Philly Phlash

Last updated
Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop
Krapf Bus New Flyer Industries Midi (MD35) 1415 Phlash bus.jpg
A New Flyer MD35 MiDi on the Philly PHLASH.
Overview
Operator Independence Visitor Center Corporation
in partnership with SEPTA. Vehicle service provided by Krapf Transit
Vehicle New Flyer MiDi, Alexander Dennis Enviro200
StatusOperational
Began service1994
Routes
Routes1
Locale Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Stations20
Service
Ridership314,000 (2016)[ needs update ]
www.ridephillyphlash.com

The Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop (also known as the Philly PHLASH or PHLASH) is a visitor-friendly public transit service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, managed by the Independence Visitor Center Corporation (IVCC). [1] PHLASH vehicles are ADA-compliant, temperature-controlled New Flyer MiDi buses. The IVCC contracted Krapf Transit to manage vehicle operations.

Contents

The PHLASH route is particularly notable for connecting Philadelphia's main tourist attractions, from Penn's Landing on the Delaware River Waterfront, to National Park Service sites like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Independence National Historical Park, to cultural institutions along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and attractions like the Philadelphia Zoo and Please Touch Museum in Fairmount Park. [2]

More of the attractions located close to the PHLASH route are:

The PHLASH runs weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) service in the spring and fall, and daily service during the summer and holiday season, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on operating days. PHLASH service caters mostly to tourists who are not familiar with the city landscape. [3] The fare is $2 for a single trip, $5 for a one-day pass, and $9 for a two-day pass, but is free for all SEPTA Key holders.

Service history

An older bus of PHLASH, which operated trolley replicas until 2014. Philly Phlash PMA.JPG
An older bus of PHLASH, which operated trolley replicas until 2014.

The PHLASH was first introduced in 1994 by then Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell. [4] Michael Masch, the Philadelphia budget director at the time, helped create the transit line naming it after his favorite Marvel Comics character Flash. [5] The service was operated by the city's Center City District starting in the late 1990s. In order to keep fares at a price point attractive to visitors, the PHLASH service has always been subsidized. [1]

By 2011, the state grant that had been providing a subsidy for PHLASH operations was almost exhausted. With Gov. Rendell was leaving the governor's office, additional funding didn't appear to be forthcoming, and the service was in danger of shutting down.

In 2012, the IVCC took over management of the PHLASH under CEO, James J. Cuorato, who believed the PHLASH provided an important service for Philadelphia tourism. Cuorato was able to successfully secure funding by convincing the state legislature to include an allotment for PHLASH in its Transportation Package bill, by partnering with Philadelphia's public transportation provider, SEPTA. [1]

In 2016, PHLASH had a record-breaking season, with 314,000 riders. [6]

Fleet

All buses are ADA compliant. Prior to the current fleet, the PHLASH operated with replica trolley buses. The service is operated by Krapf Transit. [7] [8]

Fleet Number(s)PhotoYearManufacturerModelEngineTransmissionNotes
13152013 New Flyer MiDi 30' Cummins ISB6.7 Allison B300
1413, 1415–1417, 1512 Krapf Bus New Flyer Industries Midi (MD35) 1415 Phlash bus.jpg 2014 MiDi 35'
  • First known U.S. operator of New Flyer MiDi buses.
  • 1415 features primarily white paint scheme, instead of purple.
15112015 MiDi 30'
18112018 Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Cummins B6.7 Allison B300R Equipped with front and rear bumper.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA</span> Public transportation authority

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people in five counties in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also manages projects that maintain, replace and expand its infrastructure, facilities and vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Regional Rail</span> Commuter rail service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

The SEPTA Regional Rail system is a commuter rail network owned by SEPTA and serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The system has 13 branches and more than 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, its suburbs and satellite towns and cities. It is the sixth-busiest commuter railroad in the United States, and the busiest outside of the New York, Chicago, and Boston metropolitan areas. In 2016, the Regional Rail system had an average of 132,000 daily riders and 118,800 daily riders as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Philadelphia</span>

Transportation in Philadelphia involves the various modes of transport within the city and its required infrastructure. In addition to facilitating intracity travel, Philadelphia's transportation system connects Philadelphia to towns of its metropolitan area and surrounding areas within the Northeast megalopolis.

