SEPTA service cuts move forward after failing to secure crucial funding
Major SEPTA service cuts pending leaving riders anxious
Philadelphia's SEPTA transit system is on the brink of significant service reductions as the deadline for state funding is just hours away.
PHILADELPHIA - Faced with a $213M budget crisis, SEPTA will move forward with sweeping service cuts after the deadline has past to secure crucial funding from Pennsylvania leaders.
What we know:
The deadline for SEPTA to find funding before being forced to cut services arrived on Thursday with no impending solution.
Pennsylvania's Democratic House committee said no to a budget amendment passed by the state senate that would have provided SEPTA with funding for two years.
The plan, passed by a party line vote of 27-22, would have provided $1.2 billion earmarked for future capital projects from the Public Transportation Trust Fund to pay for transit and other road projects.
SEPTA Service Cuts
SEPTA gears up for major service cuts before tonight's deadline
SEPTA is gearing up to implement major service cuts if funding is not received by 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
SEPTA plans to slash 32 bus routes, shorten 16 others, and reduce service on 88 Bus, Metro, and Regional Rail lines beginning August 24.
Starting in September, SEPTA plans to increase pay-per-ride fares to $2.90. The cost of a Monthly TransPass will increase from $96 to $116
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Here's how to find out if possible SEPTA service cuts will impact your route
How will possible SEPTA service cuts impact your commute to work, school and otherwise getting around the city? Here's how to find out:
Another batch of service cuts could happen in January when five regional rail lines are discontinued and 18 more bus routes are eliminated.
The plan also involves eliminating 50 bus routes and five regional rail lines, with a 9 p.m. curfew on Metro and Regional Rail services.
What they're saying:
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro urged state lawmakers to find a solution to the budget crisis, calling it a "Pennsylvania issue."
"Don't let anybody tell you that this is a Philadelphia issue or a Pittsburgh issue: It's a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issue," he said.
Shapiro spoke alongside SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer claimed the service cuts will impact more than just SEPTA riders.
"For tens of thousands of riders, SEPTA will no longer be a viable option," Sauer said.
Lex Powers, Deputy Chief Communications Officer at SEPTA, highlighted efforts to inform passengers, stating, "We’ve gotten our website ready with all of the right information. We have those ambassadors being deployed on Monday, which is going to be a huge in-person presence."
State lawmakers remain divided on the issue.
State Rep. Jesse Topper acknowledged the importance of mass transit but emphasized the need for a comprehensive budget approach.
Meanwhile, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero criticized the lack of progress, saying, "I don’t think it’s incumbent upon the Democrats to continue to come up with ideas so that the Republicans can just continue to say no."
Governor Josh Shapiro's office released a statement indicating ongoing efforts to secure funding, saying,
"Governor Shapiro will continue working to narrow the differences between the House and the Senate in order to get this done."
Local perspective:
Ali Abdullah, a frequent SEPTA rider, uses the service for medical appointments and daily visits to his mosque.
He expressed his reliance on public transit, saying, "I use it actually as my car."
With the deadline for state funding approaching, Abdullah and others are "praying for and hoping for a miracle."
What's next:
If state funding arrives after Thursday night's deadline, SEPTA estimates it would take at least ten days to reverse the implementation of its crisis plan.
In the meantime, riders like Abdullah worry about the broader impact, noting, "People will be forced to use automobiles so you’re going to have traffic jams on the highway in the street but already we have the road rage in Philadelphia."