UPDATED: 5:53 p.m.
SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch confirmed more than half a dozen key train operators called out.
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"We have had some engineers who have called out — and understandable that that's happening with a lot of people at jobs across the region," he said.
Now, starting Tuesday, the transit agency is reducing Regional Rail service even more. SEPTA is switching to a “winter storm schedule” on Regional Rail lines, running fewer trains because of a drop in ridership and staffing. Only 581 trains will be running instead of 769 on a normal weekday.
“The winter storm schedule is a 25% reduction in Regional Rail service,” said Assistant General Manager Scott Sauer. “It also requires 15% less crew members to operate.”
Over the weekend, SEPTA saw a 20% drop in transit ridership and 40% fewer riders on the Regional Rail.
CIty transit buses, subways and trolleys will remain at regular weekday service levels for now, but SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards said city transit could be reduced if ridership and staffing drop.
Adjusted schedules
SEPTA spokeswoman Kelly Greene ran down the lines affected and how many trains were scuttled Monday morning: "We have one on the Manayunk-Norristown line, one on the Media-Elwyn line, three on Chestnut Hill East, four on Paoli-Thorndale, three on Lansdale-Doylestown and two on Chestnut Hill West for a total of 14 trains."Greene advises riders to check in with SEPTA's Twitter feed or SEPTA.org and, of course, KYW Newsradio for the latest on service changes or cancellations before they leave the house.
Sauer also advised riders to check SEPTA’s website for the adjusted schedule — but, he warns, the service won’t be perfect.
“There will be disruptions,” he said. “There will be incidents where our employees have difficulty getting to work. There will be places where we cannot run the service that we are advertising.”
SEPTA is offering refunds for riders who bought weekly or monthly passes. Instructions are on SEPTA’s website.