PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Park and pay is back at SEPTA lots and garages. The transit agency has started phasing in its return to parking fees, and it also features a new way to pay.
Parking fee enforcement will roll out across lots now through November, starting with Glenside, Jenkintown-Wyncote and Fern Rock stations on Monday.
The next stations to phase in parking fees include Norristown Transit Center, North Wales Station and Lansdale Station on Wednesday, Sept. 25. View the entire rollout schedule below.
Parking enforcement schedule
All fees are going up, too. The cost to park at SEPTA-owned surface lots will increase from $1 a day to $2, and from $2 to $4 at garages.
Riders can pay at lot kiosks, but they are encouraged to use the new SEPTA Park app.
Amera David came prepared for Monday morning’s changes.
“I downloaded the app last night and then went and put my license plate in and saw the rules like you can’t pull in, you can’t back in, you have to have your license [plate] exposed,” she said outside Fern Rock Station.
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SEPTA ambassadors were there too, passing out information about the parking updates.
“I feel like they should have done more leading up to it at the actual station, letting people know,” David added. “I can see a lot of people didn’t pay attention to the rules.”
Francis Anao was ready to pay to park Monday morning, but he thought he could do so the old way: by dropping coins in a metal meter.
“I was expecting that maybe when I come in this morning, maybe they’ll redo all this, but the young lady who helped me out says that it’s obsolete,” he said.
SEPTA paused parking enforcement during the pandemic. The increased fees will help cover maintenance of the lots and garages as the agency faces a more than $200 million budget hole.
Surface lot parking will remain free on weekends and major holidays.