Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Encyclopedia
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus
, subway
and elevated
rail, commuter rail, light rail
, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. SEPTA also manages construction projects that repair, replace, and expand infrastructure and rolling stock.
SEPTA serves the combined city and county of Philadelphia, Delaware County
, Montgomery County
, Bucks County
, and Chester County
. SEPTA also serves New Castle County
in Delaware
, and Mercer County
in New Jersey
.
SEPTA has the 6th-largest U.S. rapid transit system by ridership, and the 5th largest overall transit system, with about 306.9 million annual unlinked trips. It controls 280 active stations, over 450 miles (724.2 km) of track, 2,295 revenue vehicles, and 196 routes. SEPTA also manages Shared-Ride services in Philadelphia and ADA
services across the region. These services are operated by third-party contractors.
SEPTA is one of only two U.S. transit authorities that operates all of the five major types of transit vehicles: regional (commuter) rail trains, "heavy" rapid transit (subway/elevated) trains, light rail vehicles (trolleys), electric trolleybuses, and motor buses. The other is Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(which runs ferry
boat service as well).
SEPTA's headquarters are located at 1234 Market Street
in Center City Philadelphia.
On November 1, 1965, SEPTA absorbed two predecessor agencies:
By 1966, the Reading Company and Pennsylvania Railroad commuter railroad lines were operated under contract to SEPTA. On February 1, 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central railroad to become Penn Central, only to file for bankruptcy on June 21, 1970. Penn Central continued to operate in bankruptcy until 1976, when Conrail took over its assets along with those of several other bankrupt railroads, including the Reading Company. Conrail operated commuter services under contract to SEPTA until January 1, 1983, when SEPTA took over operations and acquired track, rolling stock, and other assets to form the Railroad Division
.
, and trackless trolley routes, and the Market–Frankford Line and Broad Street Line
in the City of Philadelphia. This became the City Transit Division. (Established as the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company in 1907 by the merger of a group of then independent transit companies operating within the city and its environs, the system became the PTC in 1940.)
On January 30, 1970, SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, also known as the Red Arrow Lines, which included the Philadelphia and Western Railroad
(P&W) route now called the Norristown High Speed Line
(Route 100), the Media and Sharon Hill Lines (Routes 101 and 102), and several suburban bus routes in Delaware County. Today, this is the Victory Division, though it is sometimes referred to as the Red Arrow Division.
On March 1, 1976, SEPTA acquired the transit operations of Schuylkill Valley Lines, which is today the Frontier Division.
The members of the SEPTA Board are:
The day-to-day operations of SEPTA are handled by the General Manager, who is appointed and hired by the Board of Directors. The General Manager is assisted by nine department heads called Assistant General Managers.
The present General Manager is Joseph M. Casey, who had served as the authority's Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer until his appointment as General Manager in 2008. Past General Managers include Faye L. M. Moore, Joseph T. Mack, John "Jack" Leary, Lou Gambaccini, and David L. Gunn
. Past acting General Managers include James Kilcur and Bill Stead.
, 66
, and 75
. Service resumed in spring 2008 after a nearly five-year suspension. Until June 2002, five SEPTA routes were operated with trackless trolleys, using AM General
vehicles built in 1978–79. Routes 29
, 59
, 66
, 75
, and 79
used trackless trolleys, but were converted to diesel buses for an indefinite period starting in 2002 (routes 59, 66, 75) and 2003 (routes 29, 79). The aging AM General trackless trolleys were never returned to service, but in February 2006 SEPTA placed an order for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer Industries
—enough for routes 59, 66, and 75 only—and the pilot trackless trolley arrived in June 2007, for testing. The production-series vehicles were delivered between February and August 2008. Trackless trolley service resumed on Routes 66 and 75 on April 14, 2008, and on Route 59 the following day, but was initially limited to just one or two vehicles on each route, as new trolley buses gradually replaced the motorbuses serving the routes over a period of several weeks. The SEPTA board voted in October 2006 not to order additional vehicles for Routes 29 and 79, and those routes permanently became non-electric.
, Trenton, New Jersey
, and West Trenton, New Jersey
. Daily ridership averaged over 121,000 in 2010, with 29% of ridership on the Paoli/Thorndale and Lansdale/Doylestown lines.
Most of the cars used on the lines range in vintage from 1963 to 1976, but new Silverliner V cars were introduced into service on October 29, 2010 , beginning with just 3 of the 120 new Silverliner V cars initially in operation. Because of unanticipated delays, the cars are being introduced gradually and are currently limited to about a dozen trains per day .
The City Transit Division operates routes mostly within the City of Philadelphia, including buses, subway–surface trolleys, the Market–Frankford Line, and the Broad Street Line. SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes
include bus and trackless trolley lines. Light rail routes consist of the subway–surface trolleys and Route 15. Some city division routes extend into Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties. This division is the descendant of the PTC. There are eight operating depots in this division: five of these depots only operate buses, one is a mixed bus/trackless trolley depot, one is a mixed bus/streetcar depot, and one is a streetcar-only facility.
and trolley (or light rail) routes that are based at 69th Street Terminal
in Upper Darby in Delaware County. Its light rail routes comprise the Norristown High Speed Line
(Route 100) that runs from 69th Street Terminal to Norristown and the SEPTA Surface Media and Sharon Hill Trolley Lines (Routes 101 and 102). This district is the descendant of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, also known as the Red Arrow Lines. Most residents of the Victory District operating area still refer to this district as the "Red Arrow Division."
in Montgomery County and bus lines that serve eastern Bucks County. This district is the descendant of the Schuylkill Valley Lines in the Norristown area and the Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Lines in eastern Bucks County. SEPTA took over Schuylkill Valley Lines operation on March 1, 1976. SEPTA turned over the Bucks County routes (formerly: Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Line Routes a subsidiary of SEPTA) to Frontier Division in November 1983.
. Krapf's has operated three other bus routes for SEPTA in the past. Routes 202 (West Chester to Wilmington), Route 207 (The Whiteland WHIRL), and Route 208 (Strafford Train Station to Chesterbrook) are no longer operating. SEPTA contracted bus operations before in Chester County. SEPTA and Reeder's Inc. joined forces in 1977 to operate three bus routes out of West Chester. These routes were the Route 120 (West Chester to Coatesville), Route 121 (West Chester to Paoli), and Route 122 (West Chester to Oxford). Bus service between West Chester and Coatesville was a replacement for the previous trolley service operated by West Chester Traction. SEPTA did replace two of the routes with their own bus service. Route 122 service was replaced by SEPTA's Route 91 on July 6, 1982 after only one year of service Route 91 was eliminated due to lack of ridership. Route 121 was replaced by SEPTA's Route 92 on October 11, 1982 this service continues to operate today. Since ridership on the Route 120 was strong it continued to operate under the operations of Reeder's Inc. even after SEPTA pulled the funding source. Krapf's purchased the Reeder's operation in 1992 and designated the remaining (West Chester to Coatesville) bus route as Krapf's Transit "Route A".
