Buses are a vital lifeline for getting folks around Philly, with many neighborhoods completely reliant on this service being fast, frequent, and reliable. Unfortunately, our buses are increasingly unreliable, among the slowest in the country, and frequently leave riders stranded across our region.
Bus riders see this, and have been voting with their feet. Ridership has been declining for over a decade – down almost 40% – and the pandemic has permanently changed how people work and travel.
SEPTA is at the precipice of a ridership death spiral, where poor service discourages ridership, which reduces revenue and causes even further service cuts.
The status quo is not sustainable
This is why we support SEPTA’s Bus Revolution – making buses more useful for more people by redesigning its entire bus network.
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This redesign will create nearly a dozen more high-frequency routes, increasing service reliability and speeds – resulting in over a million more people gaining access to frequent bus routes.
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The proposal would also improve service at non-peak times and weekends, which has the greatest benefit for low-income households and those with no car access.
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SEPTA has already conducted extensive engagement on Bus Revolution over three years, over 200 meetings, and collecting over 20,000 comments
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More delay will not produce a better outcome. Implementation has already been delayed over a year to collect more feedback and to adjust routes. No bus network is ever a finished product; SEPTA will resume mandatory annual adjustments to its routes after Bus Revolution’s implementation is complete.
JOIN US in stopping the death spiral TODAY
Beyond supporting the Bus Revolution, our State and Local legislators play an enormous role in making our buses work better. We additionally call on them to:
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Properly fund SEPTA’s operating budget – through state and local dollars – allowing the agency to staff its full schedule.
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Ensure bus shelters at every high-ridership stop and transfer point between routes. Bus shelters are the City’s responsibility, and Philly only has about 600 shelters citywide.
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Dedicate more bus-only lanes.
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Expand automated enforcement against illegally parked cars with bus cameras, city-wide.
This redesign will create or preserve 44 high-frequency routes - See the list here:
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Route 3: [15 MAX] 33rd-Cecil B. Moore to York-Dauphin
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Route 6: [10 MAX] Cheltenham-Ogontz Loop to Olney Transit Center
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Route 17: [15 MAX] Penn’s Landing to 20th-Johnston
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Route 18: [15 MAX] Frankford Transit Center to Cedarbrook Plaza
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Route 20: [15 MAX] Philadelphia Mills to Frankford Transit Center
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Route 21: [10 MAX] Penn’s Landing to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route 23: [10 MAX] Center City to Chestnut Hill
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Route 25: [15 MAX] Frankford Transit Center to Spring Garden Station
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Route 29: [15 MAX] Pier 70 Blvd to 33rd-Dickinson
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Route 33: [15 MAX] Penn’s Landing to 23rd-Venango
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Route 37: [15 MAX] Broad-Snyder to Philadelphia International Airport
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Route 40: [15 MAX] 33rd-Dickinson to 50th-Parkside
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Route 42: [10 MAX] 61st-Pine to 2nd-Lombard
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Route 43: [15 MAX] Richmond-Cumberland to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route 46: [15 MAX] 58th-Baltimore to 63rd-Malvern
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Route 47: [10 MAX] Whitman Plaza to 5th-Godfrey
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Route 48: [15 MAX] Front-Market to 27th-Allegheny
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Route 49: [15 MAX] 40th St Trolley Portal to 33rd-Dickinson
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Route 51 (Route L): [15 MAX] Chestnut Hill to Olney Transit Center
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Route 52: [10 MAX] 49th-Woodland to 50th-Parkside
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Route 53: [15 MAX] Carpenter Lane Station to Richmond-Westmoreland
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Route 54: [15 MAX] Richmond-Cambria to 33rd-Dauphin
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Route 56: [10 MAX] 23rd-Venango to Torresdale-Cottman
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Route 57: [15 MAX] Front-Dauphin to 4th-Oregon
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Route 58: [15 MAX] Frankford Transit Center to Bustleton-County Line
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Route 59: [15 MAX] Castor-Bustleton to Arrott Transit Center
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Route 60: [10 MAX] Wissahickon Transit Center to Richmond-Westmoreland Loop
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Route 63 (Route G): [10 MAX] Overbrook Station to Pier 70
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Route 64: [15 MAX] 50th-Parkside Loop to Pier 70
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Route 65: [15 MAX] 69th Street Transit Center to Fern Rock Transit Center
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Route 66: [10 MAX] Frankford Transit Center to Frankford-Knights
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Route 70: [15 MAX] Olney Transit Center to Torresdale & Cottman Loop
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Route 71 (Routes H & K): [15 MAX] Cheltenham-Ogontz Loop to Wissahickon Transit Center
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Route 74: [15 MAX] Fern Rock Transit Center to Front-Dauphin
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Route 79: [10 MAX] 40th-Market to Pier 70
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Route 81 (Route XH): [15 MAX] Broad-Erie to Cheltenham & Ogontz
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Route 82 (Route R): [10 MAX] Wissahickon Transit Center to Frankford Transit Center
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Route 98: [15 MAX] Plymouth Meeting Mall to Norristown Transit Center
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Route 105: [15 MAX] 76th-City to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route 108: [15 MAX] 69th Street Transit Center to PHL Airport
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Route 109: [15 MAX] Chester Transit Center to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route 112: [15 MAX] Delaware County Community College to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route 113: [15 MAX] Chester Transit Center to Darby Transit Center to 69th Street Transit Center
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Route Blvd Direct: [15 MAX] Neshaminy Mall to Frankford Transit Center