As other transit agencies across the country are upgrading and modernizing their fare systems, SEPTA, in it's zeal to be convenient to it's customers, is taking the following passenger-friendly step to improve service to it's Regional Rail riders...
On January 27, SEPTA will remove all ticket vending machines at the Center City stations, the Airport, and Trenton.
Terriffic. Now, you can expect even longer lines at the ticket offices as SEPTA continues to improve it's system for the benefit of its customers. Granted, the machines are obsolete, but wouldn't it make sense to buy new TVM's before replacing the old ones?
Of course it would ... which is why SEPTA is doing the exact opposite...
Showing posts with label operations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label operations. Show all posts
Monday, January 15, 2007
Sunday, December 17, 2006
GAMBLERS EXPRESS READY TO ROLL ... SORT OF
Today marks the first day of SEPTA's service between the Franklin Mills Mall and Philadelphia Park racetrack in Bensalem Twp, Bucks County. The "Route 20 Shuttle" will operate hourly between Franklin Mills and Philadelphia Park via Knights Rd and PA 132 (Street Rd) to accomodate passengers en route to the new slots parlor at the venerable racetrack. (And yes, I'm sure many people out there find it ironic that Franklin Mills was, back in the day, the site of a harness racing track.) This shuttle will depart Franklin Mills hourly between 07:30 and 00:30 and from Philadelphia Park between 07:10 and 01:10 between now and February 10, 2007. The next day (February 11), SEPTA will introduce the new Route 50 between Bridge-Pratt and Philadelphia Park.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS...
If the preliminary agenda for next month's "rubber stamp session" of the SEPTA Board is to be believed - but then again, when is anything that eminates from 1234 Market to believed - SEPTA's plans to close it's $36 million plus operating budget gap will come courtesy of the capital budget. Among the projects that would be deffered, according to the draft resolution, would be renovations to some Broad Street Line stations, bus replacements, and the fare collection upgrades that have been dormant since Gov. Edward G. Rendell (D-Pa./Comcast SportsNet) was mayor of Philadelphia. The good news, if it means anything, is that there does not appear to be a fare increase in the works. However:
* Some of the 1996 NABIs - which were slated for retirement as early as 2008 - may be forced to remain in service for another year. These buses are clearly starting show their age, not that they were particularly good buses to begin with...
* Stations along the Broad Street Line which were planned to get rehabbed - Girard among them - will remain dumps...
* SEPTA's fare collection system and policies - which were considered state-of-the-art when delpoyed in the 1990's - will continue to remain obsolete compared to peer agencies across the country, and quite possibly even within the state.
Now, apparently, the ball is in Harrisburg's court. Assuming they can find time to draw attention away from Rendell's attempts to override the will of school districts across the state who soundly rejected his "Act 72" schemes to force property tax relief by mandating the same flawed program that same school boards rejected.
* Some of the 1996 NABIs - which were slated for retirement as early as 2008 - may be forced to remain in service for another year. These buses are clearly starting show their age, not that they were particularly good buses to begin with...
* Stations along the Broad Street Line which were planned to get rehabbed - Girard among them - will remain dumps...
* SEPTA's fare collection system and policies - which were considered state-of-the-art when delpoyed in the 1990's - will continue to remain obsolete compared to peer agencies across the country, and quite possibly even within the state.
Now, apparently, the ball is in Harrisburg's court. Assuming they can find time to draw attention away from Rendell's attempts to override the will of school districts across the state who soundly rejected his "Act 72" schemes to force property tax relief by mandating the same flawed program that same school boards rejected.
Friday, November 17, 2006
STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE...
According to an investigative report that aired Wednesday on CBS3, SEPTA's track record as it pertains to the safe operation of the system is under scrutiny. Imagine that...
In a CBS 3 I-Team Exclusive , how safe are you riding SEPTA's regional rail lines? It is a question that is being asked following an I-Team investigation into last summer's train crash.
Every day, 100,000 riders depend on SEPTA's regional rail to deliver them safely to their destination. But 30 people were injured on the Warminster line when two trains collided head-on.
Our exclusive investigation found that SEPTA’s safety system, designed to prevent just a crash, didn’t."Lots of broken noses, broken faces, horrible shock, massive confusion," said eyewitness, Judy Grove.
Those who were there the afternoon of Saturday, July 1st remember the frightening scene as two SEPTA trains collided head on."
Most were in total shock, they didn’t know what really happened," said Grove.
Two weeks after the crash, SEPTA fired the engineer of the southbound train, claiming he went through a red signal onto a single track, colliding head-on with a second train.
However, confidential documents obtained by the CBS 3 I-Team, indicate much deeper safety problems. In fact, testimony connected to SEPTA’s own crash investigation shows that the systems designed to prevent crashes did not work. A train breeching a red signal should have immediately set off three alarms inside SEPTA’s main control center including one with a loud shriek.
Yet at a closed door hearing into the crash - two different employees on duty that day testified they never saw or heard any warnings.
Union Official Question: "At the time it is alleged the engineer passed the signal did you witness an audible or visual alarm?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "No"
Whether the alarms actually went off is in dispute. Another control room worker reported that ‘phantom alarms’ indicating trains are going through red signals when in fact they are not, are so common that controllers may ignore them.
Union Official Question: "Does this mean that you routinely click off, on, or ignore certain alerts because the system gives you phantom warnings?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "Yes, we call them hiccups, burps or whatever."
Union Official Question: "Does this happen frequently?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "In certain areas, yes mainly on a Main Line, Center City"
The Union is appealing the train engineer's dismissal. At the time, SEPTA said all of the train signals were working properly.
On Wednesday, SEPTA officials would not comment because the National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the crash. However, SEPTA reiterated that its regional rail system has an excellent safety record.
Stop me if you're shocked by these findings... This is on top of the lack of adequate security at SEPTA's rail yards, the decision by the SEPTA "Transit Police" to discontinue it's plainclothes patrols, and the Powelton Yard fiasco where a suspicious device (later found to be harmless) was stored in a locker at the rail yard for nearly a week.
Feel safer now?
In a CBS 3 I-Team Exclusive , how safe are you riding SEPTA's regional rail lines? It is a question that is being asked following an I-Team investigation into last summer's train crash.
Every day, 100,000 riders depend on SEPTA's regional rail to deliver them safely to their destination. But 30 people were injured on the Warminster line when two trains collided head-on.
Our exclusive investigation found that SEPTA’s safety system, designed to prevent just a crash, didn’t."Lots of broken noses, broken faces, horrible shock, massive confusion," said eyewitness, Judy Grove.
Those who were there the afternoon of Saturday, July 1st remember the frightening scene as two SEPTA trains collided head on."
Most were in total shock, they didn’t know what really happened," said Grove.
Two weeks after the crash, SEPTA fired the engineer of the southbound train, claiming he went through a red signal onto a single track, colliding head-on with a second train.
However, confidential documents obtained by the CBS 3 I-Team, indicate much deeper safety problems. In fact, testimony connected to SEPTA’s own crash investigation shows that the systems designed to prevent crashes did not work. A train breeching a red signal should have immediately set off three alarms inside SEPTA’s main control center including one with a loud shriek.
Yet at a closed door hearing into the crash - two different employees on duty that day testified they never saw or heard any warnings.
Union Official Question: "At the time it is alleged the engineer passed the signal did you witness an audible or visual alarm?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "No"
Whether the alarms actually went off is in dispute. Another control room worker reported that ‘phantom alarms’ indicating trains are going through red signals when in fact they are not, are so common that controllers may ignore them.
Union Official Question: "Does this mean that you routinely click off, on, or ignore certain alerts because the system gives you phantom warnings?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "Yes, we call them hiccups, burps or whatever."
Union Official Question: "Does this happen frequently?"
SEPTA Employee Answer: "In certain areas, yes mainly on a Main Line, Center City"
The Union is appealing the train engineer's dismissal. At the time, SEPTA said all of the train signals were working properly.
On Wednesday, SEPTA officials would not comment because the National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the crash. However, SEPTA reiterated that its regional rail system has an excellent safety record.
Stop me if you're shocked by these findings... This is on top of the lack of adequate security at SEPTA's rail yards, the decision by the SEPTA "Transit Police" to discontinue it's plainclothes patrols, and the Powelton Yard fiasco where a suspicious device (later found to be harmless) was stored in a locker at the rail yard for nearly a week.
Feel safer now?
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
DETAILED FRONTIER ROUTE CHANGES (Effective 03 September 06)
NO CHANGES TO ROUTES 90, 91, 93, 97, 131, 132, 204, 206, and 304
ROUTE 92
Merged with Route 133, now a one-seat ride between West Chester and King of Prussia
New peak hour express service between King of Prussia and PA 252/Chesterbrook Blvd
Weekday peak headways 60 minutes, off-peak and Saturday headways 90 minutes
ROUTE 94
Run times increased 5-7 minutes due to new routing at Montgomery County Community College/Whitpain campus
Weekdays to Chestnut Hill: Trips from Montgomery Mall between 08:35 through 17:35 depart 5 minutes later
ROUTE 95
All trips now routed to directly serve Conshohocken Rail Station (R6 Norristown)
Peak hour short-turns now originate at Swedeland Rd/River Rd, Upper Merion
AM and PM "Reverse-peak" short-turns between Conshohocken and Gulph Mills eliminated
Run time adjustments across the board
Weekdays to Gulph Mills: 06:00 from Conshohocken extended to Plymouth Meeting Mall, departing at 05:40, 06:38 departs Plymouth Meeting Mall 2 minutes later, 07:23 through 08:55 depart Plymouth Meeting 15 minutes later, mid-day service between 09:45 and 14:45 depart 20 minutes earlier, 18:25 departs Plymouth Meeting 10 minutes later, 20:20 departs Plymouth Metting at 20:00, 22:20 departs Plymouth Meeting 10 minutes later
Weekdays to Plymouth Meeting Mall: 06:10 departs Gulph Mills 5 minutes later, AM peak trips from 06:25 through 08:50 depart 5 minutes earlier, 09:35 trip eliminated, mid-day service from 10:30 to 14:30 departs 20 minutes earlier, 20:12 departs at 20:35, 21:12 departs at 21:55
