Gov. Josh Shapiro made a stop in Lancaster on Wednesday to push his plan to pass his budget proposal that calls for nearly $283 million to be allocated for public transit.

Speaking at the Red Rose Transit Authority building, Shapiro, along with PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, South Central Transit Authority Executive Director Greg Downing and Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), Shapiro stressed the need to improve public transit for seniors and Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.

“Nearly a million Pennsylvanians reply on public transit every single day here in Lancaster and tens of thousands turn to Red Rose to help them get where they need to go,” said Shapiro. “And our seniors use shared ride services 2.6 million times every year. Shared ride services are not just limited to folks in two counties – Philly or Pittsburgh. They are enjoyed by people in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

“Public transit provides freedom and opportunity for its riders,” he continued. “But let’s be clear, public transit benefits every single Pennsylvanian whether you ride a bus or not. Major employers count