SEPTA fare hikes: Riders can expect 7.5 percent increase starting Dec. 1
PHILADELPHIA - SEPTA has been looking for ways to deal with a $240 million budget deficit, and SEPTA leaders say they have no choice.
Just one day after delivering some good news, a settlement, instead of a strike, with its drivers, SEPTA delivered some bad news for its riders, and the bad news streak is expected to continue.
"We could be losing up to 20 to 25% of our ridership; we could lose ultimately," said one SEPTA official.
SEPTA expects to lose a fourth of its riders over the next few months as fare hikes and service cuts happen.
The first of two back-to-back monthly fare increases was approved by SEPTA's board Thursday, hiking fares seven and a half percent on December 1st, to be quickly followed by another fare hike—three times as big—just one month later on January 1st.
When the SEPTA board comes back for their December meeting, it plans to approve another 21.5 percent fare hike. For a not-so-happy New Year's hike for SEPTA riders totaling 29 percent.
SEPTA proposes 'major' fare increases, service cuts: Here's how much and when
Philly commuters could be kicking off the New Year with some hefty fees to get around the city. Here's a breakdown of the proposed SEPTA fare increases:
"That's kind of insane. A lot of people rely on it to go to work, get to everywhere. It's kind of crazy, and the service isn't that good," said Patty Dziekonska, a SEPTA rider.
"All in all, it's 29% and it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt the customers that need us the most." said Scott Sauer, SEPTA Chief Operating Officer.
Those who can't afford the alternative—buying a car, too far away to walk from work or school, and struggling already under the price of everything else that has been going up, except their wages—are feeling the squeeze.
"I'm definitely going to get a car, but there are people who can't just go out and get a car," said Kaleem Johnson, a SEPTA rider.
"We are the largest poorest big city in the country, and most of those folks rely on us to get where they need to go, whether it's going to work or school. 29 percent hits hard. It's not a small increase,:" said Sauer."This is just the start of the transit death spiral. We raise fares, we start cutting service, people leave, our customers go and find alternative ways to travel. Then, we have to raise fares and cut service again."