Septa Still Running, Commuters Still Smiling -- For Now
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA riders breathed a sigh of relief this morning to see that buses, trolleys, and subways were still running.
But commuters know they can't abandon Plan B yet.
As the buses, trolleys, and the Market-Frankford El roll in and out of the Frankford Transportation Center this morning, commuters we talked with said they're glad they don't have to alter their plans. For now.
But they're keeping tabs on the news to be sure the transport workers keep working. No new talks between Septa and the Transport Workers' Union were set (see related story).
Daryl Washington, of Frankford, doesn't think Septa workers should be allowed to strike.
"Because they're affecting the economy. They're affecting families. They're affecting people's jobs. I work way up the (Roosevelt) Boulevard and I get off at 2:30 in the morning. There's no way I can get home or get back to work if they go on strike -- I can't get there," he said.
Other riders say keeping the transit system running is crucial, because they would lose pay or -- or even their jobs -- if they can't get to work.
Steve Sydek, of Tacony, is only an occasional Septa rider but knows how disruptive a work stoppage can be.
"When Septa goes on strike, it is absolutely a nightmare for riders of Septa," he notes. "They have to carpool, and it's just a disaster for the city."