This division is the descendant of the six electrified commuter lines of the Reading Company
(RDG), the six electrified commuter lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR, later Penn Central: PC), and the new Airport line constructed by the City of Philadelphia between 1974 and 1984.
With the construction and opening of the Center City Commuter Connection
Tunnel in 1984, lines were paired such that a former Pennsylvania Railroad line was coupled with a former Reading line. Seven such pairings were created and given route designations numbered R1 through R8 (with R4 not used). As a result, the routes were originally designed so that trains would proceed from one outlying terminal to Center City, stopping at 30th Street Station, Suburban Station
, and Market East Station
, then proceed out to the other outlying terminal assigned to the route. Since ridership patterns have changed since the implementation of this plan, SEPTA removed the R-numbers from the lines in July 2010, and instead refers to the lines by the names of their termini.
The out-of-state terminals offer connections with other transit agencies. The Trenton Line offers connections in Trenton, New Jersey
to NJ Transit (NJT)
or Amtrak
for travel to New York City
. Plans exist to restore NJT service to West Trenton, New Jersey
, thus offering a future alternate to New York via the West Trenton Line and NJT. Another plan offers a connection for travel to Baltimore
and Washington DC via MARC
, involving extensions of the SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line from Newark, Delaware
, an extension of MARC's Penn service from Perryville, Maryland
, or both. It has also been proposed for the line- which currently does not run late nights, nor on Sundays beyond Marcus Hook- to have additional runs at those times to Wilmington and Newark.
was the largest for Neoplan at the time and SEPTA's largest to date. These buses were used throughout the SEPTA service area. SEPTA changed its specifications on new bus orders each year. The Neoplan AK's (numbered 8285–8410), which was SEPTA's first Neoplan order, had longitudinal seating: all of the seats face towards the aisle. However, their suburban counterparts (8411–8434) had longitudinal seating only in the rear of the bus. The back door has a wheelchair ramp, which forced SEPTA to limit its use and specify wheelchair lift
s for the authority's next order of coaches. These buses included a nine-liter 6v92 engine and Allison
HT-740 transmission.
In 1983 SEPTA, along with other transit operators in Pennsylvania, ordered 1000 buses from Neoplan of various lengths. SEPTA ultimately received 450 buses from this order: 425 were 40 feet (12.2 m) buses (8435–8584 and 8601–8875), which came without wheelchair lifts, and 25 buses that were 35 feet (10.7 m) buses (1301–1325).
SEPTA bought more Neoplans on its own in 1986, and these began to arrive in early 1987. The first two groups (3000–3131 and 3132–3251) came without wheelchair lifts, but the last two groups, one in late 1987 (3252–3371) and another in 1989 (3372–3491), included rear wheelchair lifts. All Neoplans built between 1986 and 1989 were equipped with a ZF 5HP-590 transmission
.
By the early 1990s, SEPTA had 1,092 Neoplan AN440
coaches in active service, making it the largest North American transportation authority with a fleet primarily manufactured by Neoplan USA. These buses dominated the streets of Philadelphia through late 1997, when the earlier fleet of AK and BD Neoplans (8285–8581) was replaced by a series of 400 buses built by North American Bus Industries
(NABI). More replacements occurred when SEPTA received its low-floor
fleet, with the last An440 buses removed from service in June 2008.
The Neoplan model has not entirely vanished from Philadelphia's streets, since SEPTA contracted with Neoplan in 1998 to build a fleet of 155 articulated bus
es, the first of which began to arrive in late 1999. By the summer of 2000, all were in service.
SEPTA also purchased smaller buses along with the articulated bus contract. The smaller bus order consisted of 80 buses from National-Eldorado
(4501–4580), the first of which began to arrive in late 2000. Most of these buses are on suburban routes, but a group of them is in use in the "LUCY" service in the University City section of West Philadelphia, in a special paint scheme, and a number of them are on lighter lines within Philadelphia.
Also, a group of buses called "cutaways" was purchased. These buses were built on Ford van chassis, with bodies similar to those seen on car rental shuttles at various airports. These buses were retired around 2003 and replaced with slightly larger cutaway buses on a Freightliner truck chassis.
The next bus type, which has steered SEPTA into a new era, was the low-floor bus
. After evaluating sample buses in the 1995–96 period from New Flyer and NovaBus, SEPTA placed an order with New Flyer for 100 low-floor buses (5401–5500). A pilot bus arrived in January 2001, and production models followed in the autumn of 2001. More purchases arrived from 2002 to 2005, with the 2002–04 buses numbered 5501–5600, 5613–5830, and 5851–5950. The 2005 arrivals were numbered 8000–8119, these numbers presumably chosen so as not to run into the 6000's, which had been reserved for an order of commuter coaches from Motor Coach Industries
that SEPTA did not pursue.
Trackless trolley (trolley bus)
service was suspended in 2003, and the 110 AM General
vehicles that had provided service on SEPTA's then-five trackless trolley routes never returned to service. However, the authority placed an order in early 2006 for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer, and these entered service in 2008, restoring trackless service on three of the five routes (routes 59, 66, and 75).
SEPTA placed an order with delivery starting in 2008 for 400 New Flyer hybrid buses—with options for up to 80 additional buses—to replace the NABI Ikarus buses at the end of their 12-year life span. These will not be the first hybrid buses, since SEPTA purchased two small groups of hybrids, 5601H–5612H, which arrived in 2003, and 5831H–5850H in 2004. Before the 2008 purchase, SEPTA borrowed an MTA New York City Transit Orion hybrid to evaluate it in service. While in use for SEPTA, the bus bore the number 3999; after evaluation, it resumed its New York identity. From the 2008 purchase, the first hybrids arrived in late 2008, and by early spring 2009, all were in service. SEPTA was the first to purchase New Flyer DE40LFs equipped with rooftop HVAC units. Recently it had been confirmed by different sources that the next batch of hybrids for SEPTA will be New Flyer DE40LFRs due to New Flyer discontinuing the LF series in 2009.
Although transit authorities earn revenue from advertisements placed on buses, SEPTA earns more advertising revenue from advertisements placed on the back of its buses. As a result, SEPTA buses are mainly equipped with a rooftop HVAC and with their rear route-number sign mounted close to the roof, which provides space for rear advertisements—especially on the 2008–2009 New Flyer DE40LFs and future orders.
between 1981 and 1983. These cars, known as B-IV as they are the fourth generation used on the line, are stainless steel and include some cars with operating cabs at both ends, as well as some with only a single cab.
The Market-Frankford Line
uses a class of car known as M-4, as they, like the Broad Street B-IV's, represent the line's fourth generation of cars, and were built from 1996 to 1999 by Adtranz
. These cars are built to the unusual broad gauge
of , known as "Pennsylvania trolley gauge".
The vehicles used on SEPTA's Subway-Surface trolleys
were built by Kawasaki in 1981. Known as "K-cars", they use the Pennsylvania trolley gauge of .
Uniquely, the Girard Street Line uses "PCC
II" trolleys, originally built in 1947 by the St. Louis Car Company
, which were rebuilt for the line's reopening in 2003 to include air conditioning. The line, like the Subway-Surface lines, is Pennsylvania trolley gauge.
