Over the past few summers, the SEPTA Youth Advisory Council has provided demonstrations to students of local public transportation options, from staffing information tables at freshmen orientations to taking entire classes on the subway, giving travel tips and pointing out nearby destinations.

We traditionally distribute paper materials to students, including maps, timetables, and brochures. However, as demand changes with the changing of the season, timetables change as well. Additionally, we find that many students loose paper materials and find it inconvenient to carry them while traveling. As paper materials are both costly to SEPTA and our environment, the YAC made a formal decision to increase promotion of the new SEPTA app rather than distributing paper materials.

Available on iOS and Android devices, the SEPTA app provides the most current timetables, maps, and service information, including detours and passenger advisories. Moreover, since most students take their phone with them while traveling, the SEPTA app is available whenever help is needed.

To show students the value and capability of the SEPTA app, the YAC applied for a Summer of Service grant from Youth Service America to purchase tablets for app demonstrations. We received news in September that we were named a grant recipient with an award of $1,000!

We have since purchased 3 tablets and a smartphone for our future demonstrations.

The YAC can’t wait to share the SEPTA app with you!