The Hub 5/15/2026: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
BE SURE TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL PRIMARY ON MAY 19TH. Register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, and find your polling location here.
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WHYY: SEPTA gives families and groups easier fare payment options by expanding multitap – The multitap feature on SEPTA is getting expanded on regional mass transit this season. Key card holders can opt-in to this feature, and users will be able to tap in up to five times. Now contactless payments will also work in a similar way, making it easier for one person to pay for up to 5 SEPTA tickets at once. This should streamline payment processes for tourists, during high-traffic days coming this summer. SEPTA also expects it to help with fare-evasion measures as well. These changes will be implemented and tested before the FIFA World Cup and America’s semiquincentennial this summer.
Philly Voice: Starting in June, Pa. drivers caught using cellphones will be fined $50 – The warning period of this law has been in effect since last year, and now fines of $50 will begin, but with typical court fees, the total could be closer to $200. State police issued over 1,200 warnings from June 2025 through March 2026. Distracted driving was a contributing factor to nearly 10,000 crashes in Pennsylvania, just in 2024. These crashes resulted in 49 deaths and over 6,000 injuries. This law coming into effect makes Pennsylvania one of 30 states that has banned drivers from using handheld electronic devices.
NBC Philadelphia: Inside PATCO’s new $19.4M control center in Lindenwold – Camden County is now home to the newly opened operations control center for PATCO. The new facility replaced the original control tower, which had been in service for more than 50 years. The control center is not seen by most commuters, but according to PATCO officials, the new facility will increase efficiency, safety, and problem solving response time. Dispatchers are able to track trains and respond to issues as they arrive, and oversee operations across the service area.
Other Stories
NBC Philadelphia: PATCO tests new tap-to-pay technology by installing 1 new fare gate per station
PhillyVoice: Cyclists may be banned from Route 55 in South Jersey under proposed regulation
SEPTA: SEPTA Launches Multi-Rider Feature for Contactless Payments
PhillyVoice: PPA to ban non-residents from parking near Lemon Hill to go to FIFA Fan Festival during World Cup
The Philadelphia Tribune: Asthma health disparities, pollution impact Black Philadelphians, leaders warn
Pittsburgh City Paper: Could private partnerships save Pennsylvania transit? Some state lawmakers think so
Fox 29: SEPTA adds extra Regional Rail trains for 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink
Franklin County Free Press: PennDOT Offers Free Motorcycle Safety Training for Pennsylvania Riders
