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RON TARVER / Staff Photographer

Like many dealing with the strike, sisters Napol (front) and Alice Wills get ready for a new way home from Central High School.

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READER FEEDBACK

SEPTA strike becomes a test of commuting skills

By Jennifer Lin, Susan Snyder, and Martha Woodall

Inquirer Staff Writers

For commuters, the second day of the SEPTA strike was a test of their ingenuity, patience and, in the case of some rail riders, nerves.

Alicia Boyd, 40, a data-entry clerk, boarded an inbound R5 regional train before 7 a.m. at Overbrook Station. Immediately, she could smell burning rubber. Passengers in the first car were moved to the one behind, moments before the first car burst into flames, she said.

The fire was electrical and not the result of sabotage, SEPTA said. No one was injured, but the emergency rattled riders already frazzled by the strike. Passengers in a packed car behind the burning one had to kick open windows to climb out.

"The whole front car was black and melting," Boyd said. "It was incredible."

The shutdown of bus, subway, and trolley service in the city continues to upend people's lives and strain roads as well as SEPTA's still-functioning Regional Rail system.

Hundreds of thousands of commuters have had to adapt in sometimes creative, desperate ways.

Jamir Solomon, 15, a sophomore at the Charter High School for Architecture and Design, reached into his closet for the skateboard he had not touched in a year. He rode it from his family's home in Pennsport more than two miles to his school, at 675 Sansom St. in Center City.

"My stepdad told me I had to come" to school, Solomon said. "I had no choice in the matter. It's better than walking."

De-Sean Fennell, 16, a junior at Roman Catholic High School, has never missed a day of school. Not willing to let SEPTA ruin his perfect record, he walked more than eight miles from his North Philadelphia home Tuesday.

He took the train yesterday, but still expected to walk home from tennis practice in East Falls - a 30-minute hike.

The strike, he said, "pretty much affects my whole life."

Public school students were off Tuesday for the election, making yesterday a better measure of the strike's impact. About 35,000 district students use mass transit.

But the addition of those riders did not overwhelm the system, said MaryAnn Tierney, the city's emergency manager. Yesterday "was pretty much the same as" the first day of the strike, she said.

The Philadelphia School District reported that attendance at neighborhood and magnet high schools was down about 16 percent.

Many students arrived at their schools exceptionally early, dropped off by parents who needed to get to work themselves. And many parents, bracing for a tough rush hour home, inquired about picking up their children later than usual.

Rob Wonderling, president of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, warned that the strike was causing short-term and long-term damage to the city's economy.

When people have to change their commuting habits, arriving later or leaving earlier, they don't frequent downtown shops as much during the day, he said.

Wonderling added that the strike would hurt productivity as workers worried about getting to work on time.

But more damaging, he said, is the hit to the city's image. By coincidence, on the first day of the strike, the chamber was hosting a delegation of foreign journalists who cover shipping and ports.

"It's a black eye in our ability to market the region as a world-class place to do business," Wonderling said.

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Comments

Posted 07:47 AM, 11/05/2009

fozziebear

TWU234 is a bunch of selfish jerks! I hope you all get less than what was offered. You will never be able to recoup the money you are losing everyday. You all must have money in the bank to help sustain you through the strike.

Posted 08:24 AM, 11/05/2009

Philly City Dweller

I applaud the students who have adapted to this bad situation. Skateboarding, biking and even walking to get to school. This city has something of which to be proud along with the Phillies. These students who know the value of their education and don't want to miss school. Willie Brown needs to realize who gets hurt in this strike.

Posted 09:02 AM, 11/05/2009

Kitty_Carlyle

I hope this strike is long enough for the union members to start losing their own cars and homes. They deserve it for being greedy and selfish. There are a lot of people who could do their jobs. probably better. They are nothing special.

Posted 09:16 AM, 11/05/2009

ciz34

PCD, completely agree. It's the people already in the toughest situations that suffer the most from this strike. Due to the obvious financial crisis this city (and most other cities) is in, an 11-12% pay raise over 5 years and already impressive benefits seems like an INCREDIBLE deal to pass up. I spent over $100,000 dollars on a college education that I am paying off right now and make the same amount of money that most of the bus drivers are making, yet I have far less in the way of benefits and pension. If I were Mayor Nutter I would set a precedent today: Previous best offer is on the table today (11.5% pay increase over 5 years, etc..), take it or leave it. Tomorrow 11% increase, Saturday 10.5%, Sunday 10%. If nothing is accepted by Sunday at noon, start the firing process and inform the city that effective immediately 5,000 new jobs are available. Benefits of these new job openings include: great starting pay, pension plan and on-the-job training. I'm sure they wont have much trouble filling those positions with people that are happy and very grateful to have the opportunity to work in an economic environment like this.

Posted 09:31 AM, 11/05/2009

concerns25

We can wait them out, if pension and the repairs are the only problem, then let them stay on strike. Willie Brown should be voted out of office in 10 months, he is a horrible negotiator. If the companies that make repairs don't do a great job, that is wonderful, the sleeping night mechanics can wake up and do their jobs. Move the pensions to 401ks and let them decide how to invest just like the rest of us, some of us lost no money or very little because we did not rely on someone else doing our investing. This should be the last offer before a State takeover and firing of all current employees. If a strike goes on for 30 or more days that is enough time to put a new plan in place and hire all new people, preferably no unions.

Posted 09:52 AM, 11/05/2009

theresa31

Wouldn't it be nice if "We The People"could find a law firm to take on SEPTA and sue them for everything we lost because of this strike.We did it with H&R block and Jackson Hewitt.

Posted 10:05 AM, 11/05/2009

concerns25

They are at will employees at this point, no contract, they are like everyone else. The State can takeover Septa or Septa can declare bankruptcy and restructure. Why do you need a union in this day and age, OSHA is for work rules and EEOC is for wage/discrimination disputes, you are paying union dues for what. As long as they are paid with State and Federal funds, the union workers can be replaced, they walked away from a mediator and State rep trying to broker a deal. This is a great deal in this economy, why didn't they go for a 2 year deal until the economy turns around and then negotiate for a better longer deal when they have something to bargin with. They just lost all their bargining power.

Posted 10:46 AM, 11/05/2009

The_Unknown-Poster

There's nothing new with bike riders not obeying the traffic lights. Alot do that even without a strike.

Posted 12:32 PM, 11/05/2009

intelliwoman

Kitty_Carlyle They won't lose anything, they're still collecting a paycheck from the union strike fund

Posted 12:36 PM, 11/05/2009

reibee

Let's go on strike against Willie Brown and the TWU234 don't sell them any goods or services! I wish that were possible! But seriously this strike needs to end! They should all be fired! Write Governor Rendell and pressure him to step in and force and end to this ridiculous situation! He should have done that with in hours of this strike happening! Here is his contact page, everyone who is fed up please write him! http://www.governor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/contact/2998