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Town of Philadelphia and the regional public transit system SEPTA plan to revive sure bus traces that serve colleges after they have been eradicated as a part of sweeping transit cuts applied earlier this week.
In a press launch Thursday, the town mentioned that SEPTA agreed “in idea” to dedicate a portion of the $135 million transit subsidy the town pays the transit authority to revive precedence bus traces for college students by mid-September.
Town didn’t present additional particulars concerning the nature of the settlement.
The transfer comes after an outcry from transit advocates and educators throughout the town, who nervous SEPTA’s 20% service cuts would make it inconceivable for college students and lecturers to get to highschool on time.
On the primary day of college Monday, Superintendent Tony Watlington mentioned he had heard from one principal that attendance was decrease than anticipated following the transit cuts.
Watlington mentioned in a Thursday assertion he was “elated” concerning the deal between SEPTA and Mayor Cherelle Parker’s workplace. After faculty attendance figures for the primary three days again in contrast with final 12 months, Watlington mentioned he discovered that 63% of district colleges confirmed a rise in late arrivals and 54% reported a rise in pupil absences.
“We’re optimistic that the restoration of precedence routes will allow extra college students to attend faculty and speed up tutorial achievement,” Watlington mentioned.
“We’re proud that our Metropolis groups moved rapidly with SEPTA to discover a method to restore transit providers within the areas the place college students are most affected by the cutbacks that began on the primary day of college this week,” Parker mentioned in a press release. “Ensuring that each one of our metropolis’s youngsters and youth can get to highschool on time and safely is one in all our high priorities.”
The restored providers are:
- Bus 84.
- Bus 88.
- Bus 452.
- Bus 461.
- Bus 462.
- Bus 476.
- Bus 478.
- Bus 484.
- Bus 31 – service will likely be restored from Overbrook Park to 63rd and Market St.
Town introduced service may even be “augmented” on Sept. 2 on different routes that serve college students, however didn’t elaborate. These routes are:
- Bus 14.
- Bus 20.
- Bus 23.
- Bus 26.
- Bus 47.
- Bus 63.
- Bus 67.
- Bus 70.
- Bus 82.
- Trolley T2.
- Trolley T5.
Town mentioned schedules for the restored routes will likely be printed “later within the month.”
This story has been up to date to incorporate attendance figures and remark from Superintendent Tony Watlington.
Correction: Aug. 29, 2025: Resulting from inaccurate data supplied by Mayor Cherelle Parker’s workplace, an earlier model of this story misstated when some bus routes can be restored.
Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public colleges, early childhood training, and points that impression college students, households, and educators throughout Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.
