Philadelphia ranked first in the nation for closest bus stops, according to a new analysis by the Works in Progress transit blog, writes Mike D’Onofrio for AXIOS Philadelphia.
SEPTA bus stops are spaced an average of 564 feet apart, edging out Pittsburgh at 623 feet and Chicago at 673 feet to take the top position. The study examined 43 major cities, where the overall average distance between stops was 1,026 feet.
However, closely spaced bus stops present both advantages and drawbacks for riders. They can lead to slower and less reliable service while also increasing operational costs. Consequently, ridership may decrease, making buses less competitive with other transit options.
Philadelphia has shortened the spacing between bus stops in recent years, with SEPTA and the city adding measures to improve speed, such as dedicated red bus lanes and AI cameras to catch vehicles illegally blocking the lanes.
Further changes are set to arrive with SEPTA’s much-anticipated bus network redesign, which is scheduled to roll out later this year.
Read more about how Philadelphia fares bus stop distances compared to other major U.S. cities in AXIOS Philadelphia.
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