History of SEPTA in Timeline
SEPTA, or the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a major regional public transportation provider. It serves approximately four million people in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, spanning five counties. SEPTA's comprehensive network includes bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services. In addition to operating these services, SEPTA is responsible for managing and upgrading its infrastructure, facilities, and vehicle fleet to ensure reliable and efficient transportation throughout the region.
1902: Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company Formed
In 1902, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company was formed.
1913: Original proposal for the Roosevelt Boulevard Subway
In 1913, the original proposal for the Roosevelt Boulevard Subway was created, but construction has remained elusive.
1940: Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) created
In 1940, the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) was created with the merger of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company and a group of smaller, then-independent transit companies.
August 17, 1963: SEPTA created by Pennsylvania General Assembly
On August 17, 1963, SEPTA was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to coordinate government funding to various transit and railroad companies in southeastern Pennsylvania.
February 18, 1964: SEPTA Commences Operations
On February 18, 1964, SEPTA commenced operations.
November 1, 1965: SEPTA absorbed two predecessor agencies
On November 1, 1965, SEPTA absorbed two predecessor agencies.
1966: Reading Company and Pennsylvania Railroad commuter railroad lines under contract to SEPTA
By 1966, the Reading Company and Pennsylvania Railroad commuter railroad lines were operated under contract to SEPTA.
February 1, 1968: Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central railroad to become Penn Central
On February 1, 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central railroad to become Penn Central.
September 30, 1968: SEPTA Acquired the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC)
On September 30, 1968, SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC), which operated a citywide system of bus, trolley, and trackless trolley routes, the Market–Frankford Line, the Broad Street Line, and the Delaware River Bridge Line.
1968: SEPTA Board founding
At its founding in 1968, the SEPTA board had 11 members.
January 30, 1970: SEPTA Acquired the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company
On January 30, 1970, SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, also known as the Red Arrow Lines, which included the Norristown High Speed Line, the Media–Sharon Hill Line, and several suburban bus routes in Delaware County.
1974: Airport line construction began
Between 1974 and 1984, the airport line was constructed by the City of Philadelphia.
March 1, 1976: SEPTA Acquired the Transit Operations of Schuylkill Valley Lines
On March 1, 1976, SEPTA acquired the transit operations of Schuylkill Valley Lines, known today as the Frontier Division.
1976: Conrail took over Penn Central's assets
In 1976, Conrail took over Penn Central's assets along with those of several other bankrupt railroads, including the Reading Company.
1976: Completion of the Silverliner IV order
Most of the cars used on the lines were built between 1976 and 2013. After building delays, the first Silverliner V cars were introduced into service on October 29, 2010. These cars represent the first new electric multiple units purchased for the Regional Rail system since the completion of the Silverliner IV order in 1976 and the first such purchase to be made by SEPTA.
1977: SEPTA and Reeder's Inc. joined forces
In 1977, SEPTA and Reeder's Inc. joined forces to operate three bus routes out of West Chester.
1977: Labor Strike
In 1977, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
1978: AM General vehicles built
AM General vehicles built in 1978-79, which were used on five SEPTA routes.
June 21, 1979: Penn Central filed for bankruptcy
On June 21, 1979, Penn Central filed for bankruptcy.
1980: Subway-Surface Trolley Prototype Delivered
In 1980, a prototype subway-surface trolley was delivered and tested.
1981: Kawasaki Built Subway-Surface Trolleys
In 1981, Kawasaki built the vehicles used on the SEPTA Subway–Surface trolley lines (Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36). Known as "K-cars", they use the 5 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1,581 mm) Pennsylvania trolley gauge.
1981: Labor Strike
In 1981, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
July 1982: Route 122 service replaced by SEPTA's Route 91
In July 1982, Route 122 service was replaced by SEPTA's Route 91, after only one year of service.
October 1982: Route 121 replaced by SEPTA's Route 92
In October 1982, Route 121 was replaced by SEPTA's Route 92, which continues to operate today.
1982: Broad Street Line Cars Built
Between 1982 and 1984, the Broad Street Line used cars built by Kawasaki. These cars, known as B-IV are stainless steel and include some cars with operating cabs at both ends, as well as some with only a single cab.
1982: SEPTA Orders Neoplan Buses
In 1982, SEPTA made its largest bus purchase to date from Neoplan USA. The Neoplan AK's (numbered 8285–8410) had longitudinal seating: all of the seats face towards the aisle.
