Text alerts for delays and more perks with SEPTA’s 2014 upgrades

By next summer, SEPTA riders will be able to use smart cards, instead of tokens, to ride buses, trolleys and subways, according SEPTA management. That’s not the only perk that comes with the upgrades, though.

Here’s a rundown of some of the new features SEPTA riders will get to experience, as reported by PlanPhilly:

• Automated text alerts for transportation delays. The SEPTA backend will learn your riding habits and use that information to send you relevant alerts.
• Quicker customer service, thanks to new video cameras that will be monitoring each station. These cameras will also automate certain processes, like when a SEPTA attendant lets passengers move to an area for riders who have already paid.
• Smart card replacement. Your data (how many rides you’ve purchased, etc.) won’t be stored on the smart card itself. It’ll be stored on SEPTA’s backend. That way, if you lose your card, SEPTA can cancel the lost card and get you a new one with the same purchase history.

Read the whole PlanPhilly story here.