PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Every other week, it seems there is a new challenge for SEPTA riders, and Friday is no different.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is warning that his department could force SEPTA to stop using a fleet of rail cars due to fire risks.
This comes as Pennsylvania approaches four months without a budget.
And now, SEPTA has announced it will postpone multiple improvement projects in order to continue service, including deferring the purchase of new buses.
READ MORE | Public, City Council confront SEPTA over Silverliner IV safety inspections
The SEPTA board voted to transfer $394 million of local, state and federal capital funds to the operating budget following PennDOT’s emergency approval last month to restore full service.
This comes as SEPTA appears likely to miss the deadline set by the Federal Rail Administration to inspect all 223 Silverliner IV rail cars by the end of the month after a series of fires earlier this year.
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As of Thursday night, just 82 of the inspections have been finished with eight days until the deadline.
“I will be very challenging,” a SEPTA official said. “We’re going to work to it reality is we have to many rail cars left to finish by next Friday.”
Duffy wrote a letter to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, saying the gross mismanagement and neglect of Pennsylvania’s rail and bus systems is alarming.
“I’m calling on Josh Shapiro to oversee the safety of riders and transit workers. It’s time to get SEPTA’s fiscal house in order,” Duffy said.
A spokesperson for Shapiro said as part of last year’s budget, the governor secured $46 million in new funding for SEPTA, adding that his budget proposal for this year included $167 million for SEPTA, but she said this didn’t have the support of Senate republicans.
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The spokesperson said, instead of issuing a press release, if Secretary Duffy actually wants to be helpful, he should call his fellow republicans and get them to fund the governor’s mass transit funding package for SEPTA.
“We would be happy to provide their phone numbers,” she said.
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