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The scenario may ring a bell: last year\u2019s state budget came four months late after fierce debates over how \u2013 and how much \u2013 to spend on public transportation.<\/p>\n
Gov. Josh Shapiro ultimately approved Philadelphia\u2019s SEPTA and Pittsburgh\u2019s PRT flexing capital dollars for operations over the course of two years. Now in its second year, the temporary deal exempts Pennsylvania\u2019s two largest transit agencies from this budget cycle.<\/p>\n
The state\u2019s 65 other counties, however, weren\u2019t so lucky.<\/p>\n
Lehigh Valley\u2019s LANTA cut service on 13 bus lines earlier this year, one of four total reductions meant to balance a reduced budget. The bus operator, which served more than four million trips last year, also raised fares and eliminated free transfers<\/a>.<\/p>\n The steep investment gap between urban and rural counties deepens economic disparities, small town residents say.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just have to make sure that it\u2019s equitable,\u201d said Shelley Mergner, a resident of Westmoreland County whose son, Noah, cannot drive due to his autism, but lacks an adequate alternative. \u201cWe have to make sure \u2026 rural communities are as supported as urban communities.<\/p>\n \u201cI know there will come a day when I can no longer provide transportation for my son,\u201d she said. \u201cI think about what will happen when I am gone.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to church, Tae Kwon Do, and therapy, Noah uses Westmoreland County\u2019s paratransit shuttles to access his job at a Lowe\u2019s hardware store. By the time his 4-9 p.m. shift ends, the day\u2019s last shuttle is long gone. The same service ends at 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and does not run at all on Sundays.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess they think [disabled people] don\u2019t work Sundays,\u201d Mergner said.<\/p>\n \t\t\tRecommended<\/p>\n \t\t Disabled Pennsylvanians are contending with an especially dire outlook. Disability Rights PA, a statewide advocacy organization, found state residents with disabilities to ride substantially more public transit<\/a> than the general public.\u00a0<\/p>\n Poor service, advocates pointed out, exemplifies the need for a long-term funding solution.<\/p>\n \u201cThe challenges [transit agencies] face are not due to a lack of commitment,\u201d Mergner said in a speech to legislators last month. \u201cBut rather a lack of adequate funding and resources.\u201d<\/p>\n Should Pennsylvania lawmakers decline funding, their most transit-dependent constituents could shoulder even more of a burden.<\/p>\n In the 6,000 person town of Enola, paratransit is a lifeline. Cathy Long\u2019s total blindness prevents her from driving, and she occasionally uses a walker to help with a bad knee.<\/p>\n \u201cI choose wisely,\u201d Long said, describing her transportation options. She\u2019ll use the region\u2019s on-demand shuttles where possible \u2013 mostly to doctors\u2019 appointments and visiting friends.<\/p>\n Funding cuts could leave her more reliant on Ubers and rides from friends. Many of her fellow passengers lack even those backup options.<\/p>\n \u201cThey stay at home a lot,\u201d Long said of her blind peers. \u201cThe big thing is to help them get out and be in the community so that they make friends and \u2026 get to know service providers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Budget deficits could pull friends and health services out of reach. In Lancaster County, Red Rose Transit is set to charge up to 50 percent more<\/a> for on-demand rides.<\/p>\n \t\t\tRecommended<\/p>\n \t\t Philadelphia and Pittsburgh transit, though exempt from this year\u2019s budget, will still need future funding. SEPTA\u2019s State of Good Repair budget deficit has doubled in the past decade, now surpassing $10 billion. PRT, which was also forced to raid capital funds to mitigate cuts, is in comparable trouble. Any deal without long-term funding risks deepening deficits and neglecting infrastructure.<\/p>\n Now, state legislators are weighing whether to provide a long-term solution, or let transit deteriorate.<\/p>\n The solution could come in the form of a legislative package put forward by Transit for All PA!, a statewide public transit advocacy group. The package includes HB1523<\/a> and HB1524<\/a> (with matching bills in the state Senate). The package has more than 40 co-sponsors, but the same package was introduced last year and didn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n HB1523 creates a new tax on rideshare services, such as those provided by Uber, Lyft, and Waymo. HB1524 is a moderate increase to existing taxes on car rentals and leases. Together, Transit for All PA! estimates revenue from the package generating $396 million<\/a> for transit services across the state.<\/p>\n \u201cOur legislature\u2019s ongoing neglect of public transit has led us to the brink of disaster,\u201d Se. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) said last year in a statement. \u201cWe must explore every available option to bridge current funding gaps.\u201d<\/p>\n Alternative proposals would only partially fix the transportation budget\u2019s deficit, leaving lesser cuts on the table across agencies. Last year, Gov. Shapiro increased the share of transportation funds directed towards public transit, providing an additional $292 million to protect service.<\/p>\n \u201cThe amount of money was \u2026 foundationally not enough,\u201d said Conner Descheemaker, the Statewide Campaign Manager for Transit for All PA! \u201cIt would not serve to meet the stated needs of any transit agency in Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n His group\u2019s proposal is designed to complement the Governor\u2019s allocation. The anticipated $688 million in total revenue would exceed the $590 million necessary to restore 2019 service levels statewide, with room to spare for improvements.<\/p>\n As the budget deadline looms closer, advocates are racing to get their bills passed. Both Mergner and Long traveled to Harrisburg last month<\/a> to testify to lawmakers the necessity of public transit in their areas.<\/p>\n \u201cTransportation gives [Noah] agency and autonomy over his own life,\u201d Mergner said in a speech. \u201cIt allows him to make choices, participate in his community, and build the independence that every adult deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n With budget negotiations continuing into July, Transit for All PA! is calling for supporters to demand a solution from state leadership<\/a>. As of July 3, they have sent more than 47,000 letters from every legislative district in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want people to fight for something,\u201d Descheeker said. \u201cAnd expand service in the places where we know service has long been lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Transit cuts could leave disabled riders stranded. Photo: Transit for All PA!<\/a><\/p>\n
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The Transit for All PA! legislative package would fully fund transit. Photo: Transit for All PA!<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/47806B47-E9E6-4FE6-85B6-DA036281E49B-1024x768-1.jpg\")
More than one hundred Pennsylvanians rallied for public transit in Harrisburg. Photo: Transit for All PA!<\/a><\/p>\n