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  • As SEPTA service cuts take effect, city officials urge people to make changes to their commutes

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    The impacts of the SEPTA’s service cuts took shape Monday – the first weekday with reduced subway and bus service and the first day of classes in the School District of Philadelphia. 

    Additional cuts and fare increases are scheduled to take effect next week unless SEPTA receives funding needed to close its $213 million budget deficit. In a news conference, officials said the city’s streets will become more congested and that public transit could become more crowded if those additional reductions are implemented. 

    MORE: SEPTA reveals student safety plan with service cuts set to kick in right before first day of school

    The city is attempting to mitigate the problems, but commuters also are urged to avoid traveling during rush hour as much as possible, allow for extra travel time, consider off-street parking and to consider carpooling. They also advised people to use the Regional Rail system’s park-and-ride locations to travel into the Center City, though Regional Rail faces a 20% reduction in service beginning Tuesday, Sept. 2.

    “We do expect increases (in traffic) next week,” said Michael Carroll, deputy managing director for the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems. “Folks will return from vacations after Labor Day, more schools will be in attendance. … We’re maintaining our infrastructure, accelerating repairs where we see issues that may affect our transit system.” 

    Carroll said the city is monitoring traffic volume, tracking external factors that could reduce the efficiency of street work and looking for changes in parking patterns and travel peaks. 

    After lawmakers failed to pass legislation to fund the transit agency, SEPTA pushed forward with the elimination of 32 bus routes on Sunday and reduced service on buses and trains by 20%. Additional service cuts and fare increases are expected Sept. 1- 2 unless the state steps in. 

    Tony Watlington, superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, suggested the service cuts had impacted student attendance Monday, pointing to a drop-off at Furness High School in South Philly. 

    “As we left Furness High School, Principal (Daniel) Peou told me that typically he would expect 90-plus percent of his children to be in attendance, but because of some of the transportation impacts, those numbers have dropped down to the 70s,” Watlington said. “While that’s not a promising trend, we are hopeful that this can get turned around sooner rather than later.” 

    The district’s attendance numbers for Monday were not available at the time of the news conference, Watlington said. 

    About 52,000 students ride SEPTA to get to school, Mayor Cherelle Parker said. To protect students, SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said Friday that the transit authority is deploying additional officers during peak travel times on approximately 12 routes. Officers will ride buses, patrol stations and watch cameras.

    SEPTA had sounded the alarm about the service cuts for weeks, and set a deadline for lawmakers to come up with more funding. The transit authority’s leadership has estimated the system needs $168 million to survive and avoid most service reductions, but that was before the Sunday’s deadline passed, when SEPTA eliminated 32 bus routes and began reducing bus and subway service by 20%.

    The funding issue has held up the passage of the Pennsylvania budget.

    The Regional Rail cuts that would take effect next week may not be the last. Without additional funding, SEPTA officials say there will be more reductions on Jan. 1. That includes eliminating five Regional Rail lines, stopping rail service at 9 p.m. and cutting another 18 bus routes. Coupled with the reductions in place, SEPTA service would be reduced by 45% from what it was earlier this summer. 

    City Council members pressed state lawmakers to return to the negotiating table and pass a budget that includes support for SEPTA. 

    “The longer the cuts are taking place, the more significant impacts that we’re going to see taking place throughout our city,” Council President Kenyatta Johnson said at Monday’s press conference. “… We’re going to continue advocating until we get a deal done.” 

    Brian Pollitt, president of Transit Workers Union Local 234, said SEPTA’s service cuts will result in overcrowding on the buses. That often leads to additional frustrations, placing drivers at risk. The union represents 5,000 transit workers. 

    “Pennsylvania’s Republican state senators have been derelict in their duty,” Pollitt said in a statement. “The conditions facing SEPTA’s passengers and employees brought on by the lack of state funding could and should have been avoided.”

    Updated schedules and trip planning tools with details on the changes can be found on SEPTA’s website. 

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    Molly McVety and Michaela Althouse

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  • SEPTA’s ‘nightmarish’ service cuts take effect

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    It’s a day that many across the City of Philadelphia have been dreading.

    Talked about in harsh terms, like “death spiral,” “doomsday,” or, as Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker called them last week, “nightmarish,” sweeping service cuts have been set to hit the city for some time.

    And, today, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, they take effect.

    Yet, the real impact may not be felt until the work week begins on Monday. And, by then, there will be additional service cuts.

    And, there’s a fare hike coming next week, as well.

    What happens on Sunday?

    SEPTA will cut services about 20% across the board on Sunday with the elimination of 32 bus routes, 16 shortened routes and 88 bus routes will be reduced.

    You can find the full list of cuts here. 

    Along with these cuts, commuters — especially anyone planning to head to Sunday’s Phillies game — should be aware that there will be no express trains to or from games at the South Philly Sports Complex.

