Over the past few months, the most common communication from constituents to my office has been regarding public transportation. I share those concerns. Public transportation is a vital part of our lives—nearly 800,000 Pennsylvanians rely on SEPTA every day—yet funding for these crucial services remains an ongoing issue.
Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro directed PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll to allocate $219.9 million in additional capital funding to SEPTA to support urgent safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements. Following recent directives from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), this action by the Shapiro Administration will ensure that SEPTA can comply with federal orders, accelerate necessary repairs, and maintain safe, reliable service for the nearly 800,000 Pennsylvanians who rely on SEPTA every day.
This fall, SEPTA was subject to a series of emergency federal directives following safety incidents involving Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains and the trolley network’s overhead catenary system. SEPTA completed all required inspections ahead of the federal deadlines, returning 98 railcars to service.
This fall, PennDOT inspectors worked closely with SEPTA to address trolley catenary issues and are now actively monitoring and approving repairs—work that the additional capital funding will allow SEPTA to accelerate.
The $219.9 million in additional PennDOT capital funding will enable SEPTA to accelerate critical safety upgrades, comply with FRA and FTA directives, and maintain reliable service for riders across the region. Key investments include:
Upgrades to the Regional Rail Fleet — $95 million
- Enhancements to Silverliner IV safety and electrical systems
- Upgrades to Silverliner V propulsion, electrical systems, and reliability
Railcar Leasing & Procurement — $17 million
- Lease 10 railcars from MARC (Washington–Baltimore region)
- Pursue purchase of 20 railcars from Montréal’s Exo system
Metro Fleet Upgrades — $8 million
- Overhauls of metro fleet traction motors
- Door operator upgrades to ensure safe, reliable service
Utility Fleet & Power Infrastructure Upgrades — $48.4 million
- Replacement of aging overhead catenary wires across SEPTA’s trolley and rail networks
- Purchase of new equipment to allow for more efficient inspections and maintenance of trolley infrastructure
Other Safety-Critical Infrastructure Investments — $51.5 million
- Upgrade of 13 escalators at SEPTA stations
- Purchase advanced inspection technology
- Implement safety improvements at SEPTA’s Control Center to ensure continuity of operations
These investments will allow SEPTA to comply fully with federal safety orders, accelerate Silverliner IV and trolley repairs, and maintain reliable service for residents and visitors.