Saturdays to Gulph Mills: 07:45 through 09:45 and 11:41 depart 3 minutes earlier, 15:40 through 17:40 depart 2 minutes earlier, 19:47 and 20:47 depart 7 minutes earlier, 21:45 and 22:45 depart 5 minutes earlier
ROUTE 96
Run time adjustments northbound north of MCCC and southbound south of MCCC due to new routing
ROUTE 98
Weekdays to Willow Grove: New 10:06, 11:05, 12:05 and 14:05 short-turns from Jolly Rd/Union Meeting Rd, Whitpain to Plymouth Meeting Mall
Weekdays to Norristown: New 09:55, 10:55, 11:55, and 13:55 short-turns from Plymouth Meeting Mall to Jolly Rd/Union Meeting Rd, Whitpain, 15:30 and 16:30 depart Willow Grove 5 minutes earlier, 16:29 depart Ambler 1 minute earlier, 17:30 departs Ambler 3 minutes later, 18:40 departs Willow Grove 10 minutes earlier, 19:40 departs Willow Grove 5 minutes earlier
Saturdays to Norristown: 11:20 departs Willow Grove 10 minutes earlier
ROUTE 99
New routing via Trooper Rd, Shannondell Blvd, and Egypt Rd; all run-times adjusted accordingly
ROUTE 124
New routing via Swedesford Rd, eliminating Chesterbrook Blvd service; all run-times adjusted accordingly
ROUTES 127 and 128
Minor weekday run-time adjustments
ROUTE 129
Weekday and Saturday run-time adjustments; seasonal service to Sesame Place ended
ROUTE 130
Weekday and Saturday run-time adjustments
Saturdays to Franklin Mills: 08:45 departs Newtown 5 minutes earlier, 09:50, 10:50, 13:55 through 17:55, and 18:50 depart Newtown 10 minutes earlier, 11:52 and 12:52 departs 12 minutes earlier
ROUTE 134
Weekdays to Montgomery Mall: Run time adjustments with no changes to departure times
Weekdays to Chestnut Hill: 16:30 and 17:50 departs 5 minutes later
ROUTE 201
18:05 departs Fort Washington Rail Station 5 minutes later, 18:16 departs 601 Office Center Dr, Upper Dublin, 4 minutes later
ROUTE 92
Merged with Route 133, now a one-seat ride between West Chester and King of Prussia
New peak hour express service between King of Prussia and PA 252/Chesterbrook Blvd
Weekday peak headways 60 minutes, off-peak and Saturday headways 90 minutes
ROUTE 94
Run times increased 5-7 minutes due to new routing at Montgomery County Community College/Whitpain campus
Weekdays to Chestnut Hill: Trips from Montgomery Mall between 08:35 through 17:35 depart 5 minutes later
ROUTE 95
All trips now routed to directly serve Conshohocken Rail Station (R6 Norristown)
Peak hour short-turns now originate at Swedeland Rd/River Rd, Upper Merion
AM and PM "Reverse-peak" short-turns between Conshohocken and Gulph Mills eliminated
Run time adjustments across the board
Weekdays to Gulph Mills: 06:00 from Conshohocken extended to Plymouth Meeting Mall, departing at 05:40, 06:38 departs Plymouth Meeting Mall 2 minutes later, 07:23 through 08:55 depart Plymouth Meeting 15 minutes later, mid-day service between 09:45 and 14:45 depart 20 minutes earlier, 18:25 departs Plymouth Meeting 10 minutes later, 20:20 departs Plymouth Metting at 20:00, 22:20 departs Plymouth Meeting 10 minutes later
Weekdays to Plymouth Meeting Mall: 06:10 departs Gulph Mills 5 minutes later, AM peak trips from 06:25 through 08:50 depart 5 minutes earlier, 09:35 trip eliminated, mid-day service from 10:30 to 14:30 departs 20 minutes earlier, 20:12 departs at 20:35, 21:12 departs at 21:55
Saturdays to Gulph Mills: 07:45 through 09:45 and 11:41 depart 3 minutes earlier, 15:40 through 17:40 depart 2 minutes earlier, 19:47 and 20:47 depart 7 minutes earlier, 21:45 and 22:45 depart 5 minutes earlier
ROUTE 96
Run time adjustments northbound north of MCCC and southbound south of MCCC due to new routing
ROUTE 98
Weekdays to Willow Grove: New 10:06, 11:05, 12:05 and 14:05 short-turns from Jolly Rd/Union Meeting Rd, Whitpain to Plymouth Meeting Mall
Weekdays to Norristown: New 09:55, 10:55, 11:55, and 13:55 short-turns from Plymouth Meeting Mall to Jolly Rd/Union Meeting Rd, Whitpain, 15:30 and 16:30 depart Willow Grove 5 minutes earlier, 16:29 depart Ambler 1 minute earlier, 17:30 departs Ambler 3 minutes later, 18:40 departs Willow Grove 10 minutes earlier, 19:40 departs Willow Grove 5 minutes earlier
Saturdays to Norristown: 11:20 departs Willow Grove 10 minutes earlier
ROUTE 99
New routing via Trooper Rd, Shannondell Blvd, and Egypt Rd; all run-times adjusted accordingly
ROUTE 124
New routing via Swedesford Rd, eliminating Chesterbrook Blvd service; all run-times adjusted accordingly
ROUTES 127 and 128
Minor weekday run-time adjustments
ROUTE 129
Weekday and Saturday run-time adjustments; seasonal service to Sesame Place ended
ROUTE 130
Weekday and Saturday run-time adjustments
Saturdays to Franklin Mills: 08:45 departs Newtown 5 minutes earlier, 09:50, 10:50, 13:55 through 17:55, and 18:50 depart Newtown 10 minutes earlier, 11:52 and 12:52 departs 12 minutes earlier
ROUTE 134
Weekdays to Montgomery Mall: Run time adjustments with no changes to departure times
Weekdays to Chestnut Hill: 16:30 and 17:50 departs 5 minutes later
ROUTE 201
18:05 departs Fort Washington Rail Station 5 minutes later, 18:16 departs 601 Office Center Dr, Upper Dublin, 4 minutes later
DETAILED RED ARROW ROUTE CHANGES (Effective 28 August 06)
NO CHANGES ON ROUTES 106, 109, 114, 116, 117, 118, 125, and 305
ROUTE 100
Weekdays to Norristown: New 09:15 Bryn Mawr local, 18:48 Norristown local departs 3 minutes later, new 18:55 Hughes Park local
Weekdays to 69 St: New 09:40 local from Bryn Mawr, new 19:23 express from Hughes Park, 19:22 departs Norristown 1 minute later, 19:38 departs Norristown 2 minutes later
ROUTE 101
Weekdays to Media: 07:00, 07:20, and 07:40 locals now express, 07:43 local to Springfield departs 1 minute earlier, new 08:00 Media local, 08:13 Media local departs 7 minutes later, 08:43 Media local departs 3 minutes earlier, mid-day service (pre-construction) restored, departing 69 St at :00 and :30 between 09:00 and 13:00 and every 20 minutes between 13:00 and 15:40
Weekdays to 69 St: 08:06 departs Woodland Av 1 minute earlier, 08:28 departs Scenic Rd 2 minutes earlier, new 08:40 Media local, 09:02 departs Media 2 minutes earlier, new 09:20 from Media, mid-day service departs 5 minutes later between 09:32 and 13:02; 20 minute headways between 13:40 and 16:20
ROUTE 102
Weekdays to Sharon Hill: 07:10 and 07:25 Sharon Hill locals now Express, 07:45 departs 2 minutes later, new 08:30 Sharon Hill local, mid-day service restored to depart at :15 and :45 mid-days 08:45 to 12:45 and 20 minutes from 13:10 to 15:50, add 14:15 Aldan local (school tripper)
Weekdays to 69 St: 07:59 departs Sharon Hill 1 minute earlier, 08:22 departs Sharon Hill 2 minutes later, 08:35 departs Sharon Hill 5 minutes later, new 09:00 Sharon Hill local, mid-day service 30 minutes between 09:29 and 13:23 and 20 minutes from 13:42 to 16:20
ROUTE 103
Weekdays to Ardmore: Minor run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 07:18 and 14:20 depart Ardmore 2 minutes later, 16:26 departs 2 minutes earlier, 18:52 departs 3 minutes later, 19:22 departs 8 minutes later
ROUTE 104
Weekdays to Newtown Square/West Chester: Overall run-time adjustments all day
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:16 departs Newtown Square 2 minutes earlier, new 06:48 from Springfield Rd, 07:17 departs Newtown Square 4 minutes earlier, new 08:00 local from Newtown Square, 08:25 departs Newtown Square 2 minutes later, new 09:19 local from Newtown Square, 08:55 departs West Chester University 10 minutes later, 09:25 departs WCU 5 minutes later, 10:20 through 13:50 from West Chester depart 5 minutes earlier, 13:15 Friday only non-stop express from WCU restored for the school year, 14:20 local departs Newtown Square 3 minutes earlier, 14:45 and 14:55 depart Newtown Square 2 minutes earlier, 14:20 local from WCU departs 2 minutes earlier, 15:20 express from WCU departs 5 minutes earlier, 15:50 express from WCU departs 3 minutes later, 16:11 departs Newtown Square Corp Campus 1 minute earlier, 16:20 express from WCU departs 8 minutes later, 16:50 express departs WCU 3 minutes later, 18:00 and 18:28 depart Newtown Square Corp Campus 5 minutes earlier, 17:20 express departs WCU 3 minutes later, 17:50 and 18:20 locals depart WCU 5 minutes later, new 18:49 local from Newtown Square , 20:05 and 21:05 depart Newtown Square 1 minute earlier, 22:06 departs Newtown Square 1 minute later
Sunday: 17:35 to Newtown Square and 18:14 return trip eliminated
ROUTE 105
Weekdays to Ardmore/Paoli: 05:20 departs 5 minutes earlier, overall run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:40 departs 63- Malvern 2 minutes later, 08:35 departs City Line/Haverford Av 2 minutes later, all trips between 08:10 and 19:15 depart Paoli 5 minutes later, 09:05 from Ardmore eliminated, 10:17 departs Ardmore 6 minutes later, 11:18, 12:18, and 13:18 depart Ardmore 5 minutes later, 14:09 departs Radnor 4 minutes later, 16:16 departs Radnor 2 minutes later, 17:15 departs Radnor 5 minutes later, 18:27 departs Ardmore 6 minutes later
Saturday to Paoli: Run-time adjustments
Saturday to 69 St: All trips between 07:50 and 11:50 depart Paoli 10 minutes later, all trips between 13:00 and 16:00 depart Paoli 5 minutes later
ROUTE 107
Service merged with former Route 122, operating over the 122 segment between Clifton Heights and Springfield Mall with an extension to Lawrence Park via Sproul Rd, late evening round-trips added
ROUTE 108
All runs now assigned to Red Arrow; school trippers in service for school year
Weekdays to Philadelphia International Airport: 15 minute mid-day service to 84-Crane between 08:55 and 13:55, service to Airport Business Center reduced to one trip per hour, 20:25 to ABC departs 5 minutes earlier, 21:00 to UPS departs 10 minutes earlier, new 21:10 to UPS, 21:25 to UPS departs 5 minutes later, 21:40 to UPS departs 10 minutes later, new 22:15 to 67-Elmwood, overall run time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:37 from Airport Business Center departs 3 minutes later, 07:20 departs 67-Elmwood 5 minutes later, major departure time adjustments entire day
ROUTE 110
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:30 and 07:30 from Springfield Mall cut back and originate at Pilgrim Gardens, 20:00 from Springfield Mall eliminated
ROUTE 111
Weekdays to Penn State/Chadds Ford: 22:22 to Chadds Ford cut back to State Rd/Township Line Rd, overall run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:25 departs Chadds Ford 15 minutes later, 07:30 from State Rd/Township Line Rd departs 12 minutes later, 07:10 and 07:45 express from Chadds Ford depart 5 minutes later, 14;10 and 15:10 depart Chadds Ford 5 minutes later, new 14:30 from PSU/DelCo, 15:05 departs PSU/DelCo 15 minutes later, 17:00 and 18:00 depart Chadds Ford 5 minutes later, 17:30 from Chadds Ford departs 5 minutes earlier, 20:31 from Franklin Mint cut back to PSU/DelCo, 21:35 from PSU/DelCo cut with service replaced by 21:05 express from Chadds Ford
ROUTE 112
Two additional express trips to Delaware County Community College in both directions, departing 69 St at 10:10 and 11:10 and departing DCCC at 13:05 and 16:05
ROUTE 113
Overall run-time and inbound departure time adjustments to accomodate new routing to Harrah's Chester Downs complex
ROUTE 115
Weekdays to Brookline: 19:35, 20:10 and 22:05 depart MacDade Mall at 19:05, 19:50, and 21:35
Weekdays to MacDade Mall: 20:50 departs Brookline at 20:30
ROUTE 119
Weekdays to Chester: 07:05 from Boothwyn now originates at Cheyney, departing at 06:45
Sunday to Chester: Run-time adjustments
ROUTE 120
Full school-year service restored, all weekday trips with the exception of one early evening short-turn trip, to provide one-seat ride to Cheyney
ROUTE 123
Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday run-time adjustments
Saturday to 69 St: 11:05 departs King of Prussia 5 minutes earlier, trips departing King of Prussia from 11:40 through 19:40 depart 10 minutes earlier, 20:20 departs King of Prussia 5 minutes earlier
ROUTE 100
Weekdays to Norristown: New 09:15 Bryn Mawr local, 18:48 Norristown local departs 3 minutes later, new 18:55 Hughes Park local
Weekdays to 69 St: New 09:40 local from Bryn Mawr, new 19:23 express from Hughes Park, 19:22 departs Norristown 1 minute later, 19:38 departs Norristown 2 minutes later
ROUTE 101