    The team, in a statement, urged fans to plan for extra time for their commute to the ballpark.

    “Fans are encouraged to plan ahead, arrive early and allow for additional travel time to and from Citizens Bank Park,” the team’s statement read, in part.

    Also, the Broad Street Line is one of four metro lines that will see reduced service.

    There will also be fewer Regional Rail trains out across the city.

    Then, on Monday, as the School District of Philadelphia is set to hold its first day of classes, an additional three bus routes will be eliminated, as well.

    Fare hikes coming in September

    Then, come the start of next month, a fare increase averaging 21.5% goes into effect for all SEPTA riders, raising the new base fare for weekday bus, train and trolley rides from $2.50 to $2.90.

    Earlier this year, SEPTA shared details on how these service cuts would break down once they began to take effect.

    For a full list of SEPTA cuts and a timeline of when the cuts and fare increases will go into effect, click here.

    By next year, SEPTA expects to cut service by 45% for approximately 800,000 daily riders.

    Can this be fixed?

    At a recent press conference, SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said that the mass transit provider could reverse these cuts, if Harrisburg comes up with a solution to the ongoing financial issues that have led to this situation.

    “If a deal were to happen in the next 48 hours, we will do everything in our power to try to put as much service back on the street as we can,” Sauer said on Friday.

    This ball began rolling months ago, as Pennsylvania lawmakers have failed to reach a deal to secure funding to cover SEPTA’s $213 million budget deficit before an Aug. 14, 2025, deadline.

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    Hayden Mitman

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  • Police activity at SEPTA’s Oregon Station on Saturday night causes delays

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    Police and fire crews were at SEPTA’s Oregon Station on Saturday, forcing the Broad Street Line to bypass the station, the mass transit service said.

    Although NBC10 has not confirmed what exactly is causing the police activity, Lili Zheng was on scene and saw fire and police crews at the scene.

    Additionally. SEPTA said trains were bypassing the Oregon Station due to police activity in a post on X.

    We are working the phones to get out more information.

    This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

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    Brendan Brightman and Lili Zheng

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  • SEPTA reveals student safety plan with service cuts set to kick in right before first day of school

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    As drastic SEPTA cuts are scheduled to begin Sunday, officials with the transit agency are implementing new safety plans for students as they brace for schedule backlogs and crowds ahead of the first day of school.

    General Manager Scott Sauer said that while he still feels optimistic that a funding deal could be worked out through the state legislature in the coming days, the deadline for rolling back the service cuts has already passed — and the public should begin planning for how they will be impacted. 

    During a news conference Friday morning, SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said the department will continue to dispatch additional officers during peak student travel times, but acknowledged that there will be more “unknowns” going into the school year. 

    Increased police presence can be expected on about a dozen routes, where officers will be riding buses, patrolling in vehicles, walking around stations and watching cameras, according to the chief. 

    Police will also establish check-ins each morning with schools to determine where the agency’s resources are most needed. This will continue throughout the school year, or so long as it proves itself productive. 

    Lawson said his agency will continue its work with the Philadelphia Police Department to enact crowd control measures in known hot spots and encouraged students to use the SEPTA Transit Watch application to report any suspicious activity. 

    Philadelphia students will return Monday, just one day after 20% of the city’s trains, buses and trolley services will be cut due to lack of adequate funding from the state legislature. Lawson and Sauer urged students and parents to establish a plan ahead of the first day of school and to leave themselves extra time to travel. 

    “We are going to have a lot of staff out in the field — police officers, bus operators, ambassadors, you name it,” Lawson said. “Use us if you need to figure out where you’re going, if you need information. Have a backup plan on an alternate route.”

    Time is ticking for state representatives to finalize a deal to fund the state’s largest transit system and, according to Sauer, even if the legislature comes to an agreement in the next day or two, the doomsday cuts are still likely to move forward. 

    “If a deal were to happen over the next 48 hours, we will do everything in our power to try to put as much service back on the street as we can, but it will be very difficult for us to restore service in a manner that customers will be used to,” Sauer said Friday morning. “… I just continue to urge lawmakers to keep meeting and keep talking. I’m still optimistic that something will happen, I just need it to happen soon.” 

    To put the extremity of the service changes into perspective, Sauer said that during an Eagles home game in the past, SEPTA would use between 12-14 trains to move anywhere from 14,000 to 17,000 fans from the stadium. After the cuts, there will only be three trains available for next month’s home opener. 

    “It’s frustrating for me, but I’m more frustrated for our customers; they are the true victims,” he said. “They have to now figure out their life around a new SEPTA, a SEPTA that none of us ever wanted.” 

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    Molly McVety

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  • SEPTA officials to speak on upcoming service cuts, fare hikes

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    SEPTA officials are set to speak about their planned service cuts and fare hikes that are scheduled to go into effect this weekend.