January 1, 1983: SEPTA took over Conrail commuter services
On January 1, 1983, SEPTA took over commuter rail operations from Conrail and acquired track, rolling stock, and other assets to form the Railroad Division.
November 1983: Bucks County routes turned over to Frontier Division
In November 1983, SEPTA turned over the Bucks County routes (formerly Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Line Routes, a subsidiary of SEPTA) to Frontier Division.
1983: Labor Strike
In 1983, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
1983: SEPTA Orders Neoplan Buses
In 1983, SEPTA received 450 Neoplan buses from an order with other Pennsylvania transit operators. 425 were 40-foot buses, and 25 were 35-foot buses.
1984: Airport line construction completed
Between 1974 and 1984, the airport line was constructed by the City of Philadelphia.
1984: Broad Street Line Cars Built
Between 1982 and 1984, the Broad Street Line used cars built by Kawasaki. These cars, known as B-IV are stainless steel and include some cars with operating cabs at both ends, as well as some with only a single cab.
1984: Center City Commuter Connection Tunnel opened
With the construction and opening of the Center City Commuter Connection Tunnel in 1984, lines were paired such that a former Pennsylvania Railroad line was coupled with a former Reading line.
1986: Labor Strike
In 1986, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
1986: SEPTA Purchases Additional Neoplan Buses
In 1986, SEPTA purchased additional Neoplan buses. The first two groups (3000–3131 and 3132–3251) came without rear wheelchair lifts.
1987: SEPTA Purchases Additional Neoplan Buses
In late 1987, SEPTA purchased additional Neoplan buses (3252–3371), which included rear wheelchair lifts.
1989: SEPTA Purchases Additional Neoplan Buses
In 1989, SEPTA purchased additional Neoplan buses (3372–3491), which included rear wheelchair lifts.
1991: State legislature added four additional members
In 1991 the state legislature added four additional members, giving themselves more influence on the SEPTA board.
1992: Krapf purchased the Reeder's operation
Krapf purchased the Reeder's operation in 1992 and designated the remaining (West Chester to Coatesville) bus route as Krapf Transit "Route A".
1993: Delivery of N-5 Cars
In 1993, the Norristown High Speed Line received its unique class of 26 N-5 cars from ABB, after production difficulties and assembly location changes.
1995: Labor Strike
In 1995, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
1997: Replacement of AK and BD Neoplan Fleets
In late 1997, SEPTA replaced the earlier fleet of AK and BD Neoplans (8285–8581) with 400 buses built by American Ikarus.
1997: Market-Frankford Line Cars Built
The Market–Frankford Line used a class of cars known as M-4 built from 1997 to 1999 by Adtranz.
1998: Labor Strike
In 1998, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
1998: SEPTA Orders Articulated Buses
In 1998, SEPTA ordered 155 articulated buses from Neoplan to replace the 1984 Volvo 10BM 60-foot articulated buses.
1998: SEPTA Purchases Transmark-29 Buses
In 1998, SEPTA purchased 89 29-foot Transmark-29 buses from National-Eldorado.
1999: Metrotrans Legacy Bankruptcy
In 1999, Metrotrans Legacy, SEPTA's first choice in small buses, filed for bankruptcy.
1999: Market-Frankford Line Cars Built
The Market–Frankford Line used a class of cars known as M-4 built from 1997 to 1999 by Adtranz.
2000: Arrival of First Transmark-29 Buses
In late 2000, the first of the 29-foot Transmark-29 buses began to arrive.
2001: SEPTA Orders Low-Floor Buses
In 2001, SEPTA ordered 100 low-floor buses from New Flyer (nos. 5401–5500).
June 2002: Trackless trolleys converted to diesel buses
Until June 2002, five SEPTA routes were operated with trackless trolleys, using AM General vehicles built in 1978-79.
2003: Retirement of Cutaway Buses
Around 2003, SEPTA retired the fleet of "cutaway" buses built on Ford van chassis.
2003: SEPTA Purchases Hybrid Buses
In 2003, SEPTA purchased 12 hybrid buses.
2003: Girard Avenue Line Reopening
In 2003, the Girard Avenue Line reopened with rebuilt PCC cars (PCC II) that included air conditioning and a wheelchair lift.
