The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has recently

identified a very large structural budget deficit for fiscal year 2025 (begins July 1). In the

absence of sufficient public funding, large-scale cuts in bus and rail services and

increased fare prices are proposed. Elimination of five Regional Rail lines, including the

“R5” Paoli-Thorndale line, as well as a shutdown of 50 bus routes are included in the proposed cuts.

The Ardmore Civics recognize the obvious: such cuts to service would be economically

disastrous to our region in general, and Ardmore in particular. We understand the following:

• Safe, accessible and affordable public transportation is a necessity for our community.

• A significant part of SEPTA’s 2024 operating costs was sourced from Federal COVID Relief Funding, which is now exhausted (1, 2) Additionally, ridership has not yet recovered from pre-Covid levels (3, 4, 5)

• SEPTA, like most major urban transit authorities, cannot meet its expenses from ridership fares alone. A combination of funding from Federal, State and local sources is needed (6)

• Please consider emailing or calling your representatives and senators to express support for increasing SEPTA’s funding. The PA House voted three times during last year’s legislative session to deliver funding for PA’s transit systems, but the PA Senate did not (7)

The Ardmore Civics respectfully request a resolution from the LMT Board of Commissioners supporting a permanent funding solution for SEPTA.