SEPTA Faces $213 Million Deficit, Service Cuts Planned

SEPTA is facing a $213 million budget deficit and has proposed drastic service reductions and fare increases unless the state intervenes with additional funding. The proposed cuts, set to begin in August 2025, include eliminating or reducing dozens of bus routes and Regional Rail lines, with up to 45 percent of all service at risk and fare hikes averaging over 21 percent. Five Regional Rail lines, including the Trenton Line that serves areas like Levittown and Bristol, and key bus routes in Bucks County are slated for elimination, prompting concern from riders, workers, and local lawmakers. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed a statewide funding plan to provide SEPTA with $165 million, but it faces opposition in the Senate. Democratic legislators and community advocates argue that these cuts would have devastating impacts on the region’s residents and economy, and are urging the legislature to act to avoid them. Public hearings and comment opportunities are being held as negotiations continue in Harrisburg.