NEED TO KNOW – Planning for A SEPTA Strike, Which Could Start Next Week

Plan for gridlock in and around Philadelphia next week, that's the warning from local officials as SEPTA (the area's largest transportation service) prepares for a possible strike that could affect some of the busiest modes of transit in the city.

SEPTA Workers Could Strike on November 1, 2023

The current contract between SEPTA and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 234 expires at midnight on Tuesday, October 31.

If they go on strike, the work stoppage would coincide with the start of the service day on Wednesday, November 1.

These SEPTA Services Could Be Suspended on Wednesday, November 1

If the TWU Local 34 goes on strike, SEPTA is warning that these services would be affected by:

• Market-Frankford Line
• Broad Street Line
• Broad Ridge Spur
• City Transit Bus
• Trackless Trolley Routes

Some SEPTA Services Will Still Operate on November 1

For now, the following services will still operate:

• SEPTA Regional Rail
• Norristown High-Speed Line

Will SEPTA Really Strike in October 2023?

It's unclear how likely a SEPTA strike is at this time. Union officials seemed to think negotiations had stalled, via a 6 ABC report.

SEPTA officials seemed a little more hopeful that an agreement could be reached soon.

“We’re hopeful we’re not going to get to that point …but there are procedures in place to do that and that’s what we would follow if we got to that point,” SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch tells WHYY.