$153 Million in Federal Funding Will Temporarily Prevent SEPTA Fare Hikes and Service Cuts- Spotlight PA
Gov. Josh Shapiro will route $153 million in federal highway funding to SEPTA to help the struggling transit agency avoid — at least temporarily — deep service cuts and hefty fare hikes.
“Just like we prepare and maintain our roads and bridges in those rural and in those suburban communities, I think we owe it to the good people of Pennsylvania who take mass transit to be there for them and their families as well,” Shapiro said Friday in Philadelphia, flanked by buses flashing a thank you message to him.
SEPTA said Shapiro’s announcement allows it to avoid a 30% fare hike planned for Jan. 1. However, the Philadelphia-area agency will follow through on a plan to eliminate a discount for riders who use the system's Key card to ride buses, trolleys, and subways. The Dec. 1 change amounts to a 50-cent increase for transit riders and higher fares for commuter rail users.
Routing highway dollars to SEPTA is a temporary solution that won’t be enough to close the agency’s $240 million deficit. Board Chair Ken Lawrence warned of more service cuts that would begin on July 1, 2025, unless SEPTA secures more funding.
