SEPTA Update | Return to Office Resources for Employers and Employees

Return to Office Resources for Employers & Employees
 Service Increases and Fare Discounts Help to Make SEPTA the Way to Go

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, SEPTA has never stopped running, providing vital transit service for the region’s essential workers and those needing to access life sustaining services.  Whether your employees are heading back to work for the first time this week or for the first time in over a year – SEPTA is the constant that keeps our region running. 
 
As the region continues its recovery, we are pleased to see more riders returning to safe, convenient, affordable and environmentally sustainable SEPTA service for their daily commutes, and SEPTA will be increasing service levels on all modes to meet anticipated demand.  New Transit schedules go into effect on Sunday and Monday, August 29 and 30, increasing service to 93% of pre-COVID levels, and on Sunday, September 5, new Regional Rail schedules will increase weekday service to 65% of pre-COVID levels.
 

To thank our customers and help welcome riders back to the system, SEPTA will be offering discounted weekly TransPasses and TrailPasses for three weeks in September.  Starting the week of September 13, and continuing the weeks of September 20 and September 27, customers can receive a 25% discount on all weekly TransPasses and TrailPasses.  Additionally, SEPTA Ambassadors will be at Center City stations and outlying transit hubs the weeks of September 6 and September 13 to welcome and assist SEPTA customers.
 
For those who have traveled throughout the pandemic, thank you for trusting SEPTA to get you where you needed to go.  For those who are returning to your offices and physical workspaces, we are excited to welcome you back.  As it has always been, SEPTA is the Frequent, Convenient and Safe Way to Go!
 
SEPTA Leadership Updates Riders on Health & Safety Initiatives and Upcoming Service

SEPTA General Manager/Chief Executive Officer Leslie Richards and Assistant General Manager for Operations Scott Sauer recently joined Metro Philly and Schneps Media to update customers and employers about what SEPTA is doing to welcome riders back to SEPTA and address customer safety, security, and service needs.  This informative session touched on station and vehicle cleaning, mask requirements, new fare options, and upcoming schedule changes.  The webinar can be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeWvLs1dytA&t=14s, and we encourage you to watch and share it with your employees.
 
SEPTA is the Frequent Way to Go – Service Levels to Increase on All Modes in September

To continue supporting the region’s recovery and prepare for increased ridership after Labor Day, SEPTA is adding more service across the entire SEPTA system.
 
New Transit schedules for buses, trolleys, Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines, and the Norristown High Speed Line will go into effect on Sunday and Monday, August 29 and 30.  New Regional Rail schedules begin on Sunday, September 5, 2021.

Transit Schedule Highlights –

• Effective Sunday, August 29 & Monday, August 30
• Scheduled service will increase to 93% of pre-COVID levels
• Market-Frankford: Operating with 6-minute headways

(M – F | 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM)

• Broad Street: Operating with 8-minute (or less) headways

(M – F | 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM)

• High-frequency Bus and Trolley routes operating at pre-COVID levels

Regional Rail Schedule Highlights –

• Effective Sunday, September 5
• Scheduled service will increase to 65% of pre-COVID levels on weekdays and 53% on weekends
• Weekday enhancements for AM/PM, inbound/outbound service, including return of select Express trips on the Paoli/Thorndale, Lansdale/Doylestown, Warminster, West Trenton, and Wilmington/Newark Lines
• Cynwyd Line will return with limited service
• Weekend enhancements include service added on select lines; 2-hour service on the Fox Chase and Media/Elwyn Lines; and Sunday service on the Paoli/Thorndale Line will begin/end at Malvern Station.

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Customers can view and download PDFs of the new Regional Rail schedules: Airport, Chestnut Hill East, Chestnut Hill West, Cynwyd, Fox Chase, Glenside Combined, Lansdale/Doylestown, Manayunk/Norristown, Media/Elwyn, Paoli/Thorndale, Trenton, Warminster, West Trenton, and Wilmington/Newark.
 
What to know before you ride –

• Free Transfers on Transit – Customers with a Key Card and funds loaded on Travel Wallet now receive one FREE transfer
• Children under 12 traveling with a fare paying adult ride FREE on SEPTA
• Check your Key Card balance and expiration date and load fares before traveling
• Daily parking will continue to be FREE through October
• All ticket offices at outlying Regional Rail stations will reopen on Tuesday, September 7

 
New schedules and updated service information is available on SEPTA.org, on printed timetables and through the SEPTA App.  The SEPTA App is an important resource for SEPTA customers with real-time service information, service alerts, and SEPTA Key account information.  Customers are encouraged to download and update the App for iPhone and Android.
 
SEPTA is the Convenient Way to Go – SEPTA Key Offers Affordable & Contactless Payment

SEPTA has fully converted fare payments to SEPTA Key, including on Regional Rail.  SEPTA Key offers a convenient, contactless way for customers to ride SEPTA and load and reload their fares.  Key Cards are available for purchase and fares can be loaded onto cards at outlying stations with a Key Sales window, at a Center City Sales Office or Fare Kiosk, or online via www.septakey.org.

