SEPTA unveils college student discounts, voter registration drive

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is moving forward with two large-scale public service campaigns, despite recent budget cuts. SEPTA kicked off its new College Weekend Pass yesterday, giving college students lower fares in hopes of luring them to use public transportation. SEPTA also started the Transit Voter Pennsylvania Program, which will allow passengers to register to vote at SEPTA stations. The new weekend pass, which is already in effect, will allow students to pay $1 per ride to travel on SEPTA buses, trolleys and the Broad Street and Market-Frankford rail lines from 6 p.m. each Friday until 2 a.m. each Monday, according to SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini. Travel on SEPTA regional rail will cost only $2 per ride with the weekend pass. Gambaccini said he hopes the pass will allow students in a budget crunch to save money while enjoying the city on weekends. "As a father of six children, all of whom went to college, I can certainly empathize with all of you about the rising costs of going to college," he said. "You certainly are worthy and in need of whatever kinds of financial breaks are possible." The program, co-sponsored by the Center City District and the City Paper, will distribute some 50,000 passes to students at 15 schools. The program will continue until December, when SEPTA officials will evaluate its success to determine its future. Gambaccini speculated that the program will continue. "I can't believe that the program won't be very popular and well responded to," he said.. Although few students came to SEPTA's press conference to receive their passes, those who did come were excited about the discount. "I've been in Philadelphia all my life and I've taken SEPTA a lot," College senior Paul Marin said. "I'm pretty pleased with this. I think the rates are really outrageous -- anything to keep them down." Passes will be distributed at area colleges and universities and are available by mail with a coupon from the City Paper. SEPTA also began a massive campaign to register city voters by handing out information and registration forms at major SEPTA stations throughout the area. The campaign kicked off with a publicity event yesterday at 30th Street Station, where commuters received voter registration forms. The program's coordinators hope to take advantage of mass transit's popular appeal to give more citizens the chance to register easily, according to Stephan Rosenfeld, who handles customer service and public affairs for SEPTA. "Access is everything -- it's everything in transportation and it's everything in a democracy," Rosenfeld said. Voter registration forms can be picked up at the information booths of major Center City stations until October 7, the final day of registration for the November presidential election.

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