transportation Center to Frankford Transportation Center
-Add Weekday, mid-day service to every 30 minutes September 2, 2008

26 Germantown to Olney and Frankford Transportation Center
-Operate Weekday evening service to Frankford Transportation Center
every 30 minutes between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. September 2, 2008

31 Overbrook Park to Center City
-Improve Mid-Day Weekday service to 20 minutes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. September 2, 2008

40 West Park to Society Hill
-Adjust Mid-Day Weekday service to every 15 minutes, and evenings
to every 20 minutes September 2, 2008

70 Torresdale and Tacony to Fern Rock Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday evenings and Weekend service to every 20 minutes until 11 p.m. September 2, 2008

K East Falls to Arrott Terminal
-Improve service on Saturdays to every 20 minutes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. September 6, 2008

R Wissahickon Transportation Center to Frankford Transportation Center
-Improve service on Saturdays to every 20 minutes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. September 6, 2008

Paoli/Thorndale (R5) Temple University to Thorndale
-Add late trains from Center City to Paoli/Malvern to operate after
12 Midnight on Fridays & Saturdays September 12, 2008

Norristown (R6) 30th Street Station to Norristown
-Add late trains from Elm Street to Center City to operate after
12 Midnight on Fridays & Saturdays September 12, 2008

Chestnut Hill East/Trenton (R7) Temple University to Trenton, NJ
-Add late trains between Center City and Trenton to operate after
12 Midnight on Fridays September 12, 2008

Chestnut Hill East/Trenton (R7) Temple University to Trenton, NJ
-Add late trains between Center City and Trenton to operate
after 12 Midnight on Saturdays September 13, 2008

7 Strawberry Mansion to Pier 70
-Adjust Saturdays & Sunday service to every 20 minutes November 1, 2008

58 Somerton and Neshaminy Mall to Frankford Transportation Center
-Improve Saturday service to every 12 minutes, and Sunday service
to every 15 minutes between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. November 3, 2008

96 Norristown Transportation Center to Lansdale
-Improve Weekday service to every 30 minutes August 25, 2008

108 69th Street Terminal to Philadelphia International Airport, Airport Business Center or UPS
-Extend all Weekend trips from 67th & Elmwood to Airport. Create
30 minute service in southwest Philadelphia August 30, 2008

113 69th Street Terminal to Marcus Hook
-Improve Saturday evening service to every 30 minutes between
69th Street Terminal and Chester Transportation Center August 30, 2008

125 Center City to King of Prussia or Valley Forge
-Add six new roundtrips and improving service to every
20 minutes between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. August 30, 2008

113 69th Street Terminal to Marcus Hook
-Improve Sunday service to every 30 minutes between
69th Street Terminal and Chester Transportation Center August 31, 2008

124 Center City to King of Prussia or Chesterbrook
-Add six new roundtrips and increase service to every
20 minutes between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. August 31, 2008

125 Center City to King of Prussia or Valley Forge
-Add six new roundtrips and increase Saturday service
to every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. August 31, 2008

R Wissahickon Transportation Center to Frankford Transportation Center
-Operate every 15 minutes from start of service until 7 p.m.
Operate every 20 minutes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. August 31, 2008

14 Frankford Transportation Center to Neshaminy and Oxford Valley Malls
-Switch Weekday service to all articulated buses September 2, 2008

17 South Philadelphia to Penn's Landing
-Increase Weekday, Peak Hour service to every 3 minutes (AM/Northbound)
and to every 4 minutes (PM/Southbound) September 2, 2008

26 Germantown to Olney and Frankford Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday, Peak Hour service to every
8 minutes (AM/PM, Eastbound/Westbound) September 2, 2008

47 Olney to South Philadelphia
-Extend Weekday, Peak Hour service to operate
from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. September 2, 2008

70 Torresdale and Tacony to Fern Rock Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to average
every 3 minutes between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. September 2, 2008

21/42 Route 21: 69th Street Terminal to Penn's Landing, Route 42: Wycombe and West Philadelphia to Penn's Landing
-Extended Weekday, Peak Hour frequency to every
8 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. September 2, 2008

124 Center City to King of Prussia or Chesterbrook
-Add two new Saturday roundtrips to increase service
to every 20 minutes between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. September 6, 2008

