Most commuter rail stations in the United States have ticket vending machines on the station platforms for convenience, because not every station has the amenity of a ticket office with a human ticket agent, and for those that do, the ticket office is usually only open during peak hours, hence the reason for the ticket vending machines, or TVMs for short.

But that's not the case with SEPTA Regional Rail.

Apart from the stations in Center City, Philadelphia, almost none of SEPTA's Regional Rail stations have ticket vending machines on the platform. Literally every other commuter rail network in the United States has ticket vending machines on the station platform, but for whatever reason SEPTA doesn't have the foresight to do that or even provide fare information or anything. In this day and age, that makes absolutely no sense at all. Therefore, it is in my personal opinion that federal law should require all commuter rail stations to put ticket vending machines on the platforms. Not every SEPTA user uses the system on a daily basis, and as for those people who do use it on a daily basis, not all of them have access to a SEPTA Key Card.

This is unacceptable. Paper tickets should be an option on commuter rail forever and always. Electronic fares cards are not meant for commuter rail. They are meant for buses, trams, and subways.

Also, none of SEPTA's stations have waiting rooms that are open during off peak hours. That's not acceptable. Every commuter rail station should have an enclosed waiting room that is open off-peak hours and seven days a week regardless of ridership on the line/system. This way, passengers will be able to stay warm during the winter season and cool during the summer season.