Weekdays to Media: 07:00, 07:20, and 07:40 locals now express, 07:43 local to Springfield departs 1 minute earlier, new 08:00 Media local, 08:13 Media local departs 7 minutes later, 08:43 Media local departs 3 minutes earlier, mid-day service (pre-construction) restored, departing 69 St at :00 and :30 between 09:00 and 13:00 and every 20 minutes between 13:00 and 15:40
Weekdays to 69 St: 08:06 departs Woodland Av 1 minute earlier, 08:28 departs Scenic Rd 2 minutes earlier, new 08:40 Media local, 09:02 departs Media 2 minutes earlier, new 09:20 from Media, mid-day service departs 5 minutes later between 09:32 and 13:02; 20 minute headways between 13:40 and 16:20
ROUTE 102
Weekdays to Sharon Hill: 07:10 and 07:25 Sharon Hill locals now Express, 07:45 departs 2 minutes later, new 08:30 Sharon Hill local, mid-day service restored to depart at :15 and :45 mid-days 08:45 to 12:45 and 20 minutes from 13:10 to 15:50, add 14:15 Aldan local (school tripper)
Weekdays to 69 St: 07:59 departs Sharon Hill 1 minute earlier, 08:22 departs Sharon Hill 2 minutes later, 08:35 departs Sharon Hill 5 minutes later, new 09:00 Sharon Hill local, mid-day service 30 minutes between 09:29 and 13:23 and 20 minutes from 13:42 to 16:20
ROUTE 103
Weekdays to Ardmore: Minor run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 07:18 and 14:20 depart Ardmore 2 minutes later, 16:26 departs 2 minutes earlier, 18:52 departs 3 minutes later, 19:22 departs 8 minutes later
ROUTE 104
Weekdays to Newtown Square/West Chester: Overall run-time adjustments all day
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:16 departs Newtown Square 2 minutes earlier, new 06:48 from Springfield Rd, 07:17 departs Newtown Square 4 minutes earlier, new 08:00 local from Newtown Square, 08:25 departs Newtown Square 2 minutes later, new 09:19 local from Newtown Square, 08:55 departs West Chester University 10 minutes later, 09:25 departs WCU 5 minutes later, 10:20 through 13:50 from West Chester depart 5 minutes earlier, 13:15 Friday only non-stop express from WCU restored for the school year, 14:20 local departs Newtown Square 3 minutes earlier, 14:45 and 14:55 depart Newtown Square 2 minutes earlier, 14:20 local from WCU departs 2 minutes earlier, 15:20 express from WCU departs 5 minutes earlier, 15:50 express from WCU departs 3 minutes later, 16:11 departs Newtown Square Corp Campus 1 minute earlier, 16:20 express from WCU departs 8 minutes later, 16:50 express departs WCU 3 minutes later, 18:00 and 18:28 depart Newtown Square Corp Campus 5 minutes earlier, 17:20 express departs WCU 3 minutes later, 17:50 and 18:20 locals depart WCU 5 minutes later, new 18:49 local from Newtown Square , 20:05 and 21:05 depart Newtown Square 1 minute earlier, 22:06 departs Newtown Square 1 minute later
Sunday: 17:35 to Newtown Square and 18:14 return trip eliminated
ROUTE 105
Weekdays to Ardmore/Paoli: 05:20 departs 5 minutes earlier, overall run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:40 departs 63- Malvern 2 minutes later, 08:35 departs City Line/Haverford Av 2 minutes later, all trips between 08:10 and 19:15 depart Paoli 5 minutes later, 09:05 from Ardmore eliminated, 10:17 departs Ardmore 6 minutes later, 11:18, 12:18, and 13:18 depart Ardmore 5 minutes later, 14:09 departs Radnor 4 minutes later, 16:16 departs Radnor 2 minutes later, 17:15 departs Radnor 5 minutes later, 18:27 departs Ardmore 6 minutes later
Saturday to Paoli: Run-time adjustments
Saturday to 69 St: All trips between 07:50 and 11:50 depart Paoli 10 minutes later, all trips between 13:00 and 16:00 depart Paoli 5 minutes later
ROUTE 107
Service merged with former Route 122, operating over the 122 segment between Clifton Heights and Springfield Mall with an extension to Lawrence Park via Sproul Rd, late evening round-trips added
ROUTE 108
All runs now assigned to Red Arrow; school trippers in service for school year
Weekdays to Philadelphia International Airport: 15 minute mid-day service to 84-Crane between 08:55 and 13:55, service to Airport Business Center reduced to one trip per hour, 20:25 to ABC departs 5 minutes earlier, 21:00 to UPS departs 10 minutes earlier, new 21:10 to UPS, 21:25 to UPS departs 5 minutes later, 21:40 to UPS departs 10 minutes later, new 22:15 to 67-Elmwood, overall run time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:37 from Airport Business Center departs 3 minutes later, 07:20 departs 67-Elmwood 5 minutes later, major departure time adjustments entire day
ROUTE 110
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:30 and 07:30 from Springfield Mall cut back and originate at Pilgrim Gardens, 20:00 from Springfield Mall eliminated
ROUTE 111
Weekdays to Penn State/Chadds Ford: 22:22 to Chadds Ford cut back to State Rd/Township Line Rd, overall run-time adjustments
Weekdays to 69 St: 06:25 departs Chadds Ford 15 minutes later, 07:30 from State Rd/Township Line Rd departs 12 minutes later, 07:10 and 07:45 express from Chadds Ford depart 5 minutes later, 14;10 and 15:10 depart Chadds Ford 5 minutes later, new 14:30 from PSU/DelCo, 15:05 departs PSU/DelCo 15 minutes later, 17:00 and 18:00 depart Chadds Ford 5 minutes later, 17:30 from Chadds Ford departs 5 minutes earlier, 20:31 from Franklin Mint cut back to PSU/DelCo, 21:35 from PSU/DelCo cut with service replaced by 21:05 express from Chadds Ford
ROUTE 112
Two additional express trips to Delaware County Community College in both directions, departing 69 St at 10:10 and 11:10 and departing DCCC at 13:05 and 16:05
ROUTE 113
Overall run-time and inbound departure time adjustments to accomodate new routing to Harrah's Chester Downs complex
ROUTE 115
Weekdays to Brookline: 19:35, 20:10 and 22:05 depart MacDade Mall at 19:05, 19:50, and 21:35
Weekdays to MacDade Mall: 20:50 departs Brookline at 20:30
ROUTE 119
Weekdays to Chester: 07:05 from Boothwyn now originates at Cheyney, departing at 06:45
Sunday to Chester: Run-time adjustments
ROUTE 120
Full school-year service restored, all weekday trips with the exception of one early evening short-turn trip, to provide one-seat ride to Cheyney
ROUTE 123
Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday run-time adjustments
Saturday to 69 St: 11:05 departs King of Prussia 5 minutes earlier, trips departing King of Prussia from 11:40 through 19:40 depart 10 minutes earlier, 20:20 departs King of Prussia 5 minutes earlier
Friday, September 01, 2006
MORE "INSIDE THE BOX" THINKING
And now, from the same people willing to think "outside the box" with famously disasterous results (see: $chuylkill Valley rail service), SEPTA apparently thinks that the trendy new fuel du jour among the enviro-set - biodiesel - is, to be kind, half-baked. Of course, when you consider the source is the Philadelphia City Paper (a paper so far to the left, it makes the Daily News look neo-conservative), well, then it has to be taken with a grain of salt.
Despite a small dip in crude oil costs since the cease-fire in Lebanon, rising demand in India and China and ongoing violence in the Middle East have pushed per barrel costs to $70 and above, meaning biodiesel — a mixture of vegetable oil or grease and diesel — is now no more expensive than regular diesel. So earlier this month, the state started accepting applications from transit authorities, government agencies and nonprofits for Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIGs), which would offset extra costs associated with switching to biodiesel. Since 1992, the program has allocated nearly $30 million for the production and use of clean-burning fuels; there is no cap on individual grants.
So, SEPTA, why not give biodiesel a try?
SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney hadn't heard of the grant until a reporter told him, but even after reviewing the specifics, he declared that no one can provide the five-county agency the 15 million gallons of diesel fuel a year it needs.
Sounds like it took our beloved Minister of Mis-Information and Shadow GM about 10 minutes to review the specifics, naturally with very little research.
But a few calls to providers proved the opposite is true. Massachusetts-based World Energy sends more biofuel to Philadelphia by rail car than anywhere else in the country. An official at a biodiesel company in Pennsylvania (who asked to remain anonymous in case the company applies for a city contract) says it could easily fill an order SEPTA's size. In fact, within a year, Pennsylvania could be the nation's leading producer of biodiesel, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Still, since SEPTA gets its fuel via pipeline directly from the Sunoco refinery in South Philly, Maloney says, it has no place to mix the "bio" parts with the diesel.
"We will not be applying for the fundamental reason that it is at the moment logistically impossible for us to mix the fuels at the capacity we need," he says.
That may be the case now, but Sunoco spokesperson Gerald Davis said the company would consider carrying biodiesel if customers like SEPTA requested it. (SEPTA says it hasn't asked for it because Sunoco doesn't offer it.)
While buses could run on biodiesel with no equipment changes, a preliminary report released last week by the state Transportation Funding and Reform Commission confirms Maloney's assertion that the cash-strapped agency couldn't ask taxpayers to pay for upgrades needed for fuel mixing.
"For us to retool a huge infrastructure for 1,300 buses is something we can't turn on a dime," he says, adding that SEPTA would be open to a biodiesel plan that is "economically and environmentally practical."
Considering that SEPTA has already phased in a different type of diesel fuel (Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel) aleady at Southern Depot with plans to convert all depots to that type in the near future, there's no reason why one of the depots - possibly Allegheny or Frankford, which have relatively small fleets compared to the rest of the system - couldn't be the test depots for biodiesel.
But the real problem isn't biodiesel, says Lance Haver, the city's director of consumer affairs. It's SEPTA.
Although SEPTA's service planning and purchasing departments are supposed to research the best fueling options, Haver would like to see an environmental officer dedicated to these solutions.
"There is no one at SEPTA who is in charge of greening SEPTA and that is an indication of how little they care," he says. "If they were really concerned about these issues, you wouldn't have to talk to the same person who tells you why the trains are late."
You'd probably also have to talk to the same person in charge of everything else at SEPTA, from lying about crime stats to whining about a lack of support for dedicated funding from Harrisburg. That, of course, would be Maloney.
SEPTA has made some attempts to go green. Of its 1,300 buses, 32 are diesel-electric hybrids, which use less fuel than traditional diesel buses. Maloney, however, cautions that the hybrids are not as fuel efficient as expected, cost about twice as much as conventional buses and, because they are in high demand, take time to procure.
Cost and availability are some of the reasons public transit authorities, large and small, have embraced biodiesel.
In Seattle, King County Metro, which runs as many buses as SEPTA, put half its fleet, or 675 buses, on B20 (a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent regular diesel fuel). While maintenance manager Jim Boon wasn't quick to make the change, he says the fuel has proved reliable.
Small systems such as RabbitTransit, York County's public transit authority, which runs just 74 vehicles, have phased in biodiesel concentrations. In February, executive director Richard Farr put the whole fleet on B5. Six months later, 20 vehicles were running on B20, and by year's end, he wants to upgrade all vehicles to B20 to reduce diesel usage.
Farr noted that the alternative fuel lubricates engines, making them more efficient, which could help SEPTA use its buses beyond their typical 12-year life.
The switchover has also given RabbitTransit a shot of positive PR. (Think SEPTA's "Genuine Philly" marketing campaign minus the cheese factor.) "The more cars we can get off the road and the cleaner our vehicles run," says Farr, "the better it is for everyone."
