SEPTA's long-awaited bus system overhaul begins this summer
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SEPTA's bus system revamp is (finally) set to begin this summer, intending to boost service times and efficiency.
Why it matters: It's been six decades since the transit agency redesigned its bus network.
- Plus: Buses account for more than half of SEPTA's daily ridership, with nearly 300,000 riders every day.
State of play: SETPA will roll out its new bus network plan over 10 months, starting in August.
- Overall, the plan will reduce the number of routes to 104, down from 126.
Zoom in: The new network will produce "frequent service" routes, which offer service every 15 minutes or less every day of the week for at least 15 hours a day.
- The goal: 29 frequent service routes, up from eight.
Context: The plan, originally approved in 2024, was shelved for nearly a year, a casualty of uncertainty around state funding that same year and threats of deep service cuts.
- SEPTA funding is now on a more stable footing — at least for the next fiscal year.
Worth noting: The bus plan is now part of SEPTA's annual service plan process, which the agency's board must sign off on in May.
Between the lines: SEPTA's original name for the plan (Bus Revolution) is no more.
- Plus: The agency made other tweaks to its original 2024 plan, like expanding service to the Navy Yard and adding a few more routes.
Friction point: The system is in dire need of an update.
- Biggest complaints: Slow and infrequent service, delays, and outdated and redundant routes.
Zoom in: The first phase will focus on South Philly; Kensington; Juniata; the Cheltenham and Lancaster Avenue corridors; and Roxborough. The plan includes:
- Two new routes: 72 and 76
- Eliminating routes, including 35, 47M, 78 and 80
- Expanding routes, including 45, 53, 60 and 61
- Reworking routes (which may include moving some stops), including 25, 57 and 105
Zoom out: The next phases of the new bus network plan are scheduled for February and June 2027.
Between the lines: Daily bus ridership has rebounded to 77% of pre-pandemic numbers as of October 2025, per SEPTA's online dashboard.
What they're saying: "It's critically important for us to get this right to show we can operate reliable bus service," SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch tells Axios.
- He added: "These buses are part of the fabric of the community that we service."
What's next: SETPA is hosting a series of virtual and in-person info sessions about the bus plan. The first is set for March 18.