PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) – SEPTA is preparing to launch a comprehensive study of its bus system in the new year with an eye toward efficiencies and better connections for riders.
SEPTA's Andrew Busch said the study is going to examine some key issues for bus traffic flow.
"(Buses) are out in traffic with everybody else," explained Busch. "In recent years, it's gotten a little more difficult to get buses around due to increases in things like home delivery, ride-sharing services. So we're competing for space, in some cases competing for riders."
Busch said they're also looking to find ways to improve bus-traffic flow on crowded Center City streets.
He said, right now buses carry 150,000 passengers daily. A majority of riders use buses to get to essential jobs.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, SEPTA buses were carrying about 450,000 riders a day.
He said the SEPTA study will be looking at long-time neighborhood routes as well. For example, potentially, some routes might not stop at every block like they do now, he said.
"There's trade-offs there, and this is a big part of the process, is public outreach, which will be done over the course of this three-year process," he said.
Busch said they'll also consider adding some express-style service.
"We put an express line in up on the Roosevelt Boulevard a couple of years ago," he said. "That's been a great success. So can we replicate that in other areas?"
Busch said they'll also encourage bus riders to make more transfers within the system.
"To use a bus route to connect to a rail line," he said. "And we may be adjusting some routes to provide better connections, more efficient connections, in that regard."
He said SEPTA will solicit a lot of public input. The agency plans to begin rolling out changes in 2023.