Cheese factor? How about the "pointless" factor? Or the "irrelevant" factor? Or the "what specific services do we offer" factor?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Valley Forge Park use biodiesel, too, proving that the fuel is available locally. SEPTA riders already save on fuel by leaving their cars at home, but Bob Grey, a World Energy vice president of business development, says environmentalists need not feel twinges of fuel guilt when buses run on biodiesel.
Well, since the Turnpike is using biodiesel, perhaps Maloney and Don Pasquale - who last time I checked was a Turnpike Commissioner - should have a little chat before SEPTA closes it's doors to biodiesel.
"You can't deny that putting the farmer back in the field is a good thing," he says, "or that reducing foreign dependency on oil is a good thing."
SEPTA's Maloney remains skeptical.
"Many, many times when these proposals are really studied through," he says, "their benefits do not meet their initial promise."
Yeah, like the way you thoroughly studied this proposal?
But if a local company succeeds, SEPTA could one day run on grease discarded from city eateries. Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel plans to make fuel from trap grease, which, unlike used fryer oil, is the slime leftover when restaurants wash dishes. Having just garnered the mayor's support for a state grant, the company expects to produce the fuel in 2008.
For now, the city plans to apply for the AFIG grant SEPTA rejected. Fleet manager James Muller says the biodiesel would fuel the 3,000 diesel vehicles used by the city, the School District, the Parking Authority and the Housing Authority.
"Anything that comes down the pike, we're interested," he says. "We need to start doing something, with the condition of the world today."
What does it tell you that the City of Philadelphia, which is not known for it's ability to think ahead of the curve, is actually light years ahead of SEPTA on anything? And how does SEPTA, which whines about a lack of money to do anything while at the same time pushes a $2 billion boondoggle down the collective throats of this region pass up an opportunity to investigate alternative fuels?
Despite a small dip in crude oil costs since the cease-fire in Lebanon, rising demand in India and China and ongoing violence in the Middle East have pushed per barrel costs to $70 and above, meaning biodiesel — a mixture of vegetable oil or grease and diesel — is now no more expensive than regular diesel. So earlier this month, the state started accepting applications from transit authorities, government agencies and nonprofits for Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIGs), which would offset extra costs associated with switching to biodiesel. Since 1992, the program has allocated nearly $30 million for the production and use of clean-burning fuels; there is no cap on individual grants.
So, SEPTA, why not give biodiesel a try?
SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney hadn't heard of the grant until a reporter told him, but even after reviewing the specifics, he declared that no one can provide the five-county agency the 15 million gallons of diesel fuel a year it needs.
Sounds like it took our beloved Minister of Mis-Information and Shadow GM about 10 minutes to review the specifics, naturally with very little research.
But a few calls to providers proved the opposite is true. Massachusetts-based World Energy sends more biofuel to Philadelphia by rail car than anywhere else in the country. An official at a biodiesel company in Pennsylvania (who asked to remain anonymous in case the company applies for a city contract) says it could easily fill an order SEPTA's size. In fact, within a year, Pennsylvania could be the nation's leading producer of biodiesel, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Still, since SEPTA gets its fuel via pipeline directly from the Sunoco refinery in South Philly, Maloney says, it has no place to mix the "bio" parts with the diesel.
"We will not be applying for the fundamental reason that it is at the moment logistically impossible for us to mix the fuels at the capacity we need," he says.
That may be the case now, but Sunoco spokesperson Gerald Davis said the company would consider carrying biodiesel if customers like SEPTA requested it. (SEPTA says it hasn't asked for it because Sunoco doesn't offer it.)
While buses could run on biodiesel with no equipment changes, a preliminary report released last week by the state Transportation Funding and Reform Commission confirms Maloney's assertion that the cash-strapped agency couldn't ask taxpayers to pay for upgrades needed for fuel mixing.
"For us to retool a huge infrastructure for 1,300 buses is something we can't turn on a dime," he says, adding that SEPTA would be open to a biodiesel plan that is "economically and environmentally practical."
Considering that SEPTA has already phased in a different type of diesel fuel (Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel) aleady at Southern Depot with plans to convert all depots to that type in the near future, there's no reason why one of the depots - possibly Allegheny or Frankford, which have relatively small fleets compared to the rest of the system - couldn't be the test depots for biodiesel.
But the real problem isn't biodiesel, says Lance Haver, the city's director of consumer affairs. It's SEPTA.
Although SEPTA's service planning and purchasing departments are supposed to research the best fueling options, Haver would like to see an environmental officer dedicated to these solutions.
"There is no one at SEPTA who is in charge of greening SEPTA and that is an indication of how little they care," he says. "If they were really concerned about these issues, you wouldn't have to talk to the same person who tells you why the trains are late."
You'd probably also have to talk to the same person in charge of everything else at SEPTA, from lying about crime stats to whining about a lack of support for dedicated funding from Harrisburg. That, of course, would be Maloney.
SEPTA has made some attempts to go green. Of its 1,300 buses, 32 are diesel-electric hybrids, which use less fuel than traditional diesel buses. Maloney, however, cautions that the hybrids are not as fuel efficient as expected, cost about twice as much as conventional buses and, because they are in high demand, take time to procure.
Cost and availability are some of the reasons public transit authorities, large and small, have embraced biodiesel.
In Seattle, King County Metro, which runs as many buses as SEPTA, put half its fleet, or 675 buses, on B20 (a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent regular diesel fuel). While maintenance manager Jim Boon wasn't quick to make the change, he says the fuel has proved reliable.
Small systems such as RabbitTransit, York County's public transit authority, which runs just 74 vehicles, have phased in biodiesel concentrations. In February, executive director Richard Farr put the whole fleet on B5. Six months later, 20 vehicles were running on B20, and by year's end, he wants to upgrade all vehicles to B20 to reduce diesel usage.
Farr noted that the alternative fuel lubricates engines, making them more efficient, which could help SEPTA use its buses beyond their typical 12-year life.
The switchover has also given RabbitTransit a shot of positive PR. (Think SEPTA's "Genuine Philly" marketing campaign minus the cheese factor.) "The more cars we can get off the road and the cleaner our vehicles run," says Farr, "the better it is for everyone."
Cheese factor? How about the "pointless" factor? Or the "irrelevant" factor? Or the "what specific services do we offer" factor?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Valley Forge Park use biodiesel, too, proving that the fuel is available locally. SEPTA riders already save on fuel by leaving their cars at home, but Bob Grey, a World Energy vice president of business development, says environmentalists need not feel twinges of fuel guilt when buses run on biodiesel.
Well, since the Turnpike is using biodiesel, perhaps Maloney and Don Pasquale - who last time I checked was a Turnpike Commissioner - should have a little chat before SEPTA closes it's doors to biodiesel.
"You can't deny that putting the farmer back in the field is a good thing," he says, "or that reducing foreign dependency on oil is a good thing."
SEPTA's Maloney remains skeptical.
"Many, many times when these proposals are really studied through," he says, "their benefits do not meet their initial promise."
Yeah, like the way you thoroughly studied this proposal?
But if a local company succeeds, SEPTA could one day run on grease discarded from city eateries. Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel plans to make fuel from trap grease, which, unlike used fryer oil, is the slime leftover when restaurants wash dishes. Having just garnered the mayor's support for a state grant, the company expects to produce the fuel in 2008.
For now, the city plans to apply for the AFIG grant SEPTA rejected. Fleet manager James Muller says the biodiesel would fuel the 3,000 diesel vehicles used by the city, the School District, the Parking Authority and the Housing Authority.
"Anything that comes down the pike, we're interested," he says. "We need to start doing something, with the condition of the world today."
What does it tell you that the City of Philadelphia, which is not known for it's ability to think ahead of the curve, is actually light years ahead of SEPTA on anything? And how does SEPTA, which whines about a lack of money to do anything while at the same time pushes a $2 billion boondoggle down the collective throats of this region pass up an opportunity to investigate alternative fuels?
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
NEW ROUTE NEWS...
The Bucks County TMA is planning to introduce a new shuttle service in the Bensalem Township area on September 11. The new service, called the Bensalem RUSH, will provide peak-hour connections between SEPTA R-7 trains at Cornwells Heights Station and employment centers in Bensalem Township, including Philadelphia Park Casino, Neshaminy Mall, ITT Technical Institute, and the Bridgewater Industrial Park. This is the latest service that will be funded by the FTA's Job Access and Reverse Commute funding program. More comments on the new BCTMA services are coming later in this post...
Meanwhile, in the Great Valley area, several services will be initiated to expand transit services in from the Great Valley and Paoli areas to the Coatesville and West Chester areas. The TMA of Chester County will sponsor a new "B" route between Coatesville, Downingtown, and Exton to Great Valley, which is expected to begin sometime this fall. The service, along with two new SEPTA routes, are part of the US 202 Congestion Mitigation Strategy for the Section 300 construction between PA 29 and US 30.
The two new SEPTA routes will be the 205, which will cover some portions of the existing 206, but will be extended to office parks further up PA 29 and into Charlestown Twp. The 306 will connect Great Valley with West Chester and the Brandywine Town Center in Delaware, operating via Frazer, US 202, West Chester, Chadds Ford, and Wilmington Pike. The two SEPTA routes, however, will not be started until December at the earliest due to issues in awarding contracts to a third-party (read: Krap(f)'s). This raises a very troubling issue...
When SEPTA added two new routes "from scratch" in Lower Bucks - the late 203 between Woodbourne and Oxford Valley and the 304 between Torresdale and Bristol - SEPTA kept those routes in house. When the 305 between the Airport and Darby was created, that too was kept in house. However, with every new SEPTA service in Chester County (the original 202, 314, 204, 208, 207/WHIRL) came a contract with Krap(f)'s to operate the service as opposed to keeping the service in house.
Why SEPTA repeatedly opts to contract out new services in Chester County but not the other counties is beyond any rational logic, unless Krap(f)'s -which can't even run a halfway decent transit service between Coatesville and West Chester (including using school buses on several occasions) - is greasing the palms in West Chester and at 1234 Market.
Meanwhile, back to Bucks. From what I've been able to gather, the new Bensalem RUSH will honor SEPTA fare instruments (at least SEPTA passes) as it does on all their other RUSH routes and the Doylestown DART. As best as I can tell, SEPTA does not have a similar arrangement in place with the other TMAs in the region. This is yet another double standard that SEPTA is not really in a hurry to correct in the forseeable future. This is a relevant point, because there's been nothing to indicate that the TMACC's new "B" route will honor SEPTA fare instruments.
Meanwhile, in the Great Valley area, several services will be initiated to expand transit services in from the Great Valley and Paoli areas to the Coatesville and West Chester areas. The TMA of Chester County will sponsor a new "B" route between Coatesville, Downingtown, and Exton to Great Valley, which is expected to begin sometime this fall. The service, along with two new SEPTA routes, are part of the US 202 Congestion Mitigation Strategy for the Section 300 construction between PA 29 and US 30.
The two new SEPTA routes will be the 205, which will cover some portions of the existing 206, but will be extended to office parks further up PA 29 and into Charlestown Twp. The 306 will connect Great Valley with West Chester and the Brandywine Town Center in Delaware, operating via Frazer, US 202, West Chester, Chadds Ford, and Wilmington Pike. The two SEPTA routes, however, will not be started until December at the earliest due to issues in awarding contracts to a third-party (read: Krap(f)'s). This raises a very troubling issue...
When SEPTA added two new routes "from scratch" in Lower Bucks - the late 203 between Woodbourne and Oxford Valley and the 304 between Torresdale and Bristol - SEPTA kept those routes in house. When the 305 between the Airport and Darby was created, that too was kept in house. However, with every new SEPTA service in Chester County (the original 202, 314, 204, 208, 207/WHIRL) came a contract with Krap(f)'s to operate the service as opposed to keeping the service in house.
Why SEPTA repeatedly opts to contract out new services in Chester County but not the other counties is beyond any rational logic, unless Krap(f)'s -which can't even run a halfway decent transit service between Coatesville and West Chester (including using school buses on several occasions) - is greasing the palms in West Chester and at 1234 Market.
