Philadelphia Transit Cuts Take Hold, and Commuters Begin to Feel the Pain
Posted on: Aug 25, 2025 14:33 IST | Posted by: Nytimes
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A budget shortfall has led the urban center’s pass across dominance to skip its bus and rail services by 20 percent.
Sonia A. Rao and
Vicky Díaz-Camacho reported from Philadelphia.
Commuters and students in Philadelphia braced for longer travel times and more crowded trains and buses on Monday, as the city entered its first workday following heavy cuts in transit service.
The region’s mass transit agency, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, said it had cut its bus and train services by 20 percent, the result of a budget shortfall that remains unresolved in the state legislature. On Sunday, SEPTA eliminated 32 bus routes, shortened 16 others and reduced the frequency of other bus and rail lines.
The system serves more than 700,000 riders daily, including thousands of students and staff members at the city’s public schools who were starting the new school year on Monday. Beginning next month, the agency will also increase the fare for all riders by 21.5 percent and make cuts to its regional rail service that extends into surrounding counties.
In a city known for its congested roadways, residents anticipated even more gridlock. On Sunday, some were scrambling for travel alternatives and looking to work from home. And some were already feeling the effects.
Jay Arzu, 33, who lives in North Philadelphia’s Norris Square neighborhood, said he moved to the city five years ago to pursue a master’s degree in city and regional planning and was drawn to the area in part because of the public transit system. He uses both the train and bus to get around the city, and the bus route he uses has been discontinued, causing delays for him and his neighbors.
And he said he’s far from alone. Transit commuters and drivers will be equally affected, he added. “Everyone’s going to feel the pinch,” Mr. Arzu said. “The roads are going to be more congested, which is going to affect commerce. All of these things are interconnected.”
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