“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.
Week Without Driving ended this week but keep fighting for freedom of transportation for all! Sign up with Transit For All PA! for more information.
Metro Philadelphia: SEPTA universal student fare cards could carry hefty cost for Philadelphia – Current SEPTA Student Fare cards are only available for students in grades 7 through 12 who live at least a mile and a half away from their school. The cards can only be used between 5:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. during the school year, meaning cards are not valid on weekends, holidays, or over the summer. Expanding the cards to give students unrestricted transit access could cost up to $64 million a year. Philadelphia school board officials testified that they would support the expansion initiative if there was a dedicated funding source. Fare cost can be a significant barrier to accessing opportunities for students and families.
CBS Philadelphia: Here’s when the 2nd Pennsylvanian Amtrak route will start – The second daily round trip from Pittsburgh to New York City will be added next month, with stops including Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and a dozen others. Amtrak ridership has grown 20% since 2019, and the demand for more service was a driving factor in this route, which begins on November 18.
The Inquirer: Accelerate to the modern SEPTA the region deserves – The infrastructure in Philadelphia, specifically in Center City, offers millions of people commuting options to the largest employment hub in the region. However, relying on infrastructure from a century ago is limiting where SEPTA can grow. SEPTA’s recently- released Accelerate plan offers better connectivity with Regional Rail, more trips offered on subways and buses, but the piece missing from this improvement plan is dedicated and secure funding.
Other Stories
Philadelphia Today: Borski Park Reconnects Bridesburg With the Delaware River
WHYY: What should Philly’s streeteries look like? The city wants your input
Philly Voice: These Philly walking groups help people boost their fitness and mental health, and they welcome others to join
The Inquirer: Roxborough’s Shawmont Station, a 200-year-old railroad depot, is slated to become a train museum
CBS Pittsburgh: Southwest adding 3 nonstop destinations from Pittsburgh International Airport next summer
Billy Penn: ‘One-shot Mar’ crowned Philadelphia’s best parallel parker
“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.
Week Without Driving started on Thursday! Join us in the nationwide movement to call for true mobility options for all Pennsylvanians. Take the Week Without Driving Pledge here.
Thank you to everyone who participated, the Pretzel Pedal Challenge is now complete! If you missed this year, you can still create a Share-a-Ride profile and earn points towards gift card drawings all year round. We’ll be back next with more prizes and experiences while cycling towards a cleaner and healthier Philadelphia!
Transit Forward Philadelphia: Drexel Students Share Their Transit Research – Drexel student Sydney Wieczkowski assessed the first phase of SEPTA’s New Bus Network and how it balanced transit efficiency and health equity in the region. When formulating the New Bus Network, SEPTA categorized existing routes as minority or non-minority routes, and low income or non-low-income routes. Sydney then analyzed the effects the proposed changes would have on each route. The research found that several minority and low-income routes could be disproportionately burdened by the changes. While the plan could benefit public health by improving access to public transportation and reducing air pollution, some route changes could create new challenges for riders, including longer walks or additional transfers.
The Conversation: What Philly can – and can’t – do to reduce the number of people killed in car crashes – Research has found that Philadelphians are killed in traffic crashes at much higher rates than comparable cities such as Chicago, Boston, and New York. Speeding and hit-and-runs occur at higher rates, and crashes are more likely to occur in dark conditions than the average in four peer cities. Data shows a 27% drop in fatal crashes in Philadelphia in 2025, and 2026 so far has been mirroring this. Automated speed enforcement cameras, such as the ones installed on Roosevelt Boulevard in 2020, have been associated with an 11% decrease in serious crashes. Similar cameras have been installed in other parts of the city, such as on Broad Street, with results still a few years away. However, other traffic-calming measures, such as increased lighting and pedestrian-focused infrastructure, are also needed to improve safety.
Billy Penn: Indego e-bikes dominate Philadelphia bike-share fleet – In July, around 75% of Indego bikes on racks were e-bikes, and some users are skipping them altogether. However, research has shown that while traditional bikes are healthier, e-bikes still improve aerobic fitness. In the first half of 2026, 72% of Indego rides in Philly were on e-bikes. Indego plans to add more traditional bikes to the fleet over the next two years to respond to demand.
Other Stories
PhillyVoice: Fishtown man is biking from Indiana to Pittsburgh to raise money for cancer research
StreetsBlog USA: Transportation Reform Has an Imagination Problem
CBS Pittsburgh: Parkway East and Parkway North seeing heavier traffic patterns lately, PennDOT says
Transportation Today: Pennsylvania begins work on more than 400 miles of “Rapid Deployment Projects”
SEPTA: SEPTA Bus Roadeo Brings Back Competition and Camaraderie
“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.
