Dear Members of the Temple Community,  

Beginning next week, SEPTA will introduce service reductions and fare increases to its bus, metro and Regional Rail routes. These changes are a direct response to SEPTA’s budget challenges. 

A 20% reduction in service will go into effect on Sunday, Aug. 24, and this will then be followed by a 21.5% fare increase on Monday, Sept. 1. As we shared last month, we understand that the proposed cuts will have a significant impact on our students, faculty and staff. While we cannot replicate SEPTA service, we are taking steps to assist the Temple community during this time of transition. 

Discounted flex parking 
Beginning immediately, we have reduced the daily rate for flex parking from $13 to $11. Flex parking is first come, first served and does not guarantee a space.  

Shared parking permit 
We are also introducing a semesterlong shared parking permit option for carpoolers, available to all members of the Temple community. This allows multiple people to share a single permit. Only one vehicle can be parked at a time with this option, which covers parking on campus from Aug. 24 through Dec. 20. More information, including how to register and contact information for the Office of Parking Services, can be found on the Parking Services website.  

Additional campus shuttles 
Complimentary parking will also be available at the Ambler Campus in Lot 3 (Butler Pike and Woods Drive), and we will be adding additional shuttles to transport members of the Temple community from Ambler to Main Campus or the Health Sciences Center. These additional shuttles will depart Ambler every morning at 8 a.m. This service will be available through at least Sept. 30 to give everyone enough time to develop a permanent plan for getting to campus. Information about this temporary shuttle schedule can be found here.  

Even with these additional accommodations, parking on campus is still limited. If you have traditionally relied on SEPTA for your transportation to and from campus, we encourage you to visit their online trip planner and website to help plan for the changes.  

We have also created this webpage devoted to the service reductions, which also includes further information on how Temple is navigating these changes. As a reminder, Temple offers pre-tax free commuter benefits up to $325 per month for either transit or parking. We are also exploring the creation of an online carpooling tool, which would connect riders. 

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and its impact on Temple and our operations. As information changes, we will be sure to keep the Temple community apprised. 

Sincerely,  

David Marino  
Vice President and Interim Chief Operating Officer  

David Boardman  
Interim Provost