Shapiro Seeking $1.5B In Additional Funding For PA Public Transit

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Josh Shapiro this week said he plans to seek more money from the state to fund public transportation in Pennsylvania, potentially marking the first increase in more than a decade.

In a news release, Shapiro's office said the governor's 2024-25 budget proposal would include a 1.75 percent increase in the state's share of public transit funding — a $282.8 million investment in 2024 and nearly $1.5 billion in new state funding over five years.

"Hundreds of thousands of people across our Commonwealth rely on public transit every day to commute to work, go to school, and get to where they need to go," Shapiro said in a statement. "Investing in and improving our public transit systems is a commonsense way to create good-paying jobs, spur economic development, and help Pennsylvanians reach their destinations safely."

While Shapiro's office did not provide a breakdown of which transit systems would receive funding under the plan, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Regional Transit were mentioned by name.

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Jay Costa told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that PRT’s share of the proposed increase would be about $40 million. He also told the newspaper that SEPTA would be the largest recipient because of its large service area.

According to Shapiro's office, his administration and SEPTA are working to identify the system's funding needs. More state money, however, would "deliver the funding needed to avoid immediate service cuts or fare increases," the governor's office said.

Shapiro's announcement came two days after Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson urged him to increase funding for SEPTA.

”Without additional investments, SEPTA would be forced to cut service levels and increase fares — setting off a chain of negative consequences for local residents and businesses, the regional economy and, over time, commonwealth tax revenues,” they wrote Saturday, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report.

Should the state not increase funding, SEPTA officials are planning for a possible fare increase of about 30 percent and service cuts of 20 percent on bus, subway, trolley and Regional Rail service, the Inquirer reported.

\Other recipients of the increased funding would include smaller transit systems in Westmoreland, Beaver, and Indiana counties, the Post-Gazette reported.

“The need is greater than what the governor is recommending,” Costa told the Post-Gazette. “But this is a good first step."

The budget address is scheduled for Feb. 6.