18 Cedarbrook to Lawndale and Fox Chase
-Improve Weekday AM Peak Hour service
to every 7 minutes and Weekday PM Peak Hour service to every 10 minutes. November 3, 2008

23 Chestnut Hill to South Philadelphia
-Improve Weekday AM Peak Hour service
to every 6 minutes and PM Peak Hour service to every 7 minutes November 3, 2008

53 West Mt. Airy to Hunting Park
-Increase Weekday seating capacity with 40 foot buses November 3, 2008

94 Chestnut Hill to Montgomery Mall
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service
to every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. November 3, 2008

104 69th Street Terminal to West Chester University
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. November 3, 2008

108 69th Street Terminal to Philadelphia International Airport, Airport Business Center or UPS
-Improve Weekday AM and PM Peak Hour service to every 4 minutes November 3, 2008

109 69th Street Terminal to Chester Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to every 15 minutes from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. November 3, 2008

112 69th Street Terminal to Delaware County Community College
-Improve Weekday Peak Hour service to DCCC to every 20 minutes
from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. November 3, 2008

124 Center City to King of Prussia or Chesterbrook
-Add two new Weekday AM peak westbound trips to improve service
to every 20 minutes between 6:45 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. November 3, 2008

125 Center City to King of Prussia or Valley Forge
-Add Weekday trips at Mall closing time to improve service average
to every 10 minutes between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. November 3, 2008

R Wissahickon Transportation Center to Frankford Transportation Center
-Improve Weekday AM Peak Hour service to every 7 minutes and PM Peak Hour service
to every 10 minutes November 3, 2008

[sciguy0504]

NJT and SEPTA joint ticketing is awesome. It should have been done a while ago. Now SEPTA just needs to get the ticket machines and smart cards in place.

[volguus zildrohar]

Any service increase for SEPTA is a good thing. I can personally attest to the need on several of those routes and line.

While SEPTA has increased off-peak frequency for the Market-Frankford El, it has yet to broach the subject of expanding late night hour service for this line and the Broad Street Subway. I see the purposes behind perpetually packed shuttle buses (regardless of the night of the week) but are there really that many more people moving between Woodcrest, NJ and 8th & Market than there are between 15th & Market and 69th Street? I rode The Speedline to Philly at 1:15am last night but could not take a train home. That's seems quite wanting to me.

[miketoronto]

Any service increase for SEPTA is a good thing. I can personally attest to the need on several of those routes and line.

While SEPTA has increased off-peak frequency for the Market-Frankford El, it has yet to broach the subject of expanding late night hour service for this line and the Broad Street Subway. I see the purposes behind perpetually packed shuttle buses (regardless of the night of the week) but are there really that many more people moving between Woodcrest, NJ and 8th & Market than there are between 15th & Market and 69th Street? I rode The Speedline to Philly at 1:15am last night but could not take a train home. That's seems quite wanting to me.

Is there demand for late night subway service? The EL goes through mostly poor neighbourhoods on the west side does it not? Maybe the demand is not there as the residents in these areas are probably not at downtown clubs and other attractions late at night, and the buses carry the loads?

[McBane]

SEPTA Drops the Ball AGAIN...

How many young people live in Manayunk? How many young people live in Center City? How many of those young people don't have cars? Sure the older set would like to take the train into the city for a night out but what about the loads of younger people who want to take the train AND stay out til 2 to booze in CC or Manayunk (and maybe even catch a cheesesteak or slice at Lorenzos)?

All SEPTA had to do was add one more train - say around 2:30 and problem solved. Instead the last R6 train from Center City leaves at 1:48 and only on Saturday nights (so those who want to go to First Friday and stay out at the bars in Old City - sorry). To be at Suburban Station by 1:40 or so, you'd have to leave the bar by about 1:30. Now coming from someone who's lived overseas, 2am bar closing is pathetically early and I'll be damned if I'm gonna cut my night even shorter to make a train.

Late night trains, specifically the R6 between Manayunk and CC COULD have been a huge hit had they scheduled a final train after 2am. Idiots? Yes. Surprised? No. Dissapointed? It's SEPTA.

[Justin10000]

^^ You know.

