Our Region’s Transit Ranked First In Connectivity

In September, WalletHub recently ranked 100 U.S. cities for best and worst public transportation across three dimensions: 1) Accessibility & Convenience, 2) Safety & Reliability, and 3) Public Transit Resources. Overall, Philadelphia ranked 89th out of 100 cities for public transportation due to its relatively poor overall scores on Safety & Reliability and Public Transit Resources.

Despite the overall low score from WalletHub, Philadelphia ranked fairly high in various categories, including:

• First in the nation in the Transit Connectivity Index

• Tied for the top spot in the Airport Accessibility by Public Transit category

• Ninth out of 100 cities for Accessibility & Convenience and Safety & Reliability

• Top 10 across five categories: Share of Commuters Who Prefer Public Transport (#9), Share of Commuters Who Use Public Transit (#8), Average Car Commute Time as a Share of Average Public Transport Commute Time (#6), Transit Connectivity Index (#1), and Airport Accessibility by Public Transit (tie for #1)

It is also important to consider other research sources as well. The AllTransitTM Performance Score ranks Philadelphia 7th best out of 77 of the largest metros in the nation on connectivity, access to jobs, and frequency of service.

By 2023, SEPTA is expected to extend the Norristown High Speed Line in King of Prussia to promote regional connectivity. This new line will continue to improve our region’s public transportation infrastructure and accessibility.