SEPTA offers advice in case of strike

"Expect crowding and possible delays."

That's the message from SEPTA as it advises passengers on how to cope with a strike if it fails to reach an agreement with city bus, subway, and trolley operators by next Sunday.

This week, SEPTA will distribute a guide for riders "in the event of a service interruption."

The essence of the advice? Take the train.

A strike would not affect Regional Rail service because its crews work under separate union contracts. But many SEPTA trains are already packed, and an influx of displaced riders would likely create overcrowding and late trains.

SEPTA urged employers to give workers flexible schedules to ease the crush during peak hours. And it would honor weekly and monthly TransPasses for travel to all Regional Rail stations within the city, except Forest Hills and Somerton on the R3-Trenton line.

To try to prevent chaos, SEPTA would hold afternoon peak-hour riders on the concourses at Suburban Station, Market East Station, 30th Street Station, University City, and Temple University and collect fares before they boarded.

Buy a pass or ticket in advance, SEPTA said, because no cash purchases would be permitted on board during morning and evening peak periods (trains arriving at 30th Street, Suburban, and Market East Stations between 6 and 9:30 a.m. or departing them between 4 and 6:30 p.m.).

During a strike, Suburban Transit buses, trolleys, Route 100 (the Norristown High-Speed Line), the LUCY (Loop Through University City) Green and Gold buses, and paratransit service also would continue to operate.

SEPTA's contract with Transport Workers Union Local 234 expires at 12:01 a.m. next Sunday, and the sides remain far apart in negotiations.

The contract, which covers about 4,700 operators and mechanics in the City Transit Division, will set the pattern for negotiations with SEPTA's other unions and could influence negotiations between the city and its unions.

SEPTA city bus, subway, and trolley operators earn from $14.54 to $24.24 per hour, reaching the top rate after four years. Mechanics earn $14.40 to $27.59 an hour.

TWU members contribute 1 percent of their pay to medical insurance.

Contracts expire in early April for about 720 SEPTA employees in the Suburban Transit Division.

SEPTA unions have gone on strike 11 times in the last 33 years. The last strike by the TWU, in 2005, lasted seven days.