PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Big changes to bus routes took effect on Sunday, Aug. 23, the first phase of SEPTA's New Bus Network.
The first wave of changes affects about 30 of SEPTA's 125 bus routes. Two routes will be added — the 72 on Cheltenham Avenue and the 76 on Columbus Boulevard. Six will be extended, including the 79 to University City and the 45 down to the Navy Yard. And seven routes — 35, 47M, 62, 78, 80, 89 and 106 — will be discontinued.
"The advantages of a phased program are that you can really key in on certain locations. You're not doing the whole system at once,” said SEPTA's Director of Service Planning Dan Nemiroff.
The goal is to create more frequent and reliable service with the same size fleet.
Last week, SEPTA street teams went leafleting to spread the word.
“Does everybody know about the changes? Definitely not,” said Dan Nemiroff, SEPTA director of service planning. “There’s going to be people that walk out of their house on Monday morning and they’re like, ‘Wait a second — what happened?’”
Nemiroff said that, in addition to information on SEPTA's website, the transit agency has launched more low-tech notices.
"We've been putting signs up on any stop that serves a route that's impacted."
Nemiroff said representatives will be in the field to help riders with navigating the changes.
"We'll have people out on the first week or so of service to make sure that they can transition to the new system, they understand what the changes are, and if their route is affected, what alternatives are available to them."
SEPTA has an updated trip planner on its website that includes the route changes.
Phases two and three of the new bus network roll out in February and June of next year.
