SEPTA NPT card will be "SEPTA Key"?

No official announcement that I've seen (just like when they were slow with the flex/convenience changes) but transpasses are discontinued as of July. Zone 1 passes have been given the old transpass price and renamed Transpass+. The systems I've checked have the monthly price updated but are still listing both with the old names.

Ryan: Interesting news concerning Transpasses and Zone One Trailpasses having the same price...
https://septakey.org/info/fare-products
Monthly Transpass and Zone One Trailpass: Monthly $96.00; Weekly $25.50
The Zone One Trailpass price has gone DOWN from $105.00/month as a new incentive for riders...

I keep thinking along the lines of SEPTA Legacy Passes taking note to this Monthly/Weekly Pass change...
With the Key virtually all passes are electronically generated and placed on a rider's Key card...

As I previously mentioned in this topic creating CITY ZONE ONE and eliminating the Transpass in favor of
Zone 1 covering all services makes this change easy instead of having two separate passes sold that until
this past month were close in price to begin with...MACTRAXX

Agreed, this change would make sense if they plan on eliminating zone 1 entirely in favor of a city zone. Would simplify some of the more confusing rules as well.

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:38 am As I previously mentioned in this topic creating CITY ZONE ONE and eliminating the Transpass in favor of Zone 1 covering all services makes this change easy instead of having two separate passes sold that until this past month were close in price to begin with...MACTRAXX

This is a welcome step, albeit late to the table. I've visited cities like Paris, Sydney, Berlin, and Dresden where generic "city fares" were common as long ago as the early 00's. It was FAR more logical to have a single instrument that let you go from A to B via what was the most appropriate route for your needs, versus navigating the complexities SEPTA's imposed for decades.

With the Key virtually all passes are electronically generated and placed on a rider's Key card...

And there, unfortunately, is the glitch in almost all electronic fare systems currently being implemented. While they are a huge advantage for regular users they can present barriers for people like irregular riders, tourists, etc. E.g. DC's SmarTrip is great - except if you're a tourist you either have to sign up for the card, which can be impractical, or you have to (as with SEPTA) pay much-higher cash fares. I have family members there so it makes sense for me to maintain a SmarTrip card but I'm not everybody.

[MT: I took the liberty of slightly reformatting your quotes for readability given 70-yr-old eyes. Hope that's not a problem ]

It looks like the enhanced Key readers have been deployed to the Regional Rail system. Any word on when the Apple Pay functionality will be deployed?

I could recall when Center City Zone stations were a separate fare. In the 1995-2003 tariff a local Center City
fare was $3.50, sold as round trip only. The MFL subway was $1.60 then (tokens $1.15 in multiples of 2, 5 or 10).

R36 Combine Coach wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:13 pm I could recall when Center City Zone stations were a separate fare. In the 1995-2003 tariff a local Center City
fare was $3.50, sold as round trip only. The MFL subway was $1.60 then (tokens $1.15 in multiples of 2, 5 or 10).

That framework (of course with varying prices) was in effect for many decades. SEPTA seemed utterly allergic to any form of fare integration even on parallel lines, preferring to maintain the effective wall that existed when its legacy components were run by different private companies.

Nor was it limited to CTD/RRD routes inside the city. For years (decades?) there was very little fare integration between the CTD and the former Red Arrow and Schuylkill Valley lines. Even when SEPTA introduced a special "Gateway" fare for people transferring between the CTD and ex-Red Arrow services, it was priced so that commuters who had the temerity to live in the 'burbs ended up paying a lot more than those who travelled similar distances on the CTD.

It was almost a thunderclap moment when Transpass tariffs were adjusted to allow use on adjoining Red Arrow and SVL routes as well as certain RRD routes inside Philly.

Call me conspiratorial, but I found SEPTA's foot-dragging regarding fare integration and equity always seemed more than a bit suspicious. At one point in the 1990s a couple of us started nosing around and found enough to make it appear there was actually some meat on the bones. In particular I spoke with a couple of people I knew at 1234; they actually confirmed (off the record, certainly) that there was little interest in fare reform simply because of the amount of money brought in by things like the RRD on-board surcharge and apparently-deliberate fare misinformation provided at certain so-called "customer service" locations.

It does seem that the current management team under Leslie Richards is making pointed moves to do away with the vestiges of those bad old days, so there's always hope.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 8:47 pm It looks like the enhanced Key readers have been deployed to the Regional Rail system. Any word on when the Apple Pay functionality will be deployed?

I don't know if they are fully rolled out but they are at least mostly done. Haven't heard anything about expanding their capability.

