Clean Air Council » zero fare program

“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.

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Philly Voice: SEPTA affordability programs would be permanent under proposed Philly law – A proposal introduced by Philadelphia City Council could increase access to transit for Philadelphians. Councilmember O’Rourke introduced legislation to set aside 0.5% of the city’s General Fund for a transit access program in April of last year. The fund would support Zero Fare, Key Advantage, and Key Partner programs. These programs offer critical transit access to transit to low-income residents, families, and businesses across the city.

Northeast Times: SEPTA Ridership Hits Highest Level Since February 2020 as Bus Trips Climb 14% – In September, SEPTA averaged more than 822,000 riders across all modes per day. This is the highest average daily ridership SEPTA has seen since February 2020. Bus ridership has risen 14% from 2025. SEPTA is giving credit to the New Bus Network, and phase 1 of the plan began in August. Regional Rail is the only mode to decline, with average weekday ridership down 4% from last year. SEPTA notes capacity and frequency issues as the leading causes for the decrease in Regional Rail ridership.

6ABC: SEPTA buys Canadian train cars to boost fleet – Two dozen Canadian EXO Transit rail cars are being serviced by SEPTA mechanics, with plans to phase them into service next year. The cars will help SEPTA meet daily service needs and should increase ridership. The new cars will seat an additional 60 to 70 riders, offer more handrails for standing passengers, and increase capacity for Regional Rail service.

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NBC Philadelphia: Philadelphia Indego bike stations get high-tech upgrade with smart kiosks

WHYY: Pa. announces funding for 515 new electric vehicle chargers

Trains.com: Amtrak schedules event for public comment on restructuring

WHYY: NJ Transit is expanding a project to present art exhibitions at bus and train stations

Philadelphia Today: AIM Academy Mountain Biking Program in Conshohocken Turns 10

Philly Voice: Filmmakers who set out to produce a comedy on the PPA instead confront tragedies of a car-obsessed culture

Article tags: electric vehicles, Indego, public transportation, regional rail, SEPTA, septa ridership, student fare, the hub, transit access fund, transportation, zero fare program

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City of Philadelphia: Zero Fare Pilot Program fuels opportunity for Philadelphians – The Zero Fare pilot program provides free SEPTA key cards to over 37,000 low-income residents. The program launched in August of 2023, and the majority of participants were chosen by a lottery system. The unique automatic enrollment model has been a success, as Zero Fare has had a higher participation rate than any other transit benefit program for low-income riders. During the most recent quarter, the program has seen 2.4 million trips, bringing the total number of trips since the start of the program to 19.6 million.

Mass Transit Mag: Union workers approve new contract with Pittsburgh Regional Transit – Over 2,000 unionized bus operators, maintenance, and office staff have signed a four-year contract. The contract with Pittsburgh Regional Transit includes 15% wage increases. Wages will increase by 4% in the first two years and 3.5% in the next two. The deal is expected to be approved by the PRT board on Friday October 22 and replaces a previous four-year contract that expired in June.

WHYY: Philly teens advocate for universal free student SEPTA passes – Students are advocating for an expansion of free student SEPTA passes, which currently only work between 5:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Students are only eligible for the pass if they live more than 1.5 miles from their school, and cards do not work on weekends, or during summers or school holidays. But advocates argue that students deserve access to educational programs outside of school, job opportunities, and other civically engaging events without having to worry about the financial burden travelling could bring. Arguments against the program include behavioral concerns, cost to the districts, and students skipping taps, resulting in fare evasion.

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