Voices of SEPTA: Real stories from Southeastern PA
We invite members of the PA Senate to consider stories submitted by Pennsylvanians who rely on public transit and will lose their jobs, livelihoods, and/or more if the chamber chooses to let SEPTA and other public transit authorities fail by ignoring the transportation funding bill the PA House sent them on June 17th.
Last updated: July 28 (3 new stories)
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Workers & Students
SEPTA helped me build my career. During the mid-1980s, I was a young single woman living in Newtown Square and working in 8 Penn Center. As I was building a career in marketing communications, I took the SEPTA train to work each day from the Strafford Station to Suburban station.
Using public transit enabled me to save money on gas and parking, use my time more productively time by reading during the ride, and reduce air pollution that driving would have created.
Decades later, I used the SEPTA Paoli-Thorndale train line to conveniently travel to the attend the annual PHS Garden Show, professional meetings at U Penn's Huntsman Hall and networking meetings in Center City.
A convenient, reliable public transit system is essential to maintaining Philadelphia's stature as a top tier city in the U.S., and its ability to draw young professionals, tourists and locals to business and cultural activities. It is foolhardy to eliminate a critical rail line at any time, let alone the year before our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th "birthday" with Philadelphia as a key destination.
In addition, several enormous sporting events will come to Philly in 2026, including the MLB All-Star Game, FIFA World Cup, NCAA Men’s March Madness and PGA Championship. Now is NOT the time to diminish the prestige of our state's largest city on the world stage, clog our highways and city streets with traffic, and to hamstring the ability of local businesses to benefit from the influx of tourism revenues.
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I depend on SEPTA’s Paoli Line for my work and my general transportation. I have a rare eye disease which has taken some of my vision, so I am legally blind and I cannot drive. I work in the city as a pediatrician in behavioral health. If the SEPTA cuts go through, I will have no way to either go into the city or to travel through the suburbs, get to the airport or the Amtrak station. I moved to Wayne specifically so I could use these lines.
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When I was a teenager, living in Devon, my mother told me I needed to get a summer job or spend it with my grandmother. She was an amazing lady, but not the “vibe” when you’re in high school.
I didn’t have access to a car, but I lived within walking distance of the train station. So, I walked to the train and got off and on in different towns along the R5 (now Paoli/Thorndale) line, submitting job applications.
When I got a job, the SEPTA train was my only reliable form of transportation to and from work. I went to Conestoga, hopped the train, and got off in Wayne to work afternoons (and weekends) at Omega Dry Cleaners. I learned just how many people depend on the train (or bus) to get to and from work. Not just my mom, who worked in center city, but thousands of people relying on the train to put food on their table.
SEPTA isn’t a luxury. It is an integral part of our economy here in SEPA. Without it, the economic impact will be devastating. It will be felt by single income households, like mine growing up. It will impact seniors who depend upon the caregivers who commute to nursing homes, front line workers who commute to our hospitals and health centers, local shop owners, restaurant staff, essential workers who take care of our towns (garbage, recycling, lawn care, street maintenance, etc), and the large number of professionals who trek into the city to work at our banks, law firms, city government, and corporations like Comcast.
The detrimental impact to our city(s) and state economically will be huge.
Our city of Philadelphia will soon be showcased on the global stage. Without SEPTA, the hard memories of that experience won’t be positive for those spectators. That means Philadelphia will be skipped as a destination for tourism for years to come.
Please find ways to ensure other teenagers and adults like me have the opportunity to access opportunity and contribute to our economy.
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Having access to public transportation to travel to places along the Main Line and in Philadelphia was one of the key deciding factors when I chose where to go to college.
SEPTA is vital to our community, and it provides necessary transportation for so many of our beloved professors, faculty, and staff. Students are able to utilize SEPTA to get to 30th St station to use Amtrak or get to the Philadelphia Airport to go home for breaks.
Hundreds of businesses in the entire area will be negatively affected if this funding is not provided. We MUST fund SEPTA!!
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My husband and I are both essential employees at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. I have relied on SEPTA to get to work for over a decade, and we both currently use Regional Rail to commute. The proposed elimination of rail lines would not only impact our family directly—it would affect the countless healthcare workers I share the train with every day.
Without a permanent funding solution for public transit, we and many others will be forced to make difficult decisions about our future here. It is neither feasible nor sustainable to spend hours in traffic each day commuting to jobs that are essential to the health of this city.
- “Carmen,” Delaware County
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I have ridden SEPTA since I was a child. It has been essential for me and now for my son to commute. Like many folks, I purposely live within walking distance of a SEPTA station, on the Paoli/Thorndale line.
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My child would literally not have been able to make it to school in Philadelphia without SEPTA! (We lived in Chester County and DASD would not provide transportation.)
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When I was studying at Temple University to become a teacher, I took the regional rail from Radnor to 30th Street and then transferred to the train to Temple. As I progressed in my program, it was time for student teaching. Again I relied on the local train to take me daily to Upper Darby where a fellow teacher with a car would drive me to the Bucks County Technical School. I completed my Master’s Degree and was hired to teach at Downingtown High School. It was a long journey and I could not have done it without SEPTA.
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In retirement from teaching in the RTSD for 25 years, I became a volunteer at Independence Park. The R -5, aka the Paoli Thorndale line, was the only way to safely ride into Philly. Train to the Jefferson station and then the subway to 5th street! Also my husband used the R 5, to commute to 30th street as he coached wrestling at Drexel for 35 years! The train was our “second car” for many of those years! Save SEPTA!
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I work for three local suburban colleges (Bryn Mawr, Haverford & Swarthmore) running a program of experiential classes in Philadelphia. Our three colleges and my program depend on SEPTA. SEPTA gets my students into and around Philadelphia for class and activities. Because of their experiences in this program, many of our hardworking, talented young students from around the country and world decide to stay in Philadelphia after graduation, precisely because it is a vibrant city with a robust public transportation system.