2003: Trackless Trolley Service Suspended
In 2003, trackless trolley service was suspended on SEPTA's five routes.
2003: Trackless trolleys converted to diesel buses
Until June 2002, five SEPTA routes were operated with trackless trolleys, using AM General vehicles built in 1978-79. Routes 29, 59, 66, 75 and 79 used trackless trolleys, but were converted to diesel buses for an indefinite period starting in 2002 (routes 59, 66, 75) and 2003 (routes 29, 79).
2004: SEPTA Purchases Hybrid Buses
In 2004, SEPTA purchased 20 hybrid buses.
2005: Delivery of New Flyer D40LF Buses
In 2005, New Flyer D40LF buses were delivered.
2005: Labor Strike
In 2005, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
2005: Geographically-accurate map of SEPTA
In 2005, a geographically-accurate map of SEPTA and connecting rail transit services was created. It includes Regional Rail, rapid transit, and selected interurban and suburban trolley lines, but excludes SEPTA's subway-surface lines or the Girard streetcar.
February 2006: SEPTA placed an order for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer Industries
In February 2006, SEPTA placed an order for 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer Industries.
October 2006: SEPTA board voted not to order additional vehicles for Routes 29 and 79
In October 2006, the SEPTA board voted not to order additional vehicles for Routes 29 and 79, and those routes permanently became non-electric.
2006: SEPTA Orders New Low-Floor Trackless Trolleys
In early 2006, SEPTA ordered 38 new low-floor trackless trolleys from New Flyer.
June 2007: The pilot trackless trolley arrived for testing
In June 2007, the pilot trackless trolley arrived for testing.
2007: Route 306 Service Began
In 2007, SEPTA bus Route 306 began service, connecting the Great Valley Corporate Center and West Chester with the Brandywine Town Center.
April 14, 2008: Trackless trolley service resumed on Routes 66 and 75
On April 14, 2008, trackless trolley service resumed on Routes 66 and 75.
August 2008: New trackless trolleys delivered
Between February and August 2008, new trackless trolleys were delivered.
2008: Restoration of Trackless Trolley Service
In 2008, trackless trolley service was restored on routes 59, 66, and 75. These buses replaced SEPTA Neoplan EZs, ending Neoplan's 26-year domination.
2008: Delivery of New Flyer DE40LF Buses
New Flyer DE40LF buses were delivered between 2008-2009.
2008: SEPTA Purchases New Flyer Buses
Prior to the 2008 purchase, SEPTA borrowed an MTA New York City Transit Orion VII hybrid bus # 6365 to evaluate it in service.
2008: SEPTA Orders New Flyer Hybrid Buses
SEPTA placed an order in 2008 for 400 New Flyer hybrid buses.
2008: Buses equipped with Rooftop HVAC
SEPTA started ordering buses equipped with a rooftop HVAC.
2008: Service resumed in spring 2008
Trolleybuses, or trackless trolleys as they are called by SEPTA, operate on routes 59, 66, and 75. Service resumed in spring 2008 after a nearly five-year suspension.
February 2009: Route 113 Connecting Bus Service Commenced
In February 2009, SEPTA bus Route 113 started connecting bus service with DART at the Tri-State Mall, linking Delaware County and Delaware, and connecting with DART First State's #13 and #61 bus at the Tri-State Mall.
2009: Criticism over Sex Identification Markers
From 2009, SEPTA faced criticism for using sex identification markers on monthly transit passes, which led to discrimination against transgender and gender-queer individuals.
2009: Labor Strike
In 2009, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds Utilized
In 2009, SEPTA utilized $191 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make over 30 improvements to the system.
2009: Lawsuit over Accessibility
In 2009, SEPTA was successfully sued due to its lack of accessibility for disabled people.
2009: Delivery of New Flyer DE40LF Buses
New Flyer DE40LF buses were delivered between 2008-2009.
2009: Buses equipped with Rooftop HVAC
SEPTA continued to order buses equipped with a rooftop HVAC.
July 2010: SEPTA removed the R-numbers from the lines
Since ridership patterns have changed since the implementation of this plan, SEPTA removed the R-numbers from the lines in July 2010 and instead refers to the lines by the names of their termini.
October 29, 2010: First Silverliner V cars introduced into service
On October 29, 2010, the first Silverliner V cars were introduced into service.
2010: LEED Station Built
In 2010, SEPTA built the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) station at Fox Chase terminal.
