Former Governors Schweiker and Rendell, Editorial Boards, and Business Leaders Across Pennsylvania All Support Bipartisan Plan to Fund Mass Transit, Urge State Senate to Act

"As we stand on the brink of an opportunity to pass another historic infrastructure package, we urge legislators from both parties to make an investment in a prosperous economic future for our children and grandchildren by sending a comprehensive funding bill to Gov. Shapiro quickly. Pennsylvanians can’t wait.” – Former Governors Mark Schweiker and Ed Rendell

“A robust public transportation system is the backbone of a vibrant city, providing an affordable, clean, safe, and fast way to get to work, school, shopping, entertainment and more.” – Christine Knapp, former Philadelphia director of sustainability

“Public transit is critical to our communities throughout the commonwealth; therefore, it is critical that our elected leaders in Harrisburg act quickly to head off a funding cliff that threatens that mobility for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians as well as the commonwealth’s economy.” – Heather Heeter, Transportation Chair of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce

June 25, 2025

Harrisburg, PA – Republican and Democratic former Governors, newspaper editorial boards, and business leaders from across Pennsylvania are all joining Governor Josh Shapiro in calling on the legislature to fund mass transit systems serving all 67 counties across the Commonwealth.

Among those speaking out are former Republican and Democratic Governors Mark Schweiker and Ed Rendell, who co-authored an editorial in The Philadelphia Inquirer urging bipartisan action:

“As two former governors, of two different parties, we worked to advance infrastructure packages during our administrations because we recognize that transportation is the lifeblood that powers our economy.”

Business leaders like Heather Heeter, chair of the Transportation Committee of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, are also speaking out, urging the Pennsylvania Senate to act quickly because mass transit powers our economy in an opinion piece for The Morning Call:

“While some may see buses and trains as an urban fixture, public transit is available in all counties throughout Pennsylvania. More than 400 million passenger trips are taken annually on transit systems throughout the commonwealth including urban, suburban and rural areas. By connecting workers to jobs, students to classes, and seniors to medical services, public transit makes economic growth and improvements to quality of life possible.”

Newspaper editorial boards from The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and TribLive have also called for action on mass transit funding, underscoring its essential role in supporting economic opportunity, connecting communities, and keeping Pennsylvania competitive.

Governor Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget proposal includes $292 million in new funding next year — generating $1.5 billion over five years — to support 52 transit systems that serve nearly one million riders daily in rural, urban, and suburban communities. These investments would help create jobs, connect communities, and ensure Pennsylvanians can commute to work, attend school, access health care, and travel safely and reliably.

Last week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the Governor’s proposal with an amendment that also boosts investment in the Commonwealth’s roads and bridges. This marks the fourth time the House has advanced the plan — a clear sign of its importance to Pennsylvania’s economy, workforce, and infrastructure.

Mass transit is not just a big-city issue — it’s essential statewide. Rural shared-ride services provide 2.6 million trips annually for seniors, helping them reach medical appointments, grocery stores, and other vital destinations. Across the Commonwealth, mass transit supports more than 39,000 jobs and drives $5.4 billion in economic activity each year, according to the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association.

The Governor has called on both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan transportation funding plan that secures the future of public transit in the Commonwealth.

Now, voices from across Pennsylvania are joining that call.

See what Pennsylvanians are reading about Governor Shapiro’s proposed mass transit investments:

Former Governors Mark Schweiker and Ed Rendell in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Transportation in Pennsylvania is a bipartisan issue”

Editorial Board for The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Harrisburg can’t afford to let SEPTA fail”

Editorial Board for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Restoring state transit funding isn’t a bailout. It’s an investment in a public good”

Editorial Board for TribLive: “Will route cuts solve Pittsburgh Regional Transit problems?”

Heather Heeter, chair of the Transportation Committee of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, in The Morning Call: “Investing in public transit is a win for all Pennsylvanians”

Philadelphia students Olivia Kang and Leila Golzari Hunt in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “SEPTA cuts will be disastrous for students, our Masterman peers told us”

Daniel Pearson in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Pennsylvanians rely on transit. Here’s how SEPTA cuts could affect residents.”

Transit advocate Alan Fisher in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Despite the ways we grouse about SEPTA, it’s efficient. In fact, really efficient.”

Urban planner Jay Arzu in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Philadelphia deserves transit investment, not just survival”

Former Philadelphia director of sustainability Christine Knapp in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Cuts to SEPTA threaten climate progress, and will make our air dirtier and hotter”