Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s transit system, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA), released a budget on April 10 that includes draconian cuts in services, increased fares and reduced hours of operation. Claiming a $213 million deficit, the budget due to take effect July 1 would impose a 45% service cut, a 21.5% fare increase and layoffs of transit workers.

Under the proposed plan, some service cuts would go into effect on Sept. 1, along with the fare increase. Between Aug. 24, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026, fifty bus routes would be shut down and 16 others shortened. On Jan. 1, 2026, five Regional Rail lines between neighboring suburbs and the city would be eliminated and a 9 p.m. rail curfew would go into effect.

SEPTA currently serves around 800,000 riders daily. While workers across the board would be impacted, those from the city’s most impoverished communities, especially Black and Brown, would be the hardest hit. The cuts would significantly affect riders with disabilities who rely on the SEPTA ACCESS system. The budget would eliminate 40,000 paratransit trips per year and set a 35% fare increase.

Hundreds protest planned cuts

Hundreds of people responded the very next day with a rally at Philadelphia City Hall to oppose the proposed drastic cutbacks in mass transit and to demand that state legislators fully fund SEPTA. The April 11 rally was organized by Transit Forward Philadelphia and Transit for All PA! and hosted by State Senator Nikil Saval.

Participants included transit riders, state lawmakers, union leaders, college and high school students, teachers, health care workers, City Council members and political leaders from impacted suburbs.

Three high school students from the Academy at Palumbo talked about relying on SEPTA to get to school and extracurricular activities. The students depend on SEPTA, because the school system eliminated school buses years ago. They would face even greater difficulties getting to and from classes.

Members of the Transportation Workers Union Local 234 addressed the rally. Local 234 represents bus, subway and trolley drivers and SEPTA support staff, including mechanics, cashiers and maintenance workers. Other speakers raised the negative impact on local roadways if SEPTA riders were forced to switch to driving. More cars on the road would increase the damage to the environment.

Ironically, while the Pennsylvania State Legislature has approved over $380 million in new funding for roads and bridges over the past two years, the State Senate has blocked proposals by Gov. Josh Shapiro for $283 million annually in new state aid to public transportation.

Impact on 2026 special events

Philadelphia is slated to host many special events in 2026, including the U.S.’s 250-year anniversary celebrations, the 2026 FIFA World Soccer Cup, the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Men’s March Madness and the Professional Golf Association (PGA) men’s championship. 

Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, speaking at the rally, noted that the SEPTA cuts, in addition to delaying regular riders traveling to games at the Sports Complex, would seriously degrade these special events, especially if a 9 p.m. curfew was in place.

Noticeably absent at the rally was Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker or anyone representing her office. In 2024, Parker actively promoted building a new SEPTA station as part of her push for the construction of a new arena for the Sixers basketball team in the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, despite strong opposition. When the team’s owners suddenly abandoned plans for the Center City arena on Jan. 12, 2025, Parker’s interest in SEPTA seemed to evaporate.

Public hearings on SEPTA’s proposed budget are scheduled for May 19 and 20 at the agency’s headquarters in Center City, providing an opportunity for residents to voice their opposition to the cuts.