SEPTA working to keep rails and passengers secure, agency officials tell city

A hearing in Philadelphia City Council took a look at the past — and the future — of SEPTA. 

Councilman Curtis Jones said he wants to reward Scott Marshall, the person who found cracks in SEPTA’s cars that indicated a structural problem. The discovery led to sidelining dozens of cars on the Market-Frankford line for repairs. That might have saved lives, Jones said.

“We want to acknowledge him in City Council because, if he stopped a derailment, if he stopped a catastrophic injury by pedestrians, workers and the general riding public, he deserves more than a handshake,” Jone said.

SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel said the transit agency is also working to make sure its riders are safe — particularly by preventing assaults of students who use the system.

“We are working collaboratively with the school district with the charter schools, and the Philadelphia Police Department in coming up with strategies on what we are seeing,” Nestel told Council members.

SEPTA is in the process of setting up an app for students to report issues directly to the transit agency police.