Violent crime, shootings down over 30% on SEPTA, transit agency says
Violent crime and shootings on the Philadelphia region's public transportation system are down over 30% through the third quarter of 2024, according to data from the SEPTA Transit Police Department.
On Wednesday, SEPTA reported a 34% decrease in serious crimes on its system, and shootings have decreased by 31% in 2024 compared to this time last year.
SEPTA also says its police department exceeds national averages in identifying and arresting suspects in serious crimes.
"SEPTA Transit Police are making a tremendous impact on safety and security across the system," SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards said in a press release. "Despite funding constraints, we are committed to recruiting and retaining talented police officers and providing them with the resources they need to protect our customers and employees."
Data shows a 38.8% decrease in the most violent crimes on SEPTA — robberies are down 47.6%, aggravated assaults are down 22.5% and homicides are down 20%. Property crimes are also down on SEPTA, with data showing a 31.8% decrease in that area — thefts are down 33.4%.
SEPTA police have made arrests in 57% of violent crime cases, which the public transit authority claims is 20% higher than the national average. They also have a clearance rate of 92% in critical incidents such as shootings and stabbings and a 91% clearance rate in shooting incidents, according to SEPTA.
SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson pointed to the system's over 30,000 cameras, its Virtual Patrol Unit, and increased police patrols as reasons behind decreased violent crime.
"This data is proof that if you commit a crime on SEPTA, you should expect to be caught," Lawson said.
SEPTA holding public meetings on fare increases
While violent crime is decreasing on SEPTA, fares are set to increase on the system.
SEPTA is hosting public hearings on Wednesday to discuss the fare increases. The first hearing began at 10 a.m., and the second is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Here is what SEPTA is proposing:
- $2.50 base fare for Key, debit or credit cards
- Increase for most Regional rail rides, with increases up to about $1 per ride
- Ending some discounted fares
SEPTA claims the fare increases will help plug a $240 million funding gap.
"Too many people get on the bus for free, and I think that is the problem here," a SEPTA rider said at the 10 a.m. public meeting. "You're losing a lot of money with the free riders. So people pay a quarter, 50 cents, $1, $2. So you raise it to $2.50 for the ones who are paying on a card. These people are still going to continue to pay the same thing they're paying. So who's getting punished? The ones who pay upfront."
What is SEPTA doing about fare evasion?
Last month, SEPTA expanded its pilot program to crack down on fare evaders by approving the purchase of 100 full-length fare gates for nine additional stations. The new gates will be installed at the Somerset, Huntingdon, Cecil B. Moore, 11th Street, 13th Street, Frankford Transportation Center, Allegheny, 52nd Street, and City Hall stations.
The 100 gates are expected to be installed by the end of 2025.
SEPTA Transit Police Inspector James Zuggi says fare evasion and crimes on the system are often related, and it's why the transit police department has made it its top priority. Zuggi, who has been with the department for 25 years, says police investigations have linked fare evasion to crimes committed on SEPTA.
"Most if not all the offenders do fare evade to get onto the system," Zuggi said. "We identified that as one of the factors of addressing fare evasion to bring down crime in the system."
Zuggi says since SEPTA Transit Police began enforcing fare evasion, they've seen crime decrease.
"When we enforce them at the gate. Because obviously, if you break a rule or a law to enter our system, at that point, then anything is on the table. You feel like there's lawfulness as soon as you get in," Zuggi said. "We want to try to address that at the gate, let them know, people who are coming onto our system, that police are out here and that there are rules if you're going to ride our system, what we call our code of conduct. What's expected from our riders in a rider system."
According to SEPTA, the gates use 3D imaging technology to distinguish between adults, children and objects. SEPTA also claims the technology can accurately count for evaders who may try to piggyback on a paying rider or force their way through the gates.
SEPTA says it loses at least $40 million yearly from fare evasion. The transit agency says it projects a $300,000 increase in annual sales revenue from 69th Street Transportation Center after the pilot program.