Gov. Shapiro, Area Lawmakers Talk Transit Funding At Langhorne Station

A bipartisan group of lawmakers joined Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on a SEPTA train ride Thursday to the Langhorne Regional Rail Station.

At the station in Middletown Township, the officials discussed support for funding the state’s public transit systems. The visit highlighted the governor’s proposed budget.

State Sen. Frank Farry, a Republican from Langhorne Borough; State Sen. Art Haywood, a Democrat who represents Philadelphia and Montgomery counties; State Rep. Joe Hogan, a Republican from Middletown Township; State Rep. Ben Sanchez, a Democrat from Abington Township; PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll; SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie Richards; and Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson joined Shapiro at the stop. Democratic Bucks County Commissioners Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Bob Harvie were at the event, along with members of the SEPTA board, including John Cordisco.

In Shapiro’s proposed budget, an additional $161 million is earmarked for SEPTA, which has faced ongoing issues related to safety, cleanliness, and service.

The overall budget proposal would increase the state share of public transit funding across the commonwealth by 1.75 percent, which is a $282.8 million increase, and nearly $1.5 billion in new state funding over five years.

“My budget includes an additional $161 million to help keep SEPTA clean and safe, and if it’s passed by the General Assembly, SEPTA will be able fund 40 more police offices, 30 more safety personnel, and 100 more cleaners without cutting service or raising fares. This is a commonsense investment that will help provide real freedom and opportunity for more than 700,000 Pennsylvanians who use SEPTA every day,” Shapiro said.

Carroll emphasized the importance of public transit, noting that over half of Pennsylvania’s transit users have no alternative means of transportation.

“Our 32 transit agencies across the Commonwealth, including SEPTA, provide millions of trips every year for Pennsylvanians – and the governor’s budget would invest in the success of all of them,” Carroll said.

Officials said public transit is key in Southeastern Pennsylvania, with more than 700,000 residents relying on SEPTA daily across Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester counties. Richards noted that new numbers have shown that ridership is increasing after the pandemic.

“For SEPTA, this funding will ensure that SEPTA can provide the reliable service that hundreds of thousands of customers rely on every day. It will also allow us to hire dozens of new police officers and bolster efforts to ensure we are providing a safe, secure and clean system for our riders and workforce,” Richards said.

Farry told reporters he used the Langhorne Regional Rail Station to get to the city when attending the University of Pennsylvania.

“I appreciate the opportunity of having Gov. Shapiro in our district to discuss the important issue of transit funding,” said Farry. “Transit plays an important role in the Sixth Senatorial District for our citizens, students, and workforce. I look forward to continuing the discussion on adequate funding for our transit agencies.”

Hogan focused on the need for investment ahead of upcoming major events in Philadelphia.

“With headline events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America250, and the 2026 MLB All-Star game coming to Philadelphia, this investment is necessary to make sure SEPTA is prepared for the crowds that will come with them,” Hogan said.

In April, SEPTA proposed a $2.6 billion total budget for Fiscal Year 2025, doubling funding for safety, cleanliness, and security initiatives, including $72 million to hire 40 more police officers, 30 more safety professionals, and 100 more cleaners.

Shapiro’s budget calls for increased contributions from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties to support the regional public transit system.

In its 2024 budget, Bucks County government will pay SEPTA $5.3 million, a 7.9 percent increase over 2023. The budget also includes $1.9 million in pass-through funding for non-SEPTA public transit in the county.

A spokesperson for the Bucks County Commissioners said Thursday that the county hasn’t received a formal request from SEPTA for the upcoming budget year.

Lawson, the chief of the SEPTA Transit Police Department, expressed appreciation for the proposed funding increase to his department.

“We feel incredibly supported by the elected officials behind me and here today, and that effort is led by Gov. Shapiro. Governor, I want to thank you – you are a tremendous supporter of law enforcement. Your advocacy is known far and wide, it means so much to the things that we are trying to do. I want to thank you for your leadership in the way of safety and security in this city and this state,” the chief said.

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