Meanwhile, back to Bucks. From what I've been able to gather, the new Bensalem RUSH will honor SEPTA fare instruments (at least SEPTA passes) as it does on all their other RUSH routes and the Doylestown DART. As best as I can tell, SEPTA does not have a similar arrangement in place with the other TMAs in the region. This is yet another double standard that SEPTA is not really in a hurry to correct in the forseeable future. This is a relevant point, because there's been nothing to indicate that the TMACC's new "B" route will honor SEPTA fare instruments.
BUS BERTHS RE-ASSIGNED
Now that the historic Bridge St Terminal station at the Frankford Terminal is close to completion, as is the new mulit-level parking deck, major changes to the bus boarding locations at Bridge-Pratt will take place this Sunday:
ROUTE 3 - One boarding berth on Pratt St is eliminated except during peak hours
ROUTE 5 - Buses will move up one berth on Pratt St, taking over one of the existing 3 berths; existing 5 berth will become a discharge-only berth for the 3 and 5
ROUTE 8 - Will continue to board inside the Bridge-Pratt complex along the Bridge St side (adjacent to Frankford Depot)
ROUTE 14 - Existing berths will become discharge-only for the 8, 24, and R; new berths will be moved to the current 20 berths
ROUTE 19 - Will be relocated to the current 24 berth
ROUTE 20 - Will be relocated to the current 19/67 berths
ROUTE 24 - Will be relocated to the current 88 berth on near the corner of Frankford Av/Pratt St (near the newsstand)
ROUTE 25, 73, and 84 - Will be relocated off of Bridge St to the south side of the new Bridge St Terminal building (parallel to Bustleton Av)
ROUTE 26 - Will continue to board inside the Bridge-Pratt complex along the Bridge St side (adjacent to Frankford Depot)
ROUTE 58 - NO CHANGE; will continue to board in the bus lane on the south side of the main terminal building
ROUTE 66 - Will be relocated off of Bridge St to the north side of the new terminal building
ROUTE 67 - Will be relocated to one of the current R berths
ROUTE 88 - Will be relocated off the terminal property and board on Bridge St at the current 66 bus berths
ROUTE R - One of the two berths will be eliminated
The new parking deck will officially open for business on Tuesday. The facility will be a "self-park" facility with no cashiers at the exit gate, however there will also be no free parking on the weekend ($3.25 daily rate weekdays, $2.00 on weekends).
ROUTE 3 - One boarding berth on Pratt St is eliminated except during peak hours
ROUTE 5 - Buses will move up one berth on Pratt St, taking over one of the existing 3 berths; existing 5 berth will become a discharge-only berth for the 3 and 5
ROUTE 8 - Will continue to board inside the Bridge-Pratt complex along the Bridge St side (adjacent to Frankford Depot)
ROUTE 14 - Existing berths will become discharge-only for the 8, 24, and R; new berths will be moved to the current 20 berths
ROUTE 19 - Will be relocated to the current 24 berth
ROUTE 20 - Will be relocated to the current 19/67 berths
ROUTE 24 - Will be relocated to the current 88 berth on near the corner of Frankford Av/Pratt St (near the newsstand)
ROUTE 25, 73, and 84 - Will be relocated off of Bridge St to the south side of the new Bridge St Terminal building (parallel to Bustleton Av)
ROUTE 26 - Will continue to board inside the Bridge-Pratt complex along the Bridge St side (adjacent to Frankford Depot)
ROUTE 58 - NO CHANGE; will continue to board in the bus lane on the south side of the main terminal building
ROUTE 66 - Will be relocated off of Bridge St to the north side of the new terminal building
ROUTE 67 - Will be relocated to one of the current R berths
ROUTE 88 - Will be relocated off the terminal property and board on Bridge St at the current 66 bus berths
ROUTE R - One of the two berths will be eliminated
The new parking deck will officially open for business on Tuesday. The facility will be a "self-park" facility with no cashiers at the exit gate, however there will also be no free parking on the weekend ($3.25 daily rate weekdays, $2.00 on weekends).
SOME RED ARROW CHANGES
Without having done a route-by-route review as of yet, here are a few of the more notable changes that took effect on Monday:
101/102 - Pre-construction service has been restored; mid-day 101 trolleys depart for Media at :00 and :30 after the hour; mid-day 102 trolleys depart for Sharon Hill at :15 and :45 after the hour
108 - Additional early evening service added between 19:00 and 22:00
110/111/117 - The bus stop at Penn State/Delaware County has been relocated to the new driveway to the front of the Commons Building
111 - Trip time adjustments to/from Chadds Ford
113 - Now service the new Chester Downs racetrack/slots parlor* at 4 St/Morton Av; additionally, the SEPTA web site now indicates that buses will terminate/originate in Marcus Hook at 4 St/Green St instead of Delaware Av/Green St
119 - New trip between Chester and Cheyney University added
120 - All weekday trips, with the exception of one early evening trip, are one-seat rides between 69 St and Cheyney (which was long overdue; the shuttles that were initiated a few years ago should never have seen the light of day)
Meanwhile, on Monday, the day of the schedule change, there were no new timetables available at 1234 Market, Suburban Station, or Market East. On Tuesday, new timetables were available at 1234 Market, however, not all of the new timetables were printed out at any location. As of yesterday, timetables for the 100, 104, 105, 108, 110, 114, and 118 were photocopied as opposed to the printed timetables for all other routes. To not have the new timetables available to the public on the day they take effect is just staggering.
And, to top it all off, yesterday, there were still timetables available for the old 122 route at 1234 Market. Brilliant...
* - Slots parlor subject to Harrisburg figuring out what the hell they're doing...
101/102 - Pre-construction service has been restored; mid-day 101 trolleys depart for Media at :00 and :30 after the hour; mid-day 102 trolleys depart for Sharon Hill at :15 and :45 after the hour
108 - Additional early evening service added between 19:00 and 22:00
110/111/117 - The bus stop at Penn State/Delaware County has been relocated to the new driveway to the front of the Commons Building
111 - Trip time adjustments to/from Chadds Ford
113 - Now service the new Chester Downs racetrack/slots parlor* at 4 St/Morton Av; additionally, the SEPTA web site now indicates that buses will terminate/originate in Marcus Hook at 4 St/Green St instead of Delaware Av/Green St
119 - New trip between Chester and Cheyney University added
120 - All weekday trips, with the exception of one early evening trip, are one-seat rides between 69 St and Cheyney (which was long overdue; the shuttles that were initiated a few years ago should never have seen the light of day)
Meanwhile, on Monday, the day of the schedule change, there were no new timetables available at 1234 Market, Suburban Station, or Market East. On Tuesday, new timetables were available at 1234 Market, however, not all of the new timetables were printed out at any location. As of yesterday, timetables for the 100, 104, 105, 108, 110, 114, and 118 were photocopied as opposed to the printed timetables for all other routes. To not have the new timetables available to the public on the day they take effect is just staggering.
And, to top it all off, yesterday, there were still timetables available for the old 122 route at 1234 Market. Brilliant...
* - Slots parlor subject to Harrisburg figuring out what the hell they're doing...
Monday, July 24, 2006
OTHER SEPTA NOTES...
There are a couple other things happening at SEPTA other than the El shuttle...
The first interesting observation is that SEPTA "Transit Police" are putting new patrol cars on the street. The new cars are Chevy Impala's, which are (1) less expensive than the current fleet of Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor models and (2) get better fuel mileage (approx. 3 mpg) than the Ford CVPI. I guess all those years imploring SEPTA to become more fuel efficient are slowly starting to pay off. Now, if they could start to phase out those SUV's for the white-shirts and replace them with vehicles that don't guzzle as much gas, then I'd believe there's a committment to cutting costs.
Meanwhile, on the operations front, there's talk that all Southern's portion of the 108 could be moved to Red Arrow by the fall picking. Whether or not that means that all 108 trips would originate and terminate at 69 St instead of seeing buses deadhead from Upper Darby to the Airport or Southwest Philadelphia remains to be seen. There's also no word on how this will affect the school trippers that operate to and from the Pepper Middle School or Bartram High that are based off of the 108.
The first interesting observation is that SEPTA "Transit Police" are putting new patrol cars on the street. The new cars are Chevy Impala's, which are (1) less expensive than the current fleet of Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor models and (2) get better fuel mileage (approx. 3 mpg) than the Ford CVPI. I guess all those years imploring SEPTA to become more fuel efficient are slowly starting to pay off. Now, if they could start to phase out those SUV's for the white-shirts and replace them with vehicles that don't guzzle as much gas, then I'd believe there's a committment to cutting costs.
Meanwhile, on the operations front, there's talk that all Southern's portion of the 108 could be moved to Red Arrow by the fall picking. Whether or not that means that all 108 trips would originate and terminate at 69 St instead of seeing buses deadhead from Upper Darby to the Airport or Southwest Philadelphia remains to be seen. There's also no word on how this will affect the school trippers that operate to and from the Pepper Middle School or Bartram High that are based off of the 108.
EL SHUTTLE COMMENTS
Once again, SEPTA attempted to run a resonable facsimile of the El during one of it's 10-day shutdowns. The good news is this time, the service was restored when it was supposed to be. The bad news is that SEPTA seems to take pleasure in sticking it to riders trying (sometimes in vain) to connect to Red Arrow buses at 69 St. Would it really have been that difficult to designate at least 1/3 of the 40+ buses used on the shuttle to run non-stop between 40 St and 69 St to at least give suburban bus riders at least a sliver of hope of making connections in a reasonable amount of time? At least when the Frankford side of the El underwent major shutdowns on weekends, riders connecting from buses at Bridge-Pratt were able to get a close to non-stop ride to Center City (with a stop at Bridge and Torresdale) via I-95.
Of course, there's no limited access highway connecting West Philly with Upper Darby, but traffic flow during most hours along Walnut and Chestnut isn't too bad, so there's no reason why non-stop service couldn't be implemented.
And, of course, SEPTA's Minister of Mis-Information Richard Maloney made an appearance on Monday. After a stop at 69 St, Maloney made his way over to 40 St to "assist" with the operation of the shuttle. So, of course, being a good SEPTA hack, Maloney did ride with the people on the shuttle buses from 69 St to 40 St, right? Ummm, no...
Apparently using status that would nominally be reserved for Fearless Leader or some other high ranking Rotating Resume, Maloney and an unidentified female Hack were given a non-stop ride from 69 St to 40 St ... in the back of a SEPTA "Transit Police" cruiser driven by a high ranking "Transit Police" Lieutenant.
Well, at least someone was able to secure a SEPTA-operated non-stop ride between the two endpoints...
The running of the shuttles also allowed for the largest gathering of SEPTA "Transit Police" seen in Upper Darby since ... well, let me get back to you on that. No fewer than 8 "Transit Police" officers were observed going what they tend to do best - stand around, do very little, and wait for the next call to come in. Now, if only SEPTA's "Transit Police" were only half as vigilant at NJ Transit Police, then perhaps the quote marks around "Transit Police" will be removed. Until then, nothing's going to change...
Of course, there's no limited access highway connecting West Philly with Upper Darby, but traffic flow during most hours along Walnut and Chestnut isn't too bad, so there's no reason why non-stop service couldn't be implemented.
And, of course, SEPTA's Minister of Mis-Information Richard Maloney made an appearance on Monday. After a stop at 69 St, Maloney made his way over to 40 St to "assist" with the operation of the shuttle. So, of course, being a good SEPTA hack, Maloney did ride with the people on the shuttle buses from 69 St to 40 St, right? Ummm, no...
Apparently using status that would nominally be reserved for Fearless Leader or some other high ranking Rotating Resume, Maloney and an unidentified female Hack were given a non-stop ride from 69 St to 40 St ... in the back of a SEPTA "Transit Police" cruiser driven by a high ranking "Transit Police" Lieutenant.
