DOOMSDAY DELAYED ... FOR NOW

After a 2 hour marathon session by the SEPTA Board, an alternative plan that would raise fares twice in a three month span while partially retaining weekend service and still reduce weekday service by 20 percent was approved by a 13-2 vote. There's only one problem though...

Jettie Newkirk and Christian DiCicco, the city of Philadelphia's two representatives to the SEPTA Board were the lone dissenters, effectively vetoing the resolution until the regular "rubber-stamp" session on December 16. The announcement by Newkirk that the city would exercise its veto power angered most of the board members, not to mention confuse many observers who questioned the logic of that decision. To override the veto, 12 votes are needed, and its obvious to anyone with half a brain (ie. most of SEPTA's management) that the votes are there to override the veto.

The plan would reduce weekday service headways by 20 percent across the board, however service spans would remain largely unaffected. Saturday schedules would be reduced to Sunday headway levels on most routes in the system (though some City Transit and Regional Rail lines already have that in effect, along with Red Arrow route 305) with some modifications, and routes with no Sunday service would retain Saturday service (such as the 1, 19, 92, 103, 111, and 127 among others). A fare increase of 25 percent would be implemented on January 23, the same date as the service reductions, while a second fare increase of nearly 20 percent would be imposed in March.

More details, commentary, and links to stories will be posted as this story develops...