Inga Saffron wants your stories:
I’m doing some thinking about Septa buses in Philly. Are there places where we should change routes to accommodate growing/shrinking population? Which routes need more frequent service? Anyone with #17 bus horror stories out there (or other bus routes)? Email me: isaffron@phillynews.com
Oh, the 17. My 17 story is that I’ve boarded northbound 17s at 20th and Federal at 5:00 AM. And not gotten a seat. The easiest time of day to put an extra bus in the schedule, but no. My working theory is that the 17 is practically useless for anyone north of Fitzwater Street, just from the crowding. (That 17 was the easiest connection from my old place to the first train out of Suburban Station in the morning.)
Sic Transit Philadelphia 
I wasn’t aware at the time that not getting a seat on the northbound 17 was exceptional.
Did you ever actually catch the FIRST train out of Suburban Station? You’d have to get on the 17 at around 4:25.
Heh, fair.
Only twice, and didn’t use the 17 either time. It was summer, so I had a nice cool early-morning walk.
For that matter, the similarly-timed Broad Street Owl is usually either standing-room-only or nearly so at Girard. I haven’t managed to catch the southbound 2, which is allegedly at a similar time, but I imagine it’s about as bad.