Goal 9: Transit Mode Share

The region's rapid rise in automobile travel, particularly among single-occupancy vehicles, has resulted in congestion that constrains economic growth. In a 2005 US Census American Community Survey estimate of longest average commute-to-work times, Greater Philadelphia (29.4 minutes) ranked fifth among large metro areas (population: 250,000 or more). Transit emerges as a solution to this problem. According to the Texas Transportation Institute, in 2007 public transportation saved Greater Philadelphia from an additional 23 million hours in traffic and $473 million in lost economic productivity resulting from its contribution to congestion reduction by taking cars off the road. Increasing transit's mode share of regional travel is imperative to offset the ongoing drain of congestion and to ensure a sustainable economic future.

Key Performance Indicator:

  • Goal: 10% increase in UPT per capita by 2015
  • Baseline Year: 2009

Initiatives:

  • New Payment Technologies (NPT) Program
  • Customer Service Initiatives
  • Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) Spur to King of Prussia Alternatives Analysis
  • Improved Data Feeds to Serve Web Application Development

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Goal 10: State of Good Repair

While most of Pennsylvania's infrastructure is in disrepair, a 2010 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers found that the state's transit infrastructure was worst of all. SEPTA's estimated 65 percent state of good repair is an average that includes the rolling stock at 85 percent and the bridges at 50 percent. Bringing SEPTA's infrastructure, which is among the nation's most expansive, up to a state of good repair requires targeted investments in the most capital-intensive portion of SEPTA's budget. The City of Philadelphia set a goal in its Greenworks plan for achieving an 80 percent state of good repair its own infrastructure, and SEPTA is striving to keep pace with the City's recommended goal.

Key Performance Indicator

  • Goal: 80% state of good repair for resilient infrastructure
  • Baseline: 65% state of good repair (estimated)

Initiatives:

  • Transit Asset Management (TAM) Program
  • Priority for State of Good Repair in Capital Budget
  • Alternative Funding for State of Good Repair Projects

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Goal 11: Operating Expenses

SEPTA regularly monitors operating performance by a variety of metrics, most notably the ratio of passenger revenue to fully allocated cost. Performance may also be measured by average operating speed, useful as a target to reduce end-to-end trip time and peak vehicle demand. While SEPTA performs well in many measures of cost-effectiveness, it lags behind its peers in terms of operating speed largely due to the fact that its stations are in many cases situated unusually close together. Still, there are ways to improve performance despite the inherited constraints of SEPTA's system. "Transit First" committees have been convened to explore a variety of ways to streamline an speed up transit routes. Opportunities to improve areas of operating performance that emerge from these committees will be balanced with SEPTA's ongoing obligation to customer service for all ridership groups.

Key Performance Indicator:

  • Goal: Outperform annualized industry growth rate
  • Baseline Year: 2009

Initiatives:

  • "Transit First" Service Speed Initiatives
  • LEAN Management Program
  • Cost Savings Through ESMS
  • Inventory Management

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Goal 12: Recommended Funding Levels

SEPTA recovers approximately half of its operating costs from passenger revenue, and depends on government contributions for the remainder of its operating budget and capital budget. The Pennsylvania Transportation Advisory Committee (PA TAC) estimates that the transportation funding shortfall has reached $404 million and will grow to $1.4 billion by 2020. Continued underfunding has prevented SEPTA from making long-overdue investments in its infrastructure. The sudden failure of Pennsylvania Act 44 of 2007 created a $110 million hole in SEPTA's FY2011 capital budget and forced the deferral of 22 capital projects. With allocations from the Pennsylvania Transportation Trust Fund frozen, SEPTA's budget shortfall will grow steadily into the future unless lawmakers identify a sustainable funding source.

Key Performance Indicator:

  • Goal: Full Funding of PA Transportation Advisory Committee Recommendations
  • Identified Funding Shortfall: $484M (2010); $1.383B (2020); $3.063B (2030)

Initiatives:

  • Advocate for Full Funding of Transit Need

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