• Key Cards can be loaded with Monthly or Weekly Passes, as well as flexible, multi-trip Convenience and Independence Passes
• Funds can also be loaded on to the Travel Wallet, which replaces the token and paper ticket option
• Customers who purchase a Key Card and register it within 30-days of purchase receive a rebate for the card cost of $4.95
• Registered Key Cards offer balance protection if your card is ever lost or stolen

 
What to know before you ride –

• Starting the week of September 13, and continuing the weeks of September 20 and September 27, customers can receive a 25% discount on all weekly TransPasses and TrailPasses.
• Check the expiration date and balance of Key Cards to ensure sufficient balance
• Prepaid single and ten trip paper tickets are no longer accepted for travel
• Tap Key Cards on validators at the start and end of each trip
• New Fare Options are available, including 3-Day Passes for Transit and Regional Rail

 
More information about SEPTA Key is available online at https://iseptaphilly.com/key and customers can purchase and register Key Cards at https://www.septakey.org/.  Additional information and resources to share with employees can be downloaded from SEPTA’s Employer Toolkit.
 
SEPTA is the Safe Way to Go
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Safety is the foundation of everything we do at SEPTA, and the health and safety of our customers and employees is our top priority.

Health & Safety – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, SEPTA continues to take the following actions:

• Well ventilated vehicles – Thanks to SEPTA’s high efficiency ventilation system air is refreshed every 2-3 minutes – that’s more efficient than indoor places like restaurants and grocery stores.
• Masks are required on SEPTA – SEPTA follows federal guidelines from the FRA, TSA, and CDC, which require all persons to wear a mask on buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. Mask requirements for customers and employees have been extended until January 18, 2022.
• Enhanced cleaning – Vehicles and stations are cleaned daily using EPA-approved disinfecting products specifically designated for COVID-19.  In addition to daily station cleaning, SEPTA has implemented a series of station cleaning blitzes, during which select stations are closed for extensive cleaning.
• All vehicles equipped with operator protective barriers – All vehicles have been retrofitted with operator protective barriers to reduce incidences of exposure
• Seat Availability Dashboard – SEPTA removed all vehicle seating capacity limits in early June in response to increased ridership demand.  To assist customers planning their trips, SEPTA recently launched a new Seat Availability dashboard to provide customers a snapshot of the number of seats typically available on a given vehicle.

 
Security – SEPTA is committed to keeping stations and vehicles secure and welcoming for all.  Efforts are focused on strategically deploying uniformed personnel and addressing challenges related to vulnerable populations that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
 
In addition to standard Transit Police patrols, SEPTA has implemented several initiatives to safeguard SEPTA customers and employees and improve the customer experience, including:

• Transit Police SAVE (Serving A Vulnerable Entity) Unit – Co-responder program that pairs SEPTA Transit Police Officers with trained social service specialists to more effectively respond to persons suffering from drug addiction and mental health issues and connect those in need to services.
• SCOPE (Safety, Cleaning, Ownership, Partnership and Engagement) Initiative – New unit within SEPTA focused on agency-wide efforts to secure the system for our customers and employees.  SCOPE personnel coordinate Transit Police, Operations, and System Safety Divisions’ response activities and serve as SEPTA’s liaison to the City, community groups and social service organizations.   And beginning this fall, SEPTA will begin a partnership with Drexel University in which Drexel medical students will serve as Health Navigators performing outreach at select SEPTA stations.

 
For more information on SEPTA’s commitment to delivering safe, reliable and accessible service through this recovery and beyond, please visit  https://iseptaphilly.com/ridesafe.
 

UPDATED | Online and Social Media Resources For SEPTA Customers & Stakeholders

 
Resources for Customers, Businesses and Stakeholders:
+ COVID-19 Information Microsite – http://septa.org/covid-19/
+ Ride Safe Guide –  https://iseptaphilly.com/ridesafe
+ SEPTA Ride Guide –  https://bit.ly/3AIKMVY
+ Employer Toolkit – https://iseptaphilly.com/employertoolkit
+ Ride Safe Downloadable Brochure –  https://bit.ly/3AKmBXZ
+ SEPTA Key Resources – https://iseptaphilly.com/key
+ Regional Rail Resources – https://www.septa.org/key/pdf/Key-Summer-Fall-Update-4x9.pdf
+ SEPTA App – Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the SEPTA App
+ Customized Twitter Service Feeds – https://www.septa.org/alert/twitter.html
 
SEPTA reminds customers that there are many ways to stay connected with SEPTA and receive updates and information about SEPTA service.
 
Online –                     http://www.septa.org/
Twitter –                    https://twitter.com/SEPTANews (News and media updates)
                                     https://twitter.com/SEPTAPHILLY
Facebook –               https://www.facebook.com/ISEPTAPHILLY/
Instagram –              https://www.instagram.com/septaphilly/
Customer
Service –                    215-580-7800 (M-F: 7 AM to 7 PM | Weekends: 8 AM to 5 PM)
                                     https://twitter.com/SEPTA_SOCIAL
                                     http://septa.org/cs/contact

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