The PHLASH runs weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) service in the spring and fall, and daily service during the summer season, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on operating days. PHLASH service caters mostly to tourists who are not familiar with the city landscape.[3] The fare is $5 for a one-day pass, $15 for a family pass (two adults, two kids), but is free for all SEPTA Key holders, seniors 65 and over, and children 4 and under. Riders can hop-on and hop-off all day with each pass.
Service history
An older bus of PHLASH, which operated trolley replicas until 2014.
The PHLASH was first introduced in 1994 by then Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell.[4]Michael Masch, the Philadelphia budget director at the time, helped create the transit line naming it after his favorite DC Comics character Flash.[5] The service was operated by the city's Center City District starting in the late 1990s. In order to keep fares at a price point attractive to visitors, the PHLASH service has always been subsidized.[1]
By 2011, the state grant that had been providing a subsidy for PHLASH operations was almost exhausted. With Gov. Rendell was leaving the governor's office, additional funding didn't appear to be forthcoming, and the service was in danger of shutting down.
In 2012, The PVCC took over management of the PHLASH under CEO, James J. Cuorato, who believed the PHLASH provided an important service for Philadelphia tourism. Cuorato was able to successfully secure funding by convincing the state legislature to include an allotment for PHLASH in its Transportation Package bill, by partnering with Philadelphia's public transportation provider, SEPTA.[1]
In 2016, PHLASH had a record-breaking season, with 314,000 riders.[6]
Fleet
All buses are ADA compliant. Prior to the current fleet, the PHLASH operated with replica trolley buses. The service is operated by Krapf Transit.[7][8]
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