    On Friday, Aug. 22, at 10:30 a.m., SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer, SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson, SEPTA Assistant GM Frank Brandis and SEPTA Chief Officer Chris Valentin will discuss their plan to help riders transition to reduced schedules.

    The press conference comes after Pennsylvania lawmakers failed to reach a deal to secure funding to cover SEPTA’s $213 million budget deficit before the Aug. 14, 2025, deadline. The transit agency will now move forward with their plan to cut service by 45% and raise fares by 21.5% for approximately 800,000 daily riders. The cuts to SEPTA’s bus routes are scheduled to take place on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, the day before classes begin in the Philadelphia School District.

    Those cuts include the elimination of 32 bus routes and the reduction of 88 bus routes, many of which are used by Philadelphia students. During Friday’s press conference, SEPTA officials plan to address their safety strategies for the new school year as well.

    Sunday’s cuts are only the first part of SEPTA’s so-called “transit death spiral.” On Sept. 1, 2025, fares will increase for all SEPTA riders while regional rail service cuts go into effect on Sept. 2. The cuts will continue through January 2026 when SEPTA will impose a 9 p.m. curfew on all rail services.

    Earlier in the week, city officials unveiled their plan for dealing with the SEPTA cuts. They encouraged residents and commuters to avoid driving in Center City if they can. They also said the city’s Streets Department would increase staffing assignments while the Philadelphia Parking Authority would increase enforcement, focusing especially on North Broad Street.

    The city also posted a map showing available parking near transit.

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    David Chang

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  • SEPTA general manager Leslie Richards to resign amid budget crisis

    SEPTA general manager Leslie Richards to resign amid budget crisis

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    SEPTA general manager and CEO Leslie Richards will leave her job at the end of November in the midst of the public transportation system’s push for more state funding as it faces a projected $240 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year.

    Richards, who joined SEPTA in 2019, said Thursday she plans to expand her role teaching at the University of Pennsylvania and pursue other opportunities to serve the region. In May, she and SEPTA’s board agreed to a new contract that would have kept Richards as general manager and CEO for four more years and included a 21% raise, increasing her salary from $350,000 to $425,000. SEPTA officials did not say whether the authority’s budget issues played a role in the unexpected change in leadership.

    MORE: Protesters pack City Council to object introduction of legislation for new 76ers arena in Center City

    SEPTA Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer will serve as interim general manager during a nationwide search to hire Richards’ replacement. 

    “Leslie has been a dedicated public servant for nearly 20 years, and at SEPTA she has been a true champion for public transit and for our region as a whole,” SEPTA board chair Kenneth Lawrence said. “She faced extraordinary challenges over the last five years, and we deeply appreciate her service to the cause of public transit.”

    Richards came to SEPTA after serving as secretary of PennDOT for former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. Within months of stepping into the role, the COVID-19 pandemic upended public transportation systems nationwide. Ridership plummeted, revenue declined and SEPTA saw an uptick in violent crime.

    SEPTA became reliant on federal pandemic relief funding for its budget, and since that assistance has ended, it has warned state lawmakers that the annual budget deficits it faces could result in service cuts and fare increases as soon as next year. In the absence of new funding for the coming years, SEPTA might need to slash up to 20% of its service and hike fares by as much as 30%, SEPTA officials said earlier this year. 

    In the state budget passed in August, SEPTA received $51 million in one-time additional funding, an amount that falls far short of what’s needed to maintain service, officials said. Gov. Josh Shapiro had proposed a five-year plan that would have boosted statewide public transportation funding by $1.5 billion, largely using revenue from taxes on skill game terminals that are abundant in businesses across the state.

    City Council sent a letter signed by all its members to Shapiro in August, urging him to push for another plan to allocate an additional $282 million for public transit in Pennsylvania, including $161 million for SEPTA. Negotiations in Harrisburg did not produce a deal before the end of the legislative session this month.

    Republican lawmakers have questioned whether there is a stable funding source for the public transit package. Debate over Shapiro’s proposal broke down because of disagreements about how to regulate and tax skill games, which could be revisited next year and remains one of the most likely revenue sources for an eventual deal.

    SEPTA has taken a series of interim steps to shore up revenue and chip away at the deficit. Parking fees are being reinstated at all Regional Rail lots and a proposal is under consideration to end fare discounts for riders who use SEPTA Key cards and other contactless payment methods on buses, subways, trolleys and Regional Rail trains. SEPTA also plans to install more fare gates designed to prevent fare evasion at more subway stations next year.

    SEPTA also has enacted a partial hiring freeze and ended non-essential employee travel, in addition to shutting down ticket offices at 10 Regional Rail stations. 