When I visited Philly in May, that was my intial impression of SEPTA. Such a large system with so potential.

But the system left me disappointed. Long wait for subway, and trolleys, having to pay $6 for a day pass with only 8 rides!

And the transit did not even go near the Hostel(the good one).

Septa does leave one feeling pretty disappointed.

[volguus zildrohar]

Is there demand for late night subway service? The EL goes through mostly poor neighbourhoods on the west side does it not? Maybe the demand is not there as the residents in these areas are probably not at downtown clubs and other attractions late at night, and the buses carry the loads?

The demand is there late at night as the late night shuttle buses to the poor west side neighborhoods (one of which I live in) are routinely crowded. There are two stations - 52nd Street and the terminal at 69th Street - that see the most traffic on the western end of the line. 46th Street is the last station west for most of the club-hopping types but riders at the other stations do go into town and spend money like anyone else.

Justin, that's part of what SEPTA is trying to improve on - it's a subject I've written about once or twice. It's a start after years of...misfortune. I think once they see that there is a legitimate demand for later service, it will be expanded even more.

[J. Will]

Long wait for subway, and trolleys

According to septa.org, by as early as 9pm, the Broad St. Line only runs every 10-12 minutes, and the Market Line only runs every 12 minutes :(

And this is a city with a high pop. density (around 11k/ppsm I believe).

[miketoronto]

Long subway wait times are the norm in most cities.

SEPTA may not want to run late night regional trains, due to the issue of drunk riders.

I know the commuter train network here in Toronto does not run past 12:43 AM, with a late night bus at 1:30AM. And the last trains and the late night bus have such problems with security and drunk people that I think it turns the transit networks off providing late night service.
I have personally been stuck more than once on late evening commuter trains that had to be stopped because drunk suburban kids started fighting on the trains.

Anyway there is a lot of scheduling and stuff that goes into providing train service, and maybe at this time they can not staff more late night service.
If it is such a big issue, I think that the riders should complain and demand more late evening service.

One other thing that also has to be addressed is the fact that even if the regional rail operates latter, once people get to their suburban station there are no buses to take them home.

I think at this point in time SEPTA needs to focus on providing bus service within walking distance of all metropolitan residents. At the present most suburban Philly residents can not walk to a bus stop, meaning large swaths of the region lack public transit, unless people drive to a regional rail line.
Bring transit within 400 meters of all residents, than lets talk about late evening trains.

SEPTA has a very very very bad image problem, and aside from the regional rail nework, is seen as a last resort way of getting around for poor people.

[volguus zildrohar]

You sure take a positive tack on things, mike.

SEPTA's image problem has been largely self-inflicted. You're surely aware of the budget issues it has been facing up until late. The agency was much less interested in being a means of getting people around the suburbs - particularly the far flung suburbs - as it was with moving people between Center City and the suburbs. It focused a lot of attention on its hubs while even downtown stations suffered a lack of attention. If you really think suburban access has gotten short shrift though I'd invite you to spend some time at 69th Street Terminal during a rush hour. Granted, the routes that run from there serve mainly the inner ring burbs and areas within a half-hour of the city itself but that's an issue you'll find in most US cities and the problem is, again, nobody wanted to ride buses or trains. That's one of the reasons people move to the suburbs - generally, a lack of access to mass transit is not only understood but desirable, to escape the things associated with public transit by the ignorant masses.

With people flocking to buses and trains in record numbers now out of necessity, the chickens of the combined shortsightedness of suburban America and the transit agencies that the central cities are returning to roost. I'm not convinced that the trend would continue even if gas prices fell considerably so maybe the time is now to try your idea of circulating the suburban masses - but they should be prepared to deal with long headways and strange routes on winding roads. Their low population desnity, by design, has kind of cursed them to that.

[travelinmiles]

You sure take a positive tack on things, mike.