Our Commonwealth of PA benefits in so many ways when we keep young talent here in our state. I also live where I do because of its proximity to public transit. This region, which is a net exporter of its tax revenues to other areas of the Commonwealth would be brought to a standstill without adequate funding for SEPTA. Robust funding for SEPTA and public transportation throughout PA (it exists in some form in ALL 67 of our counties) is a win for ALL Pennsylvanians.
- Calista, Montco, Delco, & Philly
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I take SEPTA Trenton line 2 days per week from Levittown to Suburban for work. Why would you close the beautiful Levittown station SEPTA line? Going to the West Trenton line is too far for me. It will add hours of commute time.
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I am a commuter who relies on public transportation, round trip, on a daily basis. Because I do not drive, I take the 127 Bus to Trenton, NJ and back again. When the bus is late or no show, I rely on the regional rail which takes me into the Trenton Station. Losing the bus and train, would cause a great hardship a great hardship for me, since I have no other way to travel to my workplace. Besides needing transportation to and from work in Trenton, I rely on the bus to take me to my doctor appointments in Fairless Hills and my other doctor appointments up at Oxford Valley Mall area. Please note that I am not the only one who will be impacted by this. There are many, like me, who rely on the 127 and train to travel into Trenton, I’m hoping our voices will be heard. Thank you for taking the time to listen.
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I am a healthcare worker who relies on SEPTA to get to and from work to serve the healthcare needs Philadelphia. Without access to the Trenton train line I will likely be unable to continue my commute and serve the city of Philadelphia and its people.
This will also impact many individuals like me, and I fear may result in dramatic changes to healthcare access. It will also not be reasonable to be able to drive or access the west Trenton line as both will be overwhelmed with others forced to do the same.
I also fear that I would need to move from the Bucks County area, as will others who appreciate being able to live in the suburbs and rely on SEPTA to easily and safely community to the city. This could result in a dramatic changes to these suburb communities and neighborhoods ,including financial implications. I rely on PA government officials, regardless of political party, to work together to solve this problem.
The cuts SEPTA is proposing are not acceptable and if allowed to occur will have great negative implications, both financially, and social economically, to Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs that the region may not recover from and could permanently change the structure of these regions moving forward.
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My daughter is 11 years old and has been taking drum lessons at the School of Rock in Berwyn for about a year. She loves it; she's talented and really gaining confidence (As well as all the other cognitive benefits you get from learning an instrument). Her teacher doesn't drive and takes the Paoli/Thorndale line to get to the studio. She's spent a year developing a relationship with her teacher (not easy for an introverted 11 y/o girl to do, particularly when learning a traditionally male-dominated instrument).
If he can't take the rail service to the school of rock, he may be out of a job (which is terribly unfortunate), and my daughter may need to change teachers, and have to start all over making a new connection with a new instructor. There are many stories, big and small about what the elimination of this route may mean to the public; please do everything you can to keep the Main Line operating.
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I have been taking the Trenton line to and from work in Center City for 20 years. Me and several thousand others. I have seen new stations built at Levittown and Croydon costing millions of dollars. I have seen the need to change from polluting to clean in every area become of enormous importance and so to eliminate a clean and up-to-date transit route is nonsensical. If government has any value – which it does, regardless of what those like Musk and other billionaires who see government as the enemy – then it must act to help the people, to facilitate positive change, not to destroy the progress that has been made. In this particular case, decommissioning the SEPTA Trenton line is one of the WORST things that a state or a local, indeed a national government, could do.
I would also like to point out that Bucks County residents pay the second highest income taxes just below Chester county and above Montgomery County - to the State of Pennsylvania. We know that there is a degree of prejudice, even hatred, towards our part of the state from the rural counties.
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My company is in Center City and I work a hybrid schedule and travel to the city 3 days a week. I currently travel out of the Croydon station on the Trenton line. This line is packed where some days it’s standing room only. If the line gets canceled, it will have a huge effect. Driving into the city would add on to my daily commute time by an hour a day and the price to park will be double the cost of the SEPTA fare. If I have to reroute to the West Trenton line, it will result in a longer commute time and overcrowding.
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SEPTA isn't simply transportation; it is part of our lives and livelihoods. For over 20 years, I have ridden SEPTA to work in Philadelphia daily. We bought our house because it was close to SEPTA lines. When my children were young, taking SEPTA to the park was a double weekend treat: a train ride and a morning at a park. When my children got older, SEPTA became their route to the city and independence. SEPTA has made possible all sorts of special events and evenings out.
Now, within my office, I hear co-workers worrying they will have to leave their jobs if SEPTA cuts go through. It isn't one thing; it is the daily presence of the transit in my life that matters so much.
Director, UPenn, Center for Teaching and Learning; Professor of History
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I was a low-income widowed mother of 2 teens beginning in 1992. The only way I could get to work was a bus from Fairless Hills to Bristol. This ride to and from work every day became my salvation in an odd way. The driver and the other permanent passengers (also with limited options like me) became like a second family as we shared our lives and daily trials. Once, I fell asleep and the driver stopped at my workplace and woke me up.
In 1998 while still riding the bus to the same job, I was blessed to be chosen to purchase a home with Habitat Bucks. This would be my first home purchase ever, as I had always been a renter. When choosing where I might go, one of the first things I considered was “am I near a bus stop? Yes I am, Wood and Market in the Borough.” Today retired, I have my senior pass and use the bus and regional rails for different reasons. However, the way this service enriches my life continues to flourish! I offer a sincere thank you.
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My wife uses the 120 bus frequently, heard they might do away with some routes and started to panic, would really hate to lose any routes in Bucks County. I know a lot of people who depend on it for work and transportation.
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I live in Philadelphia but my parents live in Bristol. I use the Trenton line to go from 30th Street to Croydon to see them every other week. I also use the Paoli/Thorndale line every day as my main way to get to work. I love being able to use my car less to not have to suffer the awful traffic on 95 and 76, and to help the environment too. I pay for a rail pass every month, it doesn't even save me money, I just prefer SEPTA. The cuts will impact every area of my life and decrease my overall quality of life. They will literally ruin Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, it's embarrassing we have to beg for funding like this.
