By Aaron Randolph

Twitter: @ForeverAcee

The current Septa Strike has the citizens of Philadelphia in disarray. On Tuesday morning, many commuters were scrambling around trying to figure out their transportation situations for the day.

Septa officially announced the strike at 12:01 a.m. meaning many Septa buses, trolleys, and subways are currently not running. Septa is the only source of transportation for many commuters in the city. Since the strike has taken place, many commuters have been stranded trying to figure out how they will get to work and school. Septa provides transportation for over 100,000 people each day, and since they have stopped operating, many Philadelphians like myself have been using ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.

Uber and Lyft are perfect for transportation, but it can get expensive, especially during certain times of the day. Also, not all commuters in the city have access to Uber and Lyft. Septa has been in a contract dispute with workers for months. Septa and the union have been trying to resolve issues dealing with health care, pensions, and work rules.

The biggest issue between Septa and its union workers is the pension. Many employees feel that Septa is slighting them in terms of benefits. The last strike that Septa had was in 2009, and that strike lasted six days. The good news to report is that Septa’s regional rail line is still operating. The bad news is that the regional rail could become crowded. Riders that need to get around the city and to surrounding counties can use the regional rail.

If the strike doesn’t end soon, it may cause issues for election day next week. Many Philadelphians need Septa to get to the voting booths. It will be interesting to see if Septa can come to an agreement within the coming days.