Microtransit

Overview

Bus Revolution is introducing a new mode of transit service: SEPTA On-Demand. Some suburbs are less dense than others. These kinds of sparsely populated areas are hard to serve with bus transit– residential and job density, both of which are low in the outer ring suburbs, are what drive ridership. The suburban transit market can often only support limited spans and frequencies of service without room for ridership growth. This forces riders in the area to rely on less service than they may need, often having access to a bus less than once an hour and only six days a week. Riders are forced to rely on less service than they may need due to realities of land use and density in their area. However, a tech-driven, on-demand option gives SEPTA an opportunity to do things differently. Riders will be able to call a bus to any spot in a pre-designated zone at any time of day, any day of the week and connect to fixed bus, rail, and Metro service.

Timeline

  • Microtransit Vehicle Procurement: Summer 2023 ✓
  • Microtransit Software Procurement & Implementation: Winter 2023 ✓
  • Bus Revolution Implementation: 2024-2025
  • Microtransit Vehicle Delivery: Winter 2024

Features

SEPTA On-Demand is one piece of SEPTA’s seamless transit network. It knits together Regional Rail, Metro, and fixed-route bus service to allow SEPTA riders to embrace the door-to-door experience.

accessibility

Accessibility For All: Develop a service that is fully accessible to all users, from the start.

equity

Expand Equity: Improve access for communities with high need for transit even though they may be located outside SEPTA’s core transit market. We prioritize on-demand zones in areas where we know we can improve connections for minority, senior, and low-income rider who are not served well with our current bus network.

innovation

Drive Innovation: Pilot new technology, new vehicles, workplace practices that help SEPTA develop a truly proactive organization.

sustainability

Sustainability: Create a mode of transit service that encourages new ridership from largely auto-dependent parts of the region, and meets financial targets.

Visit the Bus Revolution website to learn more about the proposed service changes.

Building a Lifestyle Transit Network

As part of our 12-year capital investment program, we’re making stations accessible, acquiring new vehicles, investing in communications, and upgrading services for our buses, Metro, and rail to deliver on our vision of easy to use, frequent, and integrated transit.

Learn More