PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — SEPTA officials on Friday released a timeline for when riders will begin paying higher fares, as the transit agency works to restore services following a court order.
The 21.5% fare increase will take effect Sept. 14 and is expected to generate about $31 million annually, according to SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer.
“It’s ridiculous, really. People can’t afford it like me,” said Brenda Frazier of North Philadelphia.
The fare hike comes as the agency grapples with the impact of service reductions that began about two weeks ago.
Sauer said the cuts have had “devastating effects,” with more than 4,400 riders left behind at bus and trolley stops last week due to delays and overcrowding.
“It’s awful. It’s very bad,” said Alexandra Richards, waiting at a Roxborough bus stop with her groceries. “I was talking to a friend and he said, ‘How about you start walking?’ and I said, ‘No, I’ve been waiting for a long time, and it’s heavy.'”
Other riders shared similar frustrations.
“It’s long waits. The trolley doesn’t show up, and when it does, it’s packed,” said Cynthia Roman-Cabrera of West Philadelphia.
To temporarily restore service, SEPTA is requesting $394 million from PennDOT’s public transit trust fund. Sauer said the money, typically reserved for capital projects, would be used to maintain operations for two years.
“This is not a solution. This is a band-aid that will get us through a couple of years, but at the expense of future capital programming,” Sauer said.
He added that the request is necessary due to the ongoing state budget impasse.
“It’s clear now it’s a stalemate. We just want to provide the best service we can for our customers,” he said.
Republican Senator Frank Farry said this is the same approach Republicans outlined on August 12th, saying in a statement, “It provides an immediate solution for SEPTA’s operating costs over the next two years, all without raising taxes or taking money away from education, seniors, veterans, or other critical programs.”
Sauer noted that earlier Senate proposals included infrastructure funding. “If you recall, there were other aspects of the senate plan that included money for roads and bridges, so this does not obviously have any effect on that,” he said.
House Majority Leader Matt Bradford’s spokesperson said in a statement, “While this waiver will allow SEPTA to continue operations in the short term, this does nothing to address the need for a long-term solution with real, stable, recurring revenue to support transit across the commonwealth.”
Sauer urged lawmakers to reach a broader agreement.
“We’re urging all parties to continue to work towards an agreement on a transit funding plan that preserves this service for our customers and the region, the service they deserve well into the future,” he said.
Governor Josh Shapiro’s office said it is reviewing the funding request and determining next steps. Sauer said he is optimistic the plan will be approved by next week.
If approved, SEPTA said all services will be fully restored on Sept. 14.
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