SEPTA will reduce Regional Rail to an “Essential Service Schedule” starting on Sunday, March 29.
This follows previous Regional Rail schedule adjustments last week that are aimed at providing essential service during the COVID-19 crisis.
Based on ridership reductions of 94 percent on Regional Rail this week, the Essential Service Schedule will allow SEPTA to continue to provide service for those who need to travel. It also allows SEPTA to follow stepped-up cleaning protocols.
Recent service cuts have eliminated service from Wilmington to Churchmans Crossing and Newark.
Regional Rail has been operating on a Saturday schedule for the last two weeks, and transit services including subways, buses and trolleys moved to a similar level of service this week. Ridership is down significantly on all modes, however, the losses on Regional Rail have been larger than transit. Transit ridership is down over 70 percent this week.
SEPTA will continue to closely monitor all services to try to ensure that there is enough space on-board vehicles for customers to practice social distancing.
“We are pleading with our customers – if you don’t have to ride, please don’t,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “We need to reserve space on our buses, trains and trolleys for those who need to get to essential jobs, or access life-sustaining services.”
Regional Rail schedules effective on Sunday are posted on SEPTA’s website at https://www.septa.org/.
