February 4, 2020
Note: This piece is Part 2 of the Transit Equity Day 2019 Report blog series. Please see “TRANSIT EQUITY DAY 2019: PHASE ONE REPORT” for more context. Huge thank you to Olivia Ortiz, Transportation Outreach Coordinator at Clean Air Council for coordinating and analyzing transit survey activities!
Transit Center & Community-Based Surveying
Following the completion of our two community events, the Coalition continued to survey transit riders at transit stations and community events through the end of March and compiled our findings. Led by Clean Air Council, surveys from both Phases 1 and 2 were collected at a handful of transit stops, at community events, at the Transit Equity Day events, and online. Overall, the Transit Equity Coalition learned that respondents cared the most about the quality of SEPTA rides, the accessibility of service, and how much it costs.
Phase 1: Birthday Card Surveys
In Phase 1 of our outreach we asked the following question (using large-scale birthday cards) to Philadelphians at several events and transit stops: “What do you think needs to change now to make public transportation fair for everyone in Philadelphia?”
Photo of the jumbo sized Birthday Cards designed to capture transit rider survey responses.
We received 205 separate comments touching on a wide range of problems, concerns, and policy suggestions. Below is a breakdown of our responses from Phase One outreach. Among the most common responses, transit riders suggested reductions on fare pricing, offered feedback related to the user experience of riding SEPTA, and pinpointed the frequency and reliability of service as a concern. Below is a breakdown of our Phase One survey responses:
81 comments (39.5%) mentioned funding or fare prices. Respondents expressed concern over continued fare increases and Philadelphians’ inability to purchase fare. Responses included calls for increased state funding to lower fares, $1 fare days, off peak free rides, discounted rides specifically for low-income riders, reduced Regional Rail fares, and free public transit. Specifically, 16 responses (7.8%) called for ending transfer fees.
59 comments (28.7%) touched on the user experience of riding SEPTA. Calls for bus/trolley shelters, access to transit benefits, bathroom access, and air conditioning were among the comments. Specific attention to vulnerable users — those experiencing homelessness, those with disabilities, and those in poverty — was given.
- 15 responses (7.5%) related to SEPTA staff behavior. Complaints about specific actions, enforcement (or lack thereof) of rules like no smoking, and leniency for students who miss curfew were mentioned.
- 18 responses (8.8%) mentioned cleanliness. Participants asked for the removal of plastic seats, less slippery tiles, and increased cleaning of platforms and vehicles.
- 10 responses (4.9%) asked for increased communication from SEPTA. Participants asked for digital signs with real time arrival information, schedule updates, and easier to read maps.
55 comments (26.8%) mentioned frequency and reliability of service as a problem. They included calls to follow schedules more closely, to be more communicative of real time schedules, and to expand regular service into later hours and other routes.
38 comments (18.5%) called for increased accessibility throughout the system. Most comments asked for more functioning elevators and ramps at Regional Rail, MFL, and BSL stations. Cheaper paratransit and standardization of when buses kneel were also mentioned.
30 comments (14.6%) asked for an expansion of service geographically. There were calls for more (bus) service in the suburbs, service that does not pass through Center City, and service that does not penalize people who cannot afford to live close to their work. Expansion of regional rail within the city and expansion of subways within the city were prominent suggestions.
20 comments (9.8%) mentioned electric buses or using renewable energy. It’s worth noting that this feedback came exclusively from self-selecting participants at events.
19 comments (9.3%) called out Key cards. Eliminating the transfer fee, allowing double taps, being alerted to card balance regularly, lowering or eliminating the price of the card, and ease of refilling the card were all mentioned.
In terms of modes mentioned:
- Buses were mentioned most frequently (32 comments, 15.6%). Prominent issues related to buses included cleanliness; communication regarding schedules and bus routes; and fleet sustainability.
- 20 comments (9.8%) mentioned the MFL or BSL. Cleanliness, especially regarding seat materials; service frequency; and expansion of the lines were all mentioned.
- 17 comments (8.3%) were about the Regional Rail. Increases in frequency, lower fares, and route expansion were mentioned.
13 comments (6.3%) specifically mentioned biking and walking in relation to public transportation. Calls for awareness of cyclists on the road and in vehicles came up. Several comments specifically call for step-free public transportation.
Phase 2: SEPTA Wishlist Survey
PCW coordinator, Zakia Elliott, tabling at the People’s Emergency Center’s Men’s Wellness Day Fair on June 27, 2019.
In Phase 2, we used the categories that surfaced in Phase 1 to create a ‘SEPTA Wishlist’ for people to choose their top 5 priority areas for improvement. You can view a version of the wishlist below. Phase 2 was implemented at several community events, and there were 143 responses.
- 56% of responses prioritize cleaner stations and vehicles
- 53% of responses prioritize buses, trains, and trolleys coming more often
- 51% of responses prioritize better physical accessibility
- 50% of responses prioritize free transfers
- 38% of responses prioritize better customer service at stops and stations
- 38% of responses prioritize clearer and more direct bus routes
When asked if free transfers and easier connections between lines would increase usage, 94.3% of respondents said yes. The coalition was interested in understanding how people felt about traveling further to a SEPTA stop; 74.7% of respondents said they would be willing to walk between 1 and 10 additional blocks to arrive at a SEPTA stop.
From the 2019 surveying efforts, it’s clear that Philadelphians value having a clean, welcoming transit system that they can financially and physically access. Philadelphians want higher frequency, more reliable routes.