SEPTA Bus Network Redesign

Septa has recently approved a new bus map, as part of its BusRevolution. (I hate the stupid names. You’re redrawing bus lines. It’s not a revolution.) This is the first systematic redesign of the SEPTA bus system since its creation in 1964, sixty years ago. It has been drafted several times and was given final approval last week at the monthly board meeting. The premise is to streamline the number of route miles while keeping vehicle miles constant and hopefully increasing passenger miles. Major points of contention have been service along the Schuylkill Expressway and smaller local routings. Septa inherited many rational routings from the trolley days, most of which are going to remain. Some newer routes have developed in totally irrational ways. The 89 is the top example there:
https://www.septabusrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Route89ChangeSheet.pdf
Others are totally redundant. See the 1:
https://www.septabusrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Route-1-Change-Sheet.pdf
I think this is system will be a major improvement over the current system. Schedules start early 2025. We’ll have to keep an eye on development. Here is the link to the final plan:
https://www.septabusrevolution.com

Trolleys and regional rail are also up for comprehensive plans.

I wish the CTA would reexamine it's routes - a lot of them are leftover from trolleybus & streetcar days. Even the numbers are the same (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) - just I feel the whole thing needs some cold hearted, rational analysis for where service is needed or could be sped up, increased or rerouted more efficiently.

Apparently, The NY MTA is in a multi-year similar exercise…

https://new.mta.info/project/bus-network-redesign

I wonder if a review of the trolley system might lead to any revivals of any of the suspended services?

Washington DC is also undergoing a re-imagining of its bus network. Some bus routes in the existing network come from the trolley car routes from the 1930s.

https://betterbus.wmata.com/

I'm glad to see the Route 44 is still running. I rode that bus to Hebrew School when I was in 7th Grade (1965-66). Took the Red Arrow Ardmore trolley (which was discontinued the next year) from Haverford Junior High to Ardmore and then walked across Lancaster Ave, and under the PRR Maine Line to catch the bus. That was great, three days a week, I didn't have to ride the school bus home people on the school bus were really rowdy after school. At the time, there was No SEPTA, the bus was a joint operation of the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company (Red Arrow Lines) and the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC). The route connects Ardmore with Center City, via the Schuylkill Expressway. Obviously, Regional rail is quicker, but the bus serves locations along Montgomery Ave, Old Lancaster Road, City Line Ave., etc.

cirdan said:

I wonder if a review of the trolley system might lead to any revivals of any of the suspended services?

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There is an ongoing Trolley Modernization project, but it focuses on improving service on the extant routes (10, 11, 13, 15, 34, 36) by looking at stop consolidation, level boarding, articulated train sets, etc. Regardless of what people say, there is NO low hanging fruit for trolley restoration. Maybe if this goes well, they will look at some going forward.

I am pretty sure the primary purpose for these 'modernization reimaginations' is reducing overall service, probably quite substantially.

I can’t speak to other places, but that is not the case in Philadelphia. The new system is service hour neutral both overall and per each contributing county.

Septa9739 said:

I can’t speak to other places, but that is not the case in Philadelphia. The new system is service hour neutral both overall and per each contributing county.

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In cities that I follow, the restructuring has reduced service for inner city routes that have gentrified and used the resources to get into or build up suburban services where lower income populations are growing. Unfortunately, if they don't feed a rail line the new suburban services devour buses and service hours due to sprawl.

Philadelphia is, by some statistics, the poorest large city in the nation. It is also neck and neck with Chicago, by some countings,for the second densest city in the nation. SEPTA is doing the opposite, respecting the rules above, which I think is the right move. Keep the busses where they can be used effectively and add when viable.