This summer, Transit Forward Philadelphia partnered with Jalyn Smith and Sydney Wieczkowski to research transit equity in Philly. Check out their projects below:
By Jalyn Smith
My name is Jalyn Smith, and I am a Master of Public Health student concentrating in Health Management and Policy at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health. Through this project with Transit Forward Philadelphia, I explored how transportation, neighborhood conditions, and environmental factors intersect with public health and health equity. The experience strengthened my understanding of how transportation decisions can shape access to essential resources and reinforced the importance of using clear, accessible data to support healthier and more equitable communities.
Assessment of SEPTA's New Bus Network Phase 1: Balancing Transit Efficiency and Health Equity in Greater Philadelphia
By Sydney Wieczkowski
I'm an Executive Master of Public Health (MPH) student in my second year at Drexel University. I was interested in this topic because through my coursework, I've learned about social determinants of health and how non-medical conditions can have an influence on health and wellbeing. Especially in urban settings, transportation can impact many factors of health, such as accessibility to care, built environment, and social support. I wanted to explore the SEPTA New Bus Network as it will have a large impact on Philadelphia, and I wanted to understand any health benefits and/or risks to the bus rider population.
Phase 1 of the SEPTA New Bus Network was implemented on August 23, 2026, marking the largest bus network overhaul in Philadelphia since 1968 (Fitzgerald, 2026a). The New Bus Network aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness through restructuring the bus system so that it better serves the current bus rider population (SEPTA, 2026b). This restructuring involves the creation of two new routes, six route extensions, seven eliminated bus routes, frequency improvements, and realignments (SEPTA, 2026b).
The proposed bus route changes are expected to improve Philadelphia's public transportation system. This is important, as SEPTA is the 6th largest U.S. transit system and has served about 4 million people with an average of 800,000 daily trips (SEPTA, 2026a). Considering the Greater Philadelphia population's reliance on SEPTA, any change such as the New Bus Network will have impacts beyond public transportation improvements; this plan will also have impacts on the economy, quality of life, environment, health, and wellbeing. It is therefore important to consider how the New Bus Network may impact more vulnerable populations which rely on SEPTA's bus services.
As part of its approach to the New Bus Network, SEPTA conducted a Service Equity Analysis on the scheduled changes to determine any inequitable impacts of the plan. Through this analysis, they explored implications for bus route changes among categorized non-minority vs. minority routes, and non-low income vs. low-income routes. They reported that nine of the minority routes are expected to see their service hours decrease by a greater proportion than the non-minority routes, which highlights a disparate impact on minority populations (SEPTA, 2026d). SEPTA also found that reductions in weekly service hours on 12 low-income routes will have a disproportionate burden on low-income populations compared to non-low-income populations (SEPTA, 2026d).
Since there is an expected inequitable impact on minority and/or low-income populations from the New Bus Network, we must also consider the health implications for these populations. In a health impact analysis of selected neighborhoods that are affected by Phase 1 bus changes, and which are considered minority and low-income, Philadelphia adults relied on public transportation at a larger rate than the national average (PolicyMap, n.d.; U.S. Census Bureau, 2025a). These neighborhoods also experienced elevated rates of high blood pressure, obesity, and asthma (PolicyMap, n.d).
High blood pressure is an important health indicator to consider. The national average of adults with high blood pressure is 48.1%; of this percentage, only 59.2% are aware that they have it, which means there could be many adults who are at risk of untreated or worsening hypertension without intervention (CDC, 2025). Obesity is also important to consider as it can increase the risk of other serious health outcomes, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer (Emmerich et al., 2024). Finally, asthma cases are most prevalent among adults below 100% of the poverty threshold, indicating that the prevalence of asthma could disproportionately affect those experiencing poverty (CDC, 2025).
The New Bus Network can positively influence health in a few ways. The proposed changes are expected to create more transfers between transportation modes (like buses and subways), which may increase active travel and walking for transportation (Stankov et al., 2020). Increased physical activity can lead to health benefits and related behaviors, which could be an important factor for populations experiencing elevated rates of obesity, asthma, and high blood pressure. The New Bus Network can also lead to a better commuter experience. Buses are expected to run faster and more efficiently, which can improve the attractiveness and ease of taking public transit (McDonnell & Zellner, 2011). Increased utilization of SEPTA's services can have economic and environmental benefits. Environmental benefits, such as decreased traffic congestion and less pollution, can subsequently lead to improved health outcomes.
