The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced that members of its planning department will bring the authority’s proposal for a new bus network – previously referred to as the Bus Revolution  – to the SEPTA Board at its regular meeting on Dec. 21.

Pending the Board’s vote, the first changes would go into effect next summer.

SEPTA Calls for Improved Reliability, Service Frequency

The recommendations include changes that would enhance reliability and service frequency. The number of frequent routes – those coming 15 minutes or better seven days a week –  increased by 30%. An estimated 1.1 million people will be within a 10-minute walk of frequent bus service.

The new network also features more consistent schedules and a streamlined design that will enhance service reliability and help the authority attract new riders.

In six suburban zones, SEPTA would operate on-demand transit service, similar to Uber or Lyft, in areas where there is demand for transit but not enough to sustain fixed-route bus operations.

Even with all of the proposed changes, over 99% percent of customers currently within a quarter mile of bus service will still be within a quarter mile.

“These changes are designed to make the bus network more reliable, bring frequent bus routes closer to more people and jobs, and create a network that is easier to understand and use,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “The public outreach effort for this initiative has been unprecedented, and the feedback we received has been crucial in shaping the proposal that will now be considered by the SEPTA Board.”

Pending the Board’s vote, the project will shift towards implementation, with the first changes going into effect in summer 2024.

SEPTA's Public Outreach Timeline for Bus Revolution

SEPTA’s public outreach for Bus Revolution started more than two years ago. Prior to formal hearings earlier this fall, there were 144 in-person events throughout the SEPTA service region.

These events included town halls, open houses, and pop-up events at transit centers. The project team also held 37 virtual meetings.

Feedback from those sessions shaped updates to the proposal, which was then the subject of 10 hearings in September, including eight in-person throughout the SEPTA service areas, along with two virtual hearings.

SEPTA received hundreds of comments at the hearings and  online, via voicemail and traditional mail, and SEPTA planners made updates based on public feedback and additional analysis.