Tip #3 - Winter Storm Clean-up

Winter came early to the SEPTA service region this season. When the first snow falls and every time there is inclement weather, we get a number of customer inquiries and some complaints about our procedures for clearing station platforms and parking lots. With more snow storms predicted in 2006 we wanted you to know what to expect, so here are some SEPTA snow facts:

• There are 153 stations through our Regional Rail system
  
  
• For major storms, 3rd party contractors are used for platform and parking lot snow removal and salting with some assistance from SEPTA forces. For storms with snowfalls of 2" or less, SEPTA in-house resources are deployed.
  
  
• Each contractor is responsible for 8-10 stations within a service sector, which means it will take some time, once they are deployed to get each station cleared
  
  
• SEPTA has an in-house "Snow Team" that determines when to send the contractors out based on the weather forecast and current conditions.
  
  
• With a service region covering 2200 square miles, some of those 153 stations inevitably end up with less snow than others. This can make it difficult for the Snow Team to determine the best time to deploy the contractors, but as a general practice, the clean-up crews do not come in until the storm is over or nearly over.
  
  
• If snow falls during the day, the contractors will go out to clear a pathway in the parking lots and then return at night to plow when the cars are gone.
  
  
• SEPTA also has members of staff who monitor and report on weather conditions at specific stations and we have in-house maintenance resources that can be sent to clear steps and platforms, while the contractors are working at other locations.