SEPTA "Bus Revolution" to go before board for final approval
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA's first-ever redesign of its entire bus network is set to go before the agency's board for final approval. The transit authority announced Monday that the final draft of its "Bus Revolution" will be presented during its Dec. 21 board meeting.
SEPTA hopes to begin rolling out the redesign in the summer of 2024.
"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," SEPTA general manager Leslie Richards said in a news release. "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."
Among the proposed changes are increasing frequent routes by 30%, more consistent schedules and a streamlined design aimed at attracting new riders and providing more reliability. SEPTA defines frequent routes as "those coming 15 minutes or better seven days a week," and it claims the increase in routes will put an estimated 1.1 million within a 10-minute walk of bus service.
The "Bus Revolution" also proposes providing on-demand service in SEPTA's six suburban zones, where the agency said there's demand for bus service but "not enough to sustain fixed-route bus operations."
SEPTA said it used feedback from its ridership from public hearings earlier this year for its final draft. The transit authority said it began its public outreach for its "Bus Revolution" more than two years ago.
