SEPTA Extends Social Distancing Coaches Program Through November
October 2, 2020
Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, SEPTA is extending the Social Distancing Coaches program through November 2020.
SEPTA employee-volunteers will continue to engage customers about the Authority’s face-mask requirement and give tips for social distancing at stations and on vehicles to promote safe and healthy travel habits. These new deployments will begin Monday, October 5 and continue every Monday and Wednesday through November 18. The coaches will be at Center City Regional Rail hubs from 7:30 to 9:30am and 3 to 5pm, as well as at key locations on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines stations during the same timeframe.
"The Social Distancing Coaches Program is a great way to remind customers about the mask requirement, and help them with any questions they have about traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “We are asking everyone to do their part to help stop the spread of the virus.”
Coaches were first deployed in August 2020, and employees continue to volunteer for the effort.
“The feedback from our customers and the coaches has been overwhelmingly positive, said Program Coordinator Jessica Mangold. “This is a great way to interact with our customers and obtain feedback from employees, as well.”
The program is an extension of SEPTA’s employee-volunteer ambassador program, which is utilized to help customers with the SEPTA Key fare payment system and during special events. The social distancing coaches will to continue to greet customers, provide masks for those who need one, and answer service-related and directional questions. Since the program’s inception in early August 2020, more than 1,000 masks have been distributed by approximately 120 employee-volunteers. Most of the free masks have been supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation, which has distributed nearly 10 million cloth face coverings to 458 transit agencies and Amtrak for passenger use.
More information on SEPTA service and COVID-19 can be found here.
