The Hub 7/25/2025: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
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Pennsylvania Capital-Star: What’s at stake over proposed increase in mass transit funding in PA? – Public transit riders from Philadelphia to Harrisburg discuss what losing access to public transit could mean for them. Mass transit is a lifeline for so many across the state; it’s how people access their jobs, their healthcare, their families, grocery stores, and much more. The RabbitTransit program, based in York County, serves 11 counties across southcentral PA and offers free passes for seniors 65 and older. This program could lose 25% of its bus routes with the impending funding cuts. Much of the public transportation across the state is smaller routes focused on assisting seniors, disabled individuals, and other vulnerable populations. Stripping these Pennsylvanians of these programs would harm our communities, and lawmakers need to do everything in their power to avoid it.
6ABC: SEPTA urges Philadelphia students to plan ahead due to possible service cuts – Upcoming service cuts could be a result of the doomsday budget passed by SEPTA in June of this year, with cuts starting as early as August. Parents and students of Philadelphia are being urged to find alternate routes and be aware that the first wave of cuts will begin on August 24, 2025. A SEPTA representative said the cuts will impact the 55,000 Philadelphia students who utilize public transit to get to and from school, which is an estimated 25% of students in the city. School district leaders are meeting with SEPTA to better understand these cuts and what to tell parents and students. Universities are also bracing for these cuts. Temple University released a statement that 12,000 students, faculty, and staff relied on public transit in 2022, and to expect more cars in and around campus.
CBS News: SEPTA begins warning riders a month out from significant service cuts – Several stops had signs posted by SEPTA this week, warning riders that routes and stops will be eliminated, as the agency grapples with a $213 million budget shortfall. Changes will impact close to 50 bus routes at the end of August. 32 bus routes are set to be eliminated, 16 to be shortened, and an overall reduction in service on 88 bus, subway, and regional rail lines. 5 regional rail lines would also be eliminated in later phases of SEPTA cuts. September will also see a nearly 22% fare increase, and cuts will begin one day after Philadelphia kids go back to school.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Canvassers have a message for Bucks County SEPTA riders: It’s not too late to save your train
Transportation Today: NJ Transit adopts budget advancing infrastructure investments
The Inquirer: Seniors aren’t ‘getting any younger.’ So why do their SEPTA fare cards expire?
WHYY: New Jersey offers grants to tackle the urban heat island effect
Mass Transit: SEPTA customer satisfaction scores reach all-time high