    During Richards’ tenure with SEPTA, her key initiatives have included redesigning the system’s bus routes, modernizing trolley operations and revamping Regional Rail schedules to better serve riders. 

    SEPTA also has had its safety record fall under scrutiny. After multiple crashes involving SEPTA buses and trolleys last year, the Federal Transit Administration ordered SEPTA in July to undertake steps to address safety issues. A review of SEPTA’s operations found that it had “a deteriorating safety record” and a persistent shortage of transit workers, leading to fatigue among its operators. 

    SEPTA’s ridership has returned to about 75% of pre-pandemic levels as of October. The authority also reported Thursday that there has been a 34% decrease in serious crimes on the system through the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • 3 women hurt after gunman fires 4 shots at crowded SEPTA bus in West Philadelphia

    3 women hurt after gunman fires 4 shots at crowded SEPTA bus in West Philadelphia

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    Three women are recovering in the hospital after being shot while riding as passengers on a crowded SEPTA bus on Tuesday, according to police in Philadelphia.

    The shooting happened just after 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 on the 500 block of South 57th Street in the Cobbs Creek section of West Philadelphia, police said.

    Léelo en español aquí

    Police responded to the scene after receiving several 911 calls for a shooting on a SEPT bus, according to Chief Inspector Scott Small. Once police got there, they entered the bus and found the three female victims suffering from gunshot wounds.

    Police then took each woman off of the bus and to a nearby hospital, Small explained. They are each listed in stable condition.

    The first victim is a 29-year-old woman who was with her young son at the time of the shooting, Small said. She was shot once in the hip.

    A second victim is a 56-year-old woman who was shot in the back, according to Small. The third victim is a 60-year-old woman who suffered a graze wound to the head.

    “We were all confused and everyone gets on the floor and then I look up and there are three bullet holes through the window,” one witness who was on the bus at the time told NBC10.

    Officials at the scene were able to get some information from some of the passengers of the bus as well as the driver.

    Three women were injured in a shooting on a SEPTA bus in West Philadelphia on Tuesday. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small provided updates on the incident.

    The driver said that three young men, possibly juveniles, got onto the bus in South Philadelphia at Oregon Avenue, according to Small. The bus was filled to capacity with at least 50 passengers.

    When they got onto the bus, they refused to pay the fare and “had some words” with the driver, Small explained. The driver let it go and the three walked to the back of the bus.

    Then, at 57th and Catherine streets, the three boys got off of the bus before one of them pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired four shots at the bus, Small said. All three then fled in an unknown direction.

    NBC10 crews were on scene shortly after the incident. A single bullet hole could be seen in a window on the passenger side of the bus.

    Several police officers were visible surrounding the bus as yellow tape blocked off the area.

    As of now, investigators do not have a motive for the shooting.

    Investigators are working to obtain the footage from the SEPTA bus’ interior and exterior cameras, Small said.

    If you have any information, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department’s Shooting Investigations Group at 215-686-8270. You can also call or text the tipline at 215-686-TIPS (8477).

    This is a developing breaking news story. Check back here for updates.

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    Emily Rose Grassi

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  • More issues for SEPTA: Amtrak power issues bring delays for Regional Rail

    More issues for SEPTA: Amtrak power issues bring delays for Regional Rail

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    SEPTA Regional Rail riders were dealing with more delays Thursday night of up to 20 minutes, according to the transit agency.

    The delays were due to Amtrak power loss near 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, officials explained.

    Power has been restored and SEPTA service has resumed normal schedules with some residual delays, officials said.

    The lines impacted include:

    • Airport
    • Chestnut Hill East
    • Chestnut Hill West
    • Fox Chase
    • Doylestown
    • Media
    • Norristown
    • Thorndale
    • Trenton
    • Warminster
    • Newark
    • West Trenton

    This comes just hours after SEPTA Regional Rail experienced a complete stop of all trains in Center City due to Philadelphia Fire Department activity near Temple University Station.

    This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

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    Emily Rose Grassi

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  • SEPTA bus driver attacked by man with knife in Delaware County, officials say

    SEPTA bus driver attacked by man with knife in Delaware County, officials say

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    A SEPTA spokesperson confirmed that a bus driver is recovering after getting attacked by a man with a knife just outside of Southwest Philadephia.

    The driver was attacked on a Route 108 bus near Church Lane and Connell Road in Yeadon, according to SEPTA.

    The bus driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the transit agency said.

    Officials are working to find the man wanted in connection to this incident.

    This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

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    Emily Rose Grassi

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  • Newly appointed special prosecutor will handle crimes on SEPTA

    Newly appointed special prosecutor will handle crimes on SEPTA

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    A new special prosecutor will focus on crimes aboard SEPTA vehicles and stations after a court ruling Friday cleared the way for their appointment.

    Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that Michael Untermeyer, an attorney currently in private practice, assume the role. Untermeyer has 15 years of prosecutorial experience, with long stints at the attorney general’s and Philadelphia district attorney’s offices.

    MORE: UArts students get few answers about school’s closing during virtual meeting hosted by accreditor

    His role was created under Act 40, a law empowering the Pennsylvania attorney general to select a prosecutor to “investigate and institute criminal proceedings” for crimes in the SEPTA transit system. DA Larry Krasner sought to block this appointment, alleging in a lawsuit that Act 40 was unconstitutional. But the Commonwealth Court ruled against him, allowing Untermeyer’s appointment to proceed.

    In a statement, Krasner called the decision “deeply disappointing” and vowed to appeal the ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

    “As violent crime continues to drop nationwide and even more so in Philly, according to recent data, we continue to believe that this matter is fundamentally an attack on democracy and on Philadelphia voters, not about public safety,” he said. “Make no mistake: Act 40, an unconstitutional and arbitrary law, is a grave danger to the power Philadelphia voters wield, an orchestrated power play by certain officials in Harrisburg to disenfranchise Philadelphians.”

    At a news conference Friday afternoon, Krasner claimed that those who supported Act 40 did so for political reasons rather than public safety. 

    “If they cared about public safety here, then they would be letting us do some things with gun regulation,” he said. “If they cared about public safety here, they would fund our public schools. If they cared about public safety here, we wouldn’t have to beg them to fund SEPTA properly.”

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    Kristin Hunt

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  • ‘Why did they get that?’ Riders react to SEPTA receiving highest award for safety and security

    ‘Why did they get that?’ Riders react to SEPTA receiving highest award for safety and security

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    SEPTA and the Transit Police Department have received the highest honor for their efforts to improve the safety and security of customers and employees by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

    SEPTA received APTA’s Gold Award for Rail Security, which is presented to organizations with the best example of a safety, security or emergency management program.

    “SEPTA Police have made significant strides recently in reducing crime on the system, hiring and retaining officers, using innovative patrol methods, and utilizing technology to help prevent crime and apprehend suspects,” SEPTA said in a news release shared with NBC10.

    The transit company said it has seen a 45% decrease in serious crimes on its system during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The first quarter being January through March.

    However, some SEPTA riders NBC10 spoke with feel that the agency has a long way to go.

    “I don’t know why they got that award. Not only will the passengers hurt you, some of those drivers aren’t even safe. I’m sorry, they might not even let me back on,” Diane Treadway, a SEPTA rider, said.

    Some of the tangible things SEPTA says it has done to increase safety include hiring 45 new officers, partnering with the Philadelphia Police Department and launching its Virtual Patrol Unit.

    “I feel like everyday I’m on the train or like the bus or something, and there’s something going on. There’s not enough security or anything to handle that,” Alonzo Adams, a SEPTA rider said.

    Award nominations are evaluated on four criteria: effectiveness, benefit level, innovation and transferability.

    “This award is a testament to the hard work that is done every day by the men and women of the SEPTA Transit Police Department,” said SEPTA Police Chief Charles Lawson. “They are committed to making SEPTA safe and secure for our customers, and we look forward to implementing new programs that will build on these successes.”

    While some say the buses and trains still scare them, at least one woman who rides everyday, sees the change.

    “I have had very few bad experiences and I travel alone every single day, multiple times on SEPTA and I feel really good about it. My parents aren’t super scared about me doing it by myself,” Athina Filipos, a SEPTA rider, said.

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    Kaleah Mcilwain and Aaron Baskerville

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  • At City Hall, SEPTA head details mass transit system’s need for funding

    At City Hall, SEPTA head details mass transit system’s need for funding

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    As Philadelphia City Council held the latest in its ongoing schedule of hearings on the budget for the coming year, Leslie Richards, the CEO and general manager of SEPTA, addressed elected officials to detail a looming multimillion deficit for the mass transit provider.

    There were plenty of questions in City Hall on Wednesday as councilmembers listened to testimony from SEPTA’s top brass.

    According to prepared statements, released by SEPTA on Wednesday, Richards told City Council that its federal COVID relief funds have now dried up and, by July 1, SEPTA is facing a $240 million deficit.

    “When I testified before Council last year, I warned of a coming fiscal cliff once SEPTA’s one-time federal COVID emergency relief funds were exhausted. That day arrived this month,” she told councilmembers.

    If SEPTA falls off that fiscal cliff, officials have said the mass transit provider could implement fare hikes and service cuts.

    Along with this concern, Richards emphasized the importance of the $117 million in the city’s budget that SEPTA has requested for next year.

    Richards said, the funds will help leverage $1.1 billion in funds from the state.

    “Each operating dollar the City of Philadelphia contributes enables seven dollars in state operating assistance, and each dollar of capital funding the City provides leverages $82 from the state and federal government,” Richards explained.

