Coronavirus Latest: SEPTA Moving Regional Rail To Essential Schedule; PATCO Closing 4 Stations
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With more cases of the coronavirus popping up in the Philadelphia area, public transportation agencies are making changes. SEPTA announced Thursday it's reducing its Regional Rail service to an essential service schedule beginning on Sunday.
The essential service schedule means that most Regional Rail trains will operate every two hours, while the Airport Line service will run every hour.
SEPTA says 12 of the 13 Regional Lines will run seven days a week. The Cynwyd Line will only run during the workweek. The full schedule has been posted to SEPTA's website.
Regional Rail ridership dropped 94% last week, SEPTA says.
According to SEPTA, buses, trolleys and subways will continue to run on a Saturday schedule.
Last week, SEPTA implemented a hiring freeze and cut executives pay by 10%.
In South Jersey, PATCO will temporarily close four stations, beginning on Saturday. The stations are Ashland, Westmont, City Hall and 12th/13th and Locust Street.
PATCO says it's making the changes to adjust to current ridership and to help slow the spread of the virus.
The West Headhouse entrance to the Broadway Station will also close on Saturday, the transit agency says. Broadway Station riders are being asked to enter at the Walter Rand Transportation Center entrance.
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The nine other PATCO stations will remain open, but schedule adjustments are being made.
Between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. during the week, trains will run every 60 minutes. Between 4 a.m and 5 a.m., trains will operate every 30 minutes and between 5 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., trains will run every 20 minutes.
On Saturdays, PATCO trains will run every 30 minutes between 5 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. and every 60 minutes between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. All trains will operate every 60 minutes throughout Sundays.
