SEPTA Board Votes On Major Service Cuts

PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA's board Thursday voted on the proposed budget that features drastic cuts to services and also a fare increase.

The board voted to adopt its new budget, meaning major service reductions will go into effect Aug. 24. This also means fares will increase 21.5 percent on Sept. 1, and a total hiring freeze will go into effect that same day.

"This is a vote none of us wanted to take," SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth Lawrence Jr. said "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."

Service cuts include the elimination of dozens of bus routes, significant reductions in trips on all rail services, a 9 p.m. curfew for all rail services that would begin in early 2026, and the elimination of five Regional Rail lines — Cynwyd Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line, Trenton Line, Wilmington/Newark Line.

The impact of the proposed service cuts will be felt throughout the city and region, as reliable options for everyday travel to school and work are greatly diminished.

Beyond regular riders, people traveling to games at the Sports Complex and other special events would have to navigate the 9 p.m. curfew for rail services, along with other restrictions. SEPTA said it would also be forced to cease providing additional service to special events, including plans to support the World Cup, the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, and other 2026 events.

These major shifts were proposed in response to a $213 million budget gap, which is the result of the end of federal COVID relief funding and increases in the day-to-day costs of providing service to customers.

"This budget will effectively dismantle SEPTA – leaving the City and region without the frequent, reliable transit service that has been an engine of economic growth, mobility, and opportunity," SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said. "Once this dismantlement begins, it will be almost impossible to reverse, and the economic and social impacts will be immediate and long-lasting for all Pennsylvanians – whether they ride SEPTA or not."

The state legislature could prevent these cuts from being implemented if it appropriately funds SEPTA.

Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a statewide transit funding plan that would provide new, sustainable funding that would prevent those devastating measures from taking effect and preserve essential transit service statewide. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives last week advanced Shapiro's proposal along with new funding for roads and bridges.

SEPTA's Media Relations Director told Patch earlier this week that if lawmakers in Harrisburg adequately address the funding gap, SEPTA's board can amend the budget to avoid the cuts.

He said legislators in the statehouse have had "productive discussions" regarding SEPTA funding, and that a "better dialogue" has been had during the negotiations.

"There is still a lot to play out," he said. "I hope a resolution will include new transit funding, and we can come back and amend our budget."