    Overall, for the coming year, SEPTA has proposed a total budget of $2.6 billion, which includes a $1.74 billion operating budget and a $922 million capital budget.

    This budget would include funds from an increase of $1.5 billion for public transportation all across the Keystone State over the course of the next five years that Governor Josh Shapiro has included in the state’s budget proposal.

    And, Richards said, that SEPTA has plans for this funding. If these funds are delivered as proposed, SEPTA will invest $72 million into, what Richards called, “safe, clean, and secure initiatives.”

    She said this would include hiring 40 more police officers, 30 more safety professionals and 100 more cleaners.

    Also, she noted that these steps would be taken to build on the 45% decrease in serious crimes that SEPTA has seen throughout its system over this time last year.

    “We’re now taking a lot of criminals off the street. Our arrests are through the roof through the first quarter of the year,” SEPTA Chief of Police Charles Lawson said.

    Yet, some City Councilmembers were seemingly not convinced that SEPTA has seen such a drastic turnaround.

    Councilmember Cindy Bass, (D-8th dist.) said that she believes the mass transit provider is in need of more cleaners as soon as possible.

    “I have to tell you I’m not convinced,” she said. “I was at Broad and Olney not recently but a few months ago and it was the dirtiest I’ve ever seen any stop, anywhere.”

    Some councilmembers sounded off and raised issues with SEPTA’s proposed “Bus Revolution” program that would revamp the bus system by changing routes and times.

    When asked, SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie Richards told NBC10,” It’s a big deal, right and change is not easy. I am 100% confident that Bus Revolution moving forward is going to make SEPTA better, is going to make this region better.”

    SEPTA officials say that the Bus Revolution will mean more frequent service at night and on weekends.

    If City Council will approve new funding to SEPTA remains to be seen, as the city officials still have hearings on the budget proposal scheduled through May 1.

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    Hayden Mitman and Rosemary Connors

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  • Teenager charged for January SEPTA shooting released amid video evidence

    Teenager charged for January SEPTA shooting released amid video evidence

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    A 16-year-old has been cleared of all charges related to a fatal shooting at 15th Street Station after an investigation showed that he was not involved.

    The shooting took place on Jan. 11 on the station’s Market-Frankford Line westbound platform. Tyshaun Welles, 16, was struck in the head by a stray bullet after a shooter opened fire at a crowd. Welles died of his injuries on Jan. 16. 

    Zaire Wilson, 16, and Quadir Humphrey, 18, were arrested separately at the scene for the shooting. Police at the time said that Wilson had pulled out a gun before Humphrey began firing.

    Wilson, however, maintained his innocence. Surveillance footage showed that Wilson was “clearly not involved” in the shooting and that Humphrey had acted alone, said Jane Roh from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office in an email.

    According to Roh, the footage was not immediately available to the district attorney’s office after Wilson’s arrest.

    As a result, the office requested a hearing on the matter. On Feb. 29, the district attorney’s office dropped all charges against Wilson and Judge Joffie Pittman ordered his release. Wilson was reunited with his family soon after.

    “When presented with evolving or new information, the criminal legal system should move as quickly in the interest of justice,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner in the email. “…whether that means being prepared to meet the Commonwealth’s burden at trial or releasing from detention people who did not actually participate in a crime.”

    Meanwhile, the district attorney’s office is still prosecuting Humphrey for murder and other related charges. 

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    Chris Compendio

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  • Two 18-year-olds charged with SEPTA bus stop shooting that injured 8 Northeast High students

    Two 18-year-olds charged with SEPTA bus stop shooting that injured 8 Northeast High students

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    Police have arrested two suspects tied to the shooting of eight teenagers who were waiting to board a SEPTA bus in Northeast Philadelphia last week, investigators said. 

    Jamaal Tucker and Ahnile Buggs, both 18, were identified Monday afternoon as two of the four suspects linked to Wednesday’s shooting near the intersection of Cottman and Rising Sun avenues in the Burlhome neighborhood. Three gunmen fired more than 30 shots at a group of people at the bus stop and then fled in a stolen vehicle driven by a fourth person, investigators said. All of the injured victims are students at Northeast High School. 

    Tucker surrendered to Philadelphia police on Friday, police said. Investigators were able to identify him using evidence gathered from the stolen, dark blue Hyundai Sonata that was shown in surveillance video from the shooting. The car had been recovered Wednesday night, hours after the shooting, police said.  

    Buggs was arrested Saturday after police and U.S. Marshals served search warrants on multiple properties. Buggs allegedly had a 40-caliber Glock 22 handgun with an extended magazine and a “switch” that turned the weapon into a fully automatic firearm, investigators said. Ballistics evidence collected from the shooting scene matched the same gun, police said. 

