Railroad Forums 

  • SEPTA GM Jeff Knueppel to leave SEPTA

  • Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.

Moderator: AlexC

 #1517822  by zebrasepta
 
https://www.inquirer.com/transportation ... 90821.html
General manager Jeff Knueppel is leaving the nation’s sixth-largest transit agency at the end of the year, SEPTA announced Wednesday.


His successor will be selected by SEPTA’s board, and a leading candidate is Leslie S. Richards, the state’s transportation secretary, said sources with knowledge of the selection process. Richards is from Whitemarsh and served on SEPTA’s board. She did not return a request for comment.
 #1520190  by CNJGeep
 
Dcell wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:20 pm Is Roni Hakim from the MTA replacing him? She just resigned and she used to work at NJT.
Literally Two Posts Above This wrote: His successor will be selected by SEPTA’s board, and a leading candidate is Leslie S. Richards, the state’s transportation secretary, said sources with knowledge of the selection process. Richards is from Whitemarsh and served on SEPTA’s board. She did not return a request for comment.
 #1520261  by ExCon90
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 8:10 pm I wonder why he’s leaving. Maybe a better job offer?

Not my least favorite GM so far.
A bio on his retirement stated that he started with SEPTA in 1988, meaning he has 30 years in. That would be enough for me.
 #1524266  by Suburban Station
 
Cant leave soon enough. Septa has been a Dumpster fire since he took over and ridership in free fall.

Seems like normal retirement despite the ongoing FBI investigation into septa contracts (which doesnt appear to be an issue specific to his tenure). No reason to think he wasnt trying to do the right thing
 #1524282  by mcgrath618
 
Suburban Station wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:21 am Cant leave soon enough. Septa has been a Dumpster fire since he took over and ridership in free fall.

Seems like normal retirement despite the ongoing FBI investigation into septa contracts (which doesnt appear to be an issue specific to his tenure). No reason to think he wasnt trying to do the right thing
While he certainly wasn't the best, and while I certainly disagree with his stance on the El, you can't really blame him for all of SEPTA's shortcomings in recent years.
 #1524293  by ekt8750
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:30 am and while I certainly disagree with his stance on the El
What was his stance on the El? I must have missed that.
 #1524310  by mcgrath618
 
ekt8750 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 1:31 pm
mcgrath618 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:30 am and while I certainly disagree with his stance on the El
What was his stance on the El? I must have missed that.
To make a VERY long story short, he is convinced that the way to solve crowding issues on the El is to add more cars and not to run more trains. That's why SEPTA has spent millions of dollars on extending station platforms.
 #1524315  by ExCon90
 
Lengthening platforms is a capital expenditure; running more trains is an operating expense--would that account for the choice? (It shouldn't, but you deal with what exists.)
 #1524316  by Suburban Station
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:30 am While he certainly wasn't the best, and while I certainly disagree with his stance on the El, you can't really blame him for all of SEPTA's shortcomings in recent years.
who else would be to blame for poor scheduling, lack of customer focus, declining OTP, and lack of action in the face of declining ridership? sure, the focus has been spending money as quickly as possible before Act 89 turns into a pumpkin but it's past time to shift focus back onto riders.
 #1524329  by rcthompson04
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:30 am
Suburban Station wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:21 am Cant leave soon enough. Septa has been a Dumpster fire since he took over and ridership in free fall.

Seems like normal retirement despite the ongoing FBI investigation into septa contracts (which doesnt appear to be an issue specific to his tenure). No reason to think he wasnt trying to do the right thing
While he certainly wasn't the best, and while I certainly disagree with his stance on the El, you can't really blame him for all of SEPTA's shortcomings in recent years.
Regional Rail ridership is up as well. I suspect the shift we are seeing is largely tied to a non-SEPTA factor... the ease people have getting cars. The clientele that uses the buses and El are having one of the easiest times ever having cars.
 #1524331  by rcthompson04
 
My biggest complaint is a failure to capitalize more on rising Regional Rail demand. There needs to be more parking and better timing of bus schedules to make connections.

That is more of a curse of a bus / subway system being stuck with a railroad.
 #1524364  by Suburban Station
 
rcthompson04 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:32 pm
Regional Rail ridership is up as well. I suspect the shift we are seeing is largely tied to a non-SEPTA factor... the ease people have getting cars. The clientele that uses the buses and El are having one of the easiest times ever having cars.
regional rail ridership is down. it was declining prior to the s5 debacle (back when it was mainly poor schedules) and then cratered during the several months long S5 debacle . it has only partially recovered and remains well below pre Jeff K levels.

terrible bus connections =are not a function of any curse but priorities set by management.

in the FY20 ASP they list 114,680 daily riders on RRD, in the FY16 ASP it was 128k and had peaked above 130k (maybe 132k)

http://septa.org/strategic-plan/reports/asp16.pdf
http://septa.org/strategic-plan/reports ... e-Plan.pdf

parking remains an issue but SEPTA refuses to raise rates which might help cover the cost of parking but clearly it is not the only issue. it remains the only railroad without eticketing, does not accept cards, does not have ticketing machines, is not reliable.