SEPTA Contingency Plan (Philadelphia: to live in, moving to, cars)

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

SEPTA express bus service a flop in alleviating regional rail crowding

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

SEPTA express bus service a flop in alleviating regional rail crowding

Not surprised at all. Train advocates and SEPTA critics would say this is simply another example of SEPTA not knowing how to run a railroad. Whenever SEPTA replaces a bus line with subway service or a trolley, ridership shoots up.

Bring back the trains (to Pottstown, Quakertown, and West Chester).

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

SEPTA express bus service a flop in alleviating regional rail crowding

It's the bias these riders have about buses in general. They'd rather ride on crowded/late trains. To me that's silly but that's just me.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

Not surprised at all. Train advocates and SEPTA critics would say this is simply another example of SEPTA not knowing how to run a railroad. Whenever SEPTA replaces a bus line with subway service or a trolley, ridership shoots up.

Bring back the trains (to Pottstown, Quakertown, and West Chester).

When have they replaced a bus line with track rolling stock?

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by kyb01

When have they replaced a bus line with track rolling stock?

The 24-hour BSL and also the restoration of the Route 23 trolley, right?

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by kyb01

It's the bias these riders have about buses in general. They'd rather ride on crowded/late trains. To me that's silly but that's just me.

I believe it was John Pawson, a huge rail proponent, who made the comment that "a bus rider is not a train rider and vice-versa." SEPTA thinks that by replacing trains or trolleys with buses the same net positives are hadn't a region, which, of course, is nonsense.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

The 24-hour BSL and also the restoration of the Route 23 trolley, right?

The BSL and MFL are only 24hrs on weekends. And Rt 23 hasn't been converted back to trolleys. That's never gonna happen, imo. Well, if it does it will not be for its entire route.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

I believe it was John Pawson, a huge rail proponent, who made the comment that "a bus rider is not a train rider and vice-versa." SEPTA thinks that by replacing trains or trolleys with buses the same net positives are hadn't a region, which, of course, is nonsense.

I ride both. And these particular buses are temporary. It's a cultural bias, even when it's for a short duration.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by kyb01

The BSL and MFL are only 24hrs on weekends. And Rt 23 hasn't been converted back to trolleys. That's never gonna happen, imo. Well, if it does it will not be for its entire route.

I agree. Tracks for the southern end of the old 23 route (now 45) have started to be ripped up recently. I don't see any of these lines getting restored to trolley service.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by kyb01

It's the bias these riders have about buses in general. They'd rather ride on crowded/late trains. To me that's silly but that's just me.

I mentioned it earlier - but I think what also might be an issue with the idea is that all the lines (with the exception of Manayunk/Norristown) already have GREAT parallel bus service, mostly connecting to the BSL out of Olney.

So to the people who are considering buses at all, going to Olney or Erie to get the L, 18, 22, 23, H, XH, 53, etc most of which offer actual service (every 5-10 minutes) makes a lot more sense than a bus that runs every 40 minutes out of Fern Rock and offers very few stops.

Anybody who was going to consider taking the buses made the switch months ago (like me) to the actual mostly-dependable, fixed route service that has existed for a ages.

Really hair-brained idea. At least it didn't really cause any harm like some of their other ones.