Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2024-25 budget proposal would increase public transit funding by 1.75 percent, a $282.8 million investment, and provide nearly $1.5 billion in new state funding over five years.
The proposal would deliver the funding needed to avoid immediate service cuts or fare increases.
The administration has been in talks with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the counties it serves to discuss how they also can contribute to the system’s funding needs. They have expressed a willingness to provide additional financial support.
“Hundreds of thousands of people across our commonwealth rely on public transit every day to commute to work, go to school, and get to where they need to go – and Pennsylvanians deserve clean, safe, cost-effective ways to travel throughout our cities and towns,” Shapiro said. “For months, my administration has worked with local public transit leadership and elected officials to understand their needs and I now call on the General Assembly to join me in making the first significant investment in Pennsylvania’s public transit systems in over a decade.”
SEPTA supports five counties in the Greater Philadelphia area and connects to transit systems in Delaware and New Jersey. Services include buses, regional rail, subways, trolleys, and a high-speed line.