🌳 Reducing carbon emissions from single-car commutes is part of what makes transit benefits valuable, so we quantified Jawnt’s carbon impact. Learn more in our latest blog post.
The transportation sector produces 27% of U.S. emissions and more than half of those emissions come from private vehicles.
Three in four Americans drive alone to work, which is the most carbon-intensive way to commute.
One Philadelphia employer currently saves 7,076 metric tons of carbon annually by working with Jawnt to make transit a more attractive commuting option. That’s the equivalent of 94 tanker trucks full of gas saved every year.
🚇 In April, Jawnt sponsored the 2023 virtual TransitCon. Read about our takeaways from the conference in our blog post.
Improving safety is key to getting more people riding bikes.
The current moment could be an inflection point for the long-proposed Roosevelt Avenue subway in Philadelphia.
Institutional pass programs for employers and universities are catching on.
💵 Pre-tax transit benefits can be complex. We cover everything you should know about the ecosystem in our blog post.
They allow employees to have their monthly commuting costs deducted from their pay before taxes are applied.
The employer deducts the amount from the employee’s paycheck pre-tax and the third-party provider handles the delivery of the transit benefit.
Employees can allocate up to $300 per month of their pre-tax earnings towards commuter benefits.
⚖️ Balancing fare-free transit with increased service
reduces boarding time, allowing buses to run faster;
and eliminates transit agency spending on ticketing systems and fare enforcement.
But after city council members in D.C. suggested canceling a downtown transitway to fund fare free bus service, critics are questioning the push for eliminating fares.
They say that transit agencies’ top priority should be improving service, and losses in fare revenue prevent improvements.
They also point to alternative equity plans, such as targeting free fares to low-income residents.
Meanwhile, D.C. transit advocates say the national debate has distorted the realities of this local decision.
They have reservations about the downtown transitway and believe council members are pitching a false choice.
Regardless, the debate has people thinking more critically about the tradeoffs associated with fare free transit.
Do you have strong feelings about fare-free transit? Reply here to start a conversation with our team!
🚝 How SEPTA supports unhoused individuals
The killing of Jordan Neely has prompted a lot of discussion about homelessness in transit systems.
While transit has become the “last safety net” for many, SEPTA offers several services to support this community…
The Hub of Hope aims to meet unhoused individuals where they are.
This resource center is located in SEPTA’s rail system below City Hall.
Hub of Hope offers meals, laundry, showers, medical care, and social services.
The center is made possible by a collaboration between Project HOME, SEPTA, and the city.
Color Me Back offers same day work for unhoused individuals.
In collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia, SEPTA pays $50 for three hours of work on murals in and around SEPTA stations.
This year, the program was showcased at South by Southwest in the hopes that other cities might follow suit.
🚲 We had a great time supporting the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP) throughout Bike to Work month! Did you happen to catch us around Philly?
🗺 We’re also working with BCGP to put together an enhanced map for biking in Philly. We’re looking for beta testers - let us know if you’re interested!
🚌 Interested in joining the Jawnt team or know someone who might be? We’re hiring! Take a look at our current job postings.
💐 potpourri
🎤 Transit ridership is spiking along the stops of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. Experts say special events like this can help show first-time riders the value of transit.
🚗 Uber is expanding its shared ride option, UberX Share, to five new U.S. cities (including Philadelphia) as a part of the company’s “zero-emissions” goal.
