We have some small but exciting news to share about our campaign to reform regional rail fares and service in our region.

As part of their FY2022 Work Program (still open for public comment), the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) will conduct a study of regional rail fare equity and restructuring.

This was a key plank of our 2020 Fair Fares Platform, and it matters because it could mean changes like fare cuts in Zone 1 to the TransPass rate—an important step toward making regional rail work as part of the transit network.

We've been calling on SEPTA to make this change first by restoring service on the Chestnut Hill West and Cynwyd, and lowering fares to the TransPass rate to encourage more ridership. Click to support this action.

We also want to see SEPTA leadership commit to making the necessary infrastructure and operations changes to make the most of these fare changes, and run regional rail trains much more frequently, around every 15 minutes even on evenings and weekends.

The announcement of this study is a small but important step in the right direction and it's a great sign that, together, we're starting to win the argument for a more affordable and accessible regional transit network.

Interested in learning more about this issue?

Watch our recent webinar about regional rail reform, with Dr. Vukan Vuchic of Penn, TransitMatters, OTIS, and others discussing the incredible and unique opportunity the Philadelphia region has to create the best regional rail system in America.

Then, become a 5th Square member to help us keep building political momentum for these changes, and get involved in our transit advocacy work in 2021.