According to SEPTA's Annual Service Plan for FY 2005, the average fare for the airport line is 1.55. This is closer to transit fares (1.04-1.29) than railroad fares (3.12 average). The operating ratio for the line (revenue/costs) is 27%, the lowest of all the lines (even lower than the Cynwyd branch).
The peculiar thing about the line is that transpasses are accepted for the entire line. That means that daily commuters can pay $1.59 per trip using a monthly pass ($70 a month / 44 trips per month). From what I have read, this is some kind of City of Philadelphia agreement (they own the airport). Is SEPTA considering cutting this line because of its low operating ratio? But if they were to stop honoring transpasses on that line, its ratio would be 54%, which is close to the ratio for the R5 Paoli line. (Assuming an average fare of 3.12.) There's already the Route 108 bus that goes to the airport, so transpass holders can still get to the airport.
Is there some kind of passenger subsidy that the City provides on this line? It would make the accounting more clear if subsidies were tied to a specific line instead of all being funnelled into a huge bureaucracy. If SEPTA were to provide several alternatives to fixing the budget shortfalls rather than a blanket service cut, legislators might be more willing to work with SEPTA.
The Airport line is the worse performing line in terms of revenue, but it is probably the most important line for travellers forming their first impression about the city. What should be done about it?
The peculiar thing about the line is that transpasses are accepted for the entire line. That means that daily commuters can pay $1.59 per trip using a monthly pass ($70 a month / 44 trips per month). From what I have read, this is some kind of City of Philadelphia agreement (they own the airport). Is SEPTA considering cutting this line because of its low operating ratio? But if they were to stop honoring transpasses on that line, its ratio would be 54%, which is close to the ratio for the R5 Paoli line. (Assuming an average fare of 3.12.) There's already the Route 108 bus that goes to the airport, so transpass holders can still get to the airport.
Is there some kind of passenger subsidy that the City provides on this line? It would make the accounting more clear if subsidies were tied to a specific line instead of all being funnelled into a huge bureaucracy. If SEPTA were to provide several alternatives to fixing the budget shortfalls rather than a blanket service cut, legislators might be more willing to work with SEPTA.
The Airport line is the worse performing line in terms of revenue, but it is probably the most important line for travellers forming their first impression about the city. What should be done about it?
