In anticipation of a surge in ridership this fall, SEPTA has begun adding more services across the system. The returning buses, trolleys, and rail lines will bring its reach nearly to pre-pandemic levels, writes Hannah Kanik for PhillyVoice.

Starting this week, the transportation authority is implementing new transit schedules for buses and trolleys, as well as the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line, and Norristown High Speed Line. Also, on Sept. 5, Regional Rail will go back to its pre-pandemic schedules.

Overall, the service will reach 93 percent of the operations it had before the pandemic upended area commuting habits and needs.

But ridership is recovering slowly. SEPTA has yet to see numbers rebound from the drastic decrease it faced during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, ridership is still under half of where it was.

Regional Rail will increase to 65 percent of pre-pandemic levels on weekdays, as well as 53 percent on weekends. The Cynwyd Line will return with limited service; SEPTA will add select express trips on the Paoli/Thorndale, Lansdale/Doylestown, Warminster, West Trenton, and Wilmington/Newark lines.

Additionally, the rail service is offering riders discounts on weekly passes in an effort to draw more people back onboard.

Read more about SEPTA at PhillyVoice.