The suburban trolley lines use Kawasaki-built vehicles similar to, but larger than, the Subway-Surface trolleys. They too are Pennsylvania trolley gauge. Notably, they are double ended, unlike the Subway-Surface trolleys, as the suburban lines lack any loops to turn the vehicles.
The Norristown High Speed Line
uses a class of cars known as N-5s. They were delivered in 1993 by ABB after significant production delays. Unlike the rest of SEPTA's trolley lines, they are standard gauge
.
, General Electric, and St. Louis Car Company
"Silverliner" electric multiple unit
self-operated cars. SEPTA also uses push-pull equipment consisting of coaches built by Bombardier
and hauled by AEM-7 or ALP-44
electric locomotives, identical to those used by Amtrak and NJT on its electrified rail services, for express and rush-hour service. SEPTA is currently undergoing the process of retiring the Budd and St. Louis Silverliner cars and replacing them with a model built by Hyundai Rotem.
Regional Rail
The PATCO Speedline is a rapid transit
line that runs from Center City Philadelphia to Camden, New Jersey
and terminates in Lindenwold, New Jersey
. At the 8th Street station, one can transfer to the Market–Frankford Line and Broad–Ridge Spur with an additional transfer fare. Paid transfers are also available at PATCO's 12th–13th Street station
and 15th–16th Street station
with SEPTA's Broad Street Line Walnut–Locust station. The PATCO Speedline crosses over the Delaware River
via the Ben Franklin Bridge. It is owned by the Delaware River Port Authority
.
In the western Philadelphia suburbs, Krapf's Transit runs regularly scheduled buses between Coatesville
, Downingtown, Exton
, and West Chester
. SEPTA Routes 92 and 104 connect with this service in West Chester, and route 92 also connects with this service at the Exton Square Mall. Krapf's also provide contract services to SEPTA on four routes (204, 205, 306, and 314).
In King of Prussia
, the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association
runs a community shuttle, the Rambler, which connects with SEPTA at the King of Prussia Mall
Transportation Center.
In the northwestern Philadelphia suburbs, Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART, formerly known as Pottstown Urban Transit) operates five bus routes within Pottstown Borough
and the neighboring townships of Limerick, Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove, and West Pottsgrove in Montgomery County
and North Coventry Township in Chester County
. PART and SEPTA have an agreement allowing transfers between PART service and SEPTA Route 93 buses in Pottstown.
runs buses from Philadelphia to New Jersey points. Many NJT buses stop at the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal
, which is immediately north of Market East Station, or at other locations in Center City Philadelphia. NJT also operates the River Line
light rail line between Camden
and Trenton
, the Northeast Corridor Line
between Trenton and New York, and the Atlantic City Line
between 30th Street Station and Atlantic City. Both the Northeast Corridor Line and River Line connect with SEPTA's Regional Rail Trenton Line at the Trenton train station. Additionally, SEPTA Route 127 connects with NJT bus and rail services at Trenton.
DART First State
provides bus service in Delaware. This service connects with SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line Regional Rail service in Wilmington
and Newark
. In 2007, SEPTA bus Route 306 began service, connecting the Great Valley Corporate Center and West Chester with the Brandywine Town Center; service between West Chester and Brandywine Town Center was discontinued in 2010 due to low ridership. In February 2009, SEPTA bus Route 113 commenced connecting bus service with DART at the Tri-State Mall, allowing service between Delaware County and the State of Delaware on Sundays as the Wilmington/Newark Line does not operate beyond Marcus Hook on Sundays.
provides rail service between Philadelphia (at 30th Street Station) and points beyond SEPTA's range, including Lancaster
, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Chicago
to the west, Baltimore
and Washington, D.C.
to the southwest, and New York, Boston
, and Montreal
to the northeast. Amtrak's service overlaps to some degree with the Wilmington/Newark Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line
, and Trenton Line. In addition to 30th Street Station, shared Amtrak/SEPTA Regional Rail stations include Wilmington and Newark on the Wilmington/Newark Line, Ardmore
, Paoli
, Exton
, and Downingtown
on the Paoli/Thorndale Line, and North Philadelphia, Cornwells Heights
, and Trenton on the Trenton Line. Amtrak is faster than SEPTA, but significantly more expensive, particularly for services along the Northeast Corridor
.
Greyhound
and a variety of interregional bus operators, most of which are part of the Trailways system, stop at the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal. In addition to being adjacent to Market East Station, the terminal is one block from the Market–Frankford Line 11th Street station
and various SEPTA bus routes. Major destinations served with one seat rides to/from the terminal include Allentown
, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Newark (New Jersey), New York, Pittsburgh, Reading
, Scranton, Washington, and Wilmington. In addition, six NJ Transit bus routes (313, 315, 316, 317, 318, and 551) originate and terminate from this terminal.
Philadelphia International Airport
is served by many airlines with flights to various national and international points. SEPTA serves the airport with local bus service and with the Airport Line from Center City.
Transit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
, subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
and elevated
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
rail, commuter rail, light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. SEPTA also manages construction projects that repair, replace, and expand infrastructure and rolling stock.
SEPTA serves the combined city and county of Philadelphia, Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, and Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
. SEPTA also serves New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
in Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, and Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
SEPTA has the 6th-largest U.S. rapid transit system by ridership, and the 5th largest overall transit system, with about 306.9 million annual unlinked trips. It controls 280 active stations, over 450 miles (724.2 km) of track, 2,295 revenue vehicles, and 196 routes. SEPTA also manages Shared-Ride services in Philadelphia and ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
services across the region. These services are operated by third-party contractors.
SEPTA is one of only two U.S. transit authorities that operates all of the five major types of transit vehicles: regional (commuter) rail trains, "heavy" rapid transit (subway/elevated) trains, light rail vehicles (trolleys), electric trolleybuses, and motor buses. The other is Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
(which runs ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
boat service as well).
SEPTA's headquarters are located at 1234 Market Street
Market Street (Philadelphia)
Market Street, originally known as High Street, is a major east–west street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the majority of its length, it serves as Pennsylvania Route 3....
in Center City Philadelphia.
History
Formation
SEPTA was created by the Pennsylvania legislature on August 17, 1963, to coordinate government subsidies to various transit and railroad companies in southeastern Pennsylvania. It commenced on February 18, 1964.On November 1, 1965, SEPTA absorbed two predecessor agencies:
- The Passenger Service Improvement Corporation (PSIC), which was created on January 20, 1960 to work with the Reading CompanyReading CompanyThe Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
and Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
to improve commuter rail service and help the railroads maintain otherwise unprofitable passenger rail service. - The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Compact (SEPACT), created on September 8, 1961, by the City of Philadelphia and the Counties of Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester to coordinate regional transport issues.
By 1966, the Reading Company and Pennsylvania Railroad commuter railroad lines were operated under contract to SEPTA. On February 1, 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central railroad to become Penn Central, only to file for bankruptcy on June 21, 1970. Penn Central continued to operate in bankruptcy until 1976, when Conrail took over its assets along with those of several other bankrupt railroads, including the Reading Company. Conrail operated commuter services under contract to SEPTA until January 1, 1983, when SEPTA took over operations and acquired track, rolling stock, and other assets to form the Railroad Division
SEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
.
