SEPTA ambassadors to visit major transit hubs in Philadelphia region this week amid potential service cuts

While lawmakers continue discussions on a potential funding plan for SEPTA, the transit agency is moving forward with plans to cut service around the Philadelphia area. 

On Monday, SEPTA ambassadors will visit the 69th Street Transit Center ahead of the Aug. 24 cuts to help riders who will be impacted by shortened or eliminated bus routes. The ambassadors will also visit other major transit hubs during the week, including the Frankford Transit Center.

“They just not making the right decision at all,” Dominique Spencer said.

Spencer is one of about 700,000 people who SEPTA says use their service every single day.

Spencer said she needs the transit agency to get to work and to take her daughter to day care.

“I wake up at 4:00, leave at 5:30,” Spencer said. “And I get to work exactly at 7:00 when my shift starts. When they change that time, I’m going to be late every single day.”

Spencer said SEPTA’s plans to move forward with cutting and reducing service could potentially put her job at risk.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do honestly,” she said. 

Kevin Tingle says he’s been taking SEPTA for nearly 20 years. Like Spencer, he’s worried about getting to and from work.

“I’m going to be like basically 30 minutes to an hour late to work,” Tingle said. “I don’t want to be doing that. It’s basically putting my job in jeopardy. I do hope and pray that they do get the funding for it because it will suck for this to go through.”

State Sen. Nikil Saval, of Philadelphia, said talks regarding SEPTA and statewide mass transit funding are ongoing, but said that lawmakers are still at odds over a potential plan.

Saval said he’s hoping they can get something passed before it’s too late.

“I know there are legislators on both sides who want this to work,” he said. “And we need those legislators to come to the table with a serious proposal that we can vote on and pass.”

State lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return to Harrisburg until September, but Saval said he’s hoping they’re called back before then because they can’t afford to wait any longer.