SEPTA fare hikes
They are pitching the recent fare hike on SEPTA as "only 11%." I'm still trying to figure out that math behind that statement.
Under the old fare scheme, I could hop aboard an R6 train at Miquon (zone 2) during peak hours and ride into the Center City Philadelphia for $3.75, or a $7.50 round trip fare. There was never a surcharge for purchasing a ticket on the train since there are no ticket machines at Miquon. An off-peak fare was only $3 with no buy-onboard surcharge, yielding a $6 round trip fare.
According to the fare page on SEPTA's Web site, a rail ticket from a zone 2 station without a ticket machine or ticket window will cost the consumer $5 each way, or $10 round trip. I'm not mathematician, but that represents an increase of $2.50 (compared to the old $7.50 fare), or 33%. The increase is even worse if you ride at a non-peak hour. Instead of a $6 round trip, it will now cost $10 to purchase a buy-onboard off-peak round trip. According to my calculation, that is a 66% increase in fare.
For a rail fare from the Philadelphia airport to Center City Philadelphia that formerly cost $5.50 each way, the fare is now $7. While that still doesn't come close to the $25 taxi fare, it is a whole lot more than Boston's "T" system, which is only $2 from Logan airport to anywhere the subway runs.
Here are my issues with the fare increase:
1) Since there are no ticket offices in the vicinity of the Miquon station to pre-purchase a zone 2 rail ticket. When I step on the train and pay the new "buy-onboard" surcharge, I am effectively being taxed for SEPTA's lack of customer service. Other mass transit systems around the country have well-functioning automatic ticket machines. Just across the river, NJ Transit has them in "hostile" places such as Camden.
2) This fare increase will encourage more people to drive into Center City instead of take mass transit. Isn't this the opposite effect of what our government is supposed to be doing? If Kate and I were contemplating coming into the city after work or on a weekend, we would formerly really consider taking the train. Now it's nearly a no-brainer to drive. Round trip rail fare of $10 each equals $20. We could pay for gas (15 miles each way, or about $3 in gas) and parking in Center City for less than $20.
I don't have any complaints about a price increase if I actually get something for the additional money. In this case I cannot see the value provided by this "11%" fare increase. If someone could explain it to me, I would be grateful.
Under the old fare scheme, I could hop aboard an R6 train at Miquon (zone 2) during peak hours and ride into the Center City Philadelphia for $3.75, or a $7.50 round trip fare. There was never a surcharge for purchasing a ticket on the train since there are no ticket machines at Miquon. An off-peak fare was only $3 with no buy-onboard surcharge, yielding a $6 round trip fare.
According to the fare page on SEPTA's Web site, a rail ticket from a zone 2 station without a ticket machine or ticket window will cost the consumer $5 each way, or $10 round trip. I'm not mathematician, but that represents an increase of $2.50 (compared to the old $7.50 fare), or 33%. The increase is even worse if you ride at a non-peak hour. Instead of a $6 round trip, it will now cost $10 to purchase a buy-onboard off-peak round trip. According to my calculation, that is a 66% increase in fare.
For a rail fare from the Philadelphia airport to Center City Philadelphia that formerly cost $5.50 each way, the fare is now $7. While that still doesn't come close to the $25 taxi fare, it is a whole lot more than Boston's "T" system, which is only $2 from Logan airport to anywhere the subway runs.
Here are my issues with the fare increase:
1) Since there are no ticket offices in the vicinity of the Miquon station to pre-purchase a zone 2 rail ticket. When I step on the train and pay the new "buy-onboard" surcharge, I am effectively being taxed for SEPTA's lack of customer service. Other mass transit systems around the country have well-functioning automatic ticket machines. Just across the river, NJ Transit has them in "hostile" places such as Camden.
2) This fare increase will encourage more people to drive into Center City instead of take mass transit. Isn't this the opposite effect of what our government is supposed to be doing? If Kate and I were contemplating coming into the city after work or on a weekend, we would formerly really consider taking the train. Now it's nearly a no-brainer to drive. Round trip rail fare of $10 each equals $20. We could pay for gas (15 miles each way, or about $3 in gas) and parking in Center City for less than $20.
I don't have any complaints about a price increase if I actually get something for the additional money. In this case I cannot see the value provided by this "11%" fare increase. If someone could explain it to me, I would be grateful.
posted by Scott C. Savett at
5:05 PM
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