SEPTA must reverse all cuts and cannot make any more service reductions, a judge ruled Thursday.
This affects all service from the Philadelphia-based transportation authority, including buses, subway, Regional Rail and sports express trains on the Broad Street Line.
SEPTA cannot eliminate bus routes or Regional Rail lines, reduce service, implement curfews, eliminate paratransit routes or close stations, the ruling says.
The order does not apply to SEPTA’s planned fare increase, which has not yet gone into effect. SEPTA is working to determine when it will enact a fare hike from $2.50 to $2.90, a spokesperson said.
Fares were scheduled to increase on Sept. 1, but that was stopped by a temporary injunction.
It’s unclear when SEPTA will reverse service cuts and reductions that are already in effect.
Attorney George Bochetto, who was representing SEPTA riders, said the agency has a stabilization fund with $300 million that could be used to prevent the sweeping cuts until state lawmakers pass their budget, which could include funds for SEPTA. Lawmakers in Harrisburg have so far been unable to agree on a plan to help fund the transit authority, which is facing a more than $200 million budget deficit.
SEPTA says it will comply with the order and staff are discussing whether to appeal.
“We are going to comply with the court’s order, but we are seeking some clarity on a couple things, and we want to make sure we cover all our bases before we commit to a return date for service,” spokesperson Andrew Busch said after the ruling came down.
He asked riders to be patient as SEPTA reverses the changes that are already in place. SEPTA is working restore service quickly and safely, Busch said.
Earlier this week, SEPTA and the Eagles warned fans that there would be no sports express trains after Thursday’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. At the last minute, FanDuel came forward up to sponsor the express service and free rides out of NRG Station in South Philly after the game.
To deal with its funding crisis, SEPTA was rolling out a series of drastic cuts before it was stopped by a temporary injunction. SEPTA eliminated several bus routes and reduced service on dozens of others on Aug. 24 and 25.
More cuts were planned for Sept. 1 but were halted on Aug. 29 when a judge granted a temporary injunction that said SEPTA could not move forward with further cuts.
Additionally, after the first set of cuts took effect, Philadelphia leaders announced on Aug. 28 that nine eliminated bus routes would be restored and service would increase on 11 bus and trolley routes to help students get to and from school.
SEPTA riders react to ruling
Riders on Thursday were relieved to hear cuts would be reversed but said it’s been difficult to keep up with all the changes.
“All of the different schedules and stuff, that was very hard to figure out when you’re already used to the normal schedule,” one rider said.
Riders were less happy to hear that fare hikes are coming.
“I’m also a college student, so the money is just plummeting out of my bank account,” another rider said.
Jim McHugh
contributed to this report.
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