Philadelphia's 31 bus is being cut. We took SEPTA's alternate route — a 23-minute walk, then a bus and train.
In just days, SEPTA will start eliminating 32 bus routes as part of broad cuts stemming from the transit agency's $213 million budget shortfall. The state legislature has yet to agree on how to fund mass transit in Pennsylvania.
While talks continue, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro, SEPTA says its plans are going forward.
Among the routes slated to be cut starting Aug. 24 is the Route 31 bus. We decided to hop on this week and take an alternate route that will still be running post-cuts to see the difference riders may face.
On Wednesday, the Route 31 picked us up at the northeast corner of City Hall at 10:02 a.m., starting our lengthy journey west. The 31 is one of the longest bus routes in SEPTA's network, cutting through parts of University City, up to Mantua, through various neighborhoods in West Philadelphia, and ending near 76th and City Avenue.
It's also the highest-ridership route on the chopping block for August. SEPTA officials tell CBS News Philadelphia that around 4,000 people use this bus daily.
Among them was Marybeth, who, when we talked with her, was sitting next to a full-length mirror, in the process of moving to her new home. It's a home she chose specifically because of the convenience of the 31.
"I'm 65, I thought, I want a bus to get downtown. It's right across the street from where I'm moving," Marybeth said. "And then I find out literally the month that I'm moving … so I'm really bummed."
Many riders, though, tell us they've been preparing for the cuts and are working out their plans. Shonda says she's long taken the 31 to her retail job. Her new route is less than ideal.
"I have to take the 38, ride down 69th Street, even though that's out of my way," Shonda said. "So I'm glad I'm only working three days. Every day? Ugh."
Tynia says she's recently been catching the 31 to head to Drexel for engineering classes. She believes she can find other ways to get to the school. She does have access to a car. But, aside from noting the traffic and parking cost, there's another problem.
"Right now, my car's in the shop. So it's a lot going on," Tynia said. "I have to find a way to as well."
As we worked our way through the 70-plus stops on the route, we reached our destination near 76th and City Ave at 11:13 a.m. Total time was an hour and 11 minutes, but we did stop for a good five minutes for a double-parked car blocking Market Street. So we'll call it an hour and six minutes, end to end.
Now it was time for our return trip, using only lines that will still be available following the cuts. And that began with a walk.
From 76th, we headed toward 75th and Haverford to link up with the Route 65 bus. The 65 would drop us at the 69th Street Transit Center, then on to the Market-Frankford Line to get back to Center City.
But from the jump, the walk alone was 23 minutes. Still, SEPTA officials say this would give us the quickest path to City Hall.
If riders want a shorter walk, they can take the soon-to-be-combined 105/106 bus to 69th Street. But SEPTA officials say it's a longer route to the transit hub. The 103 bus is also an option, but it operates on an hourly schedule.
"Unless you've timed it out or are catching the bus as it comes, you're most likely waiting another hour," Marquise Williams, a service planner for SEPTA, said.
So we went with the quick route. After the 23-minute walk, it was only a four-minute wait for the 65. Then a six-minute jump to 69th Street, where we caught the El right away. Nineteen minutes later, we were back at City Hall.
The total time for our return trip was just 56 minutes, saving us time compared to our trip out. While that may look good on the surface, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
For starters, a 23-minute walk isn't for everyone. Again, there are alternatives, but they take longer than the 65 bus.
We also went from taking one bus to complete our trip to having to walk, catch a bus and then switch to the subway.
Our return route also wouldn't work for everyone. Riders in Mantua and Overbrook Park, currently serviced by the 31, wouldn't practically be able to take the El to and from their destinations. SEPTA officials say those areas will now be serviced by a realigned 38 bus and the combined 105/106, respectively.
But probably the biggest factor is that, starting Sunday, you likely won't catch these alternate routes as quickly as we did.
"We have 20% reduction on a number of our routes," Williams said.
Both the El and Route 65 bus will see those reductions starting Sunday, meaning the trip we took will likely be longer next week.
The bottom line is that, starting next week, many people's commutes will likely be more complicated as these cuts take effect. Even though SEPTA says it could reverse the cuts when state funding comes, there's no word on when that may happen.
SEPTA is directing riders to its online trip planner, noting that setting the date after Aug. 25 will display new routes with the eliminated buses removed. Riders can also call the transit authority's customer service line for help. But the key is to have a plan ready before the cuts take effect.
"Please plan ahead. Smile at your SEPTA operators," Williams said. "We're doing the best we can."