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SEPTA service cuts take effect on Sunday: Here's what you need to know
Thousands are expected to be impacted as SEPTA's impending service cuts officially go into effect on Sunday, just one day before Philadelphia public school students head back to school. FOX29's Ellen Kolozieg reports.
PHILADELPHIA - Thousands are expected to be impacted as SEPTA's impending service cuts officially go into effect on Sunday, just one day before Philadelphia public school students head back to school.
What we know:
SEPTA says it was forced to reduce 20% of its bus and metro service as they face a $213 million budget crisis with state lawmakers.
Starting today, Aug. 24, 32 bus routes will be eliminated, and 16 others will be shortened, along with reduced service on 88 bus, metro, and regional rail lines. In January, five additional regional rail lines and 18 more bus routes are slated to be eliminated if funding does not come through. SEPTA will also institute a 9 p.m. curfew on remaining metro and regional rail services at that time.
Has your SEPTA route been cut?
Local perspective:
Thousands across Philadelphia have been bracing for what could become a travel nightmare impacting their commute to work, school and just getting around the city.
Is your usual SEPTA route one of the dozens cut on Sunday? Riders can visit the "Service Cuts" page on SEPTA's website for a full list of routes that have been impacted.
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:
School transportation
Dig deeper:
SEPTA police will remain on high alert as some 50,000 middle and high school students will join commuters on Monday for the first day of school in Philadelphia.
Police officers will be aboard buses on heavily-trafficked school routes, while more officers will patrol routes in squad cars.
SEPTA service cuts, first day of school in Philadelphia set to clash on Monday
SEPTA riders are bracing for a commuting nightmare on Monday as the transit authority plans to slash services by 20% on the first day of school in Philadelphia.
"We are going to have virtual patrol specialists who are performing live look-ins into those buses along those routes," Chief Chuck Lawson said in a statement.
What's next:
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmember Mike Driscoll are set to host a press conference on Monday at 11:30 a.m. where they'll discuss SEPTA's 20% service cuts.
"Councilmembers are coming together as a unified body to urge the Pennsylvania State House and Senate leadership to come up with a state budget as soon as possible and a budget that includes more funding for SEPTA and mass transit systems statewide," a press release stated Sunday.
The press conference will be held at City Hall, in the Philadelphia City Council Chambers, Room 400.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by SEPTA and previous reporting by FOX 29.