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DRPA/PATCO Have Busy Flugtag Day

PATCO and the RiverLink Ferry provided essential transportation for over 80-thousand people who attended the Flugtag event along the Delaware River on Saturday, September 4th.

It was a record day for the RiverLink Ferry which provided express service for most of the day.  7,500 passengers rode the Ferry between Philadelphia and Camden.  DRPA COO, Tim Pulte, says “this event shows the importance of having such a service in operation during the summer months.”

PATCO recorded 31,420 trips on Saturday which is 20,000 more than a usual Saturday.  PATCO provided extra service and customer support to help non-traditional riders navigate the system.  PATCO General Manager, Bob Box, says “PATCO staff spent a lot of time in advance preparing for the event and, as a result, things went very well for our customers.”

A popular gathering spot for the event was the South Walkway of the Ben Franklin Bridge which provided a great view of the day’s events.  The crowd  had a good time thanks in part to beautiful weather.  On the bridges, there were about 4,500 more cars than during the same Saturday weekend last year.

DRPA CEO, John J. Matheussen, says “while most people associate our facilities with getting to and from work, events such as Flugtag last Saturday show how the Ben Franklin Bridge, PATCO, and the Ferry  play an integral part in the region’s recreational activities.”

The Delaware River Port Authority is a regional transportation agency.  DRPA owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross Bridges, PATCO and the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal.  The DRPA also owns the RiverLink Ferry.

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