Subsequent expansion
SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) on September 30, 1968, which included bus, trolleyTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, and trackless trolley routes, and the Market–Frankford Line and Broad Street Line
Broad Street Line
The Broad Street Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia...
in the City of Philadelphia. This became the City Transit Division. (Established as the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company in 1907 by the merger of a group of then independent transit companies operating within the city and its environs, the system became the PTC in 1940.)
On January 30, 1970, SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, also known as the Red Arrow Lines, which included the Philadelphia and Western Railroad
Philadelphia and Western Railroad
The Philadelphia and Western Railroad was a high-speed, third rail-operated, commuter-hauling interurban electric railroad operating in the western suburbs of the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of its lines is now SEPTA's R100 Norristown High Speed Line; the other has been abandoned...
(P&W) route now called the Norristown High Speed Line
Norristown High Speed Line
The Norristown High Speed Line is an interurban line system operated between Upper Darby and Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA by SEPTA...
(Route 100), the Media and Sharon Hill Lines (Routes 101 and 102), and several suburban bus routes in Delaware County. Today, this is the Victory Division, though it is sometimes referred to as the Red Arrow Division.
On March 1, 1976, SEPTA acquired the transit operations of Schuylkill Valley Lines, which is today the Frontier Division.
Governance
SEPTA is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors:- The City of Philadelphia appoints two members: one member is appointed by the Mayor, the other by the City CouncilPhiladelphia City CouncilThe Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number...
President. These two board members can veto any item that is approved by the full SEPTA board because the city represents more than two-thirds of SEPTA's local subsidy, fare revenue, and ridership. However, the veto may be overridden with the vote of at least 75% of the full board within 30 days. - Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County appoint two members each. These members are appointed by the County Commissioners in Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery County and by the County Council in Delaware County.
- The majority and minority leaders of the two houses of the Pennsylvania State LegislaturePennsylvania General AssemblyThe Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
(the Senate and the House of Representatives) appoint one member each, for a total of four members. - The Governor of Pennsylvania appoints one member.
The members of the SEPTA Board are:
- Chairman – Pasquale T. Deon, Sr.
- Vice Chairman – James C. Schwartzman, Esq.EsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
- Bucks County – Pasquale T. Deon, Sr., Charles H. Martin
- Chester County – Joseph E. Brion, Esq., Kevin L. Johnson, P.E.
- Delaware County – Thomas E. Babcock, Daniel J. Kubik
- Montgomery County – Thomas J. EllisThomas J. EllisThomas Jay "Tom" Ellis is a Pennsylvania public finance attorney. He served several terms as County Commissioner of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, one of the largest counties in Pennsylvania, before being dropped from the ticket during an intra-party feud...
, Esq., Michael J. O'Donoghue, Esq. - Philadelphia County – Beverly Coleman, Rina Cutler
- Governor Appointee – Denise J. Smyler, Esq.
- Senate Majority Leader Appointee – Stewart GreenleafStewart GreenleafStewart J. Greenleaf is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 12th District since 1979. His district includes portions of Montgomery and Bucks Counties.-Biography:...
, Esq. - Senate Minority Leader Appointee – James C. Schwartzman, Esq.
- House Majority Leader Appointee – Frank G. McCartney
- House Minority Leader Appointee – Herman M. Wooden
The day-to-day operations of SEPTA are handled by the General Manager, who is appointed and hired by the Board of Directors. The General Manager is assisted by nine department heads called Assistant General Managers.
The present General Manager is Joseph M. Casey, who had served as the authority's Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer until his appointment as General Manager in 2008. Past General Managers include Faye L. M. Moore, Joseph T. Mack, John "Jack" Leary, Lou Gambaccini, and David L. Gunn
David L. Gunn
David L. Gunn is a transportation system administrator who has headed several significant railroads and transit systems in North America....
. Past acting General Managers include James Kilcur and Bill Stead.
Rapid transit
- Market–Frankford Line (Blue Line): subway and elevated line from the Frankford Transportation CenterFrankford Transportation CenterThe Frankford Transportation Center is a transportation terminal in Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was once known as the Bridge Street terminal before a complete reconstruction in 2003...
(rebuilt in 2003) in the Frankford section of Philadelphia to 69th Street Terminal69th Street Terminal69th Street Transportation Center is a SEPTA terminal in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It is also the southwestern terminus of Philadelphia's EL, the Market-Frankford Line ....
in Upper Darby, via Center City Philadelphia. Weekday ridership averaged 180,100 in 2010. - Broad Street LineBroad Street LineThe Broad Street Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia...
and Broad–Ridge Spur (Orange Line): subway line along Broad Street in Philadelphia from Fern Rock Transportation Center to AT&T Station/Sports Complex (formerly Pattison Station), via Center City Philadelphia. Weekday ridership averaged 136,670 in 2010.
Trolley and light rail
- Subway–Surface Trolley Lines (Green Line): five trolley routes—10SEPTA Route 10SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 10 is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Overbrook Loop station in Overbrook section of West Philadelphia...
, 11SEPTA Route 11SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 11 is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Darby Transportation Center in Darby, Pennsylvania...
, 13SEPTA Route 13SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 13 is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Yeadon Loop station in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, although limited service is available to the Darby...
, 34SEPTA Route 34SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 34, also called the Baltimore Avenue-Subway Line, is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Angora Loop station in the Angora neighborhood of...
, and 36SEPTA Route 36SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 36 is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Eastwick Loop station in Eastwick section of Southwest Philadelphia, although limited service...
—that run in a subway in Center City and fan out along on street-level trolley tracks in WestWest PhiladelphiaWest Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
and Southwest PhiladelphiaSouthwest PhiladelphiaSouthwest Philadelphia is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The section can be described as extending from the western side of the Schuylkill River to the city line, with the SEPTA Media/Elwyn Line serving as the northern border...
. Daily ridership averaged 79,804 in 2010. - Norristown High-Speed Line (Route 100): formerly known as the Philadelphia & Western (P&W) Railroad, this former interurban light railLight railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line is powered by third rail, unusual among light rail lines. Daily ridership averaged 8,530 in 2010. - Routes 101 and 102 (Suburban Trolley Lines): two trolley routes in Delaware County which run mostly on private rights-of-way but also have some street running. Daily ridership averaged 6,546 in 2010.
- Routes 15, 23, and 56: Three surface trolleyTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
routes that were suspended in 1992. Routes 23SEPTA Route 23SEPTA's Trolley Route 23, the Germantown Avenue-11th & 12th Streets Line is a former streetcar line and currently operated by bus. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
and 56SEPTA Route 56SEPTA's Trolley Route 56, the Erie & Torresdale Avenues Line is a streetcar line and is currently operated by bus, it is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Tioga and Tacony neighborhoods...
are currently operated with buses. Trolley service on Route 15 resumed as of September 2005. Route 23 has long been SEPTA's most heavily traveled surface route, with daily ridership averaging 21,500 in 2010.
