I have my card auto reload as well - but not everyone has a septa key (tourists) and sometimes you need to buy a one off fare.

I've had a bunch of small issues with the card, it's nothing that you can't deal with but it's just a stupid waste of time that you shouldn't have to deal with.

Can't implement this without making ticketing quick and 100% reliable. SEPTA key sucks and the fare machines are unbearably slow.

If I'm faced with waiting 5 minutes to process a fare at a kiosk, and miss a train that likely won't come for another 20 minutes, then I'm sure as hell going to jump the gates.

Focus on safety, reliability and convenience, then fare evasion.

Yes, because not wanting people smoking/littering/shooting up on a vital public good while also wanting more resources for unhoused and addicts is definitely racist. Make it make sense.

I don't think that's the only thing that would work and it definitely won't work unless the city treats this as a wider problem. Your suggestion just pushes these people into other corners of the city to terrorize. I'd much rather our city/country actually tackle the homeless/drug problem head on. With Kensington being the epicenter of the county's war on drugs, with people from all different states flocking here, this should be declared a federal emergency with funds to match.

And in the near term, the city should invest its current budget surplus in getting transit cops at the busiest stations / riding the trains. Deal with abusers in real time - If you're suggesting the police not allow people to use transit before they actually commit a crime/act unruly, I'm not a fan. I don't want a police state.

There also needs to be more personal responsibility and respect for the city. Littering on and off transit is out of control, but that starts with having adequate trash cans and with people taking pride in the city and just being decent. I don't know the best way to change this.

I'm sorry you were in that position. I don't blame you or anyone else in that situation when we have such a terrible social safety net in this country. But with that said, there's too many unhoused that treat the train like absolute crap.

Also, if you're going to be a degenerate and smoke can you at least vape? It's 2023, the 10 year old next to me doesn't need your shitty second hand smoke.

They moved some people along at the very least. I'll take something over nothing.

Clarke's not wrong about the behavior, but it's councils job to have vision and move the city forward not just acquiesce. Definitely frustrating.

Something something somehow this is that dastardly Krasner's fault /s