March 11, 2026
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
SEPTA will implement changes to bus routes and schedules in three phases, with the first one in August.
SEPTA will begin rolling out its plan to redesign the city's bus routes in August, the transit agency said Wednesday.
Formerly known as the Bus Revolution, the New Bus Network initiative will include cuts to 16 routes, faster service on 21 others and two new ones. It will be implemented in three phases — in August, February 2027 and June 2027.
Bus Revolution, the first comprehensive redesign of the network in SEPTA's 63-year history, was initially approved in May 2024. SEPTA said that approval came after years of gathering community input from 150 in-person events, 40 virtual meetings and 10 public hearings in which 20,000 residents offered feedback.
The initiative was put on pause due to the transit agency's funding crisis, but it will now be implemented following a hearing on April 15 and a board vote in May.
By June 2027, when the plan is fully operational, SEPTA said the number of routes with trips every 15 minutes or less will go from eight to 29. During Phase 1, 10 routes will get additional trips during mid-day hours, late nights and weekends. To do this, SEPTA plans to eliminate routes which have duplicate service from multiple buses or have low usage.
The plan also includes two new routes to meet increasing demand. Route 72 will move from east to west on Cheltenham Avenue from the Frankford Transportation Center to Cedarbrook Plaza. Route 76 will go from north to south from Crescentville to Fishtown to Center City on Columbus Boulevard.
Here's what's coming in each phase:
Phase 1 (August 2026): Geared toward riders in South Philadelphia, Kensington, Juniata, the Cheltenham and Lancaster Avenue corridors and Roxborough.
• Addition of Routes 72 and 76, and extensions of Routes 45, 53, 60, 61, 79 and 105
• More frequent trips on Routes 6, 46, 47, 49, 57 and 64
• Improved efficiency for Routes 25, 57, 49, 64 and 105
• Reduced service for Routes 4, 32, 39, 54 and 73
• Changes to Routes 17, 44 and 52 to improve efficiency and increase ridership
• Elimination of Routes 35, 47M, 62, 78, 80, 89 and 106
Phase 2 (February 2027):
• Extending the Direct Bus service between Frankford Transit Center and Wissahickon Transit Center as well as Route 43 to the 69th Street Transit Center
• Adding two new SEPTA Go services in Chester County
• Adding Route 142 in Chester County
• Improved efficiency for Routes 3, 5, 22, 33, 51 and 94
• Elimination of Routes 1, 30, 92, 150, 201, 204 and 206
Phase 3 (June 2027):
• Adding new SEPTA Go service in Montgomery County
• Improved efficiency for Routes 95, 97, 98, 99 and 131
• New route for Route 93
• Elimination of Routes 90 and 139