Schuylkill River Passenger Rail is a proposed passenger train service along the Schuylkill River between Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, with intermediate stops in Norristown, King of Prussia, Phoenixville, and Pottstown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 15</span> SEPTA trolley line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Route 15, also known as the Girard Avenue Trolley, is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) along Girard Avenue through North and West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2007, it is the only surface trolley line in the City Transit Division that is not part of the Subway–Surface Trolley Lines. SEPTA PCC II vehicles are used on the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Street/Independence Hall station</span> Rapid transit station in Philadelphia

5th Street/Independence Hall station is a subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the intersection of 5th and Market Street served by SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line. The station serves multiple notable Philadelphia landmarks including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center, the National Museum of American Jewish History, and the Philadelphia Bourse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">15th Street station (SEPTA)</span> Rapid transit station in Philadelphia

15th Street station is a subway station in Philadelphia. It is served by SEPTA's Market–Frankford Line and all routes of the subway–surface trolley lines. A free interchange also provides access to the Broad Street Line at City Hall station, which is connected to 15th Street by the Downtown Link underground concourse. The concourse also connects to Regional Rail lines at Suburban Station. It is the busiest station on the Market–Frankford Line, with 29,905 boardings on an average weekday.

NJ Transit Bus Operations' and companies leasing buses from NJ Transit use various models of buses between 25 and 60 feet in length to provide service within the state of New Jersey. The lists and rosters below list current and past buses purchased new or inherited by NJ Transit for heavy duty fixed-route service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DART First State</span> Delawares public transport system operator

The Delaware Transit Corporation, operating as DART First State, is the only public transportation system that operates throughout the U.S. state of Delaware. DART First State provides local and inter-county bus service throughout the state and also funds commuter rail service along SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line serving the northern part of the state. The agency also operates statewide paratransit service for people with disabilities. DART First State is a subsidiary of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes</span>

The City Transit Division of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) operate almost all of Philadelphia's public transit, including all six trolley, three trackless trolley, and 70 bus lines within city limits. Some of the bordering municipalities are served by the City Transit division, despite not being part of the city. For example, Cheltenham Township has 13 city division routes and no Suburban Division ones. The City Transit division also operates the 400 Series routes which are designed to serve students attending schools in the city of Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes</span>

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates or contracts operations of these routes serving points in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, with a few routes operating into the city of Philadelphia. The Suburban Transit Division is broken down into three districts: Victory, Frontier, and Contract Operations.

SEPTA Route 38 is a bus and former Subway-Surface streetcar route operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 75</span>

SEPTA Route 75 is a trackless trolley route operated by SEPTA in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Arrott Transportation Center Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue. Route 75 connects to the Wyoming local line and goes to Wayne Junction in Nicetown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 66</span>

SEPTA Route 66 is a trackless trolley route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to Wissinoming, Mayfair, Holmesburg, and Torresdale along Frankford Avenue, which is US 13 and includes the historic, colonial Frankford Avenue Bridge.

Michael J. Masch was a financial governance leader who worked to design and balance budgets for the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, and School District of Philadelphia as well as serving in executive financial management roles for the University of Pennsylvania, Manhattan College and Howard University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 50 (trolley)</span>

SEPTA Trolley Route 50 is a former streetcar line that was operated by SEPTA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">30th Street Station</span> Railway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

30th Street Station, officially William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, is a major intermodal transit station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is metropolitan Philadelphia's main railroad station and a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone corridors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 6</span>

SEPTA's Trolley Route 6, also known as the Ogontz Avenue Line is a former streetcar line and current bus route, operated by SEPTA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation Management Association of Chester County</span> Public transportation agency in Pennsylvania

Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC), is a public transportation agency designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to oversee transportation needs of Chester County, Pennsylvania. According to the website, the organization provides services to facilitate car pools, van pools, and bus shuttles. The organization works closely with other organizations such as SEPTA, Krapf Transit and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krapf Group</span>

The Krapf Group is a bus operator serving the Mid-Atlantic states in the United States. The business is multifaceted to include school buses, public transportation, and charter bus services. Krapf School Bus operates school bus service in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Krapf Transportation operates public transportation and charter bus services. Krapf Transit currently operates public transportation routes in the Delaware Valley region for SEPTA, TMACC, and Philadelphia PHLASH.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Henninger, Danya (March 25, 2016). "You'll never believe who kept the Philly Phlash from shutting down". Billy Penn at WHYY.
  2. "Philly PHLASH".
  3. "Philadelphia PHLASH Downtown Bus Loop".
  4. Panaritis, Maria (November 27, 2014). "Once nearly grounded, Philly Phlash rides on". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  5. "Resolution honoring Michael Masch" (PDF). Philadelphia City Council . February 18, 2021.
  6. "Top 5 Reasons to Ride the PHLASH". iseptaphilly.com. May 19, 2017.
  7. "PHLASH - CPTDB Wiki". cptdb.ca. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  8. "Krapf Group - CPTDB Wiki". cptdb.ca. Retrieved 2021-04-28.