Transportation War: SEPTA

In this city, all forms of transportation are not made equal. Our writers discuss the ups and downs of three popular forms of transit.

I’m fond of SEPTA. It lets me hide from ridiculous gas prices and overcrowded streets. With two stops at Cecil B. Moore and Susquehanna avenues, it’s easily accessible to Temple students, and its Web site is user-friendly. Enter any location in Philly, and SEPTA will tell you how to get there and how much it will cost. Want to venture to Jersey or the ‘burbs? Hit up the Regional Rail line, which provides transportation outside of the city.

But the SEPTA subway system has its flaws, too. If you aren’t a frequent rider and don’t want to shell out between $78 and $181 for a monthly ride pass, you have to buy tokens. It sounds simple, but SEPTA makes it anything but — the booths don’t give out change for larger bills and not all stations sell tokens. Instead, buy tokens in bulk. The SEPTA Transit Gift Store, located at 1234 Market St., offers discounts for packs of 50 and 100 tokens.

Another drawback: the subway doesn’t run 24 hours. By knowing alternate routes and ways to get around, you can stay out past 12:30 a.m. The Night Owl buses are available for those late night outings. They run along Broad and Market streets and are, for the most part, located near accompanying subway stops. One last tip: if you aren’t sure where your bus is heading, ask. Being humble is better than being lost.

Be sure to read Rachel Nichols’ pledge for her bicycle, and Aaron Stella’s love for his car.

Lauren Macaluso can be reached at lauren.macaluso@temple.edu.

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