Pennsylvania officials, transit leaders, local officials, and Rabbittransit bus operators gathered Monday in Dauphin County to discuss the importance of investing in mass transit.
“Just like we repair and maintain the bridges in rural and suburban communities, we owe it to the Pennsylvanians who take mass transit to be there for them and their families too,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “Mass transit drives $5.4 billion in economic activity every year in Pennsylvania, and it enables businesses to affordably get their employees to offices and job site — it’s well worth the investment in our budget.”
Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget proposal includes $292 million in new mass transit funding for 2026. This increases to $1.5 billion over the next five years. The investment would support transit systems statewide.
The proposal would increase the portion of the Sales and Use Tax dedicated to public transit from 7.68 percent to 9.43 percent. The increase is expected to generate $292 million in new annual funding in 2026 and more than $330 million annually by 2029–2030.
There are 52 transit systems in Pennsylvania that serve nearly 1 million riders daily. The Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, which includes Rabbittransit and Capital Area Transit, provides service in 12 counties.