PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — All aboard the SEPTA lines.
It seems like gas prices are only going up and up, so SEPTA’s ridership will likely follow as people look for alternative modes of transportation.
Transit agency spokesperson Andrew Busch said officials are hoping an increase in passengers will help offset the cost of the fuel bill for its own fleet.
Although 1,400 SEPTA buses are hybrid and require less traditional fuel to operate, the agency is budgeting and using COVID-19 funding to take the hit for the increase in gasoline prices.
As for now, Busch said riders won’t have to worry about fare increases.
“There’s no plans to increase SEPTA fares or Regional Rail ticket prices. We expect that our pricing will stay where it is,” he said.
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In fact, SEPTA is offering a 25% discount for all weekly passes through the end of March, hoping to get more customers on the tracks. Busch said SEPTA’s current ridership is still well below pre-pandemic levels.
“Our ridership is less than half of what it was pre-COVID, so we have a lot of space available for customers to come on SEPTA,” he said.
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