Temple University - Templar Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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 TRAIN SHORTAGE AND STRIKE SET STUDENTS Many students depend on Septo os then main source of traveling. More rhan 4.700 staff but when railcar shortages and a strike occurred this year, it subways including Brood Market-Fronkford subways, trolleys and became their main source of strife. even bus services throughout the city stopped running. SEPTA announced on July 3 that they would be taking the Silverliner V Regional out of service to repair cracks in their equalizer beoms, effectively removing one-third fleet of regional rail cars. When classes began at the end of August, the rail-car shortage became an inconvenience for many students who commute to campus. One of their complaints was overcrowding on the trains, which were often filled to capacity. Temple extended their shuttle bus routes to students, faculty, and staff who presented a valid OWlcord or Health System IDs for free. Tfre bus continues to the Ambler campus and Health Sciences Center, but additional stops around the city were added to the normal route. The shuttles ran from 6 a.m. to I 1 a.m.. and from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. I never get a sect anymore, but it isn't just thot,” junior commuter Connor McDonald said at the time of the shortage. Tm always pocked into the cars uncomfortably.' Arrivals were also often delayed or cancelled forcing students to run behind schedule. 'Sometimes if the train is reolly full and running late, they just pass by the Temple stop completely, McDonald said. It wos a nightmare for students that took the train after clubs or cbsses that ended during rush hour, freshmon commuter Isabella Perri said. The trains overcrowded since many people who would take the subway or bus had to toke the train. Freshman commuter Tory Dubendorf had trouble even on Regional Rail, which remained fully functioning. 'Most of the time I hod to run to grob a seal or spot where it wasn't too crowded because people were cramming into the doors.' Dubendorf said. People who were not used to taking Regional Roil often needed to be directed, and crowding led to delays Nissa Chaudri said. 'You never know how long you will hove to wait to get a train and then they're always overcrowded anyway,' she said during the shortage. SEPTA returned to its normal train capacity roughly two months after its announcement. 1 hod to get on o really early train,' she said. 'I was late twice to my cbsses. Luckily I didn't miss a whole doss, but it was still really bod. The (train) I took home wos usually delayed by on hour.' The strike continued until Nov. 7, when SEPTA and the union reached an agreement on their contracts. Full service restored the following day. just in time for the presidential election. All functions went bock to normal, but on Nov 1. SEPTA workers went on a strike. Leoders of the Transportation Workers Union local 234 City Transit Division couldn't compromise on contract negotiations with SEPTA. Dubendorf and others said that rides since returned to normal, with no more overcrowded trains or delayed rides. WRJTTEN BY ANNA GROSS PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMC WHITE

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