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My husband has been working with SEPTA Regional Rail for just about 17 years now. We are concerned that this may cause not only a cut in stations, but it means less trains running, therefore causing less work for conductors, engineers and mechanics. Many of my family members also use the train to get to/from work and many of their stops are looking to be eliminated. These are medical workers who people in the city depend on to be there and if these stops close, they may need to look for jobs in the suburbs. This is very concerning for everyone.
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SEPTA was an integral part of my education. I took the 130 and 127 buses to and from Bucks County Community College, then the Trenton line when I transferred to Temple. I wouldn't have my 2 degrees nor my current career without SEPTA. It was vital to me and continues to be vital to countless other students. Now that I reside in Philadelphia, I rely on the Trenton line to visit family back in Bucks county weekly and use the bus daily for work. Please consider my story and countless others who rely on SEPTA.
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I rely on the Trenton Regional Line to commute as needed to my office. I have relied on it for the last 20 years. I am a senior citizen with some physical limitations that make it difficult for me to drive to center city. I am currently able to work from home the majority of the time but that may be changing soon. If I am required to go into the office and am not able to use the regional rail, I do not know what I will do. This has me very concerned.
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My name is Peyton Payne and I recently moved to Broomall from Cleveland, OH after finishing both my Bachelors and Masters degrees from Thomas Jefferson University. Post Graduate School I started working in Center City as a clinical psychologist for women in recovery. I go to and from work every day using the Paoli/ Thorndale Line, and would be out of a job if this line was cut. This greatly impacts me, my family, and the ladies I have work with. I would please reconsider removing this line. Thank you for your time!
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SEPTA impacts my life in many ways. I use SEPTA to get to and from work; taking the Trenton Line train to travel to Center City Philadelphia by SEPTA Regional Rail and vice versa. In 2021, I used to take the 128 bus to Oxford Valley Mall to work at Sesame Place in Langhorne.
The main reason I take SEPTA is because I don't have to use my car to drive in the city and deal with getting stuck in traffic congestion on I-95 while people are going to work during [weekday rush hours]. Without SEPTA, I only have two backup options. First option is taking an Uber. The other option is to use my car. A lot of people including myself would feel very disappointed, upset, frustrated and angry if they cut the funding for SEPTA. I want to be able to use SEPTA as a way to travel to places that are in the community, whether it's in Philadelphia and/or Bucks County areas. Please save SEPTA funding so we can keep taking public transportation as long as possible.
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My daughter is a junior at Temple University. She lives at home and commutes to school Monday through Friday. She doesn't have a car. She relies heavily on the Levittown train, the Trenton line.
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If the Trenton Regional Rail line is done away with; my co-workers and I at the Internal Revenue Service will be severely impacted. Most of us use transit because it is better for the environment and there is limited parking in Philadelphia. Please help us out and not shut the Trenton Regional Rail Line down. Thank you!
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I use the Trenton line [when I need to go] into Center City Philadelphia to work with clients; it is very convenient. It also avoids me having to sit on traffic on I-95 which adds a significant amount of time to travel into Philly.
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I simply wouldn’t be able to work in Center City without SEPTA. I am a daily rider of the Trenton Regional Rail line, and have persisted as a customer through delays, cancelation, schedule changes and fare increases. We don’t deserve to be discarded, our livelihoods depend on SEPTA. The city will most certainly suffer if SEPTA doesn’t receive the funding it needs to continue operations.
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Due to my ADHD I don’t drive. I rely on public transportation to commute to work in Delaware County every day. I run a food pantry, and it takes me 90 minutes to get work so I can serve the community. I love my job. I love what I do. The 90-minute commute isn’t much because I use it to read my emails and make calls to find donations for the pantry. If SEPTA stops the Wilmington line I would have to do three transfers and I have no idea how long my commute would be. I’ve had to talk to my husband about me finding another job if the SEPTA cuts happen. Not only would I suffer, but the community I serve would, too.
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Without SEPTA, our family wouldn't be able to live in Pennsylvania! My husband and I share childcare and wage-earning duties, and being able to live with just one car means we can live within our means. I take SEPTA every day for work, enabling my husband to drive our child around to school and activities.
We wanted to live in a more rural area, and chose to live in a zip code that is still within the SEPTA service area because we knew that this public service was crucial to our livelihood. On weekends, we often visit family and friends via SEPTA and our child loves riding through the city on transit, while I love being able to get around the area without having to break the bank with gas or parking fees.
I even use SEPTA to run errands and once brought home a fruit tree for our garden on regional rail!
It's hard to imagine how we could afford to live anywhere else in PA, because the service SEPTA provides enables folks of modest means to live a full life and be productive members of our communities.
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I strongly support the continued operation and investment in the SEPTA Regional Rail system, which plays a vital role in the daily lives of countless Pennsylvanians. Personally, I depend on the Regional Rail—particularly the Media/Elwyn line—to shop, visit family, and conduct business in Philadelphia. It is not only a convenient option, but also one of the safest and most reliable forms of public transportation available to residents of the region. Without access to the Media/Elwyn line, I would visit Philadelphia significantly less—perhaps not at all.
The loss of this system would severely limit the mobility of suburban residents who work, study, or seek services in the city, as well as Philadelphians who commute outward. It would also deal a blow to the many individuals and families who do not own cars and rely on Regional Rail for access to education, employment, and healthcare.
Additionally, I would like to highlight the importance of the Paoli/Thorndale line, which serves many children who use it to travel to the private schools located along the Main Line. For these students and their families, the Regional Rail system is not just a convenience—it's a necessity. Reducing or eliminating this service would create significant hardship and potentially disrupt access to education for many young people.
Public transportation is not a luxury—it is essential infrastructure. At a time when we are focused on economic recovery, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting environmental sustainability, cutting transit services would be a step in the wrong direction. Now is the time to strengthen our transit networks, not dismantle them. Thank you for your time, consideration, and continued commitment to serving the residents of Pennsylvania.
