Funding deadline passes, SEPTA moving forward with drastic cuts

(WPHL) — SEPTA is moving forward with deep service cuts and fare increases, as the transit agency has not secured the funding needed from the Pennsylvania General Assembly in time to address its $213 million budget deficit. The transit agency will now begin preparation for service cuts that begin on August 24.

On Wednesday, a Pennsylvania House committee voted against the Senate’s bill, which Republican lawmakers in the Senate passed the amended bill on Tuesday evening. It included a plan to fund mass transit for two years, using money from the Pennsylvania Transit Trust Fund as a temporary measure, among other items. Senate Democrats criticized the move.

The continued stalemate follows previous efforts to fund the transit agency.

What’s next?

Since SEPTA did not get funding to fill the $213 million budget deficit, the transit agency said it will have to take “drastic steps to irreversibly shrink the system.” Cuts include no Metro or Regional Rail services after 9 p.m.; eliminating 50 bus routes, 5 Regional Rail lines, and all special service (sports, concerts, and major events); reducing service on all remaining routes by 20%; and increasing fares by 21.5%.

Jump to section:

• Overview
• Timeline
• Service reductions
  • August 2025
  • January 2026
• Fares
• Regional impact
• Comparing funding from other peer transit agencies

Overview

According to SEPTA, the transit agency is facing a budget gap because of federal COVID relief funds ending and increasing day-to-day costs. While ridership has recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency says it has had to take on additional costs to “address emerging challenges – particularly crime, disorder and the vulnerable population.” SEPTA is also feeling the impact of inflation on fuel, power, and supplies.

Timeline of service cuts

Service reductions

August 2025 proposed changes

• 32 Routes Eliminated
  • Bus: 1, 8, 12, 19, 30, 31, 35, 47M, 50, 62, 73, 78, 80, 88, 89, 91, 106, 120, 126, 133, 150, 201, 204, 206, 311, BLVDDIR, 452, 461, 462, 476, 478, 484
• 16 Routes Shortened
  • Bus: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 17, 27, 43, 61, 84, 115, 124, 125, 433, 441, 495
• 88 Routes with Reduced Service
  • Bus: 4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51 (L), 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 63 (G), 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71 (H), 79, 81 (XH), 82 (R), 93, 96, 98, 99, 103, 104, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 117, 118, 123, 131, K, B1 OWL, L1 OWL
  • Metro: BSL [B1, B2, B3], MFL [L,] 101 [D1], 102 [D2], 10 [T1], 34 [T2], 13 [T3], 11 [T4], 36 [T5], 15 [G1]
  • Regional Rail: Airport Line, Chestnut Hill East Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Cynwyd Line, Fox Chase Line, Landsdale/Doylestown Line, Media/ Wawa Line, Manayunk/Norristown Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line, Trenton Line, Warminster Line, Wilmington/Newark Line, West Trenton Line
• All special services (sports, concerts, major events) eliminated

January 2026 proposed changes

• 24 More Routes Eliminated
  • Bus: 28, 32, 44, 77, 90, 92, 95, 103, 118, 127, 128, 132, B1 OWL, L1 OWL, 446, 447, 448, 490
  • Metro: BSL B3
  • Regional Rail: Cynwyd Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Paoli/Thorndale Line, Trenton Line, Wilmington/Newark Line
• 2 Trolleys Become Buses
  • Metro: 10 [T1], 15 [G1]
• 9 pm Curfew on All Remaining Metro & Regional Rail Lines
  • Metro: BSL [B1, B2], MFL [L], NHSL [M], 101 [D1], 102 [D2], 34 [T2], 13 [T3], 11 [T4], 36 [T5]
  • Regional Rail: Airport Line, Chestnut Hill East Line, Fox Chase Line, Lansdale/Doylestown Line, Media/Wawa Line, Manayunk/Norristown Line, Warminster Line, West Trenton Line

Fares

SEPTA says that without a solution, the agency would be forced to move forward with another fare increase proposal. This would follow a December 2024 increase.

Rates would be increased by more than 20%, which, according to SEPTA, would lead to the highest fares in the country.

Regional impact

According to SEPTA, fare increases and service reductions would make Southeastern Pennsylvania enter a “death spiral.”

SEPTA estimates the “total social cost” of the service cuts and fare increases to $267 million annually. The agency says this will lead to decreased safety, increased CO2 emissions, increased vehicle ownership costs, and increased transit fares.

Deep service cuts and fare hikes would also impact those who do not ride SEPTA: the agency warns of worse congestion on local roadways as riders switch to driving.

Comparing funding from other peer transit agencies

SEPTA says it was created to maintain the region’s transit infrastructure, but has never been given adequate funding to achieve that. According to the transit agency, it has received between one-half and one-third the level of funding compared to peer agencies:

Underinvestment, SEPTA claims, has resulted in an “untenable situation” because long-overdue investments in aging infrastructure can no longer be delayed. With the budget proposal, SEPTA says it is forced to delay and defer $2 billion worth of projects and leave other critical projects partially funded.