Trackless trolley (trolleybus)
Trackless trolleys (as they are called by SEPTA) operate on routes 59SEPTA Route 59
SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues...
, 66
SEPTA Route 66
SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,...
, and 75
SEPTA Route 75
SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue...
. Service resumed in spring 2008 after a nearly five-year suspension. Until June 2002, five SEPTA routes were operated with trackless trolleys, using AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
vehicles built in 1978–79. Routes 29
SEPTA Route 29
SEPTA Route 29 is a former streetcar and trolley bus line and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Gray's Ferry neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the...
, 59
SEPTA Route 59
SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues...
, 66
SEPTA Route 66
SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,...
, 75
SEPTA Route 75
SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue...
, and 79
SEPTA Route 79
SEPTA Route 79 is a former trolley bus and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Point Breeze neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the Delaware River...
used trackless trolleys, but were converted to diesel buses for an indefinite period starting in 2002 (routes 59, 66, 75) and 2003 (routes 29, 79). The aging AM General trackless trolleys were never returned to service, but in February 2006 SEPTA placed an order for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
—enough for routes 59, 66, and 75 only—and the pilot trackless trolley arrived in June 2007, for testing. The production-series vehicles were delivered between February and August 2008. Trackless trolley service resumed on Routes 66 and 75 on April 14, 2008, and on Route 59 the following day, but was initially limited to just one or two vehicles on each route, as new trolley buses gradually replaced the motorbuses serving the routes over a period of several weeks. The SEPTA board voted in October 2006 not to order additional vehicles for Routes 29 and 79, and those routes permanently became non-electric.
Bus
SEPTA lists 121 bus routes, not including over 50 school trips, with most routes in the City of Philadelphia proper. SEPTA generally employs lettered, one and two-digit route numbering for its City Division routes, 90-series and 100-series routes for its Victory Division (Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties) and its Frontier Division (Montgomery and Bucks Counties), 200-series routes for its Regional Rail connector routes (Routes 201, 204, 205, and 206 in Montgomery & Chester Counties), 300-series routes for other specialized or third-party contract routes, and 400-series routes for limited service buses to schools within Philadelphia.Commuter rail
SEPTA began operating its commuter rail division (as SEPTA Regional Rail) on January 1, 1983. This division operates 13 lines serving more than 150 stations covering most of the five-county southeastern Pennsylvania region. It also runs trains to Newark, DelawareNewark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
, Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, and West Trenton, New Jersey
West Trenton, New Jersey
West Trenton, New Jersey is a section of the Trenton suburb of Ewing Township, located just northwest of the capital's city limits.It is home to the New Jersey State Police Headquarters, Trenton-Mercer Airport, Trenton Country Club , New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, The Homasote Company,...
. Daily ridership averaged over 121,000 in 2010, with 29% of ridership on the Paoli/Thorndale and Lansdale/Doylestown lines.
Most of the cars used on the lines range in vintage from 1963 to 1976, but new Silverliner V cars were introduced into service on October 29, 2010 , beginning with just 3 of the 120 new Silverliner V cars initially in operation. Because of unanticipated delays, the cars are being introduced gradually and are currently limited to about a dozen trains per day .
Divisions
SEPTA has three major operating divisions: City Transit, Suburban, and Regional Rail. These divisions reflect the different transit and railroad operations that SEPTA has assumed.City Transit Division
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates the overwhelming majority of Philadelphia public transit within their City Transit Division. Although perhaps best known for the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line, they are also responsible for all 73 of the trolley and bus...
include bus and trackless trolley lines. Light rail routes consist of the subway–surface trolleys and Route 15. Some city division routes extend into Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties. This division is the descendant of the PTC. There are eight operating depots in this division: five of these depots only operate buses, one is a mixed bus/trackless trolley depot, one is a mixed bus/streetcar depot, and one is a streetcar-only facility.
Victory District
The Victory District operates suburban busSEPTA Suburban Division bus routes
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates or contracts operation of these routes serving points in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, with a few routes operating into the city of Philadelphia. The Suburban Transit Division is broken down into three divisions...
and trolley (or light rail) routes that are based at 69th Street Terminal
69th Street Terminal
69th Street Transportation Center is a SEPTA terminal in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It is also the southwestern terminus of Philadelphia's EL, the Market-Frankford Line ....
in Upper Darby in Delaware County. Its light rail routes comprise the Norristown High Speed Line
Norristown High Speed Line
The Norristown High Speed Line is an interurban line system operated between Upper Darby and Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA by SEPTA...
(Route 100) that runs from 69th Street Terminal to Norristown and the SEPTA Surface Media and Sharon Hill Trolley Lines (Routes 101 and 102). This district is the descendant of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, also known as the Red Arrow Lines. Most residents of the Victory District operating area still refer to this district as the "Red Arrow Division."
Frontier District
The Frontier District operates suburban bus routes that are based at the Norristown Transportation CenterNorristown Transportation Center
Norristown Transportation Center is a two-level multimodal public transportation regional hub located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and operated by SEPTA...
in Montgomery County and bus lines that serve eastern Bucks County. This district is the descendant of the Schuylkill Valley Lines in the Norristown area and the Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Lines in eastern Bucks County. SEPTA took over Schuylkill Valley Lines operation on March 1, 1976. SEPTA turned over the Bucks County routes (formerly: Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Line Routes a subsidiary of SEPTA) to Frontier Division in November 1983.
Suburban contract operations
Krapf's Coaches operate four bus lines under contract to SEPTA in Chester County. These routes are operated from Krapf's own garage, located in West Chester, PennsylvaniaWest Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
. Krapf's has operated three other bus routes for SEPTA in the past. Routes 202 (West Chester to Wilmington), Route 207 (The Whiteland WHIRL), and Route 208 (Strafford Train Station to Chesterbrook) are no longer operating. SEPTA contracted bus operations before in Chester County. SEPTA and Reeder's Inc. joined forces in 1977 to operate three bus routes out of West Chester. These routes were the Route 120 (West Chester to Coatesville), Route 121 (West Chester to Paoli), and Route 122 (West Chester to Oxford). Bus service between West Chester and Coatesville was a replacement for the previous trolley service operated by West Chester Traction. SEPTA did replace two of the routes with their own bus service. Route 122 service was replaced by SEPTA's Route 91 on July 6, 1982 after only one year of service Route 91 was eliminated due to lack of ridership. Route 121 was replaced by SEPTA's Route 92 on October 11, 1982 this service continues to operate today. Since ridership on the Route 120 was strong it continued to operate under the operations of Reeder's Inc. even after SEPTA pulled the funding source. Krapf's purchased the Reeder's operation in 1992 and designated the remaining (West Chester to Coatesville) bus route as Krapf's Transit "Route A".
Railroad Division
The Railroad Division operates 13 commuter railroad routes that begin in Central Philadelphia and radiate outwards, terminating in intra-city, suburban, and out-of-state locations.This division is the descendant of the six electrified commuter lines of the Reading Company
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
(RDG), the six electrified commuter lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR, later Penn Central: PC), and the new Airport line constructed by the City of Philadelphia between 1974 and 1984.
