Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll joined transit leaders, local officials, and bus operators at Rabbittransit in Dauphin County to highlight the importance of investing in mass transit to connect communities across the Commonwealth, create jobs, and grow Pennsylvania’s economy.
The visit comes as the Governor continues to advocate for his 2025–26 budget proposal, which includes $292 million in new mass transit funding next year, growing to $1.5 billion over the next five years. This is the first significant increase in state support for mass transit in more than a decade, benefiting 52 transit systems that serve nearly one million riders each day in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the Commonwealth.
“Just like we repair and maintain the bridges in rural and suburban communities, we owe it to the Pennsylvanians who take mass transit to be there for them and their families too,” said Governor Shapiro. “Mass transit drives $5.4 billion in economic activity every year in Pennsylvania, and it enables businesses to affordably get their employees to offices and job site — it’s well worth the investment in our budget. For two years in a row, I’ve proposed the first major new investment in mass transit in more than a decade — the House has passed that proposal three times and it’s now up to the Senate to act.”
Strengthening Pennsylvania’s Entire Transportation Network
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has already delivered more than $380 million in new funding for roads and bridges, leading the nation in repairing more poor condition bridges than any other state in the country and improving over 12,000 miles of roads — more than any other time in the last decade. The Governor’s proposed budget builds on that success by addressing a long-standing gap: dedicated, sustainable funding for public transit.
The Governor’s proposal would not raise taxes. Instead, it would increase the portion of the Sales and Use Tax dedicated to public transit — from 7.68 percent to 9.43 percent — generating $292 million in new annual funding next year and more than $330 million annually by 2029–30.
That investment will support transit systems across the Commonwealth, including:
· Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which provides nearly a quarter billion rides annually
· Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), which has invested $2 billion across Pennsylvania in the past five years
· Regional and local transit systems that serve communities from Erie to Altoona, Hazleton to Harrisburg, and Reading to Williamsport
Governor Shapiro is also helping the Commonwealth maximize federal investments and accelerate critical construction and maintenance projects statewide by continuing to reduce the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)’s reliance on the Motor License Fund. Reducing PennDOT’s transfers from the Motor License Fund to PSP by $50 million each year will free up $750 million in additional funds over five years for PennDOT to invest in roads and bridges without raising taxes, until these transfers are fully phased out by 2029–30.
“Pennsylvania’s economic growth relies on our ability to build out a transportation network that puts our tradespeople to work, strengthens our businesses, and improves Pennsylvanians’ lives. Governor Shapiro has already delivered over $380 million for roads and bridges — but we’ve got to meet everyone’s transportation needs to grow our economy and our communities,” said Secretary Carroll. “Transit is critical. Sixty-five percent of fixed-route riders say they have no other option. That’s why the Governor’s budget makes an unprecedented investment in public transit — $292 million for systems across the Commonwealth, from our cities to our rural counties. We’ve been here before. The House acted — three times — but the Senate didn’t. Now we’re at the deadline again, and it’s time to fund transit. Shared ride powers our economy, supports seniors’ quality of life, and connects Pennsylvanians to opportunity, no matter where they live.”
Southcentral Pennsylvania: Transit as a Lifeline
The Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority (SRTA) — which includes Rabbittransit and Capital Area Transit (CAT) — provides critical services across 12 counties, including Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Harrisburg City, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union, and York. Every day, 9,200 riders rely on SRTA to get to work, school, and medical appointments — and nearly 60 percent of them have no other transportation option.
Under Governor Shapiro’s budget, SRTA would receive $29.3 million in state operating funds, a $5.7 million increase over this year.
SRTA is also planning a major infrastructure project: a new 235,000 square foot transit facility on Cameron Street in Harrisburg, replacing an outdated headquarters that can no longer support safe and efficient operations. The new facility — including administrative offices, a modern transfer center, and maintenance space — is expected to be completed by 2029.
"Governor Shapiro’s proposal isn’t just smart policy — it’s a lifeline for Pennsylvanians who rely on public transit to get to dialysis, chemo appointments, or their jobs. Right now, transit systems are losing drivers, cutting service, and falling behind just as ridership is surging,” said Richard Farr, Executive Director of SRTA. “This investment means we can hire and retain workers, improve reliability, and keep people connected to opportunity. Transit supports every county in the Commonwealth — and when we invest in transit, we invest in our economy and our communities."
“Every day, I get behind the wheel knowing that I'm not just driving a bus – I'm providing a lifeline to my community. I've driven the same dialysis patient three times a week for years, picked up veterans heading to VA appointments, and helped seniors maintain their independence and dignity,” said Shawn Wilson, a transit operator for CAT. ”Every Pennsylvanian benefits from strong public transit — whether they ride the bus or not. But without adequate funding, we risk losing experienced operators and cutting services to the people who need us most. We can't let that happen. I am here to stand with Governor Shapiro to communicate the importance for the transit funding proposal — to keep connecting Pennsylvanians to jobs, healthcare, and independence, and maintain the dignity and quality of life public transit provides across our Commonwealth.”
Across the Commonwealth, more than one million people rely on public transit every day — including nearly 3 million annual rides for seniors. Rural shared-ride services alone provide 2.6 million trips per year. Yet many agencies, from SEPTA to PRT to Rabbittransit, are facing a fiscal cliff. Without long-term funding, they may be forced to cut service, lay off workers, or eliminate critical routes.
Last year, Governor Shapiro secured an $80 million stopgap and flexed funding to keep SEPTA afloat — but those were temporary fixes. This year’s budget offers a long-term, sustainable solution.
Governor Shapiro has proposed a path forward, and his proposal has passed the state House of Representatives three times — but the Senate has yet to act. The Governor is urging both parties to come together and pass a comprehensive, bipartisan transportation funding plan that meets the moment and secures the future of public transit in Pennsylvania.
"Public transit keeps people employed, seniors healthy, students learning, and families fed,” said Senator Patty Kim. “House Bill 1364 will direct nearly $300 million in new funding to transit agencies across Pennsylvania, including critical resources for our Capital Region that will improve access to jobs, schools, and essential services. We need Senate Republicans to bring this bill up for a vote immediately - we cannot waste time when transportation remains one of the biggest barriers to financial stability for working families."
“Governor Josh Shapiro is working to grow Pennsylvania’s economy and support commuters, working families, and businesses by proposing a major investment in mass transit so that Pennsylvanians in every region, including in Central Pennsylvania, can get where they need to go safely and reliably,” said Representative Nathan Davidson. “The Governor has put forward a plan to sustainably fund mass transit two years in a row — the House has passed his plan three times — now it’s time for the Senate to get it done.”
Pennsylvanians are encouraged to learn about public transit options and apply for transportation assistance programs through the Commonwealth’s Find My Ride (FMR) tool. FMR includes FMR Apply, an online tool which was developed collaboratively with transit agencies and streamlines the application process for transportation assistance programs in the state, including the Senior Shared Ride program, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), ADA complementary paratransit, the Persons with Disabilities program; the Free Transit Program; and fixed route half/reduced fare for persons with disabilities.
More information on public transit and alternative transportation options like ridesharing, biking, and walking, is available on PennDOT’s website. For more information on PennDOT’s ongoing infrastructure projects, visit penndot.pa.gov. Information about the state’s infrastructure and results PennDOT is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at penndot.pa.gov/results.
For more information on Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.
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