SEPTA Moves To Lifeline Service Schedule, Closing Stations, Limiting All Transportation Modes

Greg Argos reports.

KENNEY SAID ANYTHING ISPOSSIBLE.THE MAYOR WILL PRESENT A NEWBUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL ONMAY 1ST.WE LEARNED TODAY OF A THIRDSEPTA EMPLOYEE WHO HAS DIED FROMCOVID-19.AT LEAST 48 OTHERS HAVE IT.COME TOMORROW, SEPTA IS SCALINGBACK BIG TIME TO SLOW THE SPREADAND PROTECT WORKERS.THERE ARE CHANGES FOR THOSE WHOWILL BE RIDING.SOME BELIEVE THIS IS TOO LITTLETOO LATE.GREG ARGOS HAS THE STORY THAT'SALL NEW AT 10:00.Reporter: THURSDAY, ONE OFTHE LARGEST MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMSIN THE COUNTRY IS EFFECTIVELYCUTTING ITS SERVICE IN HALF.BASED AROUND THE SPINE OF OURSYSTEM WHICH ARE OUR SUB WAYS.Reporter: LESLEY RICHARDS THEGENERAL MANAGER OF SEPTA SAYSTHIS REDUCED SO-CALLED LIFE LINESERVICE SCHEDULE WILL CLOSE MORETHAN 18 SUBWAY STATIONS.ONLY BUSES AND TROLLEYS ON 60CORE ROUTES WILL OPERATE.REGIONAL RAIL SERVICE WILL BESUSPENDED ON SIX LINES.SHORTENED ON TWO OTHERS, ANDIT'S ALL INTENDED FOR ESSENTIALTRAVEL ONLY.EVERYONE ELSE, WE'RE ASKINGYOU TO STAY HOME.Reporter: RICHARDS ALSOPOINTS OUT ALL FRONT-LINEEMPLOYEES, LIKE DRIVERS ANDCASHIERS, NOW HAVE ACCESS TOMASKS AND OTHER PERSONALPROTECTION EQUIPMENT.AND STARTING THURSDAY, ANYONERIDING THE SYSTEM MUST ALSO WEARSOME FORM OF A FACE COVERING.THEY'RE GOING TO ENFORCE, SONOT ONLY CAN AN OPERATOR OF AVEHICLE REFUSE A RIDER WHO DOESNOT HAVE A MASK ON, WE WILL ALSOHAVE MEMBERS OF OUR TRANSITPOLICE MAKING SURE.IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE, YOUKNOW, GOING BACK TO JUST BEINGMORE PROACTIVE.MICHAEL IS A CASHIER ON THEBROAD STREET LINE.HE'S BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR THEPAST TWO WEEKS BUT SAYS INITIALSAFETY PRECAUTIONS WERE NOT INPLACE.IT WAS MORE LIKE LET'S JUSTWAIT AND SEE.Reporter: BUT NOW WITH THREECONFIRMED SEPTA EMPLOYEE DEATHSBECAUSE OF COVID-19, HE WISHESTHESE PROACTIVE MEASURES WEREROLLED OUT WHEN THE VIRUSOUTBREAK BEGAN.IT'S KIND OF LIKE A LITTLEYOU KNOW, THE VIRUS IS HEREALREADY BEEN SPREAD.FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES OF OURSAS WELL AS ALL CUSTOMERS ARETRUE HEROES HERE.Reporter: RICHARDSUNDERSTANDS THE CONCERNS ANDHOPES THE REDUCTION IN SERVICEHELPS LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THISDEADLY VIRUS.THIS SCHEDULE IS TO PROTECTOUR CUSTOMERS BUT ALSO TOPROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES JUST ASMUCH.Reporter: THE LIFE LINESERVICE SCHEDULE GOES INTOEFFECT BRIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAYMORNING.THERE ARE MANY CHANGES AND WE'VEPOSTED A LINK ON OUR WEB SITE