Well, at least someone was able to secure a SEPTA-operated non-stop ride between the two endpoints...
The running of the shuttles also allowed for the largest gathering of SEPTA "Transit Police" seen in Upper Darby since ... well, let me get back to you on that. No fewer than 8 "Transit Police" officers were observed going what they tend to do best - stand around, do very little, and wait for the next call to come in. Now, if only SEPTA's "Transit Police" were only half as vigilant at NJ Transit Police, then perhaps the quote marks around "Transit Police" will be removed. Until then, nothing's going to change...
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
SEPTA TESTING A "NEW" NEW FLYER
Last Tuesday, SEPTA had a New Flyer DE40LF in the new streamlined design on display in front of 1234 Market. Today, SEPTA engineers were doing testing of the bus on, of all places, the 104. No passengers were taken, as most of the seats were occupied with bags of rock salt (I recall someone once mentioning that was a weight simulation test, but don't quote me on it). The hybrid system on this particular test bus is different from the existing hybrids running out of Southern presently.
MULTIPLE PERSON v. VEHICLE INCIDENTS
Yesterday was one very busy day for EMS workers across the region, as far as SEPTA related incidents are concerned.
The mess started at around 07:00, when two teenage girls were struck by a SEPTA bus at 29-Allegheny in North Philadelphia. The injuries were non-life threatening.
Shortly after that incident, a 23 bus was involved in an accident involving 3 other vehicles on the 7500 block of Germantown Av in Chestnut Hill. At least two passengers on the bus were taken to local hospitals.
Later in the afternoon, police and EMS were dispatched at around 13:30 to Glenolden, where a tresspasser was struck and killed by a train along the NEC/R2 Marcus Hook line in the area of Ashland Av bridge. Service was delayed by about 20 minutes in both directions until around 17:00, when service slowly returned to normal (my R2 from Delaware - scheduled to depart Claymont at 16:51 - was delayed by less than 10 minutes; arrived in Chester only 7 minutes down, but missed my connection to the 118).
Two hours later, in Bucks County, a 24-year-old male was struck and killed by a train near Chalfont Station on the R5 Lansdale line. The victim was discovered at around 15:30 by a northbound train crew. It is believed that the victim may have been struck by an earlier train; the matter is still under investigation.
Finally, a 73-year-old woman was struck and seriously injured in South Philadelphia. The incident occured shortly before 21:00 last night on the 400 block of Oregon in South Philadelphia as the victim was struck by a 57 bus. The victim was taken to Jefferson Hospital with severe leg injuries.
That's 7 people confirmed to have been killed or injured on the SEPTA system in a nearly 14 hour period due to accidents. Yipes...
The mess started at around 07:00, when two teenage girls were struck by a SEPTA bus at 29-Allegheny in North Philadelphia. The injuries were non-life threatening.
Shortly after that incident, a 23 bus was involved in an accident involving 3 other vehicles on the 7500 block of Germantown Av in Chestnut Hill. At least two passengers on the bus were taken to local hospitals.
Later in the afternoon, police and EMS were dispatched at around 13:30 to Glenolden, where a tresspasser was struck and killed by a train along the NEC/R2 Marcus Hook line in the area of Ashland Av bridge. Service was delayed by about 20 minutes in both directions until around 17:00, when service slowly returned to normal (my R2 from Delaware - scheduled to depart Claymont at 16:51 - was delayed by less than 10 minutes; arrived in Chester only 7 minutes down, but missed my connection to the 118).
Two hours later, in Bucks County, a 24-year-old male was struck and killed by a train near Chalfont Station on the R5 Lansdale line. The victim was discovered at around 15:30 by a northbound train crew. It is believed that the victim may have been struck by an earlier train; the matter is still under investigation.
Finally, a 73-year-old woman was struck and seriously injured in South Philadelphia. The incident occured shortly before 21:00 last night on the 400 block of Oregon in South Philadelphia as the victim was struck by a 57 bus. The victim was taken to Jefferson Hospital with severe leg injuries.
That's 7 people confirmed to have been killed or injured on the SEPTA system in a nearly 14 hour period due to accidents. Yipes...
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
SOME GOOD DEED...
Last month, SEPTA donated 20 retired Neoplans to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) to help replenish their bus fleet that was damaged due to Hurricane Katrina. New York City Transit, the MBTA, and at least one other agency had sent buses to New Orleans as well. Now, there's word that NORTA has rejected the donated buses from SEPTA and the other agencies for reasons that are unknown at this time, but one would have to guess the condition of the used buses had something to do with it.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
ROUTE CHANGES IN MONTCO
Tomorrow, route changes in the Norristown and North Penn areas will take effect. Riders may not have long to experience those changes, as the threat of a strike is still looming.
The 97 will officially be split into two routes - the west end of the 97 will become the 90, and will operate between Norristown and Plymouth Meeting, via Norristown State Hospital and Penn Square. Sunday service to Norristown State Hospital would also be eliminated. As a result of the 90 terminating at Plymouth Meeting Mall, the 95 will be cut back accordingly. Also, the 95 will no longer serve the IKEA off of Ridge Pike.
The east end of the 97 will be extended from Spring Mill station in Conshohocken to Barren Hill. There will also be a re-routing of the line to offer direct service to the Conshohocken Rail Station.
The 98 will see some routing adjustments, mainly on weekends and evenings. Westbound evening service will operate via Germantown Pike instead of via Blue Bell, however, eastbound service to Blue Bell will still operate during the evening hours. All weekend service will bypass Blue Bell.
In the North Penn area, the 94 and 96 will see significant restructuring. The 94 express service via Bethlehem Pike (PA 309) will now be designated Route 134. The 94 local service via Ambler and Montgomery County Community College will remain unchanged. The 134 routing will remain virtually the same, however there will be a re-routing to serve job sites along McKean Rd in Horsham Twp.
The 96 will be cut back to Lansdale; service between Lansdale and Telford will be replaced by new Route 132, which will be extended to serve the Montgomery Mall. Service levels between Norristown and Lansdale will remain unchanged.
The 132 will operate over most of the existing 96 routing between Telford and Lansdale, but will be re-routed off of Penn St and Souderton Pike in the Hatfield area onto County Line Rd (PA 309) and Unionville Pike. There will also be a routing change in the Souderton area, with service operating via Main St and Reliance Rd instead of via Summit St and School Ln. New evening and Sunday service will be offered, marking the first Sunday service between Lansdale and Telford in recent memory.
The changes will take effect tomorrow, but, with the threat of a strike, riders may only have one day to adjust to the new services...
The 97 will officially be split into two routes - the west end of the 97 will become the 90, and will operate between Norristown and Plymouth Meeting, via Norristown State Hospital and Penn Square. Sunday service to Norristown State Hospital would also be eliminated. As a result of the 90 terminating at Plymouth Meeting Mall, the 95 will be cut back accordingly. Also, the 95 will no longer serve the IKEA off of Ridge Pike.
The east end of the 97 will be extended from Spring Mill station in Conshohocken to Barren Hill. There will also be a re-routing of the line to offer direct service to the Conshohocken Rail Station.
The 98 will see some routing adjustments, mainly on weekends and evenings. Westbound evening service will operate via Germantown Pike instead of via Blue Bell, however, eastbound service to Blue Bell will still operate during the evening hours. All weekend service will bypass Blue Bell.
In the North Penn area, the 94 and 96 will see significant restructuring. The 94 express service via Bethlehem Pike (PA 309) will now be designated Route 134. The 94 local service via Ambler and Montgomery County Community College will remain unchanged. The 134 routing will remain virtually the same, however there will be a re-routing to serve job sites along McKean Rd in Horsham Twp.
The 96 will be cut back to Lansdale; service between Lansdale and Telford will be replaced by new Route 132, which will be extended to serve the Montgomery Mall. Service levels between Norristown and Lansdale will remain unchanged.
The 132 will operate over most of the existing 96 routing between Telford and Lansdale, but will be re-routed off of Penn St and Souderton Pike in the Hatfield area onto County Line Rd (PA 309) and Unionville Pike. There will also be a routing change in the Souderton area, with service operating via Main St and Reliance Rd instead of via Summit St and School Ln. New evening and Sunday service will be offered, marking the first Sunday service between Lansdale and Telford in recent memory.
The changes will take effect tomorrow, but, with the threat of a strike, riders may only have one day to adjust to the new services...
MEANWHILE, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL
SEPTA isn't letting a little thing like a threatened work stoppage keep it from doing what it seems to do best - beg for money...
According to the Norristown Times-Herald, SEPTA is seeking an increase in the county's subsidy from $6.13 million to $6.28 million for next year.
The good news, said county SEPTA Board member Michael O'Donoghue, is that the proposed increase is less than the approximate 5 percent increase requested for this year by the transit agency.
And the bad news? SEPTA may have to return to the county in the spring, seeking additional dollars for the final six months of the year to keep service intact.
To prevent major service cutbacks, Gov. Ed Rendell earmarked flexible highway funds for mass transit use, explained county Commissioner Thomas J. Ellis, the county's other representative on the SEPTA Board. These funds, which do not require a local match, will continue through June of next year, Ellis said.
The state hopes to have some type of dedicated funding for mass transit in place by that time, he said. It is likely that the dedicated funds would require matching local funds, which would mean that SEPTA would need additional dollars from participating counties, according to Ellis.
He added that there is no guarantee that the governor would be inclined to, or even able to, use more highway funds to offset transit operating losses if a dedicated funding source is not in place.
"By this time next year, we will be on our way to solving the funding problem or it will be a big mess," said county Transportation Planning Chief Leo D. Bagley. Norristown Times-Herald
Yup, business as usual...
According to the Norristown Times-Herald, SEPTA is seeking an increase in the county's subsidy from $6.13 million to $6.28 million for next year.
The good news, said county SEPTA Board member Michael O'Donoghue, is that the proposed increase is less than the approximate 5 percent increase requested for this year by the transit agency.
And the bad news? SEPTA may have to return to the county in the spring, seeking additional dollars for the final six months of the year to keep service intact.
To prevent major service cutbacks, Gov. Ed Rendell earmarked flexible highway funds for mass transit use, explained county Commissioner Thomas J. Ellis, the county's other representative on the SEPTA Board. These funds, which do not require a local match, will continue through June of next year, Ellis said.
The state hopes to have some type of dedicated funding for mass transit in place by that time, he said. It is likely that the dedicated funds would require matching local funds, which would mean that SEPTA would need additional dollars from participating counties, according to Ellis.
He added that there is no guarantee that the governor would be inclined to, or even able to, use more highway funds to offset transit operating losses if a dedicated funding source is not in place.
"By this time next year, we will be on our way to solving the funding problem or it will be a big mess," said county Transportation Planning Chief Leo D. Bagley. Norristown Times-Herald
Yup, business as usual...
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
ANOTHER BLACK EYE FOR SECURITY
NBC10 ran an investigative report (with video) on Tuesday night regarding security - or lack thereof - at SEPTA rail yards. As expected, and given SEPTA's track record, the results weren't pretty.
The apparent intent of the story was to expose lax security at SEPTA's regional rail yards on the heels of mass transit bombings in Madrid and London. Apparently, SEPTA learned nothing from the Powelton Yard fiasco last year.
The NBC 10 Investigators went to work when some SEPTA employees called them to tell them that they are worried about security.
The SEPTA trains you might be boarding tomorrow are sitting in an unsecured train parking lot tonight.
"We could have a picnic here, technically, and plant anything we want under one of these (trains)," said a SEPTA employee who did not want to be identified.
There are no cameras, no security guards and no fence to stop anyone from getting into the Warminster train yard. No one questioned the NBC 10 Investigators and the SEPTA whistleblower as they climbed onto the train. If The Investigators could get on board the train, anybody could -- even a terrorist.
Or, for that matter, vandals who happen to "accidentally" release brakes and send a train rolling unattended down the tracks.
"Anybody could easily plant something on this train all night and wait until it hits Center City," said the undercover SEPTA source.
