PA: Regional Rail riders would face two-hour waits between midday trains in SEPTA's August cuts

Many Regional Rail riders would feel an extra bite from proposed SEPTA service cuts, with most midday trains coming every two hours instead of every hour beginning Aug. 24, SEPTA officials told The Inquirer.

A normal schedule would have 1,414 weekly trips across SEPTA's 13 Regional Rail lines, officials say. But service would drop to 960 weekly trips under the reduced schedule the transit agency is drawing up — or about a third fewer.

SEPTA plans an overall dramatic reduction in services and a fare hike to deal with its financial crisis and, so far, there is no sign of the new state funding it says it needs to avoid the cuts.

During midday hours, after the morning rush and before the evening rush, intervals between Regional Rail trains would stretch from one hour to two hours.

For the first wave of cuts, times between trains in peak travel periods would not change much, spokesperson Andrew Busch said. A few current peak-period trips may be eliminated.

"Essentially, midday is being all but sacrificed to maintain some viable peak service," Busch said.

Late-night and weekend train frequencies would be about two hours as well, he said. In most cases, that is an increase from the one hour between trains now.

In addition to the drop in Regional Rail service, SEPTA plans a significant culling of bus routes, with 32 eliminated and 16 shortened. The Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines and all trolleys would also run less frequently.

The cuts would begin Aug. 24, provided state aid does not come in time. A second round of steeper cuts across the board would take effect Jan. 1 if necessary, bringing the total to 45% less service than today.

SEPTA says it must make the service cuts and hike fares 21.5% because the state has underfunded it and other transit systems for years, as operating costs have jumped.

Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed $292 million a year for five years, raised by increasing the share of the sales tax devoted to public transit. SEPTA would get an estimated $168 million.

The state budget, which would include any new mass transit dollars, is more than 30 days overdue. Lawmakers and the administration are negotiating a budget and a number of issues remain sticking points, not just transportation.