Neilson responds to SEPTA’s service cuts and fare increase

Rep. Ed Neilson April 10, 2025 | 3:30 PM

After the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority today announced unprecedented service cuts and fare increases, state Rep. Ed Neilson, majority chair of the House Transportation Committee, released the following statement:

“SEPTA’s announced fare increases and service cuts will have a rippling and devastating effect. It will not just affect Philadelphia dramatically, but the commonwealth as a whole.

“Nine out of every 10 people throughout PA rely on public transit when traveling for school or work; for some it’s the only option. These service cuts and fare increases will create barriers for hardworking Pennsylvanians who are already having trouble making ends meet.

“But the impact spans far past a lack of services or unaffordable costs, it will rob our state of economic vitality. Every dollar invested in transit returns five dollars back into our economy. SEPTA employs more than 10,000 direct employees who would suffer but even people who have never seen a SEPTA bus will feel these cuts and fare increases. Companies in more than 41 Pennsylvania counties will lose money because SEPTA cannot purchase supplies and building materials, exacerbating the economic pressure of SEPTA’s $213 million budget deficit.

“I will continue to advocate for all transit agencies in Pennsylvania to receive critical funding they need to keep Pennsylvanians moving forward.”

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