A token problem

Today in Harrisburg, thousands of people are expected to gather to support public transit across Pennsylvania. Loudest among them will be the delegation from Philadelphia, a constituency that has long been clamoring for a permanent solution to the annual budget crises plaguing SEPTA.

Governor Ed Rendell has offered some immediate relief by diverting money from various highway projects throughout the state into the beleaguered transit system. While this closes a budget gap of more than $62 million, it is far from a permanent solution.

And as far as SEPTA is concerned, the budget deficit -- in large part a result of the escalating cost of employee benefits -- is not the state legislature's as much as it is its own.

SEPTA ridership and the revenue derived from fares have been relatively stagnant over the past 10 years. And judging by some of the steps the Authority has taken recently -- cutting service, eliminating routes, laying off employees, axing peak fare discounts and did we mention cutting service -- it's not apparent that they are making any effort to bring more customers to the system.

At Penn, SEPTA customers are already getting a raw deal, which could get worse if proposed fare hikes are imposed. Because SEPTA's stations on and around campus are not equipped with machines that sell tokens, anyone who shows up without fare tokens in hand has to fork over $2 to ride as opposed to the $1.30 token value.

This is essentially price gouging, and it will be more severe if SEPTA's threats to raise the cash fare to $3 pan out.

What SEPTA should be doing is making it easier for anyone to use the system whenever possible. If mass transit can be seen as a quick, safe and easy way to get where they're going, students will use it. If not, they will hop in a cab.

Currently, SEPTA tokens are sold in some college houses, Houston Hall and the Penn Bookstore. While this may be convenient for some, it would make more sense to be able to buy tokens where you actually get on the train. Most stations throughout the city have token vending machines.

One of SEPTA's concerns about adding machines to stations near campus in the past has been theft and vandalism. While this may have been a valid excuse 15 years ago, the many improvements Penn has made in campus safety should mitigate that risk. Plus, stations along the Market-Frankford Line are monitored by attendants who currently can take your $2 fare but cannot sell tokens.

A few more Penn students riding the subway will not solve SEPTA's funding crisis, but adopting an attitude that the customer matters ought to be a priority. SEPTA needs to make using the system as easy as possible for everyone in Philadelphia.

And a little more help from Harrisburg wouldn't hurt.

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