Septa

The editorial regarding SEPTA token sales presents the erroneous impression that SEPTA has done little or nothing to promote the use and availability of tokens. In fact, since the introduction of the discounted tokens in late 1982, SEPTA has aggressively pursued token sales locations in the city and in the four suburban counties. Tokens are now available for sale at more than 200 locations. SEPTA transit stations and commuter train stations account for only part of the total outlets.

SEPTA and City Council sat down yesterday to a high-stakes poker game that the transit authority hopes will raise the ante on its operating subsidies. "In its fiscal 1995 budget, the city administration proposes to give SEPTA a total of $49 million in funds," explained Deputy Mayor Denise Goren. Under this proposal, close to $45 million would be transferred to SEPTA as a direct operating subsidy. The additional $4.6 million would reduce debt service on bonds floated when SEPTA took over the Philadelphia Transit Corp.

SEPTA has signed a three-year $316,560 contract with a Boston company to provide energy consulting services to the regional transit agency. SourceOne , a subsidiary of Veolia Energy North America , will advise SEPTA on strategies for the purchase and management of all SEPTA utilities, including natural gas, water and sewer, electricity, heating oil, and propane, said Frank Gormley, SEPTA's operating budget director. SourceOne will also evaluate the viability of alternative energy projects.

A SEPTA bus was hit by a bullet Tuesday night in the city's Point Breeze section, an agency spokeswoman said. No one was injured, said SEPTA spokeswoman Heather Redfern. The Route 17 bus was traveling south on 19th Street at Wharton Street when a bullet pierced the driver-side window around 7 p.m., Redfern said. The bullet was found behind the driver's seat. The shooting is under investigation by Philadelphia police, Redfern said.    -Robert Moran

Residents of Cliff Terrace in Wyncote were scheduled to meet with Cheltenham Township officials and SEPTA representatives Friday to discuss how to replace a row of trees that SEPTA workers cut down. The trees had screened the parking lot at the Jenkintown-Wyncote Train Station. If SEPTA's offer isn't satisfactory, Peter Wieck - who now has a view of cars, floodlights and train tracks instead of half-century-old poplars and tulip trees - says he will organize a sit-in to block access to the lot. A resident of the dead-end street of Victorian twin homes noticed the tree- cutting on Jan. 23. SEPTA workers were trimming and felling between 12 and 15 mature trees, according to spokeswoman Marge Sullivan.

I CHECKED to see if Dan Geringer's article on the SEPTA hearing (Oct. 20) was a news article or an opinion piece. Or maybe humor. Let's see, Mr. Geringer is not listed as a columnist, and the article did not appear under "Opinion," so I guess it's supposed to be a news article. I learned from it that SEPTA is engaged in : " 'Show Me the Money!' " "doomsday," "scary," "mass hysteria," "sadistic bloodletting" worse than "Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees" and is "allegedly teetering on the brink of Transit Armageddon.

OVER THE last week, the state has come up with several hundred million dollars more for SEPTA. So what should the transit agency do with it: Save the transfers, use it to avoid higher fares, save specific services? Other suggestions? Send your replies to "Burning Question" at the addresses on this page.

Commonwealth Court Judge James Gardner Colins said he will issue a decision by Wednesday on whether to allow SEPTA to impose temporarily a city transit division fare increase. The agency sought relief from Colins after Common Pleas Judge Samuel M. Lehrer declared the fare boost illegal and enjoined SEPTA from charging higher prices while the matter is under appeal. SEPTA contends the authority, under state law, has the power to increase fares while the dispute is ironed out in court.

SEPTA's legal department suffered a massive breakdown in procedures, but engaged in no conspiracy when the transit agency counter-sued the mother of a boy maimed by an escalator in 1996. That is the main theme of the report of an outside investigation due to be released tomorrow, according to two SEPTA officials. One of the officials - both asked to remain anonymous - said a panel of attorneys interviewed about 30 to 40 people and reviewed reams of documents before reaching that conclusion.