2010: Route 306 Service Discontinued
In 2010, service between West Chester and Brandywine Town Center on SEPTA bus Route 306 was discontinued because of low ridership.
July 2012: APTA Awarded SEPTA Best Large Transit Agency
In July 2012, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) voted SEPTA the best large transit agency in North America.
March 19, 2013: All Silverliner V cars in service
As of March 19, 2013, all Silverliner V cars are in service and make up almost one-third of the current 400 car Regional Rail fleet, which are replacing the older, aging fleet.
June 2013: Markers on Monthly Passes Stopped
In June 2013, SEPTA stopped using sex identification markers on monthly transit passes.
2014: Ridership decrease
From 2014 to 2019, ridership had decreased 13% due to many factors.
2014: Labor Strike
In 2014, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
July 2016: Structural flaw discovered in Silverliner V cars
In July 2016, a serious structural flaw was discovered in more than 95% of the 120 Silverliner V cars in the SEPTA regional rail fleet, leading to reduced system capacity.
July 25, 2016: Transportation Issues for Democratic National Convention
In July 2016, In addition to regular commuter rail service, the loss of system capacity was also expected to cause transportation issues for the Democratic National Convention being held in Philadelphia on the week of July 25, 2016.
2016: Labor Strike
In 2016, SEPTA experienced a labor strike, part of a pattern of more labor strikes than any other transit agency in the U.S.
2016: Electric Bus Pilot Program
In 2016, SEPTA launched an electric bus pilot program on former trackless trolley routes 29 and 79 and ordered 25 Proterra buses.
December 2017: SEPTA completed Environmental Impact Statement to extend the Norristown High Speed Line to the King of Prussia area
As of December 2017, SEPTA had completed an Environmental Impact Statement to extend the Norristown High Speed Line to the King of Prussia area.
2017: Emergency Welding on Market-Frankford Line Cars
In 2017, 90 Market-Frankford Line cars had emergency welding to fix cracking steel beams.
2017: Electric Buses Expected to Enter Service
In 2017, electric buses are expected to enter service.
2017: SEPTA Delivers NFI XDE40 Hybrid Buses
SEPTA delivered 525 2017–2022 NFI XDE40 hybrid buses to replace all the diesel buses that were delivered between 2001 and 2004.
2018: SEPTA ridership and system size
As of 2018, SEPTA had the sixth-largest U.S. rapid transit system by ridership and the fifth-largest overall transit system in the nation, with about 302 million annual unlinked trips. It controlled 290 active stations, over 450 miles of track, 2,350 revenue vehicles, and 196 routes.
2019: Ridership decrease
From 2014 to 2019, ridership had decreased 13% due to many factors.
2019: Route 205 merged into SEPTA's Route 206
In 2019, Route 205 (Paoli Station to Chesterbrook), formerly operated by Krapf until late 2019, when it was merged into SEPTA's own Route 206 (Paoli Station to Great Valley).
March 2020: Decrease in Ridership due to COVID-19 Pandemic
The 24% decrease in ridership from 2019 to 2020 was mostly attributable to the impact of government-implemented lock-downs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that began in mid-March 2020.
October 2020: Use of Lean Benches Trialed
In October 2020, SEPTA trialed the use of lean benches at some stations, leading to criticism regarding hostile architecture.
2020: Permanent Welding on Market-Frankford Line Cars
In 2020, all the Market-Frankford Line cars had more permanent welding to fix cracking steel beams.
2020: Annual ridership
In 2020, annual ridership was 223.5 million individual rides: 17.1 million on SEPTA's suburban network, 26.3 million on SEPTA's regional rail network and 180.1 million on SEPTA's "city transit" network.
2020: Electric Buses Sidelined
In February 2020, SEPTA's Proterra electric buses were sidelined due to a defect in the buses' plastic chassis that led to a cracking problem.
2020: PCC Cars Being Rebuilt
Since 2020, the Girard Avenue Line's PCC cars are being rebuilt by SEPTA.
April 1, 2021: Paper Tickets Accepted Until
Valid paper tickets were accepted on Regional Rail trains until April 1, 2021.
April 2, 2021: Paper Tickets No Longer Accepted
As of April 2, 2021, previously purchased paper tickets were no longer accepted on Regional Rail.
