PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA is expanding its Key Advantage discounted pass program to all businesses in the area.
Employers may buy discounted SEPTA Key cards that allow their employees to ride free. A six-month pilot version of the program was launched last May, with the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and Wawa participating. SEPTA expanded the program in the fall. Soon, any company will be able to offer the free-ride perk to its employees.
“Starting on May 1, everyone — all employers across the region — will be able to apply to provide this benefit to their employees, regardless of their size,” said Erik Johanson, SEPTA senior director of budgets and transformation.
Under the program, employers pay $170 per employee for a six-month, all-access SEPTA pass. That pass would normally cost individuals $204 a month. Johanson said the program has helped to boost overall ridership to 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
“Not only are the number of people riding SEPTA in this program going up, but the people who were already riding SEPTA are riding SEPTA more. Because they have this benefit in their pocket that feels free to them,” Johanson said.
Johanson says about 30,000 employees are currently eligible for the perk, and that figure could double if Mayor Jim Kenney’s proposal to add city employees to the plan is approved.
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