SEPTA Budget Proposal Includes Weekend Overnight Subway Service This Summer
By Jim Melwert
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A new plan from SEPTA could have the subway trains running overnight again – at least on the weekends.
This is part of SEPTA's new operating budget proposal, and it does still need to be approved by the board. But, if approved, starting in mid-June, on Friday and Saturday nights, instead of the Nite Owl buses (the buses that run from around midnight until 5 a.m. now) SEPTA would once again run the trains on the Market-Frankford El and the Broad Street subway line.
That's a start for Rob Richardson, who lives in South Philadelphia, but works in the Northeast. He'd like to see the trains Monday through Friday. He says not only would the subway be a lot quicker, the Nite Owl buses get pretty crowded.
"Sometimes yeah, especially at this hour of the morning, it gets really crowded. And it's just like blech everybody's packed in and everything."
Tyron Combs lives in West Philly and works in South Philly. "It's a good thing because I hate getting caught out in the rain, but other than that, I'd get home way faster."
Rob Richardson, who lives in South Philly, agrees. He'd like to take the subway every night – especially after the winter we just had.
"Yeah, because it was cold and it really wasn't that pleasant to be out here. And I guess the subway is faster, you can get to your destination quicker."
Tasha from North Philly says, "It would be much better. I wouldn't have to wait out here on the street, waiting on the bus. I would like for them to run at night. It would get you home faster, too."
The new plan would be a pilot program, running trains on the weekends, starting in mid-June until Labor Day, when they'd take a look at the numbers and rider feedback.