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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority announced significant fare increases and cuts to several of its services via a news release on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The rising fare prices and service cuts are being made to help address the agency's $240 million annual budget deficit, the news release states. Public hearings on the proposed changes will be held Friday, Dec. 13.
"With no prospect of a statewide solution to help fund the everyday operating expenses of public transportation systems, SEPTA is proposing a fare increase that would affect all modes and methods of payment beginning in January," the agency announced.
Fares are expected to rise 30 percent starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, the agency states. More information on the specific fare increases can be found by clicking here.
At the same time, SEPTA is proposing a 20 percent reduction in its services to help save money, a 6abc Action News report states.
"Rail lines will be so infrequent they'll be useless to most of our customers," SEPTA COO Scott Sauer told Action News.
SEPTA mentions that it has hit a "fiscal cliff" like many other transit agencies across the country because COVID relief funds from the pandemic have run out "creating a nearly quarter billion dollar annual budget deficit in the current fiscal year and beyond," according to transit agency.
And price hikes to fares and cuts to services will likely happen at transit agencies across Pennsylvania, according to Democratic state Representative Ed Neilson, Majority Chair of the PA House Transportation Committee.
“I am disappointed that millions of people from Philadelphia and the outlying suburbs will be drastically impacted by SEPTA’s fare increase and major service cuts to the region,” Neilson said in a news release. “Despite months of negotiations and a statewide informational tour about the importance of funding our public transit agencies in all 67 counties, the General Assembly failed to reach an agreement."
While SEPTA may be the first casualty of the General Assembly's inaction, it won't be the last, according to Neilson.
"Soon, other vital public transit agencies throughout the state will have to make the same hard choices as SEPTA without additional state funding," Neilson said.
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