A MAJOR U.S. city has upcoming transportation cuts that will drastically affect the travel plans of residents and visitors alike.
The deep slashes will start this month if federal funding isn’t passed soon.
SEPTA says by Aug. 14, it will have to know if the budgeting gap can be filled[/caption]
The deficit will affect hundreds of thousands mass transit riders[/caption]
Philadelphia is just days away from SEPTA cutting or reducing service to more than 100 lines, affecting over one million Pennsylvanians who take mass transit daily.
The cuts are to be made if legislation isn’t passed to fill the system’s $213 million deficit, crippling SEPTA, according to transit officials.
Funding would be needed by Aug. 14 in order to keep the system afloat and avoid the increases and slashes, according to the company.
“Because the State Senate hasn’t acted, we are just days away from devastating cuts to SEPTA. School starts in 2 weeks and those cuts would hurt 55,000 kids – and their families – who rely on SEPTA buses and trains to get to class,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote on X.
“It’s time to get this done.”
Not only are 20% of the lines being changed, but fares will be raised dramatically as well.
Starting Sept. 1, the prices will go up 21.5%.
For bus, metro, and ParaTransit trips, tickets would cost $2.90, according to CBS News.
That would mimic the price of New York City‘s Metropolitan Transit Authority.
“We will be left with no other choice but to begin dismantling the SEPTA system,” SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said.
“Tens of thousands of people or more will be left with no viable public transportation options.”
New schedules are set to begin Aug. 24 if a plan isn’t made for funding.
School begins the next day for those in the Philadelphia school district, leaving “tens of thousands” of children without transportation to class.
SEPTA said that they would need 10 days to get everything caught up to speed with the changes, from their app to platform announcements.
“Our planning and operations staff have worked hard to compress the timeline for pre-schedule change work, but we cannot push it beyond Aug. 14,” Sauer said.
Resources for SEPTA cuts
SEPTA is offering information for what riders should do if funding is not secured and services are cut.
“If funding is not secured by then, these painful service cuts will go into effect.”
Giant reductions are being made to SEPTA services: 32 bus routes will be shut down, significant cutbacks will happen to rail rides, and all special services will be cancelled.
“If the State Senate fails to pass funding for mass transit, SEPTA will be forced to end all special service, including extra trains to the Sports Complex,” Shapiro said.
“That means fewer trains and longer waits when you want to get to the Linc or go watch the Phils — and it will make it even harder during events next year like the World Cup and the MLB All-Star Game.”
After the fare raise next month, the company also said they would be initiating a hiring freeze.
These first cuts are just the beginning, with more expected next year.
The elimination of five Regional Rail lines, alongside an additional slash of 18 bus routes will take place on Jan. 1.
A 9 p.m. cutoff time would also be placed on all rail lines, leading to an over 45% decrease in transit options for riders across the city.
“We remain optimistic that a funding agreement can be reached by August 14,” Sauer said.
“We will continue working with lawmakers in any way we can to help get this over the finish line.”
The company said that tens of thousands of children will be without transportation to school if the cuts happen[/caption]
