(The following story by Andrew Overton appeared on The Bulletin website on July 23.)
PHILADELPHIA — As gas prices continue to climb, so does SEPTA ridership.
SEPTA’s monthly ridership increased for the 12th consecutive month this June, and total ridership was up 13 percent compared with June 2007.
“These are highs we haven’t experienced in 25 years,” SEPTA spokesperson Felipe Suarez said.
City- and suburban-transit ridership increased 5 and 4 percent, respectively, in the last year. The regional-rail lines, however, which travel from the suburbs into Center City saw a 12-percent increase. Last month, the regional-rail lines saw a 22-percent boom compared with June 2007 numbers.
With the soaring gas prices, more and more suburban commuters are finding the price of public transportation more appealing than driving.
Not only has SEPTA ridership climbed, but there are less cars driving into Center City, according to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC).
“We may have turned a corner for the first time in a long time,” said DVRPC Deputy Executive Director Don Shanis. “We are seeing slight reductions in automobile traffic to the Philadelphia Central Business District. This may be due to the high gas prices.”
In the last 12 months, there have been 325 million SEPTA riders, 17.9 million more than last year during the same period.
Increased gas prices also have increased bike ridership in Philadelphia, according to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
On the six bridges over the Schuylkill River, the Bicycle Coalition reported 15 percent more bike riders than last year.
“Bicycling has been on the increase in Philadelphia for a long time, but this jump has been unusual,” said Advocacy Director John Boyle.
Some Philadelphians are financially motivated to ride their bikes, as it offers an even cheaper alternative to public transportation.
“You can save a lot by simply taking a bike on the little trips,” Mr. Boyle said.