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.
City Files Lawsuit against SEPTA
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
Not So Fast?
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)."
Rendell signs Pennsylvania Transportation Act
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
NJT puts another multilevel trainset in service
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 Launches Free Rail to CarShare promotion
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.
SEPTA may receive 150 million dollars
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).
$150 million for SEPTA will avert fall fare hikes, service cuts
PA State Budget Agreement Reached – Transit is saved!
Finally, late last night, the legislature agreed on a new budget for the state, ending the shutdown. Among all the other points with this agreement, transit and our roadways are receiving an additional 946 million dollars a year. Money for this is being paid by bonds, an increase in tolls in 2009, and the implementation of tolls on Interstate 80. Rendell feels that this additional money will satisfy the needs of transportation in the state for the next 10 to 15 years.
More information on this budget agreement can be found here: http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_top/20070710_Deal_Ends_Shutdown.html
PATCO gets ready to rehabilitate its fleet
With the 60 million federal dollars it received previously, PATCO is getting ready to put its first 12 cars into its rehabilitation program in the next 8 to 10 months. Although the total cost of this project will be about 180 million dollars, PATCO states it doesn't need all the money at once, since they will only be taking 12 cars out of service at a time. These cars are being rehabbed to modernize the fleet, as well as for the fact that since Budd and Canadian Vickers are out of business, parts for the fleet are hard to come by. In many cases, they have to build the parts themselves!
On the outside, the cars will be essentially the same, but the inside will be completely different, with a new blue/grey interior and individual high backed seats. Also, the traction motors will be different – perhaps AC traction!
More information about the rehabilitation program (including a copy of the article from the Gloucester Times) can be found here: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41201&sid=48c329375ffdd6832673ceb821e26ba6
MFL 9 day Shutdown begins Friday
The Market Frankford Line will be shut down for 9 days starting Friday, July 13 at 8pm, running until July 23. All trains will stop at 40th Street, where passengers will transfer to the many shuttle buses that will be waiting. This shutdown is due to construction on the Market Street El.