PA: Elected officials decry ‘devastating’ SEPTA service cuts, fare increases

The proposed SEPTA budget for the coming year, which anticipates large-scale reductions in bus and rail services throughout the region and steep increases in the cost of rides, hit area elected officials like a splash of ice-cold water in the face when they were announced.

On Thursday, SEPTA formally identified its budget proposal, which would require heavy service cuts in the city and suburbs — coupled with major fare increases, workforce reductions, and nightly curfews for all Regional Rail services — to address a massive structural budget deficit during the new fiscal year that starts July 1.

“Let me start by stating the obvious: these proposed cuts to SEPTA would be devastating for Chester County,” said Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz, who is vice chairwoman of the regional transportation authority board. “Our residents and businesses have been grappling with insufficient public transit access for years — and these cuts would only deepen that crisis.

“In fact, Chester County, as well as the additional four counties in southeast Pennsylvania, have stepped up with more dollars as the Governor asked us to do,” Moskowitz said in an e-mail. “But, the counties cannot support this kind of deficit.”

The release of the budget comes amid critical negotiations in Harrisburg on a statewide transit funding plan introduced in February by Gov. Josh Shapiro that would prevent these dire measures from taking effect.

Under the proposal, customers would see service cuts, including the elimination of dozens of bus routes and significant reductions in trips on all rail services, beginning with the launch of fall schedules on Aug. 24. A fare increase averaging 21.5 percent for all riders would go into effect on Sept. 1, followed on Jan. 1 by the elimination of five Regional Rail lines — including the historic “Paoli Local” that brings thousands of riders into and out of the county each day along the Main Line — and a 9 p.m. rail curfew.

A total of 50 bus routes would be shut down between Aug. 24 and Jan. 1, including the heavily ridden Route 104 that runs between Upper Darby and West Chester, including West Chester University.

“We know how critical service is to our customers and the region, and we have done everything possible to avoid the drastic measures that are proposed in this budget,” said Interim General Manager Scott A. Sauer in a press release. “We have made significant progress in cutting costs, growing ridership, improving reliability and delivering on safety and security enhancements. All of that is at risk if we are forced to start dismantling the system.”

Under SEPTA’s new budget, the agency plans to raise transit fares by more than 20 percent and cut service by 45 percent.

All five of the Regional Rail routes that run on Amtrak-owned tracks — the Chestnut Hill West, Cynwyd, Paoli/ Thorndale, Trenton and Wilmington/ Newark lines — will cease operations. Septa pays $65 million a year to rent those lines.

“We have known for some time that SEPTA is in dire straits, as are other mass transit agencies across this commonwealth,” said Shapiro in a statement. “It’s why twice in a row in my budgets, I’ve proposed historic funding for mass transit, roughly $300 million, about $170 million or so would come to SEPTA in particular,” the governor said. “We got to get that passed.”

He went on to say, “The House of Representatives passed it three times. The Senate of Pennsylvania failed to act even once. We got to get my budget proposal through the House again. I know House leaders are committed to doing that next month and then the Senate needs to act.”

According to Moskowitz, SEPTA provides transportation to approximately 800,000 people every day.

“These are not just numbers — they are our neighbors, our workforce, our seniors, and students,” she said. “They’re people who need reliable transportation to get to work, to access medical care, to attend school, and to enjoy our region’s arts and sports venues. Many don’t have the option of owning a car.”

Moskowitz pointed specifically to the R5 line that runs from Thorndale in Caln to Center City, and which SEPTA estimates serves approximately 15,000 unlinked passenger trips per weekday. Of that, about 4,884 unlinked trips either begin or end at one of the Chester County stations and approximately 2,689 passengers (people) board at a Chester County station.

“If the R-5 line is shut down and bus services are reduced, the effect won’t be just ripples, it will be waves,” said Moskowitz. “It will be brutal, impacting major employers like Vanguard as well as small business owners who already struggle to find and retain workers.

“This is not a theoretical threat,” Moskowitz declared. “It’s real.”

Moskowitz’s colleagues on the county commissioners echoed her horror at the impact the cuts would have on county residents, businesses and employees.

The budget “reflects the stark reality that the day of reckoning is here about public funding for transportation in Pennsylvania,” said Commissioners’ Chairman Josh Maxwell. “The proposed SEPTA budget reflects a stark alternative reality that would significantly harm those working, living, and commuting from Chester County.

“This grim vision would amount to a death spiral for public transportation,” Maxwell predicted. “The public would lose faith in SEPTA, which would diminish fares, budget, and services and erode faith in SEPTA. It’s a feedback loop that results in the complete loss of this vital resource for our region.”

Commissioner Eric Roe, the board’s lone Republican, said he was “obviously disappointed by the news from SEPTA this week. “SEPTA is certainly making a strong case for help from Harrisburg.

“Long term, however, I think it’s important we recognize that ridership might never reach pre-pandemic levels, and we should plan accordingly,” he cautioned. “Even so, cutting services like regional rail and bus lines will make traffic even worse in Chester County and the region. Our labor force will also suffer without as many options to get to and from work.”

State lawmakers also weighed in on the cuts and who should bear the responsibility for making up the shortfall.

“The loss of SEPTA services would be devastating for the 25 percent of Southeastern Pennsylvania residents who commute out-of-county and for the businesses that rely on SEPTA to bring their employees to work,” said state Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-155th, of Uwchlan.“We need to fund public transit.

“And the question we need to be asking is who are we asking to foot these costs,” she said “We continue to hand out tax credits and abatements to multi-billion-dollar corporations who do business in our commonwealth and rely on our transportation infrastructure without paying their fair share to fund it, while our locally owned businesses and taxpayers take on more and more of the burden.”

Also in response, state Reps. Lisa Borowski of Delaware County; Tim Briggs and Mary Jo Daley, both of Montgomery County; and Kristine Howard, Melissa Shusterman, and Dan K. Williams, all of Chester County, noted that Shapiro had proposed an effective way to avoid the cuts.

“The state House has passed his budget proposal to avoid these cuts three times, and that the state Senate must come to the table next month when we plan to pass it again,” the representatives said. “Regional Rail service is as important to our transportation infrastructure as roads and bridges. We will advocate to ensure (the R5) line stays open to the benefit and necessity of the people we serve.”

Maxwell noted in an e-mail that the proposed cuts in service would harm the county and region just as it begins gearing up for a number of major events in Philadelphia.

“It will embarrass this region as it gears up to celebrate so many special events in the coming year — events will put Philadelphia in the global spotlight and give us a chance to shine,” he said. “The FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence are monumental opportunities to showcase all we can be.

“This is a time for leadership, and Chester County stands ready to work with anyone who proposes innovative, unconventional solutions to this public transportation crisis,” he said.

© 2025 Daily Local News, West Chester, Pa.
Visit www.dailylocal.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.