WEST CHESTER, PA — State Senator Carolyn Comitta has voiced urgent concerns over SEPTA’s looming budget shortfall, warning of serious implications for Chester County residents if proposed fare increases and service cuts move forward. The crisis, which stems from pandemic-related financial strains and insufficient state funding, threatens to disrupt key regional transportation services.
“Chester County residents depend on SEPTA and their bus and train routes to get to work or school, go to their doctors’ appointments, visit their loved ones, and get to wherever they need to go,” stated Senator Comitta. She emphasized that these services are not expendable, describing them as vital to both the community and the local economy.
The proposed service reductions include the potential elimination of the Paoli-Thorndale regional rail line, a major route connecting Chester County to Center City, Philadelphia, as well as significant cuts to bus routes. Senator Comitta warned that such changes would leave countless residents without reliable transportation, disrupt daily life, and stall economic activity across the region.
“SEPTA is essential, and we must ensure the transportation system our residents rely on is properly funded and running efficiently, so we can get to work, go to school, and keep our economy moving,” Comitta said.
The senator urged her colleagues in the Pennsylvania Senate to prioritize funding for public transit, ensuring systems like SEPTA remain operational and accessible. “I call on the Senate majority to properly fund our public transit systems here in Chester County and across Pennsylvania,” she concluded.
SEPTA’s budget troubles highlight the urgent need for state-level support to maintain critical transportation services that underpin economic and community activity throughout the region.
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