SEPTA: Bus Revolution

SEPTA’s Bus Revolution project was a comprehensive bus network redesign, revisioning the system to reflect the changing needs of riders and potential riders in the region of 6 million people. Over the course of the four-year project, Connect the Dots led Engagement Strategy and executed pop-ups, in-person and virtual public meetings, a project bus tour, online and offline surveys, and online engagement and outreach. Each engagement phase layered a mix of tactics to raise awareness while supporting the incorporation of the voiced priorities of riders, focusing particularly on the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups. Throughout the project, we built relationships across the SEPTA region with Neighborhood Partners, growing them to the point where they were able to directly collaborate with us during outreach and engagement for Open Houses in Phase 3 of Bus Revolution and across the core phases of the project. This effort pioneered new forms of engagement for SEPTA, reaching over 70,000 participants to ensure that the needs of the public are being incorporated into the bus redesign, a transformative project with enduring impacts on the entire region. The results from Bus Revolution informed the New Bus Network, with Phase 1 going into effect August 2026.