SEPTA's image problem has been largely self-inflicted. You're surely aware of the budget issues it has been facing up until late. The agency was much less interested in being a means of getting people around the suburbs - particularly the far flung suburbs - as it was with moving people between Center City and the suburbs. It focused a lot of attention on its hubs while even downtown stations suffered a lack of attention. If you really think suburban access has gotten short shrift though I'd invite you to spend some time at 69th Street Terminal during a rush hour. Granted, the routes that run from there serve mainly the inner ring burbs and areas within a half-hour of the city itself but that's an issue you'll find in most US cities and the problem is, again, nobody wanted to ride buses or trains. That's one of the reasons people move to the suburbs - generally, a lack of access to mass transit is not only understood but desirable, to escape the things associated with public transit by the ignorant masses.

With people flocking to buses and trains in record numbers now out of necessity, the chickens of the combined shortsightedness of suburban America and the transit agencies that the central cities are returning to roost. I'm not convinced that the trend would continue even if gas prices fell considerably so maybe the time is now to try your idea of circulating the suburban masses - but they should be prepared to deal with long headways and strange routes on winding roads. Their low population density, by design, has kind of cursed them to that.

I have to agree with VZ on that. If one were to look at past funding for Septa it's much easier to understand why the system is in the shape that it is in; this in addition to the political climate of PA, and considering that most of SEPTAs board is suburbanites. VZ make a good point about the urban form of the suburbs, unlike outwest where I am from where sprawl is the norm it is much more uniform in density; where as here in the northeast you have very dense cores with nice inner ring burbs but the outer ring seems to vomit all over the country side with huge lots. With this being said it is difficult to offer service to these far flung places. I believe SEPTA is doing its best and has improved since the last two years I have been here. I would like to see more frequent service on buses and trains especially the the R6 and some of the Center City Routes, but I think it will come with time.

[McBane]

SEPTA may not want to run late night regional trains, due to the issue of drunk riders.

Very true...drunks are much better off driving.

Seriously though, hasn't anyone here been in Old City, Rittenhouse, South Street, or Manayunk at 2am? It's a madhouse. So why doesn't SEPTA look at these people with dollar signs and a "cha-ching"?

A good way to look at the new service: 2am is the weekend version of 5pm M-F, but you wouldn't have the last trains during the workweek leave at 4:30 or 5 (people don't just snap their fingers to go from their offices to the platform) would you? No, of course not. To cater to those workers leaving work at 5pm you have trains at 5:15 and 5:30. So why not make trains available for those who leave bars at 2am? Is it ridership? Well, like I said before, if you've been to the trendy areas of the city at 2am, you would see lots of people who would love to have trains available.

[Justin10000]

One thing i loved about the Philly area was the PATCO line. You cannot go wrong with 24 hour rail service into the 'burbs.

[tua21506]

When I was in Japan drunks on the later trains were amusing to watch also the ones on first train...lol....last train was always packed...In Tokyo however businesses have sprung up around the fact that train service doesn't run all night...there are places you can go and stay all night for a fee....you can do various things and different places have different amusements and themes....maybe someone should experiment with that... like a flat rate of 30 or so dollars gets you unlimited drinks(non alcoholic) and access to internet and magazines, and games....maybe even a cot.....

[sammyg]

Seriously though, hasn't anyone here been in Old City, Rittenhouse, South Street, or Manayunk at 2am? It's a madhouse. So why doesn't SEPTA look at these people with dollar signs and a "cha-ching"?


How many high-ranking SEPTA officials do you think are out at 2AM? That's the problem in SF and Chicago, people who make decisions only use transit during commute hours, if ever. They have no idea how most people use the system.

[miketoronto]

Maybe Philly needs something like Brisbane, Australia has for late night service. Here are the details from Transinfo.

What is NightLink?

NightLink is the name given to the all night public transport services that leave Fortitude Valley and CBD on Friday and Saturday nights. These services are helping improve safety in Inner City Brisbane and get patrons home after a night out.

NightLink Busi


NightLink bus services operate hourly between 1am and 5am. Normal and NightLink services combined provide an all-night bus service on weekends. View NightLink timetables for specific departure times of bus services.

Security staff are onboard all NightLink bus services and are also positioned at NightLink bus stops in the Valley and CBD. NightLink bus services drop passengers off anywhere along the route where it is safe for the driver to stop. You may like to arrange for a taxi, a friend or relative to pick you up at the other end.

NightLink bus services are provided on behalf of the TransLink Transit Authority by Brisbane Transport, Hornibrook Bus Lines, Logan City Bus Service and Veolia Transport.


