SEPTA has brought to table a proposal that’s poised to send ripples through the daily transit of Philadelphia’s populace, with talks of service cuts and fare hikes on the horizon as the agency grapples with a dire $240 million budget deficit, as reported by
CBS News Philadelphia
. The proposed changes suggest nearly a 30% spike in fares and a steep 20% drop in service across all modes of transportation, signaling what SEPTA officials describe as the start of a ‘transit death spiral.’ The stark measures include increasing the SEPTA Key fare to $2.90, and regional rail prices climbing as high as $8.75 depending on the zone, with fare adjustments potentially taking effect come December 1 and January 1, 2025, respectively, should they receive board approval at the November 21 meeting.
In detailing the proposal, SEPTA outlined service and fare adjustments: bus and METRO fares rising from $2 to $2.50 in December and then to $2.90 in the new year, and regional rail fares experiencing a similar surge, all of which are outlined in a summary on SEPTA’s website,
FOX 29 News
highlighted those present at a public hearing scheduled for December 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center are encouraged to bring forth their opinions, the agency recognizing the impact these decisions could have on riders who will face higher costs and potentially reduced service reliability.
With the transit authority facing what could very well be termed a fiscal abyss, SEPTA COO Scott Sauer didn’t mince words as he spoke of the imminent threats looming over the foundational public transit service, “Rail lines will be so infrequent they’ll be useless to most of our customers,” he articulated in a manner that laid bare the agency’s predicament, according to
6ABC
. Amidst these developments, Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro’s endorsement for a budget boost that would allot an extra $161 million to SEPTA fell flat with state lawmakers, leaving potential solutions tethered to limbo as the legislative session concluded without progress on the matter.
SEPTA’s struggles are not singular in scope, for they are playing against the backdrop of contract negotiations with TWU Local 234, whose members have authorized a strike in the pursuit of wages and working conditions improvements SEPTA cited budget constraints as an element in these ongoing talks, even as Leslie Richards, CEO and general manager of the agency, readies to exit her post on November 29 raising concerns about leadership continuity during such turbulent times, with an interim general manager yet to be permanently replaced.
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