Although the benefits of the New Bus Network can positively impact bus riders' health and wellbeing, there are some negative impacts which may derail these benefits. Some of the Phase 1 changes will require new transfers to other buses or subways which may increase the chances of delays or missed connections, leading to anger and frustration (Fitzgerald, 2026b). The public may also be unaware of the extent of the changes, which could bring significant changes to their daily commute and make it harder to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, etc. It is important to understand where the gaps in knowledge are regarding the SEPTA New Bus Network.
The New Bus Network also has potential for negative impacts on accessibility. Elimination of bus routes can affect some bus riders' access to new routes or contribute to a broader distrust of the Phase 1 Changes. The increase in transfers can also be inaccessible, especially towards riders such as the elderly and/or disabled as not all metro stations are ADA accessible, and the conditions of the surrounding sidewalks could pose a risk (Fitzgerald, 2026b). The cost of transfers could also be a barrier to access, as those who pay for bus fares by cash or Quick Trip need to pay for each trip, including the transfers (SEPTA, 2026c). This could lead to an inequity in benefits of the SEPTA New Bus Network, as it may favor those of higher income levels or those who do not need to take transfers in their commute.
Because the New Bus Network has been implemented recently, there is no data available yet to evaluate the actual health and ridership impacts. However, there are actions SEPTA can take now to promote positive health impacts and minimize adverse health effects. SEPTA should continue to hold community events, public hearings, and virtual meetings as they did during the proposal process, as it is important to keep the community informed, hear from stakeholders and bus riders, and learn about any areas of improvement (SEPTA, 2026e). They should collaborate with community health workers, businesses, hospitals, schools, and other local organizations to reach further audiences. Collaborating with community members will allow bus riders to get information from trusted sources and may help residents better navigate the challenges of the New Bus Network changes.
SEPTA and public health stakeholders should also continuously monitor ridership rates, service hours, and health outcome data on bus routes affected by the Phase 1 changes. Through this monitoring, SEPTA and its stakeholders can determine if any areas are facing disproportionate impacts of the New Bus Network. It is important that SEPTA consider its role as a determinant of health, and understand the impact their services can have on vulnerable populations which may be disproportionately affected by their efficiency changes.
All in all, SEPTA and public health stakeholders are well positioned to establish baseline monitoring now, while the Phase 1 changes have just been implemented, so that future evaluations can meaningfully assess whether predicted disparities and equity issues materialize. Continued community engagement, targeted outreach to vulnerable neighborhoods, and a health-in-all policies approach to future public transportation policy will be essential to ensure that efficiency upgrades to SEPTA's bus system do not come at the expense of the populations most dependent on it.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Health outcomes measure definitions. PLACES: Local Data for Better Health. https://www.cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions/health-outcomes.html
Emmerich, S. D., Fryar, C. D., Stierman, B., & Ogden, C. L. (2024). Obesity and severe obesity prevalence in adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 508). National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db508.htm
Fitzgerald, T. (2026a, August 22). SEPTA's bus route overhaul is here. Ready? The Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/septa-bus-route-changes-august-2026-phase-one-20260822.html
Fitzgerald, T. (2026b, August 24). SEPTA drivers fear screaming riders and chaotic commutes as bus overhaul takes effect. The Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/septa-bus-route-changes-operators-20260824.html
McDonnell, S., & Zellner, M. (2011). Exploring the effectiveness of bus rapid transit: A prototype agent-based model of commuting behavior. Transport Policy, 18(6), 825–835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2011.05.003
PolicyMap. (n.d.). PolicyMap: Mapping, analytics, and data visualization. Retrieved August 26, 2026, from https://www.policymap.com/
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. (2026a). About SEPTA. https://www.septa.org/about/
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. (2026b). Coming soon: SEPTA's new bus network. https://www.septa.org/initiatives/bus/
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. (2026c). Fares. https://www.septa.org/fares/
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. (2026d). Fiscal Year 2027 annual service plan [PDF]. https://www.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/page/communication/SEPTA-FY27_ASPBook_Aug2026.pdf
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. (2026e, March 11). SEPTA announces proposed implementation schedule for new bus network [Press release]. https://www.septa.org/news/proposed-implementation-schedule-new-bus-network/
Stankov, I., Garcia, L. M. T., Mascolli, M. A., Montes, F., Meisel, J. D., Gouveia, N., Sarmiento, O. L., Rodriguez, D. A., Hammond, R. A., Caiaffa, W. T., & Diez Roux, A. V. (2020). A systematic review of empirical and simulation studies evaluating the health impact of transportation interventions. Environmental Research, 186, Article 109519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109519
U.S. Census Bureau. (2025a, September 22). United States commuting at a glance: American Community Survey 1-year estimates. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/commuting/guidance/acs-1yr.html
