SEPTA customer satisfaction scores reach all-time high
According to data from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) quarterly Customer Satisfaction Survey, the agency has never had a higher customer satisfaction score.
SEPTA notes this is the first quarterly Customer Satisfaction Survey since 2023. The survey requested feedback from riders about safety, cleanliness, reliability and other key performance indicators.
For the first quarter of 2025, more than 3,500 SEPTA customers ranked their overall satisfaction of the transit system, with the average score being a 3.5 out of five.
“These survey results show that we are prioritizing what matters most to our riders,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “Even in the face of a historic funding crisis, we continue to make significant improvements in every customer experience category, and we are committed to doing more.”
Safety and security
The SEPTA Transit Police Department has continued to implement new data-driven deployment strategies to lower crime throughout the system. According to the authority, there were reductions in seven of eight categories over the first six months of 2025.
The authority says that in addition to the progress on serious crimes, the focus on fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses by the SEPTA Transit Police Department is also showing significant progress. Overall enforcement of these incidents increased by 27 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Cleaning
SEPTA has increased its cleaning headcount by 150 since 2021. The authority now has more than 700 cleaners and maintenance personnel strategically deployed to keep stations and vehicles cleaner and respond to issues as they arise.
According to the authority, new initiatives like pit crews that perform mid-route cleaning of Market-Frankford Line cars and buses throughout the service day are being reflected in improved scores related to cleanliness. Heavy hit teams are performing scheduled deep cleanings, with 161 stations completed so far this year.
Reliability
SEPTA notes average daily ridership in May 2025 was over 768,000 trips across all modes, an increase of seven percent from May 2024. The authority says operator availability is a major factor in service performance and reliability, and the authority has worked hard to address frontline staffing shortages. Bus operator hiring is up 43 percent in 2025 from an average of approximately 40 new operators per month to 57.
The authority also focused on improving reliability for the Regional Rail network. On-time performance for the Regional Rail schedule period across all Regional Rail lines is 87 percent compared to 81 percent during the last schedule period.
The full report on the quarterly Customer Satisfaction Survey can be found on SEPTA’s website.