The SEPTAcular District of the Year award was established in 2017 to recognize the district with the highest number of employee commendations relative to the number of operators.
Over the years the criteria to determine the District of the Year has evolved. The first major change occurred in 2020 when attendance became critical to service delivery and reliability. Today the criteria not only includes customer commendations and operator attendance but also emphasizes the safe delivery of service and on-time performance.
Southern District was the first district to be recognized for their outstanding achievements—setting a precedent for future honors.
The 2025 District of the Year winner is Elmwood District.
Elmwood is the smallest of SEPTA’s nine districts with just 142 operators and that’s one of its biggest strengths. Their small, close‑knit team works well together and keeps a strong focus on safety, customer commendations, and on‑time performance making a real difference in the communities they serve. Elmwood earned the top score and was named District of the Year thanks to their outstanding results in all three areas.
The district celebrated on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 with lunch, a trophy presentation, and new hats! Attendees included SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer and Board Chair Ken Lawrence.
Elmwood District is located on Elmwood Av between Island Av and 73rd St in West Philadelphia. Routes operated from Elmwood District are 411, T2, T3, T4, and T5.
Past winners:
2017 – Southern District
2018 – Southern District
2019 – Southern District
2020 – Callowhill District
2021 – Callowhill District
2022 – Callowhill District
2023 – Midvale District
2024 – Allegheny District
2025 – Elmwood district