PHILADELPHIA – Just as ridership is improving for SEPTA, the authority warns a budget disagreement in Harrisburg threatens its progress.
Riders hop-on SEPTA’s region rail as cars leave Philly’s Jefferson Station. The transportation authority for the region’s nearly 6 million residents reports its finally enjoying a post-pandemic surge in ridership. Andrew Busch is SEPTA’s spokesperson. He said, “We still have some room to go but we’re improving across the board. We really want to see the momentum continue.”
SEPTA reports its average daily trips on busses, trains and trolleys have reached nearly 800,000. That’s over 75 percent of its ridership before the pandemic. But just as the picture brightens the future darkens as SEPTA runs a $240 million deficit as its federal COVID money ends and the governor and state legislature have stalled on a funding deal. To pay the bills, SEPTA is highly likely to hike fares as the year ends.…