Pennsylvania’s senators and congressional leaders are calling on the federal government to step in and assist with funding of SEPTA. NBC10’s Frances Wang explains why and what this could mean for the transit agency and its riders.
U.S. senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, along with the majority of the Philadelphia area congressional delegation, sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the Biden Administration to continue investing in SEPTA amid a looming transit fiscal cliff.
“We are at a critical juncture for transit in the Philadelphia region. Without strong, sustained federal support, Pennsylvanians risk losing transit access entirely,” wrote the members in the letter. “However, we shouldn’t set the bar so low – Pennsylvanians deserve a world-class transit system that is efficient, fast, safe, and comprehensive. As the Department of Transportation continues its critical work, [we] urge you to prioritize SEPTA and Pennsylvania’s transit systems.”
As noted in a statement from Fetterman's office, the letter comes after last year's state budget failed to include an increase in state public transit funding.
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There was an initiative that would have provided an additional $190 million to SEPTA that would have increased SEPTA's share of state sales tax revenue from its current level of 4.4% to 6.4%.
Along with Casey and Fetterman, Democratic U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean, Dwight Evans, Mary Gay Scanlon, and Chrissy Houlahan all signed the letter.
The elected officials noted that "SEPTA’s service is essential for the entire southeastern Pennsylvania region, providing a transit option for nearly 150 million city and suburban riders in 2022."
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In a recent interview with NBC10, a SEPTA representative warned that, unless the mass transit provider could provide new funding, by September, riders could be paying more -- with potential fare increases of up to 30% -- and getting less, with the possibility of cuts to 20% of services across all SEPTA options.
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represented a commitment to transforming our transit systems – Pennsylvanians deserve to see that investment put to work in their communities,” the letter concluded.
The letter was sent to Buttigieg on Tuesday.
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