SEPTA, Uber team up to help commuters

JENKINTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- SEPTA and Uber announced a new partnership that will not only make it easier to get to and from public transportation, it could also save you some money.

SEPTA rider Annery Garcia arrived at the Jenkintown-Wyncote station by Uber Wednesday morning and got a surprise when her online receipt popped up.

"It was a really cheap fare. $2.22 total," Garcia said.

It was a 40 percent discount.

It is a summer long trial rolled out by the 21st century ride service Uber and SEPTA with a rail system that dates to the 19th century.

The 14-week experiment is meant to see if both organizations can grow their market.

"Hopefully, this will work and be a very good relationship and add riders to both Uber and to SEPTA," SEPTA General Manager Jeffery Knueppel said.

The trial includes 11 stations including Exton in the west to Swarthmore and north to Melrose Park and Doylestown.

At many of those stations parking is limited to a few hundred spots.

The hope is the discounted Uber trial will entice more people not to park and ride, but to Uber and ride.

"Hopefully, we show people a new way of commuting that they haven't considered before," Uber Pennsylvania General Manager Jon Feldman said.

As for possible newcomers, Jane of Willow Grove was not yet buying into the Uber to train station model.

"I don't trust people, you don't know who you are going to get, and I like my own car," Jane said.

But Diane Hatcher of Mt. Airy says she is interested.

"It's much less expensive than a cab; it is the other alternative," Hatcher said.

Uber says its current data shows that 17% of all suburban Uber rides end up within walking distance, about 1/8th of a mile, of a SEPTA rail station.

Both Uber and SEPTA hope this discount that runs through Labor Day will increase that Uber-commuter connection.

Online:

http://septa.org/

https://www.uber.com/cities/philadelphia/