CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? D'OH! As if you needed more proof that SEPTA has a major communications problem... The Daily News reports that nearly 1 out of every 4 emergency call boxes are not properly functioning, which by SEPTA standards is above average. Eight of the stations cited as having broken boxes have been classified as being in "high crime areas" along the system (Broad Street: Fairmount/northbound; North Philadelphia/southbound; Susquehanna-Dauphin/southbound, Tasker-Morris; El: Erie-Torresdale and Tioga/both directions; Margaret-Orthodox/eastbound; Allegheny/eastbound; Somerset/eastbound). That's right, both the Erie-Torresdale and Tioga El stations do not have properly functioning call boxes in either direction. Four years ago, SEPTA installed new high-tech (ha ha) call boxes along the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines at a cost of $3.9 million. Apparently, there have been problems with the contractor who was responsible for installing the system among other problems. SEPTA says they will be up and running by the end of the summer; by that time, there may not be too many riders left on the system, thanks to the fare hikes...

On a side note, what nobody from SEPTA bothered to mention is that most - if not all - Broad Street and Market-Frankford stations, as well as other key locations such as Darby Loop, 40-Woodland, and Regional Rail Stations within the city and immediate suburbs - have pay phones which have been specially programmed to allow direct contact with SEPTA Police, which are clearly marked as such. Simply dial #88 to reach SEPTA Police, or #89 to reach SEPTA Travel Information. At some of the outer egde stations along the railroad (particularly along the R5 Paoli line), only #89 is listed. It amazes me that SEPTA could actually proceed with this call box fiasco when the pay phone system certainly has worked fairly well...