SEPTA riders rally at City Hall to preserve free-ride programs in new budget

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Supporters of two SEPTA programs that offer free rides rallied at Philadelphia City Hall on Friday. Their concern is that the new city budget will cut funding for the programs.

SEPTA has issued 68,000 Zero Fare cards to qualifying riders, though not all of them are used, according to the agency’s Andrew Busch. More than 20,000 Philadelphians currently benefit from the program, and about 13,000 city workers enjoy free rides via the Key Advantage program.

Steven Bronskill, coalition manager for Transit Forward Philly, a coalition of 37 organizations fighting for better transit in the city, told the crowd that unity is essential to support mass transit.

“We’re here to talk about city and state priorities to discuss the moral balance that we can reach when funding transit access in what must be a balanced budget,” Bronskill said.

Greg Boulware of AFSCME District Council 33, which represents blue-collar city workers, said that a number of his union members are enrolled in the Key Advantage program for the free mass transit rides.

“The SEPTA Key program is a huge asset to our members who are struggling every day just to maintain their own finances in the city. Utilities are going up, rents going up, mortgages are increasing for some people. All these things are going up but salaries aren’t going up. And so something has to be done to make sure that people can get to work to provide the services for everyone,” Boulware said.

Gennifer Reed of District Council 47, which represents white-collar city workers, said, “The program helps people who need to go to work and retain workers.”

Laverne Boateng, who is disabled and uses the Zero Fare program, said the program is a big help to her.

“I don’t have a problem getting to my doctor’s appointments on time. I don’t have a problem coming into Center City to shop. City Council and the mayor should extend this program so that thousands of people like me do not lose our ride in Philadelphia,” Boateng said.

Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke helped organize the rally outside the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall. He said that as expenses rise, many people have difficulty finding the means to provide for their own transportation.

He elaborated on the need for the two programs.

“Groceries are expensive. Child care costs are sky high. I know — I just dropped the boy off for daycare,” O’Rourke said.

“But life doesn’t slow down amidst all of that. We still need to get around our city to go to work, to go to school, to go to our appointments, to see our loved ones. In this economy, we need to be fighting for city-funded programs like Zero Fare and like SEPTA Key Advantage.”

The city spends about $9 million on the Key Advantage program to give workers free transit as a benefit. The Zero Fare program adds another $20 million.

The programs will be subject to budget negotiations after Mayor Cherelle Parker announces her spending plan next Thursday.

Clarification: At the time of publication, SEPTA did not have data available on the number of Zero Fare riders. The agency said 68,000 cards have been issued, but not all of them are in use. The article has been updated to reflect this.