SEPTA’s board of directors recently voted to approve major cuts in service and significantly increase fares, write Laura Fay, Raymond Strickland, CBS News Philadelphia Staff for CBS News Philadelphia.
The vote came as SEPTA continues to deal with a major, $213 million budget deficit.
“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.”
This would have a severely negative impact on ridership, causing many to avoid public transit altogether.
The proposed changes to SEPTA would include eliminating 50 bus routes, cutting five Regional Rail lines, reduce remaining services by 20 percent, adding a 9 PM curfew on metro and Regional Rail service, cancel special service, close 66 stations, and raise fares by 21.5 percent.
If lawmakers don’t approve funding, these changes would go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
Read more about the major changes that could be coming to SEPTA as a result of its budget deficit at CBS News Philadelphia.
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