SEPTA prepares for service cuts as riders prepare for 'catastrophic' impacts

MAYFAIR - As Pennsylvania lawmakers stall on passing a state budget, SEPTA is now preparing for service cuts that kick in a month from now on August 24, which also happens to be a day before the first day of school for Philadelphia.

On Thursday, SEPTA workers posted alerts at bus stops, including those on Bus Route 88. Lincoln High School is among the stops and used frequently by students and staff.

"Students here rely on SEPTA as their school bus network, whether that’s the subway, buses or regional rail," said Lex Powers, Deputy Chief Communications Officer for SEPTA. "When you cut a route that serves a lot of students, it’s like cutting a school bus in some cases."

SEPTA also put up alerts on several other bus routes that go through the Frankford Transportation Center.

Edward Jones works at Amazon and has relied on SEPTA these past four years to commute to work.

"It would just be catastrophic for a lot of people. For me, being honest, just because now we have to literally reroute our whole lives simply because of funding and it’s not fair to a lot of us because now we may have to get up earlier and maybe working like longer shifts," said Jones.

I’jera Kitchens is a rising senior at Franklin Town Charter High and said the two buses she takes home after school are on the list of cuts for August 24.

"It does worry me because I would have to change up my whole routine on getting to school and like other clubs I go to outside of school, will definitely be impacted," she said.

SEPTA is currently facing a $213 million deficit. The governor’s budget proposal calls for $168 million in state funding for SEPTA. The budget was passed in the Pennsylvania House and is now in the hands of the state Senate.

If funding isn’t approved, Powers said, not only will routes be eliminated but many riders will feel the cuts across the region.

A second set of cuts would be implemented in January, potentially eliminating the Paoli-Thorndale Regional Rail Line.

"All routes across the board are going to get reductions in frequency or reductions in schedule, which means more crowding, less reliable service just for everybody," said Powers.

FOX 29 reached out to Pa. Senator Sharif Street who provided this statement:

"Democrats in Harrisburg are fighting to invest in public transit while Republicans double down on budget cuts that would devastate working families. House Democrats have already passed legislation to fund SEPTA. Senate Democrats have introduced our own plan, which I proudly co-sponsor.

In addition, I’ve been a vocal advocate for legalizing adult-use cannabis - legislation I’ve introduced would generate hundreds of millions in new revenue, more than enough to prevent these devastating cuts. But Senate Republicans have refused to act.

We cannot allow partisan obstruction to cripple our public transit system. It’s time to return to Harrisburg and pass a budget that delivers for the people."

FOX 29 reached out to Pa. Senator Vincent Hughes who provided this statement:

"The budget process is a slow and deliberate one, but Senate Democrats continue to fight hard for issues that have strong bipartisan support, including public transit across all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The Senate Democratic Caucus has 23 yes-votes to fund Governor Shapiro’s transportation and mass transit proposal, which has passed the House four times over the past two years. It would be catastrophic if Senate Republicans refuse to join us in ensuring workers can get to jobs, people can get to medical appointments, students can get to school, and fans can get to games. We need to get this done and deliver transit and transportation funding that works for every Pennsylvanian."

The School District of Philadelphia provided the following statement:

Safety is the top priority of the School District of Philadelphia and our five-year strategic plan, Accelerate Philly.

We understand the anxiety and concerns surrounding students getting to and from school given the announced cuts in service announced by SEPTA. We’re urging parents to devise a plan.

We have scheduled conversations between school administrators and SEPTA for next week so that we are up-to-date on the transit authority’s plans.

There are approximately 109,000 students eligible for transportation (those who live 1.5 miles or more from school, both within the city and up to 10 miles beyond its borders). As of today, 95,000 use it, including 52,000 using SEPTA student fare cards, 25,000 who use yellow buses or school vehicles such as vans or cabs, and 18,000 who are enrolled in the flat-rate program.

As a reminder:

● The Parent Flat Rate Program: Families receive $300 per month per household to transport their children to and from school daily. Students must be eligible for transportation, assigned to a bus, van, or small vehicle. Parents submit a monthly form requesting service. Open enrollment is underway until October 1 at philasd.org. The program began as a pilot in 2020.

● There are currently 32 openings for bus chauffeurs and drivers. The School District of Philadelphia offers a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program that takes approximately 45 days to complete. This is part of a pipeline program to support new hires. Apply now at philasd.org.

FOX 29 has reached out to Pennsylvania Senate Republicans and are waiting to hear back.