Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis was among state officials who gathered outside Croydon SEPTA station, urging critical investment in the state’s mass transit system, writes Lacey Latch for the Bucks County Courier Times.
“I want to be clear: public transit isn’t optional,” said Davis. “It’s essential.”
Around one million state residents rely on the public transit system daily.
The call for funding follows SEPTA’s recently announced fiscal year 2026 operating budget. If approved, this would result in an average fare increase of 21.5 percent and a 45 percent reduction in service. It would also include removing two key bus routes in Lower Bucks County and the Trenton rail line.
“The SEPTA system as we know it would cease to exist,” said SEPTA Board Chair Ken Lawrence.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero of Lower Makefield and other transportation leaders joined Davis at Croydon Station—on the chopping block in SEPTA’s proposed budget—to urge Harrisburg to invest in addressing SEPTA’s $213 million budget deficit.
The speakers emphasized that public transit provides essential service across the entire state, not just urban centers. David noted that all 67 counties in Pennsylvania rely on public transit.
Learn more about what’s at stake for SEPTA riders and how state leaders are pushing for solutions in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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