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I used SEPTA for 31 years to commute to the city. If the Media line did not exist with convenient times, I would not have worked in the city for as long as I did.
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The Paoli Local has been a steady force in my life for 60 years! I grew up in Wynnewood, my family took the train ALL the time (kids just love it). Once I got to junior high school, my friends and I would go to Center City on Saturdays, it cost $1.30 (our parents had no idea).
When I went to college at Drexel, I took the train to come home and go out with my high school friends or attend doctor's appointments. I also brought my out-of-town college friends home for the family experience and great meals. We would carry laundry with us on the way out (I am sure everyone appreciated that) and food on the way back.
I worked most of my career at Strawbridge & Clothier, I took the train twice a day, I had a monthly pass and parking pass -- every month was a different color! I rode the train to work with neighbors and friends, sometimes even family members were on the same train!
Now, if we take our grandkids to town, it's on the train we go! The little kids stand and watch raptly, it is a wonderous event for them. People move to our area because it is a short walk to the train -- it's in every local real estate listing, we will all lose value in our homes, this is A LOT of value when you count all of the properties affected.
How will we get to events at the stadiums, the theater, doctor appointments? Certainly I-76 cannot support the traffic, it hasn't been able to support the needs of the region since the 60s (at least). There are people who work on the Main Lane who cannot afford cars and are on the train daily; now you are looking at a loss of employees for businesses and people who need jobs will be without them. This will KILL Philadelphia and the Main Line (maybe that's the idea). Losing the Paoli Local will be a monumental loss to the entire region.
The decision is in your hands to either make the right one or make a poor one that will negatively impact a city and two counties. Be seen as a positive force, rather than a destructive one, your choice.
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My father works in downtown Philadelphia several days a week, and he either rides the Paoil/Thorndale line or the Media/Wawa line. If those lines shut down under the proposed cuts, he'll have to drive to and from the city several days a week and pay for parking, which he would rather not do.
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My husband has been a federal employee for the past decade. He was a remote worker, but the Trump administration now requires him to report to Center City Philly everyday where he "remotely" works with his coworkers in his DC headquarters office.
If you want people to report to work in-person then you need to provide adequate transportation options. Fully-funding SEPTA is essential for more than just the residents in the Philly-metro area -- it has impacts that ripple through the entire state and beyond.
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My daughter uses the train from Levittown three days a week to get to work in Philly. She does not own a car, so this is her only way to work. She will lose her job without train transportation.
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I am a resident of Bristol Borough. Line 128 is critical to the Borough, covering the Fairless Hills YMCA, Bucks County Technical High School, Conwell Egan Catholic High School and countless grocery stores. My son is a high school student at BCTHS and uses the bus regularly when he has after school activities. Many children in our school have split households and can only receive school bussing to one; those students need reliable public transportation half the week. Many also have jobs they need to take the bus to.
Culturally and economically, the town of Bristol Borough needs public transportation to make our thriving business and arts community accessible to all. How many more cars would be using the roads without Line 128 and at what cost to the roads? This line is essential to the communities it touches. With people paying rents that are higher than ever, many cannot afford to maintain a vehicle. Public transportation is more essential than ever.
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I use SEPTA to get to work in Philly. Traffic is only getting worse. I will be using it more, not less.
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Public transit is a part of transportation infrastructure and I am one of the many who use it throughout the state. Without public transit, I cannot go to work, doctor's appointments, or check in with friends and family. To get rid of [or cut] public transit… will only hurt PA and in the long run will result in more damaged roads, accidents, pollution, and isolation.
I am just getting by (as are several of my neighbors) and to add a car to the expenses I have will make it difficult to continue to stay and work where I am at. To anyone in the Senate (yes Republicans, I mean you) who keeps talking about taxpayers and families, how can you say that with a straight face and then proceed to do everything in your power to make it harder for people to get around without being in a car?
That takes away independence from kids and teenagers and adds more costs to working class families, some of who have members who cannot drive due to disabilities. I know people who fit the latter and they need public transit as much as I do.
We work here, pay every tax around, so we should not have to beg and scrape to get access to services that we need like public transit. Quit creating blockers in your way, because I know that does not happen when a company like Amazon shows up.
- “Alison,” Lower Merion Twp
People with Disabilities
My story goes back to my childhood. I grew up in Montgomery County. My father was visually handicapped and relied on public transportation to get to work and back. I relied on it to help my Dad and became very knowledgeable on the public transportation system throughout the city.. My family was very dependent on public transportation.
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My niece, who is disabled, takes the train every day to her job. She would not be in a position to drive and Uber is cost prohibitive. Unsure how she will get to her job without the R5. My daughter goes to Drexel. She commutes every day. Unsure how she will get to school every day. She cannot afford Uber and there aren’t other options (she does not own a car). People rely on the R5 every day. Without it you will destroy their independence. And if you work in Philly - the cost of driving, parking and mental stress would be hard for most people.
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This SEPTA cut would severely impact all of our residents who cannot drive! My son is autistic, and public transportation will be his only means of getting around. Who can afford Uber every day? Certainly not our seniors or special needs community. This would cut them off from all access to LIVING! Doctor appointments, working, getting groceries, everything. Please don't put this additional hardship on those who critically need help.
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I work as a paratransit manager for SEPTA, and the residents in our area that utilize the paratransit services will be greatly impacted if SEPTA doesn’t receive the funding it needs. With the elimination of the 127 and 128 that means that anyone who lives near those bus routes and utilizes paratransit would no longer be eligible since there wouldn’t be a fixed route bus within 3/4 of mile of their home. This will impact our neighbors that are trying to get to medical appointments, dialysis treatment, grocery shopping or just a regular social outing. This funding is critical please lawmakers do what’s right and fund SEPTA.
