PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia judge on Friday ordered SEPTA to stop any further service cuts, including a steep fare hike that was set to take effect on Sept. 1.
On Friday, Judge Sierra Thomas Street granted part of a temporary injunction requested by attorney George Bochetto on behalf of two riders and a consumer advocate. She did not order a rollback of service cuts on bus and trolley lines, which took effect on Aug. 24. However, she told SEPTA it must halt a 21.5% fare hike and reductions in Regional Rail service that were set to take effect on Sept. 1 and 2.
“We couldn’t be happier for the citizens of Philadelphia,” Bochetto said.
SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said he was happy for commuters, too, but it does not help SEPTA’s financial situation.
“We’re still in a $213 million structural deficit that’s likely to climb now that we have this, so we just have to take a look at this all the way around,” Sauer said.
Bocchetto said SEPTA has money in its stabilization fund that will tide it over until a state budget passes with transit funding.
“Nobody here’s saying Harrisburg is going to give them zero. What’s really going on here is that SEPTA’s trying to get even more money out of Harrisburg than they need to function,” he argued.
Sauer said SEPTA had already started making moves to cut service, so it will take a lot of work throughout the weekend to keep the current schedules in place.
The judge called a hearing for Sept. 4 to determine whether the injunction should be made permanent.
SEPTA said riders can now start buying weekly and monthly passes for September at pre-fare increase prices. SEPTA had previously asked riders to hold off until it could comply with the judge's ruling. A spokesperson said he’s not sure if customers who already bought passes at the increased price will be refunded.
On Thursday, SEPTA reached an agreement with Philadelphia officials to restore some services for school transportation.
Service will be restored on multiple bus routes on Sept. 2, including the 84, 88, 452, 461, 462, 476, 478 and 484. Partial service will be restored on the 31 from Overbrook Park to 63rd and Market streets.
These lines will also be augmented on routes that serve a significant number of students to reduce crowding and pass-ups: 14, 20, 23, 26, 47, 63, 67, 70, 82, T2, and T5. Those updates will take effect in mid-September. SEPTA will use a portion of the funds from the $135 million transit subsidy from next year's city budget to pay for the restoration of services.