New tariffs are finally up https://www5.septa.org/travel/fares/tariffs/ Attached image has the rail highlights. Looks like they've changed their minds and decided to give the key rate for mobile/contactless fares instead of the original on board rate plan.
The name they ended up with for the new pass on the posted menu is "Transpass+ Zone 1 Trailpass". SEPTA loves their long fare names.
Not pictured (in tariff 1) but key now gets you a 2nd transit transfer for free instead of $1, weirdly this does not extend to mobile "tix" but does work with contactless.
Edit #20: official announcement up now too https://www5.septa.org/bulletins/new-se ... ay-july-1/ I missed the student changes (no more upgrade for rail required)

I guess those SEPTA tariff meetings are no longer open to the public because I would want to attend one.

Is there any relevant open government law (FOIA, open meetings act, open government records act) that would
require open access and and public attendance of such hearings? Even NJT and MTA have all board sessions
open to public unless otherwise restricted.

BC and R36: SEPTA has gone the "Zoom" route in term of public comment about fare changes/adjustments...
There is mention at times about "Virtual" meetings at SEPTA's web site: www.septa.org

Everyone: SEPTA is unfortunately making this process of charging the same money for two separate fare
products more complicated than it needs to be - especially if BOTH the "Transpass+" and Zone 1 Trailpass
are continuing to be sold "side-by-side" for what should now be the SAME application:
https://septa.org/bulletins/new-septa-f ... ay-july-1/

Take note to the Regional Rail map shaded in green showing Zone 1 - a "Transpass+" is now valid at all times.
Zone 1 Trailpasses are valid to ALL Regional Rail stations within the City of Philadelphia during all weekday
off-peak hours (RRD Weekday Peak Hours are 6 to 9:30 AM TO Center City; 4 to 7:00 PM FROM Center City)...
This adds Manayunk-Norristown Line to Ivy Ridge, Both Chestnut Hill Lines along with the Fox Chase Line
in their entirities and Trenton Line stations Bridesburg, Tacony, Holmesburg Junction and Torresdale...
Remember that ALL SEPTA passes have ANYWHERE privileges on Saturday, Sunday and major holidays.

From what I recall SEPTA began using the term "Transpass" back around 1979-1980 when unlimited-use CTD
passes were sold for the first time..."Trailpass" (Transit-Railpass) was created in 1982 as an added incentive
for Commuter Rail monthly and weekly pass holders offering new unlimited ride options during a period of
declining ridership (the first half of the 1980s) as a result of high-percentage fare increases and service cuts.

As I previously mentioned the new designation should be CITY ZONE ONE with the Zone 1 Trailpass being
retained due to its more wide range of use along with the term "Transpass" being phased out entirely...
MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:22 pm As I previously mentioned the new designation should be CITY ZONE ONE with the Zone 1 Trailpass
being retained due to its more wide range of use along with the term "Transpass" being phased out
entirely.

Or go with MBTA nad have the entire city limit in a one zone, with the same interchangeable fare as transit.

I wouldn't be too admiring of the MBTA commuter rail fare structure. They've recently (due to relentless political pressure from communities on the Fairmont Line) pushed more Boston stations into zone 1A (equivalent to a subway fare), but:

-There's still 5 stations in the southwestern neighborhoods in Zone 1, and one (Readville) in Zone 2.
-Plenty of close in stations in urban municipalities outside Boston (the type of areas which would be part of the City of Boston proper if this area was like NYC, Philly, or Chicago) are still in higher zones.
-Being in Zone 1A provides a level fare with a single ride subway trip, but none of the transfer privileges unless you buy a pass. Fortunately, 1 and 7 day Zone 1A passes are available which do allow for transfer privileges. Once you hit Zone 1, your one-way fare goes from $2.40 to $6.50, and you get no bus or subway transfers until you buy a monthly pass.

Our fare structure still pushes a lot of riders to much longer bus and subway trips. I live about 6.5 miles (straight line) from the heart of downtown Boston. I have a choice of a bus to subway ($2.40, but usually takes 50-65 minutes travel time with the transfer), or commuter rail (15 minutes, but costs $6.50 with no transfers beyond North Station). SEPTA's hardly doing a whole lot better, but it seems like no legacy commuter rail transit agency in the US has done a really good job of integrating commuter rail into their larger systems.

SEPTA is piloting contactless payments like Apple Pay
It’s not clear when this will be available to the general public — but you can apply to test it out now.
by Asha Prihar August 18, 2023
https://billypenn.com/2023/08/18/septa- ... apple-pay/

SEPTA has started testing out direct contactless payments — sans a Key card or account — on buses, trolleys, and subways.

Riders participating in a new pilot can leave their Key cards at home and instead pay their fares at validators using Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or a contactless physical Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card.

Being able to use mobile wallets or credit/debit card taps has been long-planned, requested, and expected on SEPTA, which has had a fraught history with its current electronic fare payment system, SEPTA Key.

The aim is to start with a small group of people and gradually grow the program, eventually expanding to 200 participants in total who are using a mix of different card types and brands.

Link to apply to test it out: https://www.cognitoforms.com/SEPTA1/SEP ... ymentPilot