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I am an epileptic and have drop foot, both which make it difficult for me to obtain a drivers license, so I depend on SEPTA whenever I don't have a ride available, which is often now. I know the 4 local SEPTA rail lines (Tre, WT, War, Air,) and their schedules by heart and approximately 10 bus routes along with 3 NJ transit routes. If the SEPTA budget passes and these cuts go through, I will be stuck paying almost an hour pay for one direction to go to work since I don't qualify for transportation assistance.
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I’ve used SEPTA many times. Took it to and from Center City for work, still use it on occasion for that. My schedule is probably changing soon which would allow me the benefit of using it again. It is so much easier than sitting on 95 every day. It also helps my special needs coworker get to and from work everyday. He would be devastated without it. The Trenton line is also a good way to get start a trip to NYC, or even airports up there. You can easily hop on the Trenton line and then take NJ transit to NYC, Newark airport or transfer up there to JFK. It’s a lifeline for so many people.
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My husband was ill with a terrible disease, Lewy Body dementia, which required treatment in Philadelphia. Because his illness required my constant attention, I could not drive him to the city & the SEPTA trains were a literal life saver. Without this service, so many people who must get into Philadelphia for medical treatment, work, etc. will be unable to do so and that will have devastating consequences. I implore the Senate to do whatever must be done to keep this vital service operating for the people who need it and have no other options.
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I am a transition teacher for Bristol Borough School district, providing services such as independent living skills, post-secondary training, and employment training for individuals with special needs from ages 14-21. This school year, I started a program serving individuals of various disabilities between the ages of 18-21. We utilized SEPTA several times this school year, including train trips and bus trips around the area.
Most recently, we traveled to the SEPTA headquarters in Philadelphia to obtain reduced fare cards for each student to increase their chances of obtaining employment in their community. The train station in Bristol Borough is an asset to our program, as we can walk to the station and travel into the city and surrounding areas with ease.
My students specifically are on the spectrum and struggle to navigate their community independently; this program has really opened their eyes to places that they can travel without depending on family and friends. SEPTA provided our students with travel training this year by bringing a bus to the BCCC Bristol location for us to learn how to obtain Key Cards, how to read bus routes, and how to use public transportation as a whole. Losing this train station would affect our program not only in travel options, but financially.
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In the early 1980s, I was fortunate to be accepted at a small private school which provided services unavailable in my local school district. Five days a week, nine months of the year, I roundtripped the Media-Westchester and Chestnut Hill West lines changing trains at 30th St. Station to get the education guaranteed by our state constitution because the district that couldn't educate me also wouldn't transport me to a competent school.
In the 1980s, school funding failure forced me into a 3-hour daily commute, but at least SEPTA funding was sufficient for my parents to pay a reasonable fare out of pocket to get me to a school for which they paid tuition. 45 years later. PA school funding is still inadequate and now you plan to destroy the public transportation system that students, workers, and their communities depend on to survive, let alone prosper.
Defunding or underfunding SEPTA is not only a short-sighted, fiscally irresponsible error, it is a moral disgrace to undermine an infrastructure component critical to the success of the economically weakest (non-driving) individuals and the larger communities that depend on workers getting to work and students getting to school. How do you justify this dereliction of your duty and affront to human dignity?
Veterans
I am a 100% Disabled Veteran over the age of 65 years old and use the Croydon to 30th Street Station train to get to the VA hospital for my care. I am not the only veteran that uses these services to reach Healthcare from the VA. This is a very vital part of my healthcare and must not be stopped without providing a different way of traveling to the healthcare the veterans desperately need and use to stay alive.
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I’ve been alone all my life, was in the Army and ended up having to go to VA hospital and UPH. Was not allowed to drive due to a couple seizures. I’ve been going to the hospital since 2021 on SEPTA. Been using the train ever since. I don’t trust my physical brain to drive there as I did in 2018 to 2020. Every week I’d be down there and if there was no train it would have been a slow death. I also been hoping to volunteer at the hospital eventually.
I still use the train, but less frequently due to other problems, but have been hoping to start going back down at least once or twice a week. Someone better do a better job with the budget or 95 will be more than a disaster.
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Many people rely on these trains and buses to get to and from their jobs! 1,000’s of people will be losing their jobs! Not to mention plenty of senior citizens rely on this since they can’t drive themselves anymore, including my own grandfather! He has mobility issues as well from his time served in Vietnam so he can’t travel very far without the use of these trains and buses many of which are used to get to his doctors. He’s a very proud man and wants to be as independent as possible and now you’re trying to take that right away from him. You’re hurting your citizens and your veterans!
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I use the Trenton Regional Rail line to visit the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and the University of PA hospital for healthcare. How will I get there without this service? I guess I'll have to pay someone to drive me there. It's stressful enough making doctor appointments and getting there on time as you get older. If this line is eliminated, I'll have an additional great expense and much added stress. Please, please don't eliminate the Trenton Regional Rail Line (stopping in Levittown). My health will be negatively affected. I also have several neighbors who use the line daily to go to work.
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When my husband, a veteran, was admitted to Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, I took the train down every day to visit him. He was admitted several times for different treatments and finally succumbed to a rare cancer from Agent Orange. I am not comfortable driving in the city. The Croydon train station made it easy to visit him every day.
Many of my neighbors work in the city and depend on this train station to get to work every day. I also know many senior citizens in the neighborhood who enjoy visiting the city for the theater and dining in our wonderful city. This enables them to do that without fear of driving.
Seniors
I live where I live in Pennsylvania at 74 years old specifically because I am a 10-minute walk from the train station. I don’t have to bother family members or pay for a taxi to go to the airport. I regularly go into Philadelphia for various events, spending money on food, musical events and more.
If my regional rail stops running I literally have NO REASON to live where I live! I would have to uproot my life and essentially start over. I’m currently an active member of the local League of Women Voters and regular attendee of the Radnor Quaker Meeting. I would be forced to leave that behind and start a life in Philadelphia.
It is so wrong at every level to reduce public transit! It punishes those of us who can support it least.