    Two other suspects remain at large, and police said more could face charges if investigators determine others had roles in orchestrating the shooting. 

    Tucker and Buggs each are charged with multiple of counts of attempted murder, aggravated assaulted, conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person. Buggs faces additional weapons charges, and Tucker has been charged separately with receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to court documents. 

    Authorities shared few other details about the ongoing investigation into the shooting but suggested they are examining wider connections that it may have to other crimes in the city. 

    “We are not done until any group involved in this kind of conduct is done — until they do not exist anymore,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said. “And that is exactly where this investigation needs to go. It’s not about a single incident. It’s about every other incident that has any connection to it.”

    The shooting was one of several last week that involved SEPTA buses. Another shooting at a bus stop near Broad Street and Godfrey Avenue in Ogontz left a 17-year-old boy dead and four others injured. Police are still searching for the two gunmen in that shooting, but have not said whether there is evidence connecting that shooting with the one in Burholme. 

    “We are not ready to commit to that,” Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said. “We are working through this investigation now. We believe there may be (a connection), but we still have a lot of work to do.” 

    On Friday, police said a second stolen vehicle — a gray Kia Sportage — appears to be linked to the shooting in Burholme. The Kia was found parked where the Hyundai used in the shooting had been initially reported stolen. Police believe the suspects left the Kia and then stole the Hyundai used in the shooting. Both cars are being held as evidence, authorities said. 

    Surveillance video from the shooting last Wednesday shows three suspects emerging from the Hyundai, which was parked in the Dunkin’ Donuts lot near the intersection. After the shooting, the suspects can be seen getting back into the car, which fled the scene. 

    On Monday, Northeast High School’s 11th and 12th grade students were back at the school for the first time since the shooting. Classes had been virtually on Thursday and Friday. Those students will have virtual learning again Tuesday as the ninth and 10th grade students return to the building. The phased return is allowing “more small group and individualized support,” the school said in a statement. Crisis counselors will remain at the school to provide emotional support to the Northeast High community.

    Philadelphia police and school safety officers plan to maintain a visible presence in the area around Northeast High and nearby bus routes. 

    Eleven teenagers were struck in the two shootings that occurred in Burholme and Ogontz last week.

    “Gun violence doesn’t just leave physical scars,” Bethel said. “It tears at the fabric of our community — impacts our schools, impacts our families, and leaves a ripple effect of fear and trauma.”

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • 8 teens injured in shooting at SEPTA bus stop in Northeast Philly, police say

    8 teens injured in shooting at SEPTA bus stop in Northeast Philly, police say

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    At least eight teenagers were injured when a group of gunmen fired more than 30 shots at a SEPTA bus stop in Northeast Philadelphia’s Burholme neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

    The shooting happened around 3 p.m. at the intersection of Rising Sun and Cottman avenues. Police received numerous 911 calls about gunshots erupting near a Dunkin’ Donuts at the intersection. 

    The wounded teenagers, all students at nearby Northeast High School, had been waiting to board a bus when three suspected gunmen got out of a parked car and opened fire at the bus, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. 

    The injured teens range between 15 and 17 years old, police said. They were taken to hospitals to be treated for their injuries, and the most seriously injured was a teen shot nine times and in critical condition. Wednesday evening police police released more information about the ages, injuries and conditions of each of the victims:

    • Male, 16, shot nine times in the torso; critical condition
    • Male, 1    6, gunshot wounds to the chest, right leg, and right arm; stable condition
    • Male, 15, shot twice, once in left arm, once in upper back; stable condition
    • Male, 15, shot in the lower back; stable condition
    • Female, 16, gunshot wounds to the left buttocks and right thigh, stable condition
    • Male, 17, shot in the left leg; stable condition
    • Male, 16, gunshot wound to the left leg, stable condition

    6ABC reported the suspected shooters wore masks and then left the scene in a dark blue Hyundai sedan driven by a fourth suspect. The vehicle reportedly was last seen crossing the Tookany Creek Bridge toward Cheltenham Township.

    Two SEPTA buses nearby the shooting scene — a Route 18 bus and a Route 67 bus — were each struck by bullets, spokesperson Andrew Busch said. No passengers or SEPTA employees were hit. One of the buses is being held at a nearby terminal for further investigation, police said.

    Bethel was joined at Wednesday’s news conference by Mayor Cherelle Parker, who pledged to address a surge in shootings over the last several days — including several at SEPTA bus stops. 

    “We will not be held hostage. We will use every legal tool in the toolbox to ensure the public health and safety of the people of our city,” Parker said. 

    Wednesday’s shooting happened at what is known as the Five Points intersection in the Burlhome neighborhood, where numerous businesses and at least four day cares and preschools are within the vicinity.