With the construction and opening of the Center City Commuter Connection
Center City Commuter Connection
The Center City Commuter Connection, commonly referred to as "the commuter tunnel", is a passenger railroad tunnel in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, built to connect the stub ends of the two separate regional commuter rail systems, originally operated by two rival railroad...
Tunnel in 1984, lines were paired such that a former Pennsylvania Railroad line was coupled with a former Reading line. Seven such pairings were created and given route designations numbered R1 through R8 (with R4 not used). As a result, the routes were originally designed so that trains would proceed from one outlying terminal to Center City, stopping at 30th Street Station, Suburban Station
Suburban Station (Philadelphia)
Suburban Station is an underground, art deco, commuter rail station in the Penn Center district of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its official SEPTA address is 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The station is operated by SEPTA and is one of the three core Center City stations on the SEPTA...
, and Market East Station
Market East Station (Philadelphia)
Market East Station is an underground SEPTA Regional Rail station located in the Market East neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its official SEPTA address is 12th and Filbert streets...
, then proceed out to the other outlying terminal assigned to the route. Since ridership patterns have changed since the implementation of this plan, SEPTA removed the R-numbers from the lines in July 2010, and instead refers to the lines by the names of their termini.
The out-of-state terminals offer connections with other transit agencies. The Trenton Line offers connections in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
to NJ Transit (NJT)
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
or Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
for travel to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Plans exist to restore NJT service to West Trenton, New Jersey
West Trenton, New Jersey
West Trenton, New Jersey is a section of the Trenton suburb of Ewing Township, located just northwest of the capital's city limits.It is home to the New Jersey State Police Headquarters, Trenton-Mercer Airport, Trenton Country Club , New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, The Homasote Company,...
, thus offering a future alternate to New York via the West Trenton Line and NJT. Another plan offers a connection for travel to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Washington DC via MARC
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
, involving extensions of the SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line from Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
, an extension of MARC's Penn service from Perryville, Maryland
Perryville, Maryland
Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River.-History:...
, or both. It has also been proposed for the line- which currently does not run late nights, nor on Sundays beyond Marcus Hook- to have additional runs at those times to Wilmington and Newark.
Buses
In 1982, SEPTA's bus order from Neoplan USANeoplan USA
Neoplan USA was a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Denver, Colorado, which was entirely separate from the German corporation, Neoplan, licensing its designs from the German company of the same name. The company was founded in 1981 and folded in 2006. It was originally a subsidiary...
was the largest for Neoplan at the time and SEPTA's largest to date. These buses were used throughout the SEPTA service area. SEPTA changed its specifications on new bus orders each year. The Neoplan AK's (numbered 8285–8410), which was SEPTA's first Neoplan order, had longitudinal seating: all of the seats face towards the aisle. However, their suburban counterparts (8411–8434) had longitudinal seating only in the rear of the bus. The back door has a wheelchair ramp, which forced SEPTA to limit its use and specify wheelchair lift
Wheelchair lift
A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, is a powered device designed to raise a wheelchair and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier....
s for the authority's next order of coaches. These buses included a nine-liter 6v92 engine and Allison
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
HT-740 transmission.
In 1983 SEPTA, along with other transit operators in Pennsylvania, ordered 1000 buses from Neoplan of various lengths. SEPTA ultimately received 450 buses from this order: 425 were 40 feet (12.2 m) buses (8435–8584 and 8601–8875), which came without wheelchair lifts, and 25 buses that were 35 feet (10.7 m) buses (1301–1325).
SEPTA bought more Neoplans on its own in 1986, and these began to arrive in early 1987. The first two groups (3000–3131 and 3132–3251) came without wheelchair lifts, but the last two groups, one in late 1987 (3252–3371) and another in 1989 (3372–3491), included rear wheelchair lifts. All Neoplans built between 1986 and 1989 were equipped with a ZF 5HP-590 transmission
ZF Ecomat
The ZF Ecomat automotive transmission was specifically designed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG primarily for city-buses and motorcoaches. It has several generations - all of the automatic transmission type, and many variants. The latest variants utilise a lock-up torque converter along with a retarder...
.
By the early 1990s, SEPTA had 1,092 Neoplan AN440
Neoplan AN440
The Neoplan Transliner was a series of related mass transit bus models introduced by Neoplan USA in 1981.- Models :The Transliner was available in a wide variety of body styles. Transliners could be ordered in 35', 40', and 60' lengths...
coaches in active service, making it the largest North American transportation authority with a fleet primarily manufactured by Neoplan USA. These buses dominated the streets of Philadelphia through late 1997, when the earlier fleet of AK and BD Neoplans (8285–8581) was replaced by a series of 400 buses built by North American Bus Industries
North American Bus Industries
North American Bus Industries, commonly known as NABI, is a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Anniston, Alabama. NABI was founded in 1992 when the Hungarian firm Ikarus Bus, a key bus supplier to Central, Eastern Europe, spun off a majority share of their American operations to...
(NABI). More replacements occurred when SEPTA received its low-floor
Low-floor bus
A low-floor bus is a bus that has no steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. Being low floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly or infirm, or those with push chairs, and increasingly, those in wheelchairs.In the modern...
fleet, with the last An440 buses removed from service in June 2008.
The Neoplan model has not entirely vanished from Philadelphia's streets, since SEPTA contracted with Neoplan in 1998 to build a fleet of 155 articulated bus
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
es, the first of which began to arrive in late 1999. By the summer of 2000, all were in service.
SEPTA also purchased smaller buses along with the articulated bus contract. The smaller bus order consisted of 80 buses from National-Eldorado
ElDorado National
ElDorado National is a bus manufacturer owned by Thor Industries. Heavy-duty buses are built in Riverside, California, and cutaway buses and mobility vans are built in Salina, Kansas.-Products:* Aerotech and similar lines of cutaway buses...
(4501–4580), the first of which began to arrive in late 2000. Most of these buses are on suburban routes, but a group of them is in use in the "LUCY" service in the University City section of West Philadelphia, in a special paint scheme, and a number of them are on lighter lines within Philadelphia.
Also, a group of buses called "cutaways" was purchased. These buses were built on Ford van chassis, with bodies similar to those seen on car rental shuttles at various airports. These buses were retired around 2003 and replaced with slightly larger cutaway buses on a Freightliner truck chassis.
The next bus type, which has steered SEPTA into a new era, was the low-floor bus
Low-floor bus
A low-floor bus is a bus that has no steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. Being low floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly or infirm, or those with push chairs, and increasingly, those in wheelchairs.In the modern...
. After evaluating sample buses in the 1995–96 period from New Flyer and NovaBus, SEPTA placed an order with New Flyer for 100 low-floor buses (5401–5500). A pilot bus arrived in January 2001, and production models followed in the autumn of 2001. More purchases arrived from 2002 to 2005, with the 2002–04 buses numbered 5501–5600, 5613–5830, and 5851–5950. The 2005 arrivals were numbered 8000–8119, these numbers presumably chosen so as not to run into the 6000's, which had been reserved for an order of commuter coaches from Motor Coach Industries
Motor Coach Industries
Motor Coach Industries International Inc. is an American bus manufacturer based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is a leading participant in the North American coach bus industry. It has various operating subsidiaries:...
that SEPTA did not pursue.
