Philly commuter pain: ‘Historically high’ fare increases for SEPTA

💲SEPTA faces a $240 million budget deficit

💲A 21% fare increase takes effect Jan. 1

💲Service cuts happen across the board in 2025

SEPTA fares will go up followed by cuts in service as the agency announces a "historically high" fare 21% increase that will take effect Jan. 1.

A drop in ridership that began during the pandemic that never recovered and staffing shortages came together to push SEPTA to what it calls a "fiscal cliff" of a $240 million budget deficit. The increases will be across the entire system and affect all forms of payment.

“For the last two years, we have urged action in Harrisburg so that we could avoid these draconian measures,” SEPTA Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer said in a statement.

“We were hopeful a solution would come this fall, but it has not materialized. We now have no choice but to move forward with a proposal for major fare increases and service cuts. This is going to be painful for all of our riders and will have major economic and social impacts on our city, region and the Commonwealth as a whole.”

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Strikes looming by two unions

The increase is expected to generate nearly $50 million in new revenue annually leaving service cuts to make up the rest of the deficit.

Riders will see an overall 20% cut in service across all modes. Dozens of routes would be eliminated, and those that remain would operate with significantly less frequency.

Riders will get a say at a public hearing on the fare increases at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Dec. 13. Public hearings will be held in early 2025 about the service cuts

SEPTA is also facing possible strikes by 5,000 members of Transport Workers Union Local 234. Its members operate bus, subway, and trolley operators within the city. Suburban SEPTA workers who are members SMART-TD Local 1594 also have voted to authorize a strike.

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