SEPTA faces final countdown to avoid service cuts
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SEPTA has one week to fill its $213 million budget shortfall and avoid massive cutbacks — a reality the transit agency is facing without a once-reliable plan B.
Why it matters: The impending service cuts will impact commuters and students returning to schools later this month, and they could interrupt the city's planning for big-ticket events in 2026.
The big picture: Pennsylvania's divided government is weeks late in hammering out a budget deal.
- Amid the biggest sticking points: state transportation funding, including the money SEPTA needs to avert its doomsday service cuts.
- While Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Democratic-controlled House have backed more SEPTA funding, the Republican–controlled Senate has balked at the proposal and called for more agency oversight.
Threat level: SEPTA faces an Aug. 14 deadline to get state funding to shore up its budget gap, agency officials said Wednesday.
- Barring that, a 20% reduction in service across rail, buses and trolleys will begin Aug. 24.
What they're saying: SEPTA general manager Scott Sauer said during a Wednesday news conference that the deadline is necessary to schedule service changes across the system, set staff assignments and prepare vehicles.
- "Time is of the essence," he said.
- Sauer warned that even if state funding arrives after Aug. 14, SEPTA will need at least 10 days to restore full service.
Meanwhile, it appears unlikely that Shapiro can count on an alternate plan to fund SEPTA, as he did last year.
Flashback: In 2024, after SEPTA failed to secure more funding in the state budget and faced service cuts, Shapiro directed the transfer of $153 million in federal highway funding to the agency in a maneuver known as "flexing."
- Shapiro didn't need state lawmakers to sign off on the transfer.
- But the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), then under former President Joe Biden, had to review and sign off on the transfer.
The intrigue: Now without a fellow Democrat in the White House, Shapiro could face a chillier reception to such a request — especially considering Shapiro and President Trump have sparred in the past.
- SEPTA has not heard of flexing federal funding for the agency being an option so far, agency spokesperson Andrew Busch tells Axios.
FHWA spokesperson Angela Gates declined to discuss hypothetical flexing requests.
- But Gates noted that the federal agency has approved four requests from the state this year for flexing federal funding, but declined to identify them.
A spokesperson for Shapiro declined to comment.
- The spokesperson referred Axios to Shapiro's previous comments in which the governor said budget negotiations were making slow progress.
The bottom line: It's likely state budget or bust for SEPTA.
What to expect: If cutbacks occur, the first round will include:
- 🚌 Elimination of 32 bus routes, coupled with shortening 16 routes and reducing service on 88 more.
- 🚇 Service cuts on Regional Rail, Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines, as well as trolley lines.
💰 Fare increases would kick in Sept. 1 (rising by 21.5%), followed by another round of service cuts starting Jan. 1.