Seniors who wish to sign up for SEPTA’s Key Senior ID card will be able to apply for one and have their photos taken at the district office of Pa. Rep. John Taylor. A SEPTA representative will be at Taylor’s Port Richmond office at 2901 E. Thompson St. on March 9 from 9AM – 3PM.

“SEPTA is transitioning to a cashless SEPTA Key fare program,” Taylor said in a release. “My office will be available to help seniors apply for a special card and have their photos taken without having to travel to a SEPTA sales location.”

Though SEPTA Key is running behind schedule — the program was originally slated to launch in 2015 — SEPTA’s new payment system is starting to come into effect for transit (Bus, Trolley, Trackless Trolley and High Speed Lines) and will be ready for Regional Rail and CCT Connect Paratransit services in 2017. According to SEPTA, as of January 2016, 175 fare kiosks, 187 turnstiles and 20 ADA gates have been installed.

Per SEPTA’s website, the cards will be subdivided into two categories: personalized and non-personalized. The personalized cards, available through the Key website and imprinted with the user’s name, will be free of charge; the non-personalized cards will come with a price tag of $4.95 and be available at kiosks and other transit sales outlets.

As Spirit News reported in a January 21, 2015 cover story (Septa’s Key to the Future: One Small Step for SEPTA, One Giant Leap for Commuter-kind) SEPTA Key will pioneer the concept of a Travel Wallet — a “bank account” designated exclusively for transit use. Customers will have the option to purchase a week or month’s worth of fare or simply stock up a predetermined balance at their discretion.

Andrew Busch, a Public Information Manager at SEPTA, then spoke with Spirit News about the potential concerns of longtime commuters.

“In recent years, we’ve experienced ridership growth on all modes of travel and throughout our service area,” he said. “We expect [SEPTA Key] to make the transit system more inviting and user-friendly for existing customers, new riders and visitors, and also entice people to use SEPTA more often.”

Under SEPTA Key, seniors age 65 and older will continue to ride free at all times on all SEPTA transit services, including buses, trolleys, the Market-Frankford Line, the Broad Street Line and the Norristown High Speed Line. Regional Rail fares for seniors will continue to be $1 for rides within Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania seniors who possess state-issued photo IDs are automatically eligible to participate in SEPTA’s Seniors Ride Free Program. There is nothing to sign up for, and unexpired driver’s licenses or state-issued IDs can be swiped at the turnstile or onboard a vehicle.

But for seniors who do not want to use their driver’s license can register and have their picture taken for the new, free SEPTA Key Senior ID card.

Call 215- 425-0901 to make an appointment. Seniors are asked to bring a valid state-issued photo ID card with their birth date.