September 2021: SEPTA proposed rebranding rail transit services as "SEPTA Metro"
In September 2021, SEPTA proposed rebranding their rail transit services as the "SEPTA Metro" to improve navigation, including new maps, signage, and line designations.
September 2021: NYC Subway ADA Compliance
In September 2021, the New York City Subway had the lowest ADA compliance in the nation, at 28%.
September 2021: Lean Benches Removed
In September 2021, the trials of lean benches concluded with their removal from SEPTA stations.
2021: SEPTA Orders New Buses
In 2021, SEPTA placed an order for 220 New Flyer XDE40 buses with an option for 120 additional buses.
2021: Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Expenses
In 2021, SEPTA's total operating expenses amounted to $1,530,984,000, with the majority, 71.1%, allocated to "Labor and Fringe Benefits" costs.
February 2022: ADA Compliance Update
As of February 2022, approximately 46% of SEPTA's subway and commuter rail stations were ADA-compliant, ranking as the second-lowest accessibility rate for rail stops in the country.
December 2022: Electronic Tickets Public Release
In December 2022, SEPTA released the electronic tickets feature to the general public after a pilot program. Passengers can now use the SEPTA mobile app to pay for transit rides with a QR code.
2022: SEPTA Delivers NFI XDE40 Hybrid Buses
SEPTA delivered 525 2017–2022 NFI XDE40 hybrid buses to replace all the diesel buses that were delivered between 2001 and 2004.
March 2023: Members of the SEPTA Board
As of March 2023, the members of the SEPTA Board were listed.
May 2023: Charles Lawson Appointed Police Chief
In May 2023, Charles Lawson was officially appointed as the chief of the SEPTA Transit Police, after serving as acting chief since July 2022.
June 2023: SEPTA budgeted $40 million for rebranding
In June 2023, SEPTA budgeted $40 million for the SEPTA Metro rebranding project.
September 29, 2023: Contactless Payment for Transit
On September 29, 2023, SEPTA made contactless payments available to the general public for transit rides using credit cards and digital wallets.
2023: SEPTA is the only transit authority that operates all five major types of terrestrial transit vehicles
In 2023, SEPTA became the only U.S. transit authority that operates all five major types of terrestrial transit vehicles (regional commuter rail trains, rapid transit subway and elevated trains, light rail trolleys, trolleybuses, and motorbuses) after Boston's MBTA discontinued trolleybuses.
2023: Daily ridership on the regional rail network
In 2023, daily ridership on the regional rail network averaged 58,713.
2023: Act 89 Funding Reduction
In 2023, funding from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was reduced to $50,000,000 as part of Act 89, and is scheduled to be further reduced to zero.
2023: PCC Cars Scheduled to Return
In 2023, the Girard Avenue Line's rebuilt PCC cars are scheduled to return, and will feature plastic seating.
2023: Tri-State Mall Transfer Point Moved
In 2023, the transfer point at the Tri-State Mall was moved to the Claymont Transportation Center.
January 1, 2024: Tokens No Longer Accepted
Effective January 1, 2024, SEPTA stopped accepting tokens at vehicle fareboxes or fare kiosks.
December 1, 2024: Electronic Payment Ride Increase
On December 1, 2024, SEPTA raised the electronic payment ride fare to match the cash base rate, setting it at $2.50.
December 2024: Contactless Payment Pilot Program on Regional Rail
In December 2024, SEPTA started a limited pilot program to test contactless payments on Regional Rail, excluding Trenton and West Trenton stations.
2024: General Manager Leslie Richards Resigned
In 2024, SEPTA general manager Leslie Richards resigned.
2024: SEPTA Metro Planned Rollout
In 2024, SEPTA plans to roll out SEPTA Metro after upgrading its website in late 2023.
June 30, 2025: Zero Fare Key Card Distribution
By June 30, 2025, SEPTA plans to distribute an additional 20,000 Zero Fare Key Cards during the second year of the Zero Fare pilot program.
2025: Planned General Availability of Contactless Payment on Regional Rail
In 2025, SEPTA plans to have general availability for contactless payment on Regional Rail.
2027: Low Floor Streetcars Enter Service
In 2027, new 130 low floor streetcars that will be built and delivered by Alstom are scheduled to enter service.
2030: Low Floor Streetcars Enter Service
In 2030, new 130 low floor streetcars that will be built and delivered by Alstom are scheduled to enter service.
