PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has begun using new labeling for its urban rail operations, as well as bus lines.
The changes are part of a new branding as SEPTA Metro, first announced in 2021 [see “SEPTA plans rebranding …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 8, 2021]. Some elements have been introduced previously, but widespread usage began with start of operations under a new spring schedule on Sunday (Feb. 23) and today.
Changes include:
— The Broad Street Line becoming the B, with locals labeled B1, expresses B2, and Spur service B3.
— The Media-Sharon Hill Line will be the D, with 101 becoming D1 and 102 the D2.
— The Route 15 Trolley is becoming the G.
— The Market-Frankford Line will be the L.
— The Norristown High Speed Line will be the M.
— Surface and Subway trolleys will become the T, with the current 10 now the T1, the 34 the T2, the 13 the T3, the 11 the T4, and the 46 the T5.
There is also color-coding for each line, as shown below. Buses which currently use letter designations will switch to numbers, with red denoting frequent-service routes and black for standard routes.
More information on the changes is available here, while a more detailed look at the rebranding is here.
Back in the early 1900’s, Philadelphia Rapid Transit (PRT) used numbers for the trolley lines (including trackless) and letters for motor bus lines. What other cities call Rapid Transit are High Speed in Philadelphia and had neither numbers nor letters. Market-Frankford was Market-Frankford (MFSE) and Broad St. was Broad St. (BSS) When trolley lines were converted to motor bus, they generally retained their numbers. There were stories MFSE was assigned #1 but it was never publicly used to refer to the line and SEPTA gave the number to an express bus line.
Note Commuter Rail is not involved in this numbering scheme.
A fantastic, timely, improved, clearly thought out, and user friendly approach to facilitating transit patrons use of SEPTA.