CVPI19

Nov 2 2009, 03:15 AM

When SEPTA start the charter routes a.k.a. the 400 series and why were they created? Plus where is the location of the old Luzerene district and what became of the property after SEPTA closed it?

CVPI19

Nov 2 2009, 03:15 AM

When SEPTA start the charter routes a.k.a. the 400 series and why were they created? Plus where is the location of the old Luzerene district and what became of the property after SEPTA closed it?

MichaelBug

Nov 3 2009, 08:35 AM

CVPI19

Nov 2 2009, 03:15 AM

When SEPTA start the charter routes a.k.a. the 400 series and why were they created? Plus where is the location of the old Luzerene district and what became of the property after SEPTA closed it?

The "400" routes came about sometime in the mid 1980's when federal regulations went into effect which prohibited SEPTA & other transit systems from running school-only service with any vehicles bought with federal funding. (The rules basically state that any school trips have to be also open to the general public, at least in theory.) SEPTA (& earlier, PTC) had actually operated the school trips for decades previously.

The early timetables referred to the 400 routes as "Specially Routed Service" without route numbers. AFAIK, it was around 1988 or 1989 that SEPTA first began listing the routes as "400-series" routes.

If you look at a timetable for a 400-series route, you'll notice that the names of the schools it serves are never mentioned. Interestingly, LANTA in the Lehigh Valley also has 400-series routes for its similar school operations.

silverliner_2

Nov 8 2009, 07:16 AM

MichaelBug

Nov 3 2009, 08:35 AM

CVPI19

Nov 2 2009, 03:15 AM

When SEPTA start the charter routes a.k.a. the 400 series and why were they created? Plus where is the location of the old Luzerene district and what became of the property after SEPTA closed it?

The "400" routes came about sometime in the mid 1980's when federal regulations went into effect which prohibited SEPTA & other transit systems from running school-only service with any vehicles bought with federal funding. (The rules basically state that any school trips have to be also open to the general public, at least in theory.) SEPTA (& earlier, PTC) had actually operated the school trips for decades previously.

The early timetables referred to the 400 routes as "Specially Routed Service" without route numbers. AFAIK, it was around 1988 or 1989 that SEPTA first began listing the routes as "400-series" routes.

If you look at a timetable for a 400-series route, you'll notice that the names of the schools it serves are never mentioned. Interestingly, LANTA in the Lehigh Valley also has 400-series routes for its similar school operations.

To add, Pittsburgh's Port Authority Transit managed to skirt a loophole in the regulations and what school trippers they ran simply got re-designated as short trippers of the regular line routes they operated over, displaying regular route numbers and destinations. Most afternoon school trippers were not in the public timetables, and simply operate as extras along with the line service, as they all operated inbound to downtown...

As with here in Philly...the regulars know to avoid the school trippers and don't use them anyway.

Erie's EMTA still runs school-only service with selected buses equipped with the addition of the flashing lights and stop signs you see on regular school buses. At other times of the day and week and year, they run regular transit service. EMTA usually outfits the oldest buses in their fleet with these lights. Back in 1990, it was a number of their PA-funded Neoplan AN440's that got the lights. As time went on, the torch of school duty moved to their Orion I fleet. Currently, their RTS fleet and some of the oldest New Flyer D40LF and D35LF buses wear the school bus lights....