Navigating Philadelphia's Antiquated Mass Transit System: A Delegate's Guide

As delegates arrive in Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention (DNC) next week, they will find themselves confronted with a mass transit system unlike any other in the country. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is an apparition of public transit past. Long before the streetcar craze, Philadelphia’s trolley system kept rolling along with six city lines and two suburban lines. Unfortunately, the fare payment system evokes nostalgia, as well.

SEPTA remains one of the only transit systems left in the country still encumbered with tokens. SEPTA’s smart card, eight years in the making, got a soft rollout a few months ago. But the SEPTA Key’s initial rollout, three years behind schedule, it is only good for weekly and monthly passes and therefore of limited use to the coming horde of Democrats.