As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
WHYY: Leave something on the train, bus or trolley? Here’s how to find it on SEPTA – Riders can look for lost items from SEPTA in the lost and found, but there’s more than one depending on where you left your item. For regional rail riders, the lost and found is in Suburban Station in Center City. Broad Street Line holds items at Fern Rock Transit Center and SEPTA headquarters on Market. Market-Frankford riders need to check the 69th Street Transit Center, and the depot holds unclaimed items from buses and trolleys.
WHYY: Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority takes a baby step toward resurrecting passenger rail between Philadelphia and Reading – Amtrak and the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA) signed a formal commitment to attempt to bring back passenger rail service between Philadelphia, Phoenixville, Pottstown, and Reading. It’s been over 40 years since passenger rail trains stopped in Phoenixville. The agreement means SRPRA intends for Amtrak to operate the lines, and Amtrak is willing to see the project through to the next phase.
Philadelphia Today: Young Mechanics Take the Lead in FOX 29’s Look Inside Zummo Bike – A non-profit in Chester County, Zummo Bikes is collecting, repairing, selling, and donating refurbished bicycles. Zumme Bikes is also a workforce development program, training students to fix bicycles and other components, see inside a small business, and develop customer service skills. Visit Zummo Bike’s website here.
Other Stories
6ABC: Pep rally held for Philadelphia Cycling Classic
Safe Routes Partnership: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Mini-Grants are Open!
BillyPenn: The Wissahickon’s 100 Steps connect a natural oasis to the city
WHYY: Philly-area police launch aggressive-driver campaign to reduce highway fatalities
Axios Philadelphia: SEPTA’s AI-powered cameras generated $14.5M in fines in the first year
Mass Transit Mag: Amtrak selects STV for static frequency converter replacement in Philadelphia
Farms.org: Why Rural Roads Account for 40% of U.S. Traffic Fatalities
“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.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley area or the Lancaster area? Please take a transit survey from Transit For All PA, to help us better understand transit needs for users in the area. Lehigh Valley survey link and Lancaster area survey link.
The Inquirer: Fatal crashes are down overall in Pa., but higher for pedestrians and cyclists in Philadelphia – Pennsylvania has been making great strides in safety, last year saw the least number of deaths from traffic crashes, since record keeping began in 1928. However, advocate groups such as Philly Bike Action (PBA) point out that pedestrians and cyclists are not seeing the safety benefits. From 2020 to 2025, crashes overall involving non-motorists have increased in Philadelphia, and serious crashes have declined in that same time frame. In 2025, 55% of people killed in city crashes were non-motorists, and fatalities can be further reduced with traffic calming measures, to further protect pedestrians and cyclists, according to PBA.
NBC Philadelphia: Center City District introducing weekday edition of Open Streets this June – This summer, Open Streets returns, but now on Tuesday evenings. On Tuesdays from June 2nd through June 30th, effective from 2 PM until 10 PM, pedestrians will be prioritized, rather than cars. The affected streets are 13th St from Chestnut to Walnut, Sansom St from 12th to Juniper, and Drury St. The evenings will feature musical and artistic performances, and outdoor activities. Some local businesses will also be extending hours to match Open Streets as well.
BillyPenn: Philly travelers cheer reopening of intercity bus station, mostly – Philadelphia’s main intercity bus station has been open and operating for a few weeks now, with minimal issues. The Philadelphia Parking Authority has completed the $5 million project, with 11 renovated bus bays, seating for over 180 passengers, and other helpful features. Passengers noted the improvements of shelter from the elements, and drivers said it was easier without illegally parked cars on Spring Garden Street.
Other Stories
NBC Philadelphia: NTSB releases report following May 2025 SEPTA train crash that injured 10
CBS Philadelphia: Pennsylvania lawmakers consider suspending gas tax as prices keep climbing
The Inquirer: Going to the PGA Championship at Aronimink? Here’s what to know, including transit, parking, food options, and more
The Philadelphia Citizen: Ideas We Should Steal: Fix the Sidewalks!
MSN News (The Inquirer): These Manayunk public stairs have been closed for 13 years. A civic group wants them fixed and reopened.
6ABC: Leaders mark world asthma day with call for clean air protections in Philadelphia
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s decision to focus on housing, not parking, is a win for Southeastern Pennsylvania | Editorial
