SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey announced last week that the agency will attempt to improve quality for riders without raising fares with a $1.08 billion operating budget for the 2009 fiscal year.
The transportation organization said it wants to improve on several issues, including "service, cleanliness, convenience, courtesy and communications," according to a SEPTA press release.
These discussions about improvements seem to be sparked largely by the growth in transit ridership over the first seven months of this fiscal year.
Transit ridership grew 4 percent over the last year and Regional Rail ridership increased by 12 percent.
That jump in ridership represents a 25-year high.
One of the ways SEPTA plans to improve is through a proposed smart-card system.
That proposal would replace tokens as the fare-collection system.
According to SEPTA spokesman Gary Fairfax, proposals for a smart-card system were issued "very recently" to about 60 vendors.
Fairfax added that SEPTA expects responses by mid-May.
Other plans include expanded service during peak hours and extended late-night and weekend Regional Rail service.
SEPTA held several public hearings on the budget over this past weekend and will hold several more this week, including one in downtown Philadelphia on Thursday morning.
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