High gas prices, high SEPTA ridership

CENTER CITY - May 28, 2008 Business is booming at SEPTA these days with ridership on the trains and buses soaring.

Ridership is up by nearly 10 million on the city transit and nearly 3 million on regional rail.

The major reason for these increases is the gas prices at $4 a gallon and beyond.

A lot of folks with long rides from the suburbs especially are leaving their cars at home.

It is standing room only at the stations, especially during the peak hours of the morning and late afternoon; more than 120,000 new weekday riders in recent months.

SEPTA says it is now using every viable vehicle in its fleet and as gas prices keep rising, there is no let up in sight.

SEPTA itself is not immune to the ghastly jump in fuel prices, the transit authority is seeing dramatic increases in fuel prices, but that is apparently being offset by the increase in ridership.