Better to be too cool than too hot

PHILADELPHIA. This week, SEPTA General Manager Joe Casey answers questions from riders about air conditioning temperatures and schedule review.

Q: Each day I ride the Route 10 trolley, the Broad Street Line and the H or XH bus to work. It’s nice to board and be granted the luxury of air conditioning, especially in the summer months, but must the temperature be brutally frigid? It makes for an uncomfortable ride.
– Sade Slocum, Philadelphia

A: The vehicles you ride are equipped with climate control systems that automatically react to the temperatures outside. This is different than a typical home or office heating and cooling system set with a thermostat. So, on a hot summer day, with our vehicle doors opening frequently as we serve our customers, the climate control system has to work constantly to keep the interior of the vehicle cool. While we understand it may at times feel chilly to you and other riders, the climate control system is the best way for us to keep vehicle interiors from heating up to intolerable levels on hot summer days.

Q: How often are bus routes reviewed for the purposes of revising the bus schedules?
– Ja’Net Gabriel, Philadelphia

A: Transit schedules change about three times per year, but routes are reviewed on an ongoing basis. SEPTA uses a number of tools in these efforts, such as passenger traffic checks and data from automated passenger counters. Our control center also monitors on-time performance. This information is used to help SEPTA make decisions about schedule changes.