SEPTA recently received $219.9 million in state funding, which is expected to be used to help with capital issues and fix its aging railcars, writes Tom MacDonald for WHYY.
Governor Josh Shapiro has advocated for months for SEPTA to obtain millions of dollars in funding.
He noted that this new funding can “ensure that for as long as these railcars are used, they will be safe and they will be effective modes of transportation for riders in and around the Philadelphia area.”
Earlier this year, federal transportation authorities ordered SEPTA to suspend using its 50-year-old Silverline IV cars and immediately conduct inspections and repairs. This is prompted by a series of fires on the trains that happened months ago.
Moreover, SEPTA has been dealing with a series of crises.
SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said the new funding will also help end this ongoing cycle.
“Now we can do lots of other things that we we did not have funding to do, that will allow us to get in front of crises. We can now do some preventive work, look for the next problem that’s out on the horizon before it impacts customers,” he said.
Read more about the state funding SEPTA received and what it means for the system and its riders at WHYY.
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