SEPTA Trains Increasingly On Time, Agency Reports

Various improvements to SEPTA's Regional Rail system have helped trains arrive on time more often in recent weeks, agency representatives say.

An article Tuesday from PlanPhilly cited a period of 99 percent efficiency at one point in March, as reported by SEPTA deputy general manager Jeff Knueppel.

SEPTA director of media relations Jerri Williams told Patch that the agency hit that mark on two days in late February, which were included in the "fiscal month" of March that comprises five full weeks from Feb. 24 through March 30.

The average on-time performance during that period was 95 percent, Williams said. SEPTA counts a Regional Rail train as on time if it makes its entire trip, end to end, six minutes or less behind schedule.

The 95 percent average outpaced the 92 percent average of the previous 13 months, Williams said, and was a welcome surprise in a month that sometimes sees Philadelphia Flower Show traffic cause delays.

Williams credited improvements to tracks and cars for the better efficiency, as well as the presence of more high-level platforms that reduce waits at stations when passengers must climb stairs to board.

What have your recent SEPTA Regional Rail experiences been like? Are schedules met often enough for you? Please tell us in the comments section below.