SEPTA’s Fiscal Cliff Gets an Extension

PHILADELPHIA –– Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania has given a reprieve to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority teetering on the edge of the fiscal cliff with authorization to access $394 million earmarked for future capital funding so it can continue operations for two years.

RT&S reported last month that “SEPTA [announced] this week that service cuts will begin on August 24 and fare increases will go into effect on September 1.” You can read that story here.

However, things have changed as of today. SEPTA announced that with the approval of use of the capital funding for operations, the agency expects to have service restored by September 14. On that same day, however, riders will face a 21.5% fare increase.

Observers are concerned that while moves such as this for SEPTA will enable the continuation of service for two years, what happens after that? The journey to work is still evolving in the United States. Many companies have required their employees to return to offices, yet many continue to travel in private automobiles and others continue to work from home, at least a couple of days per week. Commuter and transit operations continue to have financial and ridership issues, and downtown merchants and other business that depend on significant numbers of people working downtown have been suffering.