Spring Break
City says SEPTA can't eliminate transfers
By: Chris Russell
Issue date: 8/24/07 Section: News
Originally published: 8/24/07 at 3:06 AM EST
Last update: 8/24/07 at 3:06 AM EST
Originally published: 8/24/07 at 3:06 AM EST
Last update: 8/24/07 at 3:06 AM EST
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Common Pleas court in Philadelphia ruled that SEPTA will not be allowed to eliminate transfers.
The transfers currently cost 60 cents if a rider wants to board another bus en route to their final destination. With the elimination of transfers, riders would have to pay a full-priced additional fare - $1.30 with tokens or $2 cash. SEPTA, who is looking to appeal the ruling says that eliminating the transfers encourages riders to buy weekly or monthly transpasses.
It is suspected that these transfers would greatly affect lower-income residents, where taking more than one bus is necessary to get to and from work.
"I feel that it will hurt the lower class a lot. This is not fair to anyone who uses public transportation. I think government should give money to keep prices at [the] current rate," Drew Kurtz, a junior majoring in architectural engineering said.
The Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, whom opposed the transfers as well, felt the tentative ruling as victorious, noting that many people in the region use SEPTA regularly, but not enough to warrant a transpass.
SEPTA says that it is streamlining its fare structure and is required by the state to increase its annual revenue, and that since only eight percent of customers use transfers, according to their records, their human impact would be relatively benign.
"With these increases, it makes it unnecessary to support public transit," Mike Ward, a junior majoring in architectural engineering said,
"SEPTA's proposed elimination of transfers will affect our students, especially part time students, who work during the day and then make their way to campus via bus, trolley and/or subway", said Jessica Grace, assistant director of commuter and off campus student programs and services.
Drexel's recent introduction of its ComPass program (which was highly successful its first month), which allows up to 10% off of monthly transpasses, do help offset some of SEPTA's fair increases. This was the first month this program has been used and according to Grace, it "was a great success! We had a great turn out."
City solicitor Romulo L. Diaz, Jr. would like to see a more fair and equitable decision made; one that, if fares are increased, would affect everyone equally.
The transfers currently cost 60 cents if a rider wants to board another bus en route to their final destination. With the elimination of transfers, riders would have to pay a full-priced additional fare - $1.30 with tokens or $2 cash. SEPTA, who is looking to appeal the ruling says that eliminating the transfers encourages riders to buy weekly or monthly transpasses.
It is suspected that these transfers would greatly affect lower-income residents, where taking more than one bus is necessary to get to and from work.
"I feel that it will hurt the lower class a lot. This is not fair to anyone who uses public transportation. I think government should give money to keep prices at [the] current rate," Drew Kurtz, a junior majoring in architectural engineering said.
The Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, whom opposed the transfers as well, felt the tentative ruling as victorious, noting that many people in the region use SEPTA regularly, but not enough to warrant a transpass.
SEPTA says that it is streamlining its fare structure and is required by the state to increase its annual revenue, and that since only eight percent of customers use transfers, according to their records, their human impact would be relatively benign.
"With these increases, it makes it unnecessary to support public transit," Mike Ward, a junior majoring in architectural engineering said,
"SEPTA's proposed elimination of transfers will affect our students, especially part time students, who work during the day and then make their way to campus via bus, trolley and/or subway", said Jessica Grace, assistant director of commuter and off campus student programs and services.
Drexel's recent introduction of its ComPass program (which was highly successful its first month), which allows up to 10% off of monthly transpasses, do help offset some of SEPTA's fair increases. This was the first month this program has been used and according to Grace, it "was a great success! We had a great turn out."
City solicitor Romulo L. Diaz, Jr. would like to see a more fair and equitable decision made; one that, if fares are increased, would affect everyone equally.
