SEPTA to cut service, increase fares after lawmakers fail to reach state funding deal

SEPTA is moving forward with its proposed service cuts and fare increase after state lawmakers failed to get additional funds to the transit authority by its self-imposed deadline.

On Sunday, Aug. 24, SEPTA will eliminate 32 bus routes and reduce bus and train service by 20%. On Labor Day, bus, subway and trolley fares will increase to $2.90, and Regional Rail tickets will rise by 21.5%. Regional Rail cuts begin Tuesday, Sept. 2.

MORE: GOP passes transit plan in Pa. Senate, but it faces Democratic opposition ahead

Last week, SEPTA officials said they would move forward with the cuts if SEPTA didn't get additional state funds by end of day Thursday.

After that deadline passed, SEPTA officials noted that negotiations are still taking place at the state level.

"If a funding solution is reached, SEPTA will work as quickly as possible to reverse course and minimize disruptions for our customers," SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said Friday morning in a statement. "We are urging riders to review the reduced-service schedules to get familiar with what service will look like starting on Aug. 24."

Updated schedules and trip planning tools are available for riders on SEPTA's website.

According to SEPTA, the cuts are necessary to make up for a $213 million budget deficit. A second wave of service reductions will go into place Jan. 1. Those reductions would eliminate five Regional Rail lines, set a 9 p.m. curfew on rail services and eliminate 18 more bus routes. These reductions, coupled with the first wave, would amount to a 45% service reduction.

Earlier this week, the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate passed a state budget and a two-year, $1.2 billion transportation plan that would have used $292 million from the Public Transportation Trust Fund for operating transit costs. SEPTA would have received about $160 million. However, Democratic-controlled House of Representatives killed the measures, saying transportation plan takes funding from other ongoing system and safety projects the fund supports.