Hundreds of Philadelphians have begun riding SEPTA for free thanks to a new city initiative aimed at lifting the burden of transportation costs on poor residents.
Mayor Jim Kenney, whose administration provided an update Wednesday on the pilot program, known as Zero Fare, called it “the most expansive transit access program in the country for riders with low income.”
So far, SEPTA cards have been mailed to 1,000 participants, with plans to enroll 24,000 more by the end of the year, city officials said. More than 7,000 trips have been logged so far, according to the administration. Users can access all SEPTA modes, including Regional Rail, at no cost with the passes.
There is no application. Instead, the city is automatically signing up residents who meet eligibility requirements, notifying them through phone calls, texts and postcards. And, once received, the cards do not need to be activated.
“We know that there are many barriers to accessing benefits, including the cost of transportation,” Zero Fare program director Nicola Mammes said. “The goal of this program is to eliminate those barriers and make accessing the benefit as easy as possible.”
Ninety percent of the participants are being randomly selected from existing databases of residents already enrolled in income-based programs. To be eligible, they must be between 18 and 64 years old and not exceed 150% of the federal poverty line, which is $45,000 a year for a family of four.
The remaining Zero Fare cards will be distributed through organizations aiding immigrants and refugees, including Esperanza, New World Association and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, among others.
“I know these SEPTA fare cards will make an immediate impact in the lives of individuals and families,” said Anu Thomas, executive director of Esperanza Immigration Legal Services.
Officials said the cards will be sent out in batches, with an additional 3,000 expected to be mailed out in the coming days.
“We expect our program participants to have better access to health care, social services, and employment opportunities,” Kenney said.
Kenney and City Council incorporated $62 million into the municipal budget to fund the Zero Fare pilot for two years.
Separately, the city is spending $9 million this year to offer free transit cards to its workforce through the SEPTA Key Advantage program. More than 22,000 municipal employees became eligible for the benefit last month.
Anyone with questions about Zero Fare can call 311 or send a message to zerofare@phila.gov.