    The scene of the shooting is about 3/4 of a mile from Northeast High at 1601 Cottman Ave. The Kennedy Crossan School, a K-5 public school, also is two blocks away from the Five Points at Bleigh Avenue and Bingham Street.

    On Monday, a 17-year-old boy was killed and four other people were injured when two gunmen fired at a SEPTA bus that had stopped near the intersection of Broad Street and Godfrey Avenue. Two of the other people injured in that shooting were teenagers. 

    “It’s hard to sit here, in three days, and have 11 juveniles shot who were going and coming from school,” said Bethel, who served as the city’s chief of school safety before Parker appointed him to lead the police department. “The cowardly acts that we’ve seen over the last three days are unacceptable.”

    Crisis counselors will be available on Thursday at Northeast High and at Imhotep Institute Charter High School, which is less than a mile from the scene of Monday’s shooting in Ogontz.

    “As a result of what we’ve seen over the last three days, we’re going to be ramping up our resources significantly,” Bethel said. “I want parents and families to know that we’re going to be along our corridors across the entire city of Philadelphia until we can figure out exactly what’s going on in this situation — and whether it’s linked to the situation on Monday.”

    Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlington said he and his colleagues are “heartbroken and angry” about the uptick in gun violence involving students from city schools, and SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said his department will work with city leaders to stop the recent pattern of shootings on and near city buses. 

    On Sunday, a 27-year-old man was fatally shot in the Oxford Circle neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia after an argument escalated on a Route 59 bus, investigators said. Then on Tuesday evening, a 37-year-old man was shot and killed as he stood in the doorway of a Route 79 bus near Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia. The gunman opened fire after an argument, police said.

    Authorities have not yet made any arrests in the string of shootings.

    Lawson said SEPTA planned to “be aggressive” in trying to stop the gun violence impacting the transit system. 

    “What we can definitively say is overwhelmingly the pattern that we see in our system is that individuals who are armed – overwhelmingly illegally – get into verbal arguments which escalate to violent encounters and then the armed individual uses the weapon,” Lawson said at a separate news conference earlier Wednesday. 

    Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner vowed to prosecute the people responsible for Wednesday’s shooting. 

    “We will catch the people who did this. We will hold those people in custody. We will charge them and we will vigorously prosecute them,” Krasner said. “And we will give them the consequences that they absolutely deserve for this devastating and horrifying act.”

    Below, watch Parker, Bethel and other city leaders speak during the press briefing at the scene of Wednesday’s shooting.

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Classic SEPTA trolleys could return this spring after many delays

    Classic SEPTA trolleys could return this spring after many delays

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    SEPTA’s green-and-cream retro trolleys have been spotted back on the tracks in the city, but they won’t be ready for passengers until at least this coming spring.

    SEPTA expects eight of the classic PCC trolleys to return within the next few months. “We don’t have a specific date yet, but we are making progress with training and test miles for the vehicles,” Kelly Greene, SEPTA public information manager told PhillyVoice.

    MORE: SEPTA’s Valentine’s Day trolleys are back on the tracks

    The vintage trolley cars, which date back to 1947, have been out of commission since 2020, replaced with buses. After a scheduled rollout last fall did not come to fruition, SEPTA has continued to push back the trolleys’ return window.

    “The planned September start was pushed back due to a number of factors, including Authority-wide safety training that we implemented for all employees following a series of serious accidents over the summer,” Greene told PhillyVoice.

    Accidents last summer included a trolley derailing as a result of a car collision and a crash damaging a historical building due to faulty brakes.

    “We also added some more training for employees who are going to be working with the PCCs, including the operators, mechanics, transportation managers, and other support staff. At that time, we decided to work toward a spring 2024 timeline for putting the vehicles back in service.”

    Operators will continue to give the refurbished cars more “break-in time,” with SEPTA aiming to give each of the cars 200 hours to iron out any electrical or technical issues that may arise.

    “The trolleys are out on the street now as part of our testing, so people are likely to see them more and more as we get closer to spring,” said Greene.

    The trolley restoration project began last year, repairing and refreshing the PCC trolley cars with fresh paint and new parts while updating them with SEPTA Key Card scanners and modern ADA-accessibility features. The project cost approximately $250,000 per trolley.

    Once the PCC trolleys are ready to serve commuters, they’ll join the buses that currently run on Route 15, which runs along Girard Avenue through North Philly and West Philly.

    But in the long-term, the trolleys will eventually phase out as SEPTA continues towards a larger modernization of its trolley system. SEPTA’s plans include faster service and improved accessibility on trolley cars and stations for individuals with disabilities.

    “It could take as long as a decade for full implementation of the (modernization) project,” said Greene. “Restoring the PCCs allows us to continue to run ADA-accessible trolleys on Route 15 in the meantime, and we know riders are looking forward to seeing these iconic vehicles back in service.”

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    Chris Compendio

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