by KYW's vice president and general manager David Yadgaroff

Any Philadelphia area commuter who has ever fumbled in pocket or purse for a token, when the rest of the world is breezing through automated systems, has to wonder what the people who run SEPTA are thinking.

The transit agency finally, after years of prodding, has announced plans to bring its fare collection system into the 21st century. But as KYW’s Steve Tawa reported, the plans and a date when riders will finally find relief  are somewhat fuzzy.

True, sending the present antiquated fare boxes to the Smithsonian and installing a modern system is expensive. And yes, something better will probably come along in the future. 
 
But other major cities and New Jersey's Patco have been automated for decades, while SEPTA says only that it’s looking at equipment -- even as riders elsewhere are already enjoying the convenience.

It’s time for SEPTA member governments to light a fire under the agency. If you follow SEPTA logic and wait for future generations of equipment to evolve, its trolleys would still be hitched to mules.
 
To submit a comment or reply to this editorial, send an e-mail to yadgaroff@KYW.com