NightLink Train

One extra NightLink train service operates on three Brisbane lines and departs the inner city stations around 4am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. View NightLink timetables for specific departure times of train services.

Generally, if a station is attended for the last-first train each day, it will be attended for NighLink services.

Security staff, some with dogs, are patrolling QR stations. TransLink Transit Officers patrol NightLink train services. The Queensland Police Service Rail Squad are based at Central station, with roving patrols at Brunswick Street, Roma Street and South Brisbane stations.

You may like to arrange for a taxi, a friend or relative to pick you up at the other end. Most train stations, busway stations and bus stations have public telephones or you can use your mobile phone. The taxi booking numbers are 131 008 (Black and White Cabs) or 13 19 24 (Yellow Cabs).

NightLink train services are provided on behalf of the TransLink Transit Authority by QR.

Please note, access to Valley Metro and Brunswick Street station is only available between 3.15am and 4am for NightLink rail services.



NightLink taxi

NightLink taxis are FlatFare taxi services (share-ride services to your door for a cheaper fare than standard metred taxis). FlatFare Taxi services operate between 12am and 5.30am.

NightLink taxis are provided in partnership between Queensland Transport, Black and White Cabs, Yellow Cabs and the Taxi Council of Queensland.

[Lincolndrive]

http://www.septa.com/service/sched/pdfs/preview/R6N-Web-TT.pdf

This is the new R6 Schedule with the late night trains on the weekends. I'm not sure if I'm reading this wrong but for all the manayunkers out there it seems like Friday the last train back to the yunk is 12:38 (from Suburban Station) but Saturday night you can stay out until 1:48. Am I reading this wrong?

[tua21506]

PATCO to add trains for peak-service times
Ridership is up over last year. The additional service is scheduled to begin Saturday.

By Jan Hefler and Paul Nussbaum

Inquirer Staff Writers
To cope with increasing ridership, the PATCO commuter rail line will add trains during rush hours, beginning Saturday, officials said yesterday.

PATCO will add one six-car train to its current 13-train fleet between 7 and 9 a.m. and one during the 5-to-6 p.m. commute, general manager Robert Box said. Each train can seat 500 passengers, and each will make two trips, Box said.

Annual ridership on the 14-mile PATCO commuter rail line, which operates between Center City and Lindenwold, is on pace to be the highest since 2000, at about 36,000 passengers a day, compared with 32,000 a day last year.

"Some days it's close to 40,000," Box said. "Ridership has really ramped up since we hit the $4 mark with gas."

The increases, though, could be tempered by a 10 percent hike in fares that is to take effect Sept. 14.

PATCO riders waiting at the Haddonfield station yesterday generally praised the additional service.

Matt McGrath, 45, of Haddonfield, who uses PATCO daily to get to work in the utility industry, said the added trains were needed because of standing-room-only crowds during peak periods.

"I definitely think they should add trains," McGrath said.

He added, "My biggest gripe is they raise the fares and then put an adjusted time schedule up on the board for maintenance work. You might end up standing there a half-hour, not knowing when the train will get here."

David Singleton, 51, a plastics technician from Woodbury, also applauded the new service. "But what they need to do is expand the line into the Woodbury area. They were going to do this but it hasn't happened. Trains add to the economy; they raise property values because people want to use the trains," he said.

Singleton said he takes a train and two buses to get to work each day in Mount Laurel.

Barbara Grimes, 52, of Philadelphia, says she uses PATCO twice a week to visit her daughter. She said the new trains would help because a lot more people are bringing bicycles aboard, crowding the space.

"More trains would make it easier," she said.

William Haines, 42, of Pine Hill, said he welcomed the additional service and said the trains "generally run pretty well. Sometimes they come late, but they do pretty well. It would be nice if the trains were a little cleaner. Floors are dirty, and the upholstery looks like it should be better maintained."

At current ridership levels, PATCO is expected to carry 10.2 million riders this year, up from 9.4 million in 2007 and the most since 10.6 million in 2000. PATCO's busiest year was 1976, when it had 11.5 million riders.

Contact staff writer Paul Nussbaum at 215-854-4587 or pnussbaum@phillynews.com.