Abney, Benham formally introduce bills to fund Pennsylvania’s transit systems

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus May 30, 2025 | 1:21 PM

PITTSBURGH, May 30 – As operating costs for public transit skyrocket and agencies like Pittsburgh Regional Transit warn of significant service cuts and fare hikes, state Reps. Aerion A. Abney and Jessica Benham announced that they have officially introduced legislation designed to increase state funding for public transportation.

The “Transit for All PA” Funding Package, now introduced as H.B.s 1523 and 1524, would provide a long-overdue, dedicated funding source to PRT and transit agencies across the state. The package builds on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal to increase the allocation of existing sales taxes to public transit. With this increased stream of revenue, transit systems across Pennsylvania would be able to stabilize their budgets, move beyond current austerity measures, and better serve the needs of riders.

The legislation includes provisions to:

Raise the state’s rental car fee from $2 to $6.50.
Increase the car lease fee from 3% to 5%.
Establish a 6% excise tax on ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.

The state’s car rental and lease fees have not been increased in over 30 years and are among the lowest in the nation. Currently, there is no statewide excise tax on ride-hailing services.

“Pennsylvanians deserve a public transportation system that is safe, reliable and accessible,” said Abney, D-Allegheny. “As significant service cuts are being proposed for our public transit agencies, we’re exploring every possible avenue with legislation like this to secure more dollars and ensure residents can continue getting to where they need to be."

The proposals in the funding package build on work undertaken by Transit for All PA!, a statewide coalition of transit riders, transit workers, and transit-supportive organizations and businesses dedicated to expanding Pennsylvania’s public transit systems to connect residents to jobs, health care and essential needs, while boosting the state’s economy.

“Public transit is a lifeline for our communities,” Benham said. “Our legislative package will provide the necessary funding to keep Allegheny moving, connecting people to work, school and entertainment, while keeping fewer cars on the road. We need our colleagues to recognize the importance of funding transit sufficiently in this budget.”

Abney represents the 19th Legislative District, comprised of the Hill District, North Side, South Side, Allentown, Hazelwood, Downtown, The Bluff, Knoxville, Beltzhoover, Manchester, Arlington, Arlington Heights, and North, South and West Oakland sections of Pittsburgh.

Benham represents the 36th Legislative District, comprised of part of Pittsburgh and the boroughs of Brentwood and Mount Oliver in Allegheny County.

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CONTACT: Ryan Bevitz
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Email: rbevitz@pahouse.net