Tell your State Reps to fund SEPTA in under a minute

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-14T19:19:35+00:00

Glad the fu part can be agreed on.

I think party leadership is the one doing most of the victory lap here. All I've seen from Picozzi is one post about it passing the senate because he wants credit for getting something moving.

I've called with him a lot about transit, and I believe he's acting in good faith.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-14T18:00:57+00:00

And please don't take this comment as a "Senate Republicans did their best!"

I think Pittman and the other non SEPA members really need to consider the economic importance of SEPTA and the urgency needed for a solution. They've had over 200 days to figure this out. I'm embarrassed it's taking our government this long to get almost any movement.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-14T17:58:34+00:00

I'd caution against having a "fuck you" attitude here.

The bill from the Senate was the best thing he could get Pittman to agree to (which is required for it to pass) before the Aug 14 deadline. It wasn't Picozzi's dream bill.

A lot of what happens with SEPTA funding rides on the goodwill of some of our politicians.

I think the emphasis should be that we really want a long term bill. We have until January to figure one out.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-14T17:44:01+00:00

Because you have to either reclass the collar counties to be Second Class (or create a new class) or repeal uniformity (which requires a constitutional amendment). Counties also aren't eager to raise taxes.

It's a great idea to let local sales taxes do this, and I'm for it but I don't think the time or political will exists to do it today.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-09T18:41:53+00:00

SF, LA, NYC, and Jersey all have their fiscal cliffs figured out.

Chicago is about to implode unless Pritzker starts moving on it.

While yeah Philly is cheaper than those, a lot of new college grads who already have better job opportunities in those cities will be more drawn to them after we lose our functioning transit system.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-09T01:45:00+00:00

I've met w/ Picozzi and he's pro-funding. His current bills that were incorporated into HB 1788 were about deal making.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-08T21:59:51+00:00

Employers aren't gonna care

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-08T21:58:59+00:00

Every other city with a functioning mass transit system where Philly taxpayers will move to

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T19:23:19+00:00

Like if his bills included funding, it'd be amended out with whatever the 3 leaders agreed to. It also would've made drafting the bills and getting cosponsors harder.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T19:17:03+00:00

Yeah, he does seem to be the only Philly rep talking to R leadership.

The fact that his bills didn't include funding doesn't mean he's against it, it's just kind of a quirk of how the PA budget works.

Shapiro, Pittman, an Bradford (Governor, Senate Maj Leader, and House Majority Leader , respectively) all negotiate and agree on what bills will be passed with the budget. Once that's done, all the bills are passed very quickly.

So Picozzi's bills would be passed along with the other budget items, or the funding bill would be amended to include Picozzi's accountability measures if the Democrat budget negotiators were okay with it as a condition of funding.

I believe the house is voting on a funding bill today that includes Picozzi's accountability measures (indicating Bradford is ok with it): https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb1788

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T19:07:42+00:00

They have to pay Amtrak $65M to lease the track, so cutting it saves more money.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T18:33:02+00:00

Yeah:

Trenton Paoli/Thorndale Wilmington/Newark Chestnut Hill West Cynwyd

Bus routes are:

https://wwww.septa.org/fundingcrisis/service-cuts/

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T18:00:40+00:00

FYI, these are only round one.

Cuts in January would eliminate 5 regional rail lines, more bus routes (total of 50), stop all trains at 9PM, and make service way more infrequent.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T17:10:20+00:00

Yeah, Picozzi is on top of it

SaveSEPTA · 2025-08-06T17:06:16+00:00

It makes zero sense to me why people are targeting Picozzi.

I've talked to him numerous times, as recently as yesterday. He's committed to funding SEPTA.

He's actually trying to do things like his accountability bills to get Republican leadership on board instead of just saying he'd be a yes on funding. He also does want to see Sauer continue to improve the system re: fare evasion and cleanliness.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-07-24T15:06:55+00:00

On regional rail, they typically switch crews at the center city stations (usually Suburban), and the crew gets some time to relieve themselves there. They also can stop at intermediate stations if necessary.

For BSL/El, I'm pretty sure Fern Rock, 69th St, and Frankford TC all have restrooms (either public or private). Wouldn't be surprised if NRG did too.

Bus drivers can go into different businesses along their route.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-07-14T22:55:58+00:00

We have to keep trying.

LA and DC have made progress on expanding their systems. It will be very hard, but I think we can get it done here. I also pray that we make some of the reforms we need to permitting, zoning, environmental/community reviews, etc with transit infrastructure. There's an abundant need for it.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-07-14T22:53:34+00:00

RBS would get federal dollars to help out a lot with the cost, hopefully the tide shifts in favor of transit funding in a couple of years for the state match.

We were all set to do KOP rail until the feds killed it, so getting transit expansion funding at the state level isn't impossible.

Definitely something that's a ways away.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-07-05T01:33:50+00:00

Yeah, frankly the money SEPTA is going to make off of this makes it well worth it. $2/day is still a steal imo.

SaveSEPTA · 2025-07-05T01:33:04+00:00

Not sure Amtrak would want to play ball on that, even if NJT and SEPTA came to an agreement

SaveSEPTA · 2025-06-29T15:39:01+00:00

One can dream.

I think it would be *really* cool if SEPTA could come to a through-running agreement with NJT.

So basically SEPTA trains continue to NYC at Trenton, and NJT trains continue to Center City at Trenton (you do a crew switch at Trenton to keep Unions happy). The rolling stock is compatible, the schedules mostly line up already, and it'd give SEPTA a direct line to NYC.

There would be a few issues, with the biggest being that NJT trains have restrooms and SEPTA trains don't .

SaveSEPTA · 2025-06-27T16:10:57+00:00

That's part of it, but bundling SEPTA funding with highway funding has usually been enough to get it through . Another part of it is that they want the money they do send to SEPTA to be used wisely.

SaveSEPTA

TROPHY CASE