"No signs telling you to stay off the property," the source said.
Perhaps at Warminster, that's the case, but at some stations, there are signs warning trespassers to stay off the property.
The SEPTA source took The Investigators to the Doylestown station where, once again, there was no one to see them or question what they were doing.
"You want to put a biochemical agent in that? Piece of cake," the source said.
The British found out how easy it was when terrorist bombs took a deadly toll on the London transit system last summer. SEPTA responded with pamphlets telling riders that security is tighter while you're on board and that employees are trained.
"That's a bold-faced lie. We're not trained in any kind of security for these trains as far as anything like 9/11 or the bombings in London or Spain," the SEPTA source said.
Surprise, surprise, surprise...
The Investigators and the SEPTA source went to Roberts Yard in Philadelphia and found one security camera, but nobody stopped them. The train doors were open. After about 45 minutes, The Investigators finally went into the office to alert security that they were on the premises.
"You're a supervisor?" (NBC 10's Lu Ann) Cahn asks.
"Yeah, stand by," the supervisor said.
While she stood by, Cahn talked to a SEPTA mechanic.
"What's your worst fear?" Cahn asked.
"Someone could come in here, put a bomb on the train, something like that," the mechanic said.
The supervisor makes calls to report the presence of The Investigators, but nothing happens.
Apparently, the "Transit Police" on duty were busy on other high priority calls, or were doing what they normally do - virtually nothing.
The Investigators showed Congressman Curt Weldon the video of their trip to the train yards. Weldon is the vice chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
"That's ridiculous. It's outrageous," Weldon said. "That's just waiting for a disaster to occur."
And if anyone is qualified to make such a statement, it's Congressman Weldon, the former chief of the Marcus Hook fire department.
The Investigators also showed the video to SEPTA.
"So, what are you suggesting?" asked Richard Maloney, SEPTA's spokesman.
How about firing the morons in charge of public safety, starting with Hack Extraordinare James B. Jordan, and "Transit Police Chief" Richard Evans?
"I'm not being sarcastic. I have never heard of any terrorists planning an attack on, essentially, a train parking lot."
One, the Minister of Mis-information probably is being sarcastic; two, I highly doubt the NYPD or FDNY had heard of terrorists hijacking planes and slamming them into buildings either.
"That's a cop out. If you're a terrorist, you're going to plant something separate from the passengers, and you're going to leave a device, especially if it's a remotely-activated device, like they used in London," Weldon said.
And more than likely not get caught doing so...
"Why are train doors just wide open?" Cahn asked Maloney.
"Because we have had no reports of it being a vulnerable area," Maloney said.
Well, a**hole, now you do...
Maloney said that SEPTA has spent $7.5 million federal dollars on beefing up security where passengers come and go. But SEPTA admitted it hasn't spend any money on securing the rail yards.
As far as training is concerned, Maloney said the company spends one day a year on emergency procedures -- some in mock exercises -- that prepares employees for all types of emergencies.
"If I had people in those positions telling me that they had not had the training?" Cahn asks.
"Mistaken," Maloney said.
Does anyone else see Maloney's nose growing with each passing lie?
"I'm going to today ask for SEPTA's homeland security plan," Weldon said.
Good luck, Congressman. You'll have an easier time finding Jimmy Hoffa...
Riders want answers, too.
"It's terrible. It's a disgrace," one rider said.
"I'm shocked. You can walk right in," another rider said.
"This is America. We're supposed to have a free society and people aren't supposed to just wander in where they're not supposed to be on private property. There's a basic honor system here," Maloney said.
Honor, huh? Now there's a foreign concept at 1234 Market...
"If you really want to show these passengers you care about them, protect the yards because I don't think they're very safe," NBC 10's source said.
Local rail systems in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles all told the NBC 10 Investigators that they have taken measures to secure their rail yards. Weldon has fired off a letter to SEPTA demanding to know what the transit system in Philadelphia is going to do to secure their rail yards.
Probably what SEPTA always does... virtually nothing...
In an alternate universe, however, SEPTA should at least reach out to the townships and boroughs that host rail layover yards at terminal points. This would include Warminster and Doylestown Boro in Bucks, Norristown (ha ha ha) and Lansdale boroughs in MontCo, Media (or Nether Providence) in DelCo, and Ewing Twp, New Jersey (for West Trenton station). It might not hurt to have East Whiteland do some supplemental patrols at Frazer Yard, nor for Philadelphia Police to check out the two Chestnut Hill stations and Fox Chase as well.
I remember one semi-regular contributor to the pre-blog site who was a Philadelphia Police officer who occasionally did patrols through SEPTA facilities to supplement any "security" that SEPTA may have. Don't know if SEPTA took too kindly to it, but hey, every extra set of eyes and ears helps. Right?
Meanwhile, rail yards aren't the only facilities that have security issues...
Some of SEPTA's bus facilities are also as vulnerable. In the past, I've personally seen, among other things, buses at Comly Depot parked along a side street adjacent to Bustleton Av. Additionally, one could just as easily walk onto the Frontier bus yard in Plymouth and either tamper with vehicles or even drive a bus off the property without anyone noticing.
In fact, over the past several years, there have been a few buses stolen from the Red Arrow bus yard in Upper Darby, the most recent being October 26, 2000 - five years ago today, as a matter of fact - the account from the pre-blog archives:
Two teens simply walked onto the Red Arrow bus lot in Upper Darby at around 23:30 on Thursday, October 26, and took off with 8859, which was in the fueling lane following that day's runs. Red Arrow operator Julius Major followed the stolen bus down Market St to 63 St, where he flagged down a Philadelphia Police officer. The chase ended at the corner of 62-Walton Sts in West Philadelphia, when 8859 crashed into a PPD cruiser and eventually struck a building. One Philadelphia Police officer was taken to the Hospital of the Univ. of Pennsylvania for minor injuries. 8859 suffered damage to the left windshield, front bumper, side panel, and frame.
This incident brings back memories of a similar incident [in 1997 - ed.] when Allegheny (at the time) #5267 was hijacked on Lehigh Av during a 54 trip early one weekday morning. 5267 - the only NABI to be officially listed as scrapped on the SEPTA roster [at the time - ed.] - crashed into the El structure at Kensington and Lehigh, and is now stored at Berridge, awaiting disposition.
... Maloney said that this was the third SEPTA bus to be stolen [in 2000 - ed.] (the other two buses were taken from Callowhill and Midvale), and that 8859 would be out of service temporarily, however may be scrapped, as a few 8800s have been retired recently. Maloney also told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "If neccesary, we could add more security, but it would come at the expense of ease of operations."
Nearly five years later, the lax mentality of SEPTA as is pertains to security still exists... God help the passengers...
The apparent intent of the story was to expose lax security at SEPTA's regional rail yards on the heels of mass transit bombings in Madrid and London. Apparently, SEPTA learned nothing from the Powelton Yard fiasco last year.
The NBC 10 Investigators went to work when some SEPTA employees called them to tell them that they are worried about security.
The SEPTA trains you might be boarding tomorrow are sitting in an unsecured train parking lot tonight.
"We could have a picnic here, technically, and plant anything we want under one of these (trains)," said a SEPTA employee who did not want to be identified.
There are no cameras, no security guards and no fence to stop anyone from getting into the Warminster train yard. No one questioned the NBC 10 Investigators and the SEPTA whistleblower as they climbed onto the train. If The Investigators could get on board the train, anybody could -- even a terrorist.
Or, for that matter, vandals who happen to "accidentally" release brakes and send a train rolling unattended down the tracks.
"Anybody could easily plant something on this train all night and wait until it hits Center City," said the undercover SEPTA source.
"No signs telling you to stay off the property," the source said.
Perhaps at Warminster, that's the case, but at some stations, there are signs warning trespassers to stay off the property.
The SEPTA source took The Investigators to the Doylestown station where, once again, there was no one to see them or question what they were doing.
"You want to put a biochemical agent in that? Piece of cake," the source said.
The British found out how easy it was when terrorist bombs took a deadly toll on the London transit system last summer. SEPTA responded with pamphlets telling riders that security is tighter while you're on board and that employees are trained.
"That's a bold-faced lie. We're not trained in any kind of security for these trains as far as anything like 9/11 or the bombings in London or Spain," the SEPTA source said.
Surprise, surprise, surprise...
The Investigators and the SEPTA source went to Roberts Yard in Philadelphia and found one security camera, but nobody stopped them. The train doors were open. After about 45 minutes, The Investigators finally went into the office to alert security that they were on the premises.
"You're a supervisor?" (NBC 10's Lu Ann) Cahn asks.
"Yeah, stand by," the supervisor said.
While she stood by, Cahn talked to a SEPTA mechanic.
"What's your worst fear?" Cahn asked.
"Someone could come in here, put a bomb on the train, something like that," the mechanic said.
The supervisor makes calls to report the presence of The Investigators, but nothing happens.
Apparently, the "Transit Police" on duty were busy on other high priority calls, or were doing what they normally do - virtually nothing.
The Investigators showed Congressman Curt Weldon the video of their trip to the train yards. Weldon is the vice chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
"That's ridiculous. It's outrageous," Weldon said. "That's just waiting for a disaster to occur."
And if anyone is qualified to make such a statement, it's Congressman Weldon, the former chief of the Marcus Hook fire department.
The Investigators also showed the video to SEPTA.
"So, what are you suggesting?" asked Richard Maloney, SEPTA's spokesman.
How about firing the morons in charge of public safety, starting with Hack Extraordinare James B. Jordan, and "Transit Police Chief" Richard Evans?
"I'm not being sarcastic. I have never heard of any terrorists planning an attack on, essentially, a train parking lot."
One, the Minister of Mis-information probably is being sarcastic; two, I highly doubt the NYPD or FDNY had heard of terrorists hijacking planes and slamming them into buildings either.
"That's a cop out. If you're a terrorist, you're going to plant something separate from the passengers, and you're going to leave a device, especially if it's a remotely-activated device, like they used in London," Weldon said.
And more than likely not get caught doing so...
"Why are train doors just wide open?" Cahn asked Maloney.
"Because we have had no reports of it being a vulnerable area," Maloney said.
Well, a**hole, now you do...
Maloney said that SEPTA has spent $7.5 million federal dollars on beefing up security where passengers come and go. But SEPTA admitted it hasn't spend any money on securing the rail yards.
As far as training is concerned, Maloney said the company spends one day a year on emergency procedures -- some in mock exercises -- that prepares employees for all types of emergencies.
"If I had people in those positions telling me that they had not had the training?" Cahn asks.
"Mistaken," Maloney said.
Does anyone else see Maloney's nose growing with each passing lie?
"I'm going to today ask for SEPTA's homeland security plan," Weldon said.
Good luck, Congressman. You'll have an easier time finding Jimmy Hoffa...
Riders want answers, too.
"It's terrible. It's a disgrace," one rider said.
"I'm shocked. You can walk right in," another rider said.
"This is America. We're supposed to have a free society and people aren't supposed to just wander in where they're not supposed to be on private property. There's a basic honor system here," Maloney said.
Honor, huh? Now there's a foreign concept at 1234 Market...
"If you really want to show these passengers you care about them, protect the yards because I don't think they're very safe," NBC 10's source said.
Local rail systems in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles all told the NBC 10 Investigators that they have taken measures to secure their rail yards. Weldon has fired off a letter to SEPTA demanding to know what the transit system in Philadelphia is going to do to secure their rail yards.
Probably what SEPTA always does... virtually nothing...
In an alternate universe, however, SEPTA should at least reach out to the townships and boroughs that host rail layover yards at terminal points. This would include Warminster and Doylestown Boro in Bucks, Norristown (ha ha ha) and Lansdale boroughs in MontCo, Media (or Nether Providence) in DelCo, and Ewing Twp, New Jersey (for West Trenton station). It might not hurt to have East Whiteland do some supplemental patrols at Frazer Yard, nor for Philadelphia Police to check out the two Chestnut Hill stations and Fox Chase as well.
