A Philadelphia judge on Thursday ordered SEPTA to reverse the 20% service cut that was enacted last week, but she is allowing the authority to move forward with a 21.5% fare increase.
Court of Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas Street on Aug. 29 halted any further action associated with SEPTA’s ‘doomsday’ budget, delaying a plan to raise ticket prices and reduce Regional Rail frequencies this week.
Now, the authority is required to restore the 32 bus lines that were eliminated; the 16 bus routes that were shortened; and sports express trains on the Broad Street Line. Schedules will also likely need to be reverted to the timetable in place before Aug. 24, when the transit agency implemented the reductions.
Street’s order says that SEPTA should “immediately reverse” the cuts, though authority officials have said they would need 10 days to reinstate normal service levels.
Thursday’s decision permits the authority to move ahead with the fare hike, which will bring base bus, subway and trolley rates to $2.90, up from $2.50.
The preliminary injunction was issued in relation to a recent lawsuit filed by attorney George Bochetto on behalf of longtime consumer advocate Lance Haver and two SEPTA riders. He has argued that the authority should dip into its $300 million service stabilization fund before slashing service.
SEPTA leaders have said they designed their “doomsday” plan in a phased approach to limit the possibility of more drastic cuts down the line. The authority faces a $213 million fiscal shortfall, according to transit officials.
