SEPTA NPT card will be "SEPTA Key"?

ChesterValley wrote:Here is a picture of the turnstile gates at 30th: https://imgur.com/a/ZJCYGIz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for deployment, SEPTA has posted notices that they will move fare payment collections up to the turnstiles at Suburban on Monday June 4th and Market East stations.

PATCO is testing a new freedom card to be compatible with the key, this has been discussed in other board posts. It appears this was prompted by SEPTA no longer issuing paper transfers effective August 1st eliminating the transfer discount altogether for non-key riders.

This is a somewhat deceptive portrayal of the turnstyles... those are the turnstyles for the elevator-side stairs. For the escalator-side stairs, the turnstyles run down the center of the upper concourse, so it will be possible to switch tracks without exiting fare control by use of the esalator. There are quite a few faregates there - well over a dozen - in addition to the 5 per plaform 'backup' pictured here.

People transfering using the elevator will need to tap out / tap in, which might be an issue.

I hope SEPTA plans to operate free fares on 4th of July

JeffK wrote:SEPTA's now adding more hoops for senior riders as well: http://www.septa.org/fares/discount/sen ... -info.html

If I'm interpreting the page correctly, once existing (pre-2018) driver's licenses have been phased out the only acceptable form of ID will be a Senior Key. Bottom line, anyone who's not from the 5-country region will have a lot of difficulty obtaining a Senior Key. Does this mean someone from say Reading or Harrisburg who comes into Philly will have to pay a full fare even if they're over 65, unless they somehow managed to get a Key in advance? Since reduced-fare rides are funded by the PA Lottery which is statewide, are there any political or legal implications from SEPTA imposing a de facto impediment on non-local seniors even if they're PA residents? Given that funding's state-based I can justify excluding out-of-state seniors, but "out-of-region"?

I had mentioned before that my wife was able to board bus and Market St subway at least 2 round trips using her Medicare card or New Jersey driver's license. At least one Septoid asked for the license, at least one of them said they'd let her go this time, but they're not really supposed to.
On the 2nd trip we visited 1234 Market St and applied for a senior key. I don't remember the complete interaction, but the 2 clerks up front talked with the photographer-issuer, and accepted her NJ driver's license. Maybe the PA mailing address helped us.They issued a temporary pass on the spot. That was towards the end of April. The senior key photo card arrived in the mail sometime last week.
Moral of the story seems to be for the time being although they advertise that they will not accept shoddy imitations, they were accepting them at least a month and a week ago, and may not be enforcing any in-state requirements. After all there are no residency requirements to buy lottery tickets.

If SEPTA is now in the practice of issuing senior fare cards with photo identification on them, why not be able to use them with other transit agencies in the state? Like BARTA (Berks County), LANTA (Lehigh Valley), and RRTA (Lancaster County)...hmmm?

JeffersonLeeEng wrote:If SEPTA is now in the practice of issuing senior fare cards with photo identification on them, why not be able to use them with other transit agencies in the state? Like BARTA (Berks County), LANTA (Lehigh Valley), and RRTA (Lancaster County)...hmmm?

Senior transit ID issued in Pennsylvania is valid throughout the Commonwealth.

JimBoylan wrote:

chuchubob wrote:Senior transit ID issued in Pennsylvania is valid throughout the Commonwealth.

But, S.E.P.T.A. is now saying that after Aug/ 31, "Senior transit ID issued in Pennsylvania" will not be valid on S.E.P.T.A

Typical SEPTA stupidity
SEPTA will always be poorly run no matter who's the GM or who's on the board.

SEPTA has no authority to rewrite the law. If the law provides for free transportation for passengers meeting the specified requirements it's up to SEPTA to figure out how to comply. This brings up two questions: When you get your Senior Key Card it comes with instructions to destroy your present blue or yellow Senior Citizen pass.

1. What happens if you show your new Senior Key Card in Lancaster or Pittsburgh? Will the operator even know what it is? (I'm not about to destroy my present pass.) I emailed SEPTA on their website with this specific question; I check my email daily for a reply.
2. What happens when someone from outside Philadelphia shows their present blue or yellow pass (it's a statewide form)? I can foresee some lively confrontations if an out-of-towner is told "we don't honor those any more."

Excellent points.

I have contacted PennDOT & asked for a clarification on whether the existing state-issued PA Senior Citizen Transit ID Card must be accepted by SEPTA. This is particularly vexing for several people I know who ride both SEPTA & Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, & would have to carry both the existing PA card & SEPTA's new Senior Key card going forward.

Please let us know what reply you get.

Thanks ExCon90, will do if/when I hear from PennDOT.

I also reached out to PART in Pottstown & was assured that PART would accept the new SEPTA Senior Key ID card for travel around Pottstown.

With the implementation of the fare gates, will joint tickets from NJ Transit still be sold?

I noticed the card readers on the platforms are now active as well. So this will be a gradual implementation. It will give us a good idea of any crowding problems at the turnstiles, at least for boarding. Exiting could be a problem once that is activated because each rider will eventually have to swipe out, and there is a half-second delay before the reader releases the turnstile arm. That could be a problem when multiple trains drop off a few hundred riders at a time.