The transit agency says it’s looking at dramatic service cuts and fare hikes if it doesn’t get more help from the state.
By Carmen Russell-Sluchansky, WHYY
Hundreds gathered at Dilworth Plaza Friday morning for the “We’re Not Getting There Without SEPTA” rally, voicing their opposition to proposed cuts and fare increases by the public transit agency.
State Sen. Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, led the group in a chant: “No cuts. No way. We ride SEPTA every day.”
“We are clear-eyed about what brings us together today,” Saval told the crowd under the north arch of City Hall. “The future of our communities, of our city, of our entire region, are dependent on SEPTA. We stand at the edge of service cuts and fair hikes that will tumble into a cascading death spiral that advocates and officials have warned about for so long.”
The rally, occurring just one day after SEPTA announced what many are calling a “doomsday” budget, brought together a coalition of transit workers, elected officials and riders facing what Saval described as “the deadly seriousness” of a crisis that threatens to reshape life in America’s sixth-largest city.
On Thursday, SEPTA unveiled a budget proposal to address a $213 million deficit, which includes a 45% reduction in service and a 21.5% fare increase. The plan would eliminate dozens of bus routes, shut down five Regional Rail lines and stop service at 9 p.m. on all rail services starting Jan. 1, 2026. Disabled riders would also be significantly affected, with 40,000 annual trips no longer served by SEPTA ACCESS and fares increased by 35%.
The rally underscored the role SEPTA, which serves nearly 800,000 riders daily, plays in the region’s economy and daily life. Speakers highlighted the disproportionate impact the proposed cuts would have on working-class communities, people with disabilities and those without alternative transportation options.
Related:
SEPTA’s proposed cuts are ‘catastrophic,’ say Philly leaders
What services would be affected by SEPTA’s proposed cuts?
Under intense budget squeeze, SEPTA may end 5 Regional Rail Lines
Many passengers could be left without a ride
