SEPTA Touts Success Of Weekend Overnight Subway Pilot Program
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA has had two full weekends to test out overnight subway service.
KYW's Tim Jimenez reports transit officials say so far, so good.
On the weekends in Philadelphia this summer, the night Owl buses are away, and the subways keep rolling.
"We have seen an increase in ridership," says SEPTA's Assistant General Manager of Operations Ron Hopkins.
Hopkins says so far, the two full weekends of this pilot program has seen a 40 percent jump in ridership on Saturdays and more than 60 percent increase on Sundays as the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines operate in the overnight hours.
As for safety concerns?
"No violent crimes but we've had people - fare evasions, as well as open containers," says Hopkins.
Hopkins says the full analysis of the program starts in early August. They'll study ridership numbers, cost, convenience and safety issues and will decide then whether to extend overnight subway service past Labor Day weekend.
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