A Mild Rant - SEPTA Strike And Media Information

I don't know if anybody has noticed this, but with all the hype over the SEPTA strike and the TWU being the largest union, it's fallen to the shadows that UTU Local 1594 (representing the Red Arrow operators at Victory Depot) is also walking the picket lines. So far, I've not seen any media outlets acknowledge that fact.

This brings up another point: SEPTA actually has THREE contracts to hammer out to end this labor dispute:

1. An agreement for UTU 1594 (Red Arrow Division)
2. An agreement for TWU 234 (City Division)
3. An agreement for TWU 234 (Frontier Division)....although that bargaining unit usually follows suit with the City with some minor differences.

My second rant of the day:

The media is going all out on telling us what is and is not operating here. And unless people think that the PHLASH tourist "trolley", PATCO, NJ Transit, and Amtrak is part of SEPTA, then there's no need to mention that they are operating. What they ARE dropping the ball on, is what is still operating for SEPTA. They have been good about mentioning that all Regional Rail Lines are operating, along with the LUCY. But they forgot that the following three SEPTA bus routes ARE still operating, and are NOT affected by the strike:

Route 204 is operating.

Route 310 is operating (with trips are being diverted to North Hills Station to meet R5 Regional Rail trains, instead of going to Willow Grove).

Route 314 is operating.

Of course, along with the LUCY (Route 316) and the Cornwells Heights Station parking shuttle (Route 312), these routes are operated by various private operators under contract to SEPTA, including a seperate TWU bargaining unit of part-time operators not affected by the walkout.

And that's my $2 for the day.

The feeder routes that are still running are quite specialized routes (excepting LUCY, which has been reported as running). The folks who need to know they're running, and diverted to the RRD instead of CTD bus hubs, are the people who work at employers in the areas served, and who already ride the bus already. I have no doubt the employers have kept their people informed.

There's few if any people who could use these routes as an alternative who didn't use them before the strike.

Actually, the LUCY has become an even more important connector service during the strike. While the buses were well patronized before the strike, the buses are now packed to gills with workers from the college and health care offices in University City.

I live near 44th and Baltimore and need to get to AMTRAK every day.
While LUCY begins too late for me in the morning, I usually take it to 38th or 40th street at night for a shorter walk home

mannynews,

i have to ride AMTRAK each morning as well, and getting to/from 30th has been an issue. Acutally, getting to 30th is harder for me than getting home, because as a part time Drexel Student, I've been able to use the drexel/penn shuttle bus.

How have you been making ti to 30th in the AMs?