SEPTA board votes to cut service, raise fares amid massive budget deficit
The SEPTA board voted Thursday to dramatically cut service and raise fares by more than 20% to deal with a major budget deficit.
SEPTA faces a $213 million budget deficit starting July 1, the .
Advocates and residents say the cuts will be devastating, especially for communities like Strawberry Mansion that rely on public transit. Nine routes through that neighborhood could be discontinued or reduced by up to 20%.
SEPTA officials have been warning for months that without help from the state, these cuts are the agency's only option. Scott Sauer, SEPTA's general manager, has acknowledged that the changes could lead people to avoid public transit altogether, exacerbating the problem.
"Given the dramatic impact that these measures will have on ridership, the reality is that we would start the dismantlement of public transit for our city and region as we know it today," Sauer said in April.
Declining ridership would add to the "death spiral" affecting SEPTA, in which cuts and price increases lead to fewer customers and creates a cycle that makes problems worse.
"This is a vote none of us wanted to take," SEPTA board chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. said in a statement after the vote. "We have worked hard as an Authority to prevent this day from coming because we understand the impact it will have on our customers and the communities we serve. To be clear, this does not have to happen – if state lawmakers can reach an agreement to deliver sufficient, new funding for public transit."
Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill that would provide nearly $300 million to fund mass transit in the state. The state 365bet官方网站 has not yet voted on that legislation.
Sauer said he is optimistic lawmakers will step up with the necessary funding.
"I feel encouraged," Sauer said Thursday. "I hesitate to put a ratio on it, but I certainly feel better today than maybe I felt two to three months ago."
In a statement, state 365bet官方网站 Majority Leader Joe Pittman said:
"Our state is currently facing a $3 billion structural deficit which must be addressed in order to protect Pennsylvania families and taxpayers from future tax increases. Transit systems play an important role in our statewide economy, and their services are vital to many who live and work in certain regions of our commonwealth. However, with the state already investing billions of dollars in mass transit annually, asking for nearly $300 million more this year for transit is difficult to reconcile. As discussions surrounding the state budget continue to progress, a key component of the transit discussion is also addressing the transportation infrastructure needs for roads and bridges throughout Pennsylvania."
No vote on the bill is scheduled yet, but sources said discussions are ongoing.
According to SEPTA's website, the proposal will:
- Eliminate 50 bus routes
- Cut five Regional Rail lines
- Reduce all remaining service by 20%
- Add a 9 p.m. curfew on metro and Regional Rail service
- Cancel special service such as sports express trains
- Close 66 stations
- Raise fares by 21.5%
Starting Sept. 1, the new fare would be $2.90 for bus, metro and ParaTransit rides. That ties the New York City MTA's fare for the highest in the country, SEPTA said.
These are the new prices for Regional Rail monthly passes:
- Zone 1: $116
- Zone 2: $180
- Zone 3: $217.50
- Anywhere: $255
SEPTA will also freeze all hiring on Sept. 1, the announcement says.
SEPTA is planning the cuts in two phases — one starting Aug. 24 and one in January 2026.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
