June 13, 2019
SEPTA has responded to customer feedback about the minimum value riders can add to their Key Cards at station kiosks, reducing the amount from $5 to $1, officials said this week.
The Travel Wallet feature of the Key Card is designed to make it easy for customers keep track of their transit spending, but many have found the $5 minimum too high for their needs. SEPTA previously decreased the minimum load vale from $10 to $5.
To start, the $1 minimum is available at 10 stations: Frankford, 69th Street Transportation and Olney Transportation Centers, and 52nd Street, Walnut/Locust, Snyder, 15th Street, Ellsworth/Federal, Spring Garden (BSL), North Philadelphia, 60th Street and 30th Street Stations.
SEPTA plans to roll out the $1 minimum to additional stations each week, covering all Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line stations by Monday, July 8. Riders obtaining new SEPTA Key Cards will still have to pay the $4.95 fee, which is then credited to their accounts when their cards are registered.
The lowered minimum comes as nearly 40,000 SEPTA Key Cards, obtained by some of the system's earliest adopters in 2016, are set to expire on July 31 and will need to be renewed.
"SEPTA reminds all customers to register their SEPTA Key Card as soon as they purchase it to protect against loss and theft," SEPTA said in a statement. "Also, by registering within 30 days of their purchase, customers will receive a credit to their Travel Wallet for the $4.95 new card fee."
