SEPTA looks to fare increases to overcome budget strain
PHILADELPHIA - Just as ridership is improving for SEPTA, the authority warns a budget disagreement in Harrisburg threatens its progress.
Riders hop-on SEPTA’s region rail as cars leave Philly’s Jefferson Station. The transportation authority for the region’s nearly 6 million residents reports its finally enjoying a post-pandemic surge in ridership. Andrew Busch is SEPTA’s spokesperson. He said, "We still have some room to go but we’re improving across the board. We really want to see the momentum continue."
SEPTA reports its average daily trips on busses, trains and trolleys have reached nearly 800,000. That’s over 75 percent of its ridership before the pandemic. But just as the picture brightens the future darkens as SEPTA runs a $240 million deficit as its federal COVID money ends and the governor and state legislature have stalled on a funding deal. To pay the bills, SEPTA is highly likely to hike fares as the year ends.
SEPTA fare adjustments: What you need to know about proposed changes
SEPTA has announced a number of proposed fare adjustments and the end of some discounts in what they say is an effort to overcome a hefty budget deficit.
Busch calls the increases, "A modest overall fare increase for all riders of 7.5 percent. If the board approves it at the November meeting, it will go into effect December 1st."
SEPTA was hoping for approval of a funding package during the legislature’s fall session. But finding new dollars from the sales tax or regulation of so called "skill games," or casino games operating in bars and corner stores, has snarled.
SEPTA hopes for a quick infusion of dollars after the election but argues if there’s no deal as 2025 rolls in, fare hikes as large as 30 percent and cuts in service are on the table. Busch said, "That’s the death spiral for transit. You’re paying significantly more for a service that’s dropping off in reliability and availability to cover the region. We want to do all we can not to get to service cuts."