I have a PhD and have a reasonable income, but not having public transit would cause me (and many, many others) to suffer a significant financial burden. Fund Public Transit!
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My wife and I live on the Main Line and regularly go into the city to shop, dine, worship, and do community service projects. We are 100% reliant on public transportation to get there because traffic and parking in Center City are too difficult for us, not to mention expensive.
If the Paoli-Thorndale line is cut, many small businesses we patronize, particularly in Chinatown and other minority neighborhoods, the food banks and shelters we bring fresh fruits to, and the streets we clean litter from will be forced to fare with a major reduction of our presence.
I also rely on public transportation to go to doctor's appointments at Penn Medicine in University City. I will be forced to transfer care from a doctor I've seen for most of my life (to make sure my cancer did not come back) to a more local physician who doesn't know the first thing about my history.
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I have come to depend on SEPTA for my medical appointments in Philadelphia. It's so convenient; hop on a train and it takes me to the city. I don't worry about parking or traffic. Best of all -- it's free with my senior Key card!
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I am 90 years old and need the Trenton line train to see my Jefferson doctors in center city. It allows me to avoid driving to Philadelphia and the cost of parking as well.
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I am a huge walker, and at 72 years old, it's my favorite form of exercise. I live in Mt. Airy which has vulnerable and infrequent train service, which I have used for nearly forty years, but it's only recently that I mastered the bus system. I use an app to tell me in real time when the next bus will arrive, and plan my walking routes accordingly. I now can easily get anywhere within three miles or so of my home, combining walking and the bus, to run all my errands. I go weeks at a time without using my car. In fact, it's a problem! My car battery dies occasionally!
I also take my young grandsons on SEPTA adventures. They love the trolley, the train, and the bus. Especially the auto-voice that says "Attention, train is turning!"
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I live in Bryn Mawr and both of my adult children live in Philadelphia. The Paoli/Thorndale Line is how we visit each other! Please don't take that away from us. Thanks.
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I am a senior citizen who relies on public transportation to get from Levittown to my primary doctor appointments, dental appointments, SEPA and Axia ( women’s health), which are in the vicinity of the Oxford Valley Mall area. I live on a fixed income and taking the bus is the most feasible means of transportation for me. On occasions, I might take the train into Philadelphia and Trenton/NYC for day trips. The loss of the buses 127 and 128 along with the rail service would not only create a hardship, but will take away services for other who rely on it for necessary daily trips. Thank you.
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The train has always been a convenience for me and my family, especially when I didn't have a car. I live 2 blocks from the station. I am nearing retirement, and coming to terms with old age. If unable to drive or unable to afford another car, I am going to need the train and bus services. There is no other way of getting around in this area. The driver services are highway robbery. Closing down these transportation services would be devastating to seniors especially, let alone the population who rely on this transportation to go to and from work and school. The train on the Trenton line is a very direct and timely route to Center City. Doing away with this is truly thoughtless and devastating. Not enough effort going in to sustain the services.
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Our story is a simple one. Without the Trenton Line I'm pretty sure we would have missed a lot of wonderful events and happenings in Philadelphia. My husband, not a city boy, doesn't feel comfortable driving in Philadelphia. The older we get, the harder for us it is to drive someplace we're not comfortable. So we take the train. We've started in Levittown, Bristol and Croydon stations, all without difficulties. Stage shows, car shows, flower shows, special dinner reservations, Holiday attractions, Museums, and the Zoo were enjoyed by our family. Pretty sure we would have missed most of these attractions. I have also taken the Trenton line to Trenton to catch a train to New York City which was very convenient and helpful. I cannot imagine life without the train.
Also, while driving around locally I see a lot of people waiting for the Buses 127 and 128. I cannot imagine how these people would get to where they want to or have to be without these bus routes.
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SEPTA, where can I start? The SEPTA bus company has been a very useful part of my life, since I was born & raised in Philly. I don't have a drivers license, never did, I always took the bus!! Please don't stop the 129 route in Levittown, I need it to get around. I'm a senior citizen now and depend on it! Thank you for considering my plea!
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Being a senior citizen and living in a very tight fixed income it is valuable having the SEPTA Senior Pass. One of my doctors is located in center city Philly and it is very convenient having the Levittown train station and the Trenton line within walking distance from my apartment. The line takes me to the Jefferson station and I can walk in the concourse right to 9th street where my doctor’s office is located. I depend on SEPTA very much as I no longer have a vehicle. If the Trenton line is discontinued, I have no idea how I will be able to get to my doctor.
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Using SEPTA Senior card we have traveled repeatedly to and from Penn Medicine due to my husband's end stage lung disease. It's too hard driving and parking with a disabled person but the train makes it convenient, free and possible!
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When I had to sell my home, I intentionally looked for an apartment near a rail line so that my daughter (who lives in the city and does not own a car) would be able to visit easily and frequently. Incredibly, I found a place one block from the Paoli-Thorndale line which was perfect. I also depend on that line to get to doctor appointments, to visit with friends and other appointments I have in center city. To eliminate a rail line so many people depend on and one with some of the highest ridership numbers is unbelievable. SEPTA also wants to eliminate bus route 106 which runs on Lancaster Avenue parallel to the Paoli-Thorndale line. That would leave the residents in this area with NO public transportation. That would be devastating to so many people.
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I worked full-time while my husband took the train to Philadelphia to get twice daily radiation. This treatment lasted 6 weeks. It would have been prohibitive and dangerous for him to drive. It would have cost me a tremendous amount of time off from work. As it was, I had to handle all home-based jobs, while he handled his job: getting better.
I cannot imagine what we would have done without reliable public transportation. In retirement, I was committed to doing volunteer work with a refugee resettlement agency. Both agencies are in downtown Philadelphia. If I didn't have the train, I wouldn't do it! I want to stay active in a meaningful way. In retirement, I have the time, but on a fixed budget, the cost to park in Center City is a big detergent. Keep SEPTA going.
