SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS FOR SEPTA'S REGIONAL RAIL SYSTEM

SEPTA's Regional Rail System has an extensive network of 7 diametrical lines. However, its ridership is less than 90,000 passengers per weekday and the general recent trend has been a further decline. Short-term measures that can be taken with minimal expense and in the immediate future to reverse this decline are the focus of this report. Analyses are presented on the current schedules to determine whether trunk and shuttle operations, coordination of schedules, or replacement of express services with increased local frequencies can increase attractiveness. The report gives a number of specific recommendations for improvements. Reduced fares for lightly used inner-city stations and intra-suburban travel are suggested. Better information, convenient transfers, and other user-friendly measures are essential for passenger attraction. Shorter and more regular headway, self-service fare collection, and an aggressive campaign to increase ridership on the Airport and Trenton lines are recommended as the most effective measures.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • MAUTC is supported by a grant from the University Transportation Centers Program, RSPA, USDOT.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Delaware, Newark

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, DuPont Hall
  Newark, DE  United States  19716

  University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

  Department of Systems Engineering
  Towne Building
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19104-6315

  Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

  2028 PSFS Building, 12 South 12th Street
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19107

  Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center

  Pennsylvania State University
  201 Transportation Research Building
  University Park, PA  United States  16802-4710
• Authors:
  • Vuchic, V R
  • Kikuchi, S
  • Charkroborty, P
  • Parameswaran, J
  • Shin, Y E
  • Vukadinovic, K
  • Bruun, E
  • Krstanoski, Nikola
• Publication Date: 1994-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 75 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Improvements; Level of service; Railroad transportation; Regional planning; Ridership; Urban transit
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00740395
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Transit Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: 5-22778
• Contract Numbers: USDOT: DTRS92-G-0003,, DTOS88-G-0003
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 4 1997 12:00AM