Editing SEPTA (section)

{{Short description|Public transportation authority}}
{{redirect|Septa}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox public transit
| box_width = 
| name = Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
| image = SEPTA text.svg
| caption = 
| alt = Angled white "S" with the word SEPTA in blue underneath. The background to the left of the "S" is blue and red on the right.
| imagesize = 100px
| area served = [[Philadelphia]] and the surrounding regions in [[Pennsylvania]], as well as limited services in [[New Castle County, Delaware]] and [[Mercer County, New Jersey]]
| locale = [[Delaware Valley]]
| transit_type = {{flat list|
* [[Commuter rail]]
* [[light rail]] [[Tram|trolleys]]
* [[rapid transit]]
* [[trolleybus]]
* [[transit bus]]
}}
| lines = 196
| stations = 290
| daily_ridership = {{American transit ridership|PA Philadelphia total daily}} ({{American transit ridership|dailydate}}){{American transit ridership|dailycitation}}
| annual_ridership = 223.5 million (2020)<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget"/>
| headquarters = 1234 [[Market Street (Philadelphia)|Market Street]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| chief_executive = Scott Sauer (Interim General Manager)
| key_people = Chairman<br />Pasquale T. Deon Sr.<ref name="board">{{Cite web |title=SEPTA &#124; Board Members |url=http://www.septa.org/about/board/members.html |website=www.septa.org|date=June 16, 2023 }}</ref><br />Vice Chairman<br />Thomas E. Babcock<ref name="board" />
| website = [https://www.septa.org/ septa.org]
| began_operation = {{start date|1965|11|1}}
| vehicles = 2,897 (2018)<ref name="FTA2018">{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2019 |title=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 2018 Agency Profile |url=https://cms7.fta.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2018/30019.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2020 |publisher=[[FTA National Transit Database]] (NTD) |page=1 |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522004029/https://cms7.fta.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2018/30019.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| map = [[File:Philadelphia Transit and Commuter Rail System.png|alt=Rail lines converge to Center City Philadelphia in a hub-and-spoke model|frameless]] Geographically-accurate map of SEPTA and connecting rail transit services as of 2005. Includes [[SEPTA Regional Rail|Regional Rail]], rapid transit, and selected interurban and suburban trolley lines. Does not include SEPTA's subway-surface lines or Girard streetcar.
| map_name = SEPTA system map
| map_state = <!-- show or collapsed -->
}}

'''SEPTA''', the '''Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority''', is a regional [[public transportation]] authority<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=SEPTA Enabling Legislation (74PaCS§&nbsp;1711) |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=74&div=0&chpt=17&sctn=11&subsctn=0 |publisher=Pennsylvania Legis website}}</ref> that operates [[transit bus|bus]], [[rapid transit]], [[commuter rail]], [[light rail]], and electric [[trolleybus]] services for nearly four million people throughout five counties in and around [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania. It also manages projects that maintain, replace, and expand its infrastructure, facilities, and vehicles.

SEPTA is the major transit provider for Philadelphia and four surrounding counties within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including [[Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Delaware]], [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery]], [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks]], and [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester]] counties. It is a state-created authority, with the majority of its board appointed by the five counties it serves.<ref name="crisis" /> Several SEPTA commuter rail and bus services serve [[New Castle County, Delaware]] and [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], although service to Philadelphia from [[South Jersey]] is provided by the [[PATCO Speedline]], which is run by the [[Delaware River Port Authority]], a bi-state agency, and [[NJ Transit]], which operates many bus lines and a [[Atlantic City Line|commuter rail line]] to Philadelphia.

SEPTA has the [[List of United States rapid transit systems|sixth-largest U.S. rapid transit system]] in the nation by ridership, and the fifth-largest overall transit system in the nation, with about 302 million annual unlinked trips as of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=SEPTA Operating Facts Fiscal Year 2018 |url=https://septa.org/strategic-plan/reports/2018-opfacts.pdf |website=SEPTA}}</ref> It controls 290 active stations, over {{convert|450|mi|km}} of track, 2,350 revenue vehicles, and 196 routes.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/HM/HM07/20171128/106650/HHRG-115-HM07-Wstate-NestelT-20171128.pdf | title=Testimony of Thomas J. Nestel, III, Chief of Transit Police, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA, before the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security "Securing Public Areas of Transportation Systems: Stakeholder Perspectives" | date=2017-11-28 | website=docs.house.gov}}</ref> It also oversees shared-ride services in Philadelphia and [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|ADA]] services across the region, which are operated by third-party contractors, Amtrak, and NJ Transit.

SEPTA is the only U.S. transit authority that operates all five major types of terrestrial transit vehicles: [[Commuter rail|regional commuter rail trains]], [[Rapid transit|rapid transit subway and elevated trains]], [[Light rail|light rail trolleys]], [[trolleybus]]es, and [[motorbus]]es. This title was shared with [[Boston]]'s [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]], which also ran [[ferry|ferryboat]] service, until [[trolleybuses in Greater Boston]] were discontinued in 2023, leaving SEPTA as the sole remaining U.S. transit authority operating all five terrestrial transit vehicle types.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEPTA Facts |url=http://www.septa.org/inside/facts.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509075051/http://www.septa.org/inside/facts.html |archive-date=May 9, 2008 |publisher=SEPTA |df=mdy-all}}</ref>