PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA is offering its first-ever discounts on weekly passes as the transit agency beefs up service for commuters returning to in-person work this fall.
For three weeks starting on Sept. 13, TransPasses and TrailPasses will be 25% off.
“We wanted to find a discount that we could offer everyone across the board, and we thought this is a good place to start,” SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said. “We’re not sure exactly how many additional riders are going to come back right away in September, but we’re trying to incentivize getting them on the system.”
Throughout the pandemic, SEPTA officials have been talking with employers to gauge when workers would be heading back to work in person, Busch said. The delta variant likely delayed their return, but he said SEPTA will be increasing the frequency of buses, trains and trolleys anyway.
“What we’re hearing now is, it’s a little bit more of a mix. Certainly, some people are coming back, but due to changes with COVD and with the delta variant, some are going to stagger that,” Busch explained. “What we decided was to press forward with our plans to increase service. So we think that by doing that, what we do is give them the certainty that SEPTA is there.”
Effective Monday, the Market-Frankford Line will operate every six minutes during the day. The Broad Street Line will have daytime trains at least every eight minutes.
Regional Rail service increases to 65% of pre-COVID-19 levels, starting Sept. 5.
And, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Cynwyd Line will return with limited service, also Sept. 5.
Overall, Busch said SEPTA ridership is back to 48% of pre-pandemic levels.