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Losing the 128 bus stop would be devastating to all the people that use this route. I am a senior citizen and use the 128 to do my shopping. Please reconsider and keep all the other bus and train routes that people depend on for transportation.
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I am one of many senior citizens who live at Dunwoody Village. Many have relinquished their cars and the independence that allows. Even those (like me) who still drive are less enthusiastic about driving into Center City for a variety of cultural events and locations. The Paoli-Thorndale line provides an affordable alternative for seniors to retain some independence and still enjoy the cultural bounty of Philadelphia without adding to the traffic congestion of Center City. Surely, this is a worthwhile goal.
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I had open heart surgery and rely on the Trenton line for my doctor appointments in Philly. I’m 74, and the one time I drove into Philly I had a minor accident. It would be a huge inconvenience for me if the train service was not available. At 6 in the morning the train is packed with passengers going downtown mainly for work. What would these people do, make more of a traffic mess on I95?
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My husband and I are 73 years old. We use SEPTA to travel to 30th Street to catch the train to Washington, DC to visit our daughter and grandson. We are afraid to drive to DC. We also take SEPTA to the airport so that we can visit our son in Cleveland and our daughter in Portland, Oregon. We need SEPTA to keep our lives comfortable and save us from the fearsome car traffic.
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When I was diagnosed with throat cancer last summer, I needed to travel to Penn Medicine in Philadelphia for various appointments and 6 weeks of radiation, Monday through Friday. After driving there a few times and realizing it was a traffic nightmare, we decided to take the train from Croydon; it was our best option. We met other older couples along the way who also relied on public transportation like the train for doctor appts to treat their own illnesses.
Please save the Trenton regional rail line. So many people depend on this service every day… it’s the only way to travel to the city if driving is not an option!
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I will be 78 in October and I live in Bristol, which is 25 miles from Center City and 10 miles from N.E. Philly. The dynamics of travelling over the highways are not what they were 50, 30 even 10 years ago. Drivers are more distracted, impatient and angrier, which makes driving extremely stressful -- especially on the three main thoroughfares: I-95, Roosevelt Boulevard and the PA Turnpike.
That's why over the years, whenever possible, I have been prompted to avoid those roads and find alternative means of reaching my destinations. So that's why it saddened me when I heard about SEPTA's plans to eliminate the Trenton and Thorndale Regional Rail Lines. Because riding SEPTA is one of my sources to relieving the stress of driving on those highways and giving me peace of mind.
Although those are the main things SEPTA represents to me, that's just part of it. The Trenton and Thorndale Lines enabled me to continue my dental treatments at Harcum College in Bryn Mawr. That was a big help financially because my treatments were only $10.
And whenever I took my pre-school aged grandson to Center City, he would ask where we’re going and my reply would always be, "On an adventure." I wanted to expose him to the various educational, historical and entertaining attractions in Philadelphia. He has "dug" for fossils at the Academy of Natural Sciences, climbed the rocks and splashed in the stream and played with his water toys at Sister Cities Park and viewed Philadelphia from the observation deck under the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall.
COVID and starting school interrupted our trips, but he recently asked when were "going on another adventure" so we went to the Reading Terminal where we had pizza and churros with ice cream. My house is eight short (not city) blocks from the Bristol stop of the Trenton Line (one of the perks when I bought my house) which is between a 10-15 minute walk (healthwise, another perk) to catch the train.
To sum it up, if the Trenton and Thorndale Lines are eliminated I will no longer have easy accessibility to better health, priceless memories and peace of mind.
Miscellaneous
I moved here from Florida, and the reason why I moved to Philly is largely because of the public transit (and I love this city dearly)! I rely on SEPTA to be able to safely get around the city, and I rely on SEPTA at night as well. Many of my friends use SEPTA daily to go to work! Cutting routes and availability will have such a negative impact on the people who live here, as well as visitors.
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I took the Broad Street line daily while going to college at La Salle University and afterward commuting jobs. Also used the Media Elwyn line extensively to go to and from work. 4 million people in this region and there [may] be drastic cuts in public transit! Ridiculous!
6th largest city in the nation would be deprived or public transit! Madness, especially as the country’s 250th anniversary celebration is approaching. Can you imagine the chaos without public transit!?
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Not much of a story, but just wanted to mention that I go into Philly quite often from Radnor and have never ever driven. I go in for concerts, doctor appointments, haircuts, etc. and I cannot imagine any other way to travel. No traffic, no parking issue, no Schuylkill expressway to deal with. And the train is always full, even in the evening.
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I use the train to get to the Phillies game. I bring my grandson and wife. We also use the train to go to the museum and Franklin institute.
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SEPTA made me mobile at a time when I gave up driving.
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While working in Philly, I fell and fractured my right wrist. I spent the afternoon in the ER in a lot of pain. I didn't know how I was going to disembark at the Woodbourne Station. The conductor told me they would help me off the train.
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While I don't take SEPTA every day, the Trenton regional rail line is my preferred method of transportation to Philadelphia for job interviewing, attending events, and just meeting with friends. I find driving into the city to be dangerous, and finding affordable parking is next to impossible. If the Trenton line shuts down, I'll be devastated! It means I won't be going into the city as often. I won't seek jobs or business opportunities there. I won't go to restaurants or shows. Who knows the next time I'd visit friends who live there. Roads and parking would bound to be even more congested.
Even if I drove all the way over to the West Trenton line, it wouldn't do me any good with service ending at 9:00 PM. Most shows and events go later into the evening like the Sailor Moon Super Live that I recently was lucky to attend. I love the Trenton line and live so close to the station. Please don't turn it into another boarded up building / homeless shelter. We need more affordable social services out here, not less! Please help save SEPTA!
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Even though I drive for work & travel purposes, SEPTA is my preferred method of travel. Sometimes I have to take a rideshare, but that’s only for interest of time constraints & possibly access, but I would much rather take SEPTA. I’ve been riding SEPTA as long as I can remember. My mom didn’t drive, so it was our primary mode of travel.
