SEPTA Reports Results Of Commuter Satisfaction Survey

PHILADELPHIA, PA — SEPTA service on trains and buses is sound, according to the transportation agency's recent report.

SEPTA reported its highest-ever customer satisfaction scores, according to new survey data released this week.

The quarterly report comes as the agency faces severe budget cuts that will force service reductions for commuters in the Philadelphia region.

SEPTA has conducted the quarterly customer satisfaction surveys since 2023, seeking feedback from riders about safety, cleanliness, reliability, and other key performance indicators.

For this year's first quarter, over 3,500 SEPTA customers ranked their overall satisfaction of the
transit system, with the average score being a 3.5 out of 5 – the highest ranking to date, SEPTA said.

“These survey results show that we are prioritizing what matters most to our riders,” SEPTA General
Manager Scott A. Sauer said. “Even in the face of a historic funding crisis, we continue to make significant improvements in every customer experience category, and we are committed to doing more.”

Safety and Security

SEPTA said it bolstered staffing, and SEPTA Transit Police have continued to implement new data-driven deployment strategies. The efforts are helping keep serious crime rates low, with reductions in seven of eight categories over the first six months of 2025.

The focus on fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses by Transit Police is also showing significant progress. Overall enforcement of these incidents increased by 27 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024, SEPTA said.

Cleanliness

SEPTA said it increased its cleaning headcount by 150 since 2021. The authority now has more than 700 cleaners and maintenance personnel deployed strategically to keep stations and vehicles cleaner and respond to issues as they arise.

New initiatives like “pit crews” that perform mid-route cleaning of Market-Frankford Line cars and
buses throughout the service day are being reflected in improved scores related to cleanliness.

"Heavy hit” teams are performing scheduled deep cleanings, with 161 stations completed so far this year.

Reliability

The average daily ridership in May 2025 was over 768,000 trips across all modes — a 7 percent increase from May 2024, SEPTA said.

Operator availability is a major factor in service performance and reliability, and SEPTA has worked hard to address frontline staffing shortages. Bus operator hiring is up 43 percent this year, from an average of about 40 new operators per month to 57.

SEPTA said it also focused on improving reliability for the Regional Rail network, with on-time performance standing across all regional rail lines at 87 percent, compared to 81 percent during the last schedule period.