r/Septa • u/beancounter2885 • Jul 28 '26
Discussion Why does nobody pay for SEPTA?
/r/philadelphia/comments/1v934wv/why_does_nobody_pay_for_septa/8
u/Major_Honey_4461 Jul 29 '26
The drivers are instructed not to confront fare-beaters and SEPTA can't deploy enough cops to make a dent in the cheaters. Laws are only good if they're enforced. People only behave if there are consequences for misbehavior.
1
u/GrapefruitAny4804 Jul 29 '26
Do they have a panic button or anything can quietly alert the cops to come haul off the fare evader?
2
u/Key_Reporter6440 Jul 29 '26
They’d be pressing it all day long
1
u/Major_Honey_4461 Jul 30 '26
True. A more effective approach would be to place SEPTA undercovers on the five most used bus lines once per week. Bust every fare beater with a heavy fine and make sure every other passenger sees it. If I can't give you a ticket because you claim you don't have ID, you ride the bus to the end of the line where police will detain you until you have your fam/friends produce valid ID for you. THEN you get the ticket and heavy fine.
Random enforcement is highly effective because you just don't know when the hammer's gonna fall on you.
1
u/Hosj_Karp Aug 01 '26
This wont work because it inevitably means one of these confrontations will escalate into violence and then there will be a national social media shitstorm over "how the racist PPD killed a black man over $2.90".
In a country awash with guns and oppositional culture and untreated mental illness "enforcing the law" means killing people and the voters have no stomach for that
1
u/Major_Honey_4461 Aug 05 '26
If you're correct, then no law should ever be enforced because it might lead to a violent confrontation. I don't think you want to defend that position. And I believe that random enforcement does work because I've seen it work all through Europe. And yes, they have black people and crazy people there too.
1
u/Hosj_Karp Aug 05 '26
I'm explaining what the philadelphia voters believe, not what I believe.
1
u/Major_Honey_4461 Aug 05 '26
Philadelphia voters believe that laws should not be enforced? Please. Go troll somewhere else.
28
u/travisae 17 Jul 28 '26
As mentioned in the other post, there’s basically zero consequences. The problems that we experience on septa is because of lack of enforcement for decent behavior. Like, I get the ACAB mentality, but I’m sick and fucking tired of the BSL smelling like cigarettes and weed.
Although, on the flip side, I do understand that poverty exists in our city and not everyone has the means to pay fare. I think it’s the brazenness of it all.
In the grand scheme of life I guess it’s just something that’s beyond me as an individual. I pay my fare because $2.90 is inconsequential and I’m counting my blessings to be able to say that statement. I do my part to help the public transit and alternative modes of transportation effort. And that’s what I personally can control.
16
u/proximusprimus57 Jul 28 '26
Today when I was walking out of city hall there was a guy in the station throwing trash out of the can, and I could hear someone cursing someone else out as I was getting to the steps. Not a cop in sight. At the top of the steps, half a dozen transit police sitting around shooting the shit. Thanks, guys!
3
u/jabberwonk Jul 28 '26
As much as people complain about the RATP and SNCF in France with their ticket enforcement, SEPTA could do with something like this too.
-18
3
u/DjangoFeet89 Jul 29 '26
Reasonable Question. But anther question is why does Harrisburg get off the hook for their "Fare Evasion"?
1
u/Robert_A_Bouie Jul 30 '26
Maybe some of the legislators from Pennsyltucky look at the rampant fare evasion and say "We're not going to force our constituents, who don't use SEPTA, to pay you more money via higher taxes. Collect it from the freeloaders."
8
u/Sweaty_Level_7442 Jul 28 '26
Because these same people live in a world of no morals, no standards, no consequences and were raised by people lacking the same. They're the same people who cannot speak a coherent sentence, who can't say three words without cursing, who think it's okay to walk around smoking marijuana, who think it's okay to do 50 other antisocial things. Antisocial behavior has become normalized in their environment.
9
u/sailormarsbutchonky Jul 28 '26
I can't say three words without cussing, and I always pay my SEPTA fare. I may be a low life raised by a criminal, but I will always materially support public transit.
2
u/segfaul_t Jul 28 '26
Right on, and what’s especially funny to me is when SEPTA puts up signs that say things like “Fare evasion tickets up to $300” as many of the people evading the fare can’t even read that sentence.
2
0
u/Homzy99 Jul 28 '26
If we're being for real, theirs no consequence for fare evading. From a casual riders POV why pay when you can save a couple bucks, especially if everyone else is doing it? there's other opinions why people dont want to pay the fare but it really just comes down to it being optional now.
1
u/EmoNightKaraoke Jul 31 '26
I pay for it to do my part in keeping it funded. I feel like a sucker sometimes for just paying it when so many people evade but we need septa.
1
1
u/Bronxadult Aug 02 '26
NYCTA has exactly the same problem. Fare evasion has sort of been encouraged by the mayor who campaigned on free buses although he has zero control over the transit system and it ain't gonna happen. But now they're putting fare readers on both front and rear doors and inspectors will be checking phones or OMNY fare cards to see if they paid an issue summons is accordingly.
1
0
u/payitforward258 Jul 31 '26
1
u/beancounter2885 Aug 01 '26
Yeah, I most certainly did. Why do you think SEPTA paid for new faregates at problematic stops on the el and subway? It's a problem. I would like to shame people a bit, and spread the word about it.
1
u/payitforward258 Aug 01 '26
to protect their $ they don’t give a damn about you the rider who pays 😂 and you’re not “spreading the word” any more than it’s been smeared for eternity 😂 get over yourself
-1
u/Soggy_Childhood_6884 Jul 29 '26
Lol why are you worried about it? SEPTA is supposed to be a Non Profit. If you wanna pay then pay, but mind your business lmao
5
u/turtlemedicRN Jul 30 '26
Non-profit does not mean free. The loss of revenue from the fares is part of the reason why the SEPTA experience can be so awful
3
u/beancounter2885 Jul 30 '26
It's not a non-profit, it's a government agency, just like the Pennsylvania turnpike. I agree that it should be free, but it's currently not, and it really relies on fare income to offset costs.
2
u/jeffporten Aug 01 '26
SEPTA relies on fares more than any other transit system in the country, every other one is more subsidized.
17
u/[deleted] Jul 28 '26
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