I remember one semi-regular contributor to the pre-blog site who was a Philadelphia Police officer who occasionally did patrols through SEPTA facilities to supplement any "security" that SEPTA may have. Don't know if SEPTA took too kindly to it, but hey, every extra set of eyes and ears helps. Right?
Meanwhile, rail yards aren't the only facilities that have security issues...
Some of SEPTA's bus facilities are also as vulnerable. In the past, I've personally seen, among other things, buses at Comly Depot parked along a side street adjacent to Bustleton Av. Additionally, one could just as easily walk onto the Frontier bus yard in Plymouth and either tamper with vehicles or even drive a bus off the property without anyone noticing.
In fact, over the past several years, there have been a few buses stolen from the Red Arrow bus yard in Upper Darby, the most recent being October 26, 2000 - five years ago today, as a matter of fact - the account from the pre-blog archives:
Two teens simply walked onto the Red Arrow bus lot in Upper Darby at around 23:30 on Thursday, October 26, and took off with 8859, which was in the fueling lane following that day's runs. Red Arrow operator Julius Major followed the stolen bus down Market St to 63 St, where he flagged down a Philadelphia Police officer. The chase ended at the corner of 62-Walton Sts in West Philadelphia, when 8859 crashed into a PPD cruiser and eventually struck a building. One Philadelphia Police officer was taken to the Hospital of the Univ. of Pennsylvania for minor injuries. 8859 suffered damage to the left windshield, front bumper, side panel, and frame.
This incident brings back memories of a similar incident [in 1997 - ed.] when Allegheny (at the time) #5267 was hijacked on Lehigh Av during a 54 trip early one weekday morning. 5267 - the only NABI to be officially listed as scrapped on the SEPTA roster [at the time - ed.] - crashed into the El structure at Kensington and Lehigh, and is now stored at Berridge, awaiting disposition.
... Maloney said that this was the third SEPTA bus to be stolen [in 2000 - ed.] (the other two buses were taken from Callowhill and Midvale), and that 8859 would be out of service temporarily, however may be scrapped, as a few 8800s have been retired recently. Maloney also told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "If neccesary, we could add more security, but it would come at the expense of ease of operations."
Nearly five years later, the lax mentality of SEPTA as is pertains to security still exists... God help the passengers...
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
TRUTH IN ADVERTISING?
I can't help but laugh after reading this...
SEPTA is now planning a new ad campaign, according to a press release by SEPTA's Ministry of Mis-Information:
A new SEPTA ad campaign offers a unique sample of the language, traditions and "ad-di-tude" (sic) that is "Genuine Philly." The primary message of the series of print ads is that SEPTA is the driving force and fabric that holds the Greater Philadelphia region together.
Really? And all this time, I thought it was a 1,000 square mile piece of cloth that was the "fabric that holds the Greater Philadelphia region together", but what do I know. And, by the way, it's "ad-dy-tude"...
In one of the ads SEPTA's JoAnne Nuttle, who drives the Market-Frankford Owl bus, says, "There's no debate, its called gravy, not pasta sauce."
Whatever...
Another example of Genuine Philly comes from SEPTA's Toni Foster, "It's spelled Passyunk. It's pronounced Pashunk, don't ask me why."
Why? Because english is not neccesarily spoken too well in Philly...
Both ads include the line, "Millions of things make this our home. She'll take you to every one."
I guess that means they'll also take you to Rick Mariano's corruption trial as well...
Other SEPTA employees featured in the ads include regional rail Conductor R. D. Murray and Assistant Conductor Tia Kennerly as well as Bus Operators Angel M. Davila (Comly [depot]) and Brian Kelso (Southern).
The "stars" of the ads were selected through an internal open casting call held over two days.
I guess Fearless Leader and the Rotating Resumes at 1234 Market have faces better made for radio...
In a bow to one of Philly's oldest traditions, its beloved sports teams, SEPTA will also produce trading cards featuring the stars.
In another bow to it's "beloved sports teams" SEPTA will suddenly forget what the hell they're doing and run the system into the ground, much like Andy Reid's offensive (in both senses of the word) play calling in the past couple of Iggles games. Oh, wait, they already do that...
The trading cards, which will be available at SEPTA Sales locations in Center City, contain a money-saving coupon that can be used at participating merchants at Reading Terminal Market.
Well, I guess these will be more valuable than that Freddie Mitchell rookie card in a matter of weeks...
SEPTA has also created television ads with the Genuine Philly message. The "Love" statute, Mummers string bands and cheesesteaks are featured in the spots that will air on cable networks throughout the region. The television ads feature actors from the Greater Philadelphia region.
Also reportedly featured are Emperor Street's cronies who are about to become part of the federal prison system, and the various union fools who artificially drive up the costs of doing business in the region (hello, Johnny Doc).
The ad campaign is SEPTA's most ambitious in years and is meant to increase ridership and improve the image of the transit Authority.
Well, that and an extreme makeover couldn't hurt...
SEPTA is now planning a new ad campaign, according to a press release by SEPTA's Ministry of Mis-Information:
A new SEPTA ad campaign offers a unique sample of the language, traditions and "ad-di-tude" (sic) that is "Genuine Philly." The primary message of the series of print ads is that SEPTA is the driving force and fabric that holds the Greater Philadelphia region together.
Really? And all this time, I thought it was a 1,000 square mile piece of cloth that was the "fabric that holds the Greater Philadelphia region together", but what do I know. And, by the way, it's "ad-dy-tude"...
In one of the ads SEPTA's JoAnne Nuttle, who drives the Market-Frankford Owl bus, says, "There's no debate, its called gravy, not pasta sauce."
Whatever...
Another example of Genuine Philly comes from SEPTA's Toni Foster, "It's spelled Passyunk. It's pronounced Pashunk, don't ask me why."
Why? Because english is not neccesarily spoken too well in Philly...
Both ads include the line, "Millions of things make this our home. She'll take you to every one."
I guess that means they'll also take you to Rick Mariano's corruption trial as well...
Other SEPTA employees featured in the ads include regional rail Conductor R. D. Murray and Assistant Conductor Tia Kennerly as well as Bus Operators Angel M. Davila (Comly [depot]) and Brian Kelso (Southern).
The "stars" of the ads were selected through an internal open casting call held over two days.
I guess Fearless Leader and the Rotating Resumes at 1234 Market have faces better made for radio...
In a bow to one of Philly's oldest traditions, its beloved sports teams, SEPTA will also produce trading cards featuring the stars.
In another bow to it's "beloved sports teams" SEPTA will suddenly forget what the hell they're doing and run the system into the ground, much like Andy Reid's offensive (in both senses of the word) play calling in the past couple of Iggles games. Oh, wait, they already do that...
The trading cards, which will be available at SEPTA Sales locations in Center City, contain a money-saving coupon that can be used at participating merchants at Reading Terminal Market.
Well, I guess these will be more valuable than that Freddie Mitchell rookie card in a matter of weeks...
SEPTA has also created television ads with the Genuine Philly message. The "Love" statute, Mummers string bands and cheesesteaks are featured in the spots that will air on cable networks throughout the region. The television ads feature actors from the Greater Philadelphia region.
Also reportedly featured are Emperor Street's cronies who are about to become part of the federal prison system, and the various union fools who artificially drive up the costs of doing business in the region (hello, Johnny Doc).
The ad campaign is SEPTA's most ambitious in years and is meant to increase ridership and improve the image of the transit Authority.
Well, that and an extreme makeover couldn't hurt...
SUBWAY-SURFACE TROUBLES...
It hasn't exactly been a good month for riders on the subway-surface lines, particularly in Southwest Philly...
On September 27, 9072, working a westbound 13 trip, was involved in an accident with a tar truck at 48-Chester. The incident occured shortly after 17:00, according to the Inquirer.
Police and a witness said the truck ran through a stop sign at high speed as it headed south on 48th, apparently trying to beat the westbound trolley through the intersection. "He tries to swing around [the trolley], but he couldn't make it," said witness Kalik Lance, 29, who was sitting outside his apartment building at 4725 Chester when the accident happened. The truck scraped the front of the trolley, then flipped, taking the kettle along with it. At that point, hot tar spewed against the front doors of the trolley, leaving a sheen of molten tar on the street.
"Good thing those doors were closed," said a police sergeant coordinating cleanup operations at the scene last night. SEPTA workers using jackhammers had to forcibly cut the hardened tar from the track rails while others using scrappers pried it from the street and from the area between the rails.
Police said 65 passengers were on the trolley. They all walked off the conveyance via the rear door, with the operator the last to leave. Damage to the trolley, which included a broken head lamp, appeared minor. It did not derail. No names were immediately released. It was unclear whether citations would be filed. Inqurier
The day before, a shooting occured on the 36. At around 05:00, the victim boarded an inbound 36 streetcar from Island Road loop to 40-Market. The suspect got up from his seat shortly thereafter, shooting the passenger point blank. The passenger died sometime later. It's unknown as to whether the suspect was apprehended. There wasn't any service on the 36 until 07:00, since the Elmwood Avenue section of the depot was closed off.
A second homicide took place on the 13 on October 6. According to the Inky:
Yeadon police said a man, whom they did not identify, and the assailant boarded a SEPTA trolley at 58th Street and Chester Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. When the trolley stopped at Chester Avenue and Church Lane in Yeadon about 8:40 p.m., the suspect attacked the victim, stabbing him with a knife repeatedly, police said. The suspect fled on foot. The victim died at a local hospital.
The suspect was described as 25 to 30 years old, 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-1, with a slim build and a light mustache, wearing a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and black sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to call Yeadon police at 610-259-1228. Inquirer
Of course the system is still safe. Maybe once SEPTA finally installs those cameras at its stations, they'll get around to adding cameras to the vehicle fleet. But, that would probably be asking too much...
On September 27, 9072, working a westbound 13 trip, was involved in an accident with a tar truck at 48-Chester. The incident occured shortly after 17:00, according to the Inquirer.
Police and a witness said the truck ran through a stop sign at high speed as it headed south on 48th, apparently trying to beat the westbound trolley through the intersection. "He tries to swing around [the trolley], but he couldn't make it," said witness Kalik Lance, 29, who was sitting outside his apartment building at 4725 Chester when the accident happened. The truck scraped the front of the trolley, then flipped, taking the kettle along with it. At that point, hot tar spewed against the front doors of the trolley, leaving a sheen of molten tar on the street.
"Good thing those doors were closed," said a police sergeant coordinating cleanup operations at the scene last night. SEPTA workers using jackhammers had to forcibly cut the hardened tar from the track rails while others using scrappers pried it from the street and from the area between the rails.
Police said 65 passengers were on the trolley. They all walked off the conveyance via the rear door, with the operator the last to leave. Damage to the trolley, which included a broken head lamp, appeared minor. It did not derail. No names were immediately released. It was unclear whether citations would be filed. Inqurier
The day before, a shooting occured on the 36. At around 05:00, the victim boarded an inbound 36 streetcar from Island Road loop to 40-Market. The suspect got up from his seat shortly thereafter, shooting the passenger point blank. The passenger died sometime later. It's unknown as to whether the suspect was apprehended. There wasn't any service on the 36 until 07:00, since the Elmwood Avenue section of the depot was closed off.
A second homicide took place on the 13 on October 6. According to the Inky:
Yeadon police said a man, whom they did not identify, and the assailant boarded a SEPTA trolley at 58th Street and Chester Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. When the trolley stopped at Chester Avenue and Church Lane in Yeadon about 8:40 p.m., the suspect attacked the victim, stabbing him with a knife repeatedly, police said. The suspect fled on foot. The victim died at a local hospital.
The suspect was described as 25 to 30 years old, 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-1, with a slim build and a light mustache, wearing a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and black sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to call Yeadon police at 610-259-1228. Inquirer
Of course the system is still safe. Maybe once SEPTA finally installs those cameras at its stations, they'll get around to adding cameras to the vehicle fleet. But, that would probably be asking too much...
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