Trackless trolley (trolley bus)
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
service was suspended in 2003, and the 110 AM General
AM General
AM General is an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee, that is assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana...
vehicles that had provided service on SEPTA's then-five trackless trolley routes never returned to service. However, the authority placed an order in early 2006 for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer, and these entered service in 2008, restoring trackless service on three of the five routes (routes 59, 66, and 75).
SEPTA placed an order with delivery starting in 2008 for 400 New Flyer hybrid buses—with options for up to 80 additional buses—to replace the NABI Ikarus buses at the end of their 12-year life span. These will not be the first hybrid buses, since SEPTA purchased two small groups of hybrids, 5601H–5612H, which arrived in 2003, and 5831H–5850H in 2004. Before the 2008 purchase, SEPTA borrowed an MTA New York City Transit Orion hybrid to evaluate it in service. While in use for SEPTA, the bus bore the number 3999; after evaluation, it resumed its New York identity. From the 2008 purchase, the first hybrids arrived in late 2008, and by early spring 2009, all were in service. SEPTA was the first to purchase New Flyer DE40LFs equipped with rooftop HVAC units. Recently it had been confirmed by different sources that the next batch of hybrids for SEPTA will be New Flyer DE40LFRs due to New Flyer discontinuing the LF series in 2009.
Although transit authorities earn revenue from advertisements placed on buses, SEPTA earns more advertising revenue from advertisements placed on the back of its buses. As a result, SEPTA buses are mainly equipped with a rooftop HVAC and with their rear route-number sign mounted close to the roof, which provides space for rear advertisements—especially on the 2008–2009 New Flyer DE40LFs and future orders.
Subway
The Broad Street Line uses cars built by KawasakiKawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
between 1981 and 1983. These cars, known as B-IV as they are the fourth generation used on the line, are stainless steel and include some cars with operating cabs at both ends, as well as some with only a single cab.
The Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
uses a class of car known as M-4, as they, like the Broad Street B-IV's, represent the line's fourth generation of cars, and were built from 1996 to 1999 by Adtranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
. These cars are built to the unusual broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
of , known as "Pennsylvania trolley gauge".
Trolley
SEPTA Subway-Surface Trolley Lines
The Subway–Surface Trolley Lines or Green Lines are five SEPTA trolley lines that operate on street-level tracks in West Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and in a shared subway with rapid transit trains in Philadelphia's Center City....
were built by Kawasaki in 1981. Known as "K-cars", they use the Pennsylvania trolley gauge of .
Uniquely, the Girard Street Line uses "PCC
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
II" trolleys, originally built in 1947 by the St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
, which were rebuilt for the line's reopening in 2003 to include air conditioning. The line, like the Subway-Surface lines, is Pennsylvania trolley gauge.
The suburban trolley lines use Kawasaki-built vehicles similar to, but larger than, the Subway-Surface trolleys. They too are Pennsylvania trolley gauge. Notably, they are double ended, unlike the Subway-Surface trolleys, as the suburban lines lack any loops to turn the vehicles.
The Norristown High Speed Line
Norristown High Speed Line
The Norristown High Speed Line is an interurban line system operated between Upper Darby and Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA by SEPTA...
uses a class of cars known as N-5s. They were delivered in 1993 by ABB after significant production delays. Unlike the rest of SEPTA's trolley lines, they are standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
.
Regional Rail
SEPTA uses a mixed fleet of Budd CompanyBudd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
, General Electric, and St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
"Silverliner" electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
self-operated cars. SEPTA also uses push-pull equipment consisting of coaches built by Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
and hauled by AEM-7 or ALP-44
ALP-44
The ABB ALP-44 is an electric locomotive which was built by Asea Brown Boveri between 1990 and 1996 and are in operation on the New Jersey Transit and SEPTA railway lines.-New Jersey Transit:...
electric locomotives, identical to those used by Amtrak and NJT on its electrified rail services, for express and rush-hour service. SEPTA is currently undergoing the process of retiring the Budd and St. Louis Silverliner cars and replacing them with a model built by Hyundai Rotem.
Maintenance-of-way vehicles
- C-145 snow sweeper (1923)
- Harsco Track Technologies Corporation work car – overhead wire snow and ice removal
- PCC work car 2194 – trolley line
- PCC work car 2187 – trolley line (retired)
- SEPTA Railroad OPS-3161 crane railroad work car
- SEPTA Railroad OPS-6214 Fairmont rail grinder
- RRD 520 MOW Hi-Rail Truck
- R-2 (ex 1922 Brill) Market Street revenue car
- W-56 flat bed and crane work car
- W-61 flat bed work car
- 2 Market–Frankford Line M4 work cars
- D-39 tower car (retired 2003)
Maintenance facilities
Transit Divisions- 69th Street Yard (City Transit Division/ Market–Frankford Line, facility is actually located in Delaware County)
- Allegheny Depot (City Transit Division/ articulated and standard size buses; formerly housed Nearside, double-ended, and PCC streetcars)
- Berridge Shops (formerly Wyoming Shops, bus maintenance and overhauls)
- Bridge Street Yard (City Transit Division/ Market–Frankford Line)
- Callowhill DepotCallowhill DepotCallowhill Depot is a bus and trolley barn operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority , located in West Philadelphia, near the Delaware County border. It was built in 1913 by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company and was later operated by the Philadelphia Transportation...
(City Transit Division/ bus and streetcar; formerly housed Nearside, Peter Witt, double-ended, and PCC streetcars) - Comly Depot (City Transit Division/ articulated and standard size buses)
- Elmwood DepotElmwood Carhouse (SEPTA station)The Elmwood Carhouse, also known as Elmwood Loop and Elmwood Avenue Loop, is a storage facility and alternate terminus for the SEPTA Route 36 Subway-Surface Trolley Line, in the Elmwood Park section of West Philadelphia...
(City Transit Division/ streetcar, also used as a station) - Fern Rock Yard (City Transit Division/ Broad Street Line)
- Frankford Depot (City Transit Division/ bus and trackless trolley; formerly housed Nearside, double-ended, and PCC streetcars)
- Frontier Depot (Suburban Transit Division/ bus)
- Germantown Brakes Maintenance Facility (Germantown Depot, City Transit Division/ bus maintenance)
- Midvale Depot (City Transit Division/ articulated, standard size, and 30 feet (9.1 m) buses)
- Southern Depot (City Transit Division/ buses only: SEPTA board voted to not have trackless trolleys return to South Philly; formerly housed Nearside, double-ended, and Peter Witt streetcars)
- Victory Depot (69th Street, Suburban Transit Division/ bus and light rail)
- Woodland Maintenance Facility (streetcar overhaul and repairs)
Regional Rail
Local services
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line that runs from Center City Philadelphia to Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and terminates in Lindenwold, New Jersey
Lindenwold, New Jersey
Lindenwold is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 17,613.The Borough of Lindenwold was created on April 23, 1929, from Clementon Township, one of seven municipalities created from the now-defunct township, and one of...