It breaks my heart to see that a lot of the services [may be] cut. Mass transit is an essential part of a properly working region. […] The economic impact of increased car traffic that will replace the ridership of the regional rail line will be deleterious to the city. I also think of the impact as my mom, [a senior], still primarily uses SEPTA to get around. A lot of my friends primarily use SEPTA every day to get to work. I think of the impact it will have on the ability of disabled people to move around more effectively. I think of the senior citizens who might not make it to Sunday mass or get around as well because SEPTA runs less frequently.
I think for the people already in poverty, living paycheck to paycheck, that now have to rely on a more expensive ride share than take septa, making it that much harder to make ends meet. I also think of the negative impact this has on tourist destinations, sports teams, museums & all the lost potential revenue because people would now choose to opt out & stay home, rather than having their only choices be driving to the city & pay for parking, an expensive rideshare, because they lost their SEPTA regional rail line. Yes, running a mass transit system is very costly & SEPTA can run more efficiently & be more austere, but it’s essential to make a society run more smoothly & efficiently if we have proper mass transit. More cars on the road will lead to longer response times for the already strained police departments. It will take fire departments longer to respond to fires. It will take longer for an ambulance to respond to a medical emergency. Church attendance will suffer, school attendance will suffer & the many people in the region that use & rely on SEPTA will suffer. To whomever this may concern, please consider all of this when you make whatever decision you have to make & save SEPTA! Thank you!
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During my early working years, I used the train from Levittown station to Center City Philadelphia every weekday, from 1964-1978. In the following years, have used the same train to get to Philadelphia International Airport, and to special events in the city. It's a lifeline to culture, civic events, and the world for me! Driving I-95 is a challenge now and I can't imagine it with so many more cars on the road, trying to get to jobs in the city and all the stops in between. The SEPTA regional rail Trenton-Philadelphia line is one of the huge perks of living in my area and utilized by many. Please don't strand us!
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I used SEPTA for the first time to attend the 2018 Philly Pride Parade, it was my surprise gift after coming out to my family as a lesbian. I was overwhelmed with joy while I was there and very grateful that I could attend. It wouldn't have been possible without SEPTA.
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Growing up in South Philadelphia, buses, trollies, and the subway were all we knew. Our family didn't have a car. Going to high school and college entailed riding both buses and subway. I'm sure it's still that way.
Now, older and having lived in suburbs for over 50 yrs, I still use the commuter trains to center city Philly. Transportation is the lifeblood of any urban area. This region will be crippled, as any urban SMSA would be without reliable public transportation. Philly is the 6th or 7th largest city in the US and it would be emasculated without public transit. It's madness to even ponder that possibility.
Aside from the obvious inconvenience and increased auto traffic along with all the externalities that causes, this region would be the laughingstock to other areas. People would not come to this area, depriving it of economic infusions on a daily basis. Certainly, any public transit system anywhere in the world has issues, but to simply cut about half of its bus, trolley and train routes is an abomination.
The state government MUST adequately fund SEPTA. What the Philadelphia region contributes to the state's economy depends upon it. So state legislators, get your act together and fund SEPTA.
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I use regional rail and other SEPTA trains frequently to enable me access Amtrak trains to visit my sister in Washington, D.C.
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SEPTA is absolutely crucial to the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Without it, many thousands of people will have no way to get around for work, school, voting, regional and international travel, doctor's appointments, social engagements, sporting events, shopping, and other activities which are in themselves vital to the socioeconomic survival of our city.
Highway traffic will increase exponentially, as will congestion in our city streets. Our air and water quality will suffer tremendously as a result of this increase in driving, as will public health and our natural environment. Our already minimal parking options will become even more sparse. More traffic means more accidents, more road rage, and more fatalities. Our city is not built for that kind of increase in vehicular volume.
Philadelphia cannot be a world-class city without effective, efficient mass transit. Fortunately, the SEPTA system is already in place, and while it may need an overhaul, eliminating this vital service is not cost effective and will only exacerbate our area's transportation problems. People come here from all over the world to see the place where American democracy was born - how can we possibly eliminate this most democratic of travel options and disenfranchise so many in the city of Brotherly Love? To do so would hurt ALL of us.
Mass transit is the linchpin of our American cities. It affords citizens of modest means the ability to go wherever they need to go, and it allows people from other places the ability to visit our area and support our economy. As population increases and major arteries become more crowded, mass transit provides a logical and workable answer, lowering emissions and easing congestion on our roads and highways.
If you drive a car and don't often use SEPTA, you may be unaware of how it helps you as a driver, as a worker, and as a resident of our area. If SEPTA goes away, I guarantee that you will very quickly realize just how vital the services of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority truly are to all of us here. It's time for our leaders to step up and lead in this arena, and to set a bold example for other metro areas around the world. Mass transit is an essential service that we need now more than ever. The solutions are out there. Don't break SEPTA. Fix it!
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I do not live in Pennsylvania anymore, but I grew up outside of Philadelphia in Villanova, and SEPTA was a necessary connection for my family to the city. I still use it a lot when I come back to the area to see friends and family. Whenever I am on an R5 train, there are always plenty of people on the train with me; it is clearly a much-needed line. Also, wouldn't you want to cut back on congestion, pollution, and carbon footprint? The government of PA should be investing heavily in public transportation, not cutting it back!
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I use the SEPTA Trenton Line all the time to get into Philly for different things, whether it’s work stuff, events, or dinners with friends. Honestly, if the train wasn’t running, I probably wouldn’t bother going to a lot of these because driving and parking can be such a hassle and expense. I also take the train when I fly out of the airport, which saves me from having to drive and pay for parking there too. Keeping the trains running helps cut down on traffic, keeps the air cleaner, and makes it easier for folks like me to get around. Shutting down these lines would really hurt the community in a lot of ways.
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I use the R5 train whenever I need to go into the city. I think it would be a terrible loss to not have this. It will put more cars on the road and waste the valuable infrastructure that has been built up for our rail system.