SEPTA and Penn Medicine announced a partnership that will result in the Regional Rail station known as University City Station becoming Penn Medicine Station. The 6,400 passengers that use the station every day will see new signage, maps, and interactive screens in the coming weeks.

As with SEPTA's other naming rights agreements, this partnership will further SEPTA's commitment to generating new sources of revenue.

The station updates and renaming will arrive just in time for the home stretch of construction on Penn Medicine's newest hospital, the Pavilion, which is expected to be completed in 2021.

The partnership is consistent with SEPTA's mandate to seek alternative sources of revenue. Act 44, a measure passed by state lawmakers in 2007 to provide funding for transportation in Pennsylvania, called on SEPTA and other transit agencies to bolster efforts to generate non-fare box revenues.

The partnership with Penn Medicine represents SEPTA's fourth major station renaming agreement in recent years. SEPTA GM Leslie S. Richards said the agreement exemplifies the authority's commitment to enhancing service while being a good steward of funding generated from fare-paying riders and taxpayers.

"This partnership is a win-win for SEPTA customers," Richards said. "SEPTA has worked hard to find innovative ways to enhance service while controlling costs, and we will continue to aggressively pursue more opportunities moving forward."