SEPTA cuts could strain Amtrak service and boost remote work
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The ripple effects of SEPTA's service cuts could hurt Amtrak and force more workers to clock in remotely at some of Philadelphia's largest employers.
Why it matters: The agency is preparing to operate at the lowest level of service in its history — a move that could reverse decades of transit growth.
State of play: SEPTA's service cuts kick in at 5am Sunday.
- Meanwhile, Pennsylvania lawmakers have yet to agree on a state budget or address SEPTA's $213 million deficit, which is triggering the cuts.
Driving the news: Amtrak will lose roughly $71 million in annual payments from SEPTA after the Philly transit agency stops using Amtrak's rail lines starting Jan. 1.
- That will hurt Amtrak's reinvestments in its rail network, potentially leading to deteriorating infrastructure and slower train speeds, Amtrak spokesperson Beth K. Toll tells Axios.
Zoom in: The funding loss will affect the following Amtrak lines:
- Keystone Service: Linking New York, Philly and Harrisburg
- Pennsylvanian: Running from New York through Philly to Pittsburgh
- Northeast Corridor: Stretching from Boston to Virginia Beach
The intrigue: U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle has said Amtrak could eliminate the Keystone Service altogether over the lost funding, per the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
Plus: Approximately 140 riders could lose access to SEPTA's paratransit service (for people with disabilities) due to the cuts, agency spokesperson Andrew Busch tells Axios.
Zoom out: Some Philly workers will likely take advantage of flexible remote work policies, while other employers aren't budging from their in-office mandates.
What they're saying: A spokesperson for Independence Blue Cross (IBX) tells Axios that many of its employees rely on SEPTA, and the company has encouraged them to work with their managers if their commutes are affected.
- Most of IBX's workforce has a hybrid work policy that requires three days in the office per week, but it can be relaxed on a case-by-case basis.
- A Comcast spokesperson tells Axios the company is monitoring the SEPTA situation closely, and that they already offer flexibility to their four-day in-office policy.
The other side: Mayor Cherelle Parker is holding firm to her full-time, in-office mandate for municipal employees, spokesperson Joe Grace tells Axios.
- And SEPTA is moving ahead with plans to end its remote work options for employees in September.