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Citizen Advisory Committee

The Citizen Advisory Committee, established in 1967, acts as an independent representative and advocate on behalf of current and potential customers of public transportation in the five-county region of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the contiguous areas served by SEPTA. CAC members are active SEPTA riders.

The by-laws establish the committee’s concerns as:

  • Quality of service, including reliability and frequency, speed, cleanliness, safety, and security
  • Fares
  • Policies
  • Financing and planning
  • Accountability of SEPTA and other governmental agencies that affect public transportation for the regions served by SEPTA

The CAC is composed of an executive board and two committees:

  1. The Transit Subcommittee, which focuses on buses, trolleys and subway/elevated services.
  2. The Rail Subcommittee, which focuses on regional rail service.

The committees convene at the monthly plenary meeting to discuss committee plans, findings, activities, etc., and to hear from SEPTA officials, who often attend to discuss transportation topics and initiatives that may affect transit customers.

CAC members are expected to attend all plenary meetings and one subcommittee meeting of their choosing each month.

See the member bios in the CAC Documents below.

Executive Committee

Chairperson: Mason Carter, Philadelphia County
Regional Rail Vice Chairperson: Teresa Duncan, Philadelphia County
Transit Vice Chairperson: Tariem Burroughs, Philadelphia County
Secretary: Sasha Mendez and Kadafi El-Kardah, Philadelphia County

Bucks County

  • John D. Bartle, GM/CEO appointee, third term

Delaware County

  • Alfred Achtert, first term
  • Damien Warsavage, first term
  • Nigel Davis, first term
  • Michael Robinson, GM/CEO appointee, second term

Montgomery County

  • Linda Hee, GM/CEO appointee, second term

Philadelphia County

  • Tomika Anglin, third term
  • Francis Beatrice, third term
  • Tariem Burroughs, second term
  • Erin Busbee, first term
  • Mason Carter, third term
  • Caroll Drazen, first term
  • Teresa Duncan, first term
  • Kadafi El-Kardah, first term
  • Eugene Hsue, first term
  • Domonique McClendon, second term
  • Jacob Schneider, second term
  • Alice Udovich, third term
  • Raina Yancey, second term

Applications are being accepted for Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Applications for Delaware are currently closed.

To apply for membership, read the by-laws, review the eligibility and responsibility information, and submit an application online or download the PDF version, fill it out and mail it to:

SEPTA Customer Service and Advocacy
1234 Market Streets, 10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

The by-laws and PDF application form are available in the committee’s document repository.

Eligibility

To be eligible for membership, a person must be a resident of the county from which appointment is made and a regular user of the SEPTA system (used daily for commuting to work, school, or other ongoing types of daily trips, or if not daily, a frequent rider).

Other eligibility requirements include:

  • Commitment to collaborative engagement to improve public transit service in the Region. Selection is based upon other criteria, including (but not limited to) familiarity with public sector finance, business finance, transportation operations, regulatory governance, community volunteerism, and demonstrated commitment to serve the public interest.
  • Individuals being considered for appointment by the City of Philadelphia should have demonstrated participation in community volunteer efforts and cannot have any outstanding taxes due.

Requirements

  • A working knowledge of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
  • Active interest in public transportation.
  • Commitment to not less than 10 hours per month devoted to the duties of the position, which include (at minimum), attendance at the monthly plenary meeting, attendance at a monthly committee meeting, attendance at county caucus meetings, the review of SEPTA materials (as assigned) and self-directed interaction with members of the constituent groups within the county of appointment
  • Advocacy for SEPTA and making efforts to participate in local discussions related to how public transit is perceived and the quality of transit services in the local communities where it operates.

Duties and Responsibilities

Members will:

  • Work with CAC leadership on special projects selected in consultation with the SEPTA General Manager.
  • Read and understand the bylaws of the CAC.
  • Members are encouraged to regularly (at least every two weeks) report to SEPTA via its customer service office (telephone, email, live Chat) phone number any observations, positive or negative, where managerial action is needed to improve operations or customer service.
  • Consult with the CAC Chair before independently discussing with the media, or using various social media forums, on matters related to SEPTA planning or operations.
  • Participate in one of two standing committees -Rail Road and Transit Subcommittees and at least one ad hoc committee, Nominations, Media/Public Relations or Transit Appreciation Day.
  • Attend or host, in conjunction with SEPTA Government and Public Affairs Department, local community meetings to discuss issues related to transit and their community. Members are encouraged to identify neighborhood transit advocates and leaders interested in learning more about SEPTA service, operations and capital improvements.

Term Limits

  • Membership is limited to three consecutive terms of two years per term.
  • SEPTA requires a two-year period to elapse, from the expiration date of a third consecutive term before consideration may be given for reappointment.

When the Pennsylvania Legislature created the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) they also called for the establishment of a committee, made up of transit riders, who would advise SEPTA on issues important to customers.

Known as the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), this group is made up of transit riders representing Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.

The mayor appoints the Philadelphia members while the County Commissioners appoint members for their respective counties. There are currently a number of vacant positions and we are seeking transit riders, from across the SEPTA service region to apply to become a CAC member.

If you live in one of the above counties, are a regular SEPTA rider, feel strongly about transit, and are interested in representing other riders, and have a proven track record of community volunteerism, please take a few moments to complete this application.

Please join the CAC and share your voice to support a strong public transit system for our city.

Before submitting your application, please take a moment to review the complete eligibility and responsibilities description. All fields must be filled in. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

You can also download the PDF version of the application and mail it to the following address:

SEPTA Customer Service and Advocacy
1234 Market Streets, 10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Subcommittees

Contact

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (215) 580-7800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SEPTACAC/

Meetings

See the schedule of posted meetings.

The CAC meets virtually. The Rail Subcommittee meets the first Tuesday of the month, the Transit Subcommittee meets the third Tuesday of the month, and the Plenary meets the last Tuesday of the month. Meeting dates are subject to change to accommodate holidays and election days. All meetings start at 5:30 pm, and end by 7:00 pm. The CAC does not meet in August.

The Plenary meetings are open to the public. If you are interested in attending, send your name, affiliation and email address to [email protected] at lease 48 hours in advance of the meeting date. A meeting link will be provided no later than noon on the day of the meeting.