Free Ride?

All I can say at this point is that if SEPTA were really interested in making everyone pay, they would put in place a system that was consistently enforced which they have not done. Often times, conductors don't have the resources to check every fare when moving from Market East to Suburban. Of course sometimes they're just too busy in the cab chatting, but remember, in either direction the crew has to be prepared to exit the train, they also have to be ready before 100 people stand up and crowd the aisle for their stop at suburban.

How would we get conductors to check all fares again before hitting suburban when you have the aisle crowded with people ready to get off?

I should also note that farebeating is just as bad, if not worse on the rest of the system. Many times I see turnstile jumpers downtown. Riding the worst of worst bus routes I've seen people put a PENNY in the farebox, shrug their shoulders, and sit in the back of the bus. Mind you, the policy on the bus routes is "Check and Request" only. Drivers are not authorized to call police or put riders off for fare evasion. Today being a holiday, I saw a kid throw a school token in the farebox on Route 105, the driver told him it was a holiday and the kid said so what and went to the back. So its not just the railroad that's a problem. Of course it's more money being lost on the railroad, but you have the same problem on bus routes with "fare zones" which often do not get paid. SEPTA sets themselves up for it too. Most of the former "Red Arrow" routes are PAY LEAVE, guess how well that works.....

Given the time to check tickets, and deal with the huge passgener shifts, it is dificult within a five minute time frame to collect tickets, or assure that people have the proper seat checks in place. If I remember from my railfanning on SEPTA, they take away the seat checks before they enter the CC zone, making it impossible to verify who was on the train before it entered the CC zone, and how boarded in the CC zone. Surely SEPTA realizes the burden here, and just lets this slide.

And just as a point of clarification, I have not farebeat. And I would suggest that the train could be of use to some people. Last time I stayed in Philly, my hotel was near Suburban, and I came in to Philly on Amtrak, so I had to get between 30th and Suburban. Easier, and a nicer ride taking the train.

The only way around this is to implement a more modern fare collection system, which has been discussed before, and would probably require a system similiar to Secaucus Junction here in NJ.

Maximizing revenue just isn't a priority with SEPTA period. If it was, we wouldn't be using a archaic fare system. Like I said, I see people slide all the time on bus routes.

Outside of Center City on the RRD, many a time have I seen people ride free just because the conductor did not have time to check everyone if there was too much commotion going on, train understaffed, losing track, ect.

I'm surprised that SEPTA conductors done make more use of seat checks like Amtrak and NJT conductors do. Granted some routes are short (Fox Chase, Cynwyd, Chestnut Hill) I would think it would make life alot easier for the conductors if they did this.

I have been flagged on this trip maybe twice by some of the more diligent conductors. I had a transpass. It can't be free because it would cut into El revenue. The El is often quicker for the distance from 11th to 30th, but you pay $1.30 - $2.00 for it.