Author: van2025ko

The 2007 SEPTA Bus Roadeo will be held at Cornwell Heights Station in parking lot 2 on Saturday, September 15, 2007.  The competition starts at 8 AM – be there or be square!

SEPTA requested that Judge DiVito hold off on his ruling in the lawsuit regarding SEPTA's plan to eliminate transfers until the 17th of August.  SEPTA didn't disclose why, but the city isn't against its decision to postpone the decision So, keep on enjoying your transfers until then.  Interestingly enough, the transfers currently in use are dated as well (what was SEPTA planning to do with these transfers if the elimination took place?)

More info here: http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=18685568&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6

As you may have noticed, SEPTA is still selling transfers at least until Thursday until Judge DiVito comes up with a ruling.  Now the transfers aren't dated, but are marked with "Emergency."
With the lawsuit, the FTA is ordering SEPTA to produce a report of an analysis of how the elimination of transfers will affect the low income residents – they have 30 days to do so.  SEPTA states that they were unaware that they were required to produce such an analysis.

This is an interesting story developing – more information can be found in this article: http://philly.metro.us/metro/local/article/City_SEPTAs_lowincome_riders_losing_out/9568.html

 UPDATE AUGUST 8TH, 14:10 – Today's transfers are marked August 8th, 2007.

After seven hours of feuding between SEPTA and the city in court, Judge Gary DiVito ordered SEPTA to continue offering transfers at least until Monday so he can careful study the testimonies offered by both sides about the effects of eliminating transfers.  The transfers that are being offered these next few days are the same as they always were, with the date printed on each one.

The city is taking SEPTA to court…again. Romulo Diaz, Jr., a city solicitor, filed the lawsuit yesterday as an attempt to stop SEPTA from eliminating transfers August 1st, as this fare hike is disporportionate and a large burden on city transit riders.

The lawsuit asks that the elmination of these transfer be postponed until specific standards are set for SEPTA fare increases and service cuts, which don't currently exist within the SEPTA board.  This lawsuit will be heard in the commons pleas court this morning.

More information can be found here: http://philly.metro.us/metro/local/article/City_gets_into_SEPTA_fray/9497.html

The mass transit funding package approved earlier this month by the PA State Legislature and signed by Gov. Ed Rendell may be in jeopardy.  Appearantly two rural PA Repbulican Congressmen snuck in an amendment to a federal transportation bill that would prohibit federal funds from being used to put tolls on I-80.  A column ran in the Daily News today about this. John Baer | SEPTA, Gov. Ed get rear-ended by 'killer amendment'. 

Also in the Inquirer, the congressmen feel that tolling I-80 will mean robbing rural Pennsylvanians and truckers of money to fund "Philadelphia's transit system."  Gov. Rendell is not happy and plans on reviving his plans to lease the turnpike to a private agency.  The Pittsburgh Post Gazette filed this article about an "Angry Rendell's Plans."  http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07207/804588-147.stm  Rendell wishes the congress people would have warned him about any possible trouble with the I-80 tolls. 

 According to State Rep Bob Caton of Northern PA, 80% of traffic on I-80 is from out of state and he feels they get away with ruining the road without paying to help its upkeep.  Rendell and others feel confident the amendment will be "removed in US Senate Committee."  BTW, the two congressmen who put the amendment in the bill voted NAY on the bill!  One claims it was "bloated with excess money (snip)."

It's official: Governor Ed Rendell signed the Pennsylvania Transportation Act on Wednesday at 69th Street Terminal.  This new act created a trust fund with dedicated funding for SEPTA and other state transportation agencies.  In 2010, PA state transit agencies will receive even more money – 2.5% of the Pennsylvania Turnpike fees.

Faye Moore comments on this landmark action by the state legislature on her message page: http://www.septa.org/inside/gm_message.html

On Monday, NJT added another Bombardier-built multilevel 6 car trainset to the Northeast Corridor Line.  They also plan to add a third trainset in September.

At this time, you can find the original 11 car trainset, as well as the new 6 car trainset, on these specific train runs:

TO NEW YORK

Train 3914
Depart Trenton 6:03 a.m.
Arrive New York 7:11 a.m.

Train 3924
Depart Trenton 7:10 a.m.
Arrive New York 8:20 a.m.

Train 3952
Depart Trenton 2:17 p.m.
Arrive New York 3:31 p.m.

TO TRENTON

Train 3835
Depart New York 10:28 a.m.
Arrive Trenton 11:59 a.m.

Train 3965
Depart New York 5:16 p.m.
Arrive Trenton 6:24 p.m.

Train 3967
Depart New York 5:30 p.m.
Arrive Trenton 6:36 p.m.

More information can be found here: http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2345

Philly CarShare is having a promotion where members will be reimbursed for the cost of the train trip to their facilities.  This includes Regional Rail (up to 7 dollars round trip), subway, and subway surface (up to 2.60 for the last two).  Interestingly enough, they mention nothing about buses.  This is the first CarSharing promotion of its kind.

With the legislature coming to a budget deal on Monday, SEPTA may receive 150 million dollars for this fiscal year.  This would be more than enough to cover the decifit of 100 million dollars, and Rendell hopes that SEPTA will even keep transfers with this extra money.  Nothing has been signed yet, but things are looking good for SEPTA riders everywhere (at least those who use the transit division).

Full story here:

$150 million for SEPTA will avert fall fare hikes, service cuts