. At the 8th Street station, one can transfer to the Market–Frankford Line and Broad–Ridge Spur with an additional transfer fare. Paid transfers are also available at PATCO's 12th–13th Street station
12-13th & Locust (PATCO station)
12–13th & Locust is a PATCO subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is connected by an underground walkway to the Walnut-Locust Station of SEPTA's Broad Street Line, the 15–16th & Locust PATCO station, and City Hall.-External links:** *...
and 15th–16th Street station
15-16th & Locust (PATCO station)
15–16th & Locust is a PATCO subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the last stop on the line which originates in Lindenwold, New Jersey. The station is connected by an underground walkway to the Walnut-Locust Station of SEPTA's Broad Street Line, the 12–13th & Locust PATCO station, and...
with SEPTA's Broad Street Line Walnut–Locust station. The PATCO Speedline crosses over the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
via the Ben Franklin Bridge. It is owned by the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
.
In the western Philadelphia suburbs, Krapf's Transit runs regularly scheduled buses between Coatesville
Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Coatesville is the only city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,100 at the 2010 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia....
, Downingtown, Exton
Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton is a census-designated place in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 4,842 at the 2010 census. The Exton Square Mall is located within Exton along with several other shopping centers, making Exton the major shopping district in Chester...
, and West Chester
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
. SEPTA Routes 92 and 104 connect with this service in West Chester, and route 92 also connects with this service at the Exton Square Mall. Krapf's also provide contract services to SEPTA on four routes (204, 205, 306, and 314).
In King of Prussia
King of Prussia
King of Prussia may refer to:* A ruler of the former German state of Prussia**List of rulers of Prussia* Place names** King of Prussia, Pennsylvania* Shopping Centers** King of Prussia Mall...
, the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association
Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association
Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association is a transportation management association based out of King of Prussia, PA. GVF offers a forum in which the business community and municipal, county and state officials can collectively work on transportation issues affecting the Greater...
runs a community shuttle, the Rambler, which connects with SEPTA at the King of Prussia Mall
King of Prussia Mall
The King of Prussia Mall is the largest shopping mall on the East Coast of the United States, and largest shopping mall in the United States of America in terms of leasable retail space....
Transportation Center.
In the northwestern Philadelphia suburbs, Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART, formerly known as Pottstown Urban Transit) operates five bus routes within Pottstown Borough
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States northwest of Philadelphia and southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the...
and the neighboring townships of Limerick, Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove, and West Pottsgrove in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
and North Coventry Township in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
. PART and SEPTA have an agreement allowing transfers between PART service and SEPTA Route 93 buses in Pottstown.
Regional services
NJ TransitNew Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
runs buses from Philadelphia to New Jersey points. Many NJT buses stop at the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal
Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal
The Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal is the primary intercity bus station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located at 1001 Filbert Street in Center City Philadelphia, immediately north of The Gallery at Market East shopping mall and the SEPTA Market East Station, a few hundred feet east of the...
, which is immediately north of Market East Station, or at other locations in Center City Philadelphia. NJT also operates the River Line
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
light rail line between Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, the Northeast Corridor Line
Northeast Corridor Line
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail operation run by New Jersey Transit along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is the successor to commuter services provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad along the section between Trenton, New Jersey and New York Penn Station...
between Trenton and New York, and the Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
between 30th Street Station and Atlantic City. Both the Northeast Corridor Line and River Line connect with SEPTA's Regional Rail Trenton Line at the Trenton train station. Additionally, SEPTA Route 127 connects with NJT bus and rail services at Trenton.
DART First State
DART First State
The Delaware Transit Corporation, trading as DART First State is the primary public transportation system that operates throughout Delaware, USA...
provides bus service in Delaware. This service connects with SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line Regional Rail service in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
and Newark
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
. In 2007, SEPTA bus Route 306 began service, connecting the Great Valley Corporate Center and West Chester with the Brandywine Town Center; service between West Chester and Brandywine Town Center was discontinued in 2010 due to low ridership. In February 2009, SEPTA bus Route 113 commenced connecting bus service with DART at the Tri-State Mall, allowing service between Delaware County and the State of Delaware on Sundays as the Wilmington/Newark Line does not operate beyond Marcus Hook on Sundays.
National and international services
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
provides rail service between Philadelphia (at 30th Street Station) and points beyond SEPTA's range, including Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to the west, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to the southwest, and New York, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to the northeast. Amtrak's service overlaps to some degree with the Wilmington/Newark Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line
Paoli/Thorndale Line
The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
, and Trenton Line. In addition to 30th Street Station, shared Amtrak/SEPTA Regional Rail stations include Wilmington and Newark on the Wilmington/Newark Line, Ardmore
Ardmore (SEPTA station)
Ardmore Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Anderson and Coulter Avenues in Ardmore, Pennsylvania...
, Paoli
Paoli (SEPTA station)
Paoli Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at13 Lancaster Avenue , Paoli, Pennsylvania. It is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian trains, and most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains. The station has a waiting room and a coffee shop.The SEPTA...
, Exton
Exton (SEPTA station)
Exton Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atWalkertown Road, Exton, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian , and Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....
, and Downingtown
Downingtown (SEPTA station)
Downingtown Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at West Lancaster Avenue & Stuart Avenue in Downingtown, Pennsylvania...
on the Paoli/Thorndale Line, and North Philadelphia, Cornwells Heights
Cornwells Heights (SEPTA station)
Cornwells Heights Station is a commuter rail station in the northeast suburbs of Philadelphia on Station Avenue near Bristol Pike in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, 16.9 miles from upper level 30th St Station. Its name derives from the surrounding CDP of Cornwells Heights.It is served by Amtrak's...
, and Trenton on the Trenton Line. Amtrak is faster than SEPTA, but significantly more expensive, particularly for services along the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
.
Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and a variety of interregional bus operators, most of which are part of the Trailways system, stop at the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal. In addition to being adjacent to Market East Station, the terminal is one block from the Market–Frankford Line 11th Street station
11th Street (SEPTA station)
11th Street is a subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the corner of 11th Street and Market Street in Center City. It is served by SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line and provides a connection to Market East Station....
and various SEPTA bus routes. Major destinations served with one seat rides to/from the terminal include Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Newark (New Jersey), New York, Pittsburgh, Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
, Scranton, Washington, and Wilmington. In addition, six NJ Transit bus routes (313, 315, 316, 317, 318, and 551) originate and terminate from this terminal.
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
is served by many airlines with flights to various national and international points. SEPTA serves the airport with local bus service and with the Airport Line from Center City.
See also
- List of metro systems
- List of United States rapid transit systems by ridership
- Commuter rail in North AmericaCommuter rail in North AmericaCommuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
- List of suburban and commuter rail systems
- List of United States commuter rail systems by ridership
- List of light rail transit systems
- List of United States light rail systems by ridership
- List of United States local bus agencies by ridership