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Speakers Title: “The Rebirth of SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn Line”

Jeffrey D. This presentation will detail the projects underway and completed (including Crum Creek
Knueppel, P.E. Viaduct) to restore the poster child of SEPTA’s infrastructure backlog to a resilient state
General Manager of good repair.
Southeastern
Pennsylvania Biography: Jeffrey D. Knueppel is the tenth General Manager to serve the Southeastern
Transportation Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Prior to being named to this position, he served
Authority as Deputy General Manager with an organization of 8700 employees comprised of two
Divisions – Operations and Engineering, Maintenance, & Construction (EM&C) as well as
Luncheon Speaker several Staff Support Departments.
Wed. April 5
12:00PM – 1:30PM Mr. Knueppel joined SEPTA as an entry level Structural Engineer focusing on projects to repair
old elevated transit structures and bridges and tunnels. His career path within the organization
then led him to manage an in-house construction group before serving as Assistant Chief
Engineer and then Chief Engineer at the age of 36. Before assuming the responsibilities of
Deputy General Manager he was Assistant General Manager/Chief Engineer for EM&C from
2006–2012.

Over the course of his twenty-nine year career at SEPTA, Mr. Knueppel has concentrated on
improving the reliability, attractiveness, and efficiency of transit services by transforming design,
construction, maintenance, and project implementation processes, as well as encouraging work
force productivity, innovative thinking, and problem solving while enhancing communications
with SEPTA customers and employees.

Mr. Knueppel excels in the strategic management of capital resources – advancing innovative
ways to maximize available funds, schedules, and workforce assets. This approach proved
critical during a period when the capital program was 1/3 the size of other peer agencies and
allowed the Authority to continue to make critical infrastructure, station, and facility
improvements even with constrained budgets. In 2014, with funding from Pennsylvania Act 89,
the Authority launched Rebuilding the System – a comprehensive capital investment strategy to
tackle the backlog of state of good repair, facility improvement, and fleet upgrade projects.
System Resiliency, an FTA funded program, also provides resources to harden core elements of
SEPTA infrastructure to protect against severe weather related impacts.

With a steadfast commitment to safety, Mr. Knueppel was the catalyst for the creation of the
Authority’s customer outreach program – Make the Safe Choice – and its employee program –
Never Too Busy for Safety, and he played a leadership role, ensuring that SEPTA met the federal
mandate to install Positive Train Control (PTC) across its Regional Rail network.

As GM he is committed to concentrating on the fundamentals – customer satisfaction,
employee development, safety, investment in infrastructure and vehicles, and business
innovation – to focus SEPTA on Building the Future – one that is strong for the region, riders,
and employees. The introduction of SEPTA Key – a new fare payment system that will offer
seamless travel across all service modes through the use of a single contactless chip,
reloadable card – is a signature initiative designed to enhance customer convenience and
attract new riders to public transit.

A graduate of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, Mr.
Knueppel holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Civil Engineering and is a registered
Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He sits on the Board of Directors
of APTA, the Transportation Learning Center, and the Advisory Board of the Railroad
Engineering and Safety Program at the University of Delaware; and is a member of ASCE,
AREMA, COMTO, and WTS. In 2017, SEPTA was the recipient of the Excellence in Community
Transportation Award presented by 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. Mr. Knueppel is a 2015
WTS Philadelphia Award recipient and he received the ASCE Philadelphia Civil Engineer of the
Year Award for 2015. In 2010 and 2017 he had the honor of accepting the American Council of
Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) Client of the Year Award, on behalf of
SEPTA, and in 2009 he was the recipient of AMTRAK’s State Partner Award.

With a strong belief in the importance of service to the community, Mr. Knueppel has worked
tirelessly with the March of Dimes Transportation, Building & Construction Awards Luncheon in
Philadelphia and is Honorary Chair for this annual event. He and his wife Kelly Ann live in
Bedminster, PA and have three sons Andrew, Thomas, and Paul.

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