SEPTA Must Reconsider Closing More Regional Rail Ticket Offices

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced this week that they will further close more regional rail ticket offices. According to the transit authority, sales at 10 Regional Rail offices will cease on Friday, September 20th. The affected stations are Elkins Park, Fort Washington, Hatboro, Langhorne, Lansdowne, Manayunk, Queen Lane, Secane, Swarthmore, Wyndmoor. This news comes after SEPTA officials warned rate hikes for SEPTA Key Card holders may go into effect in the near future.

It’s no secret that SEPTA didn’t receive all the funding it needed from Pennsylvania’s state budget this Summer. Governor Josh Shapiro asked for more money for the Pennsylvania area transit system but Republicans in the GOP senate majority had other ideas. In the end, the bipartisan government budget didn’t include the full number in the leaner budget.

As a result, SEPTA has already announced parking lot and garage fees would be returning in Fall 2024 after they were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, now SEPTA is eliminating jobs after announcing they were adding more trains to their regional rail network’s latest schedule. The ticket office employees were key to helping travelers find their way along the network and answer any questions they may have. Most commuters didn’t need their help as they tap and go on the train with their Key Card or mobile device. However, many senior citizens and others who utilize the services enjoy talking to a human to buy a ticket before boarding the train.

Likewise, the ticket office employee quickly assisted in the building and at the platform if there were issues. Instead, now riders need to utilize the septa police app and then wait to hear back from someone on the other line. This will now cause a longer response time in case of emergency or at a minimum another step that has to be completed to get help. Additionally, SEPTA says the buildings, which the ticket officers were housed in, would remain open for seating and the restrooms. However, this hasn’t been the case on weekends at the Lansdale station when the ticket office was closed.

All in all, SEPTA is in a tough budget predicament. SEPTA regional rail ridership demand is growing again but SEPTA seems to be trying to cut expenses irresponsibly in many areas. Closing more ticket offices makes riding the trains less personable and could lead to more trouble on the track with less staff at the stations in between trains. Not every SEPTA passenger pays by Key Card or smartphone or wants to pay on the train. Many enjoy the few moments with the ticket office employee that has become part of their family after countless visits to the window. SEPTA should find other ways to save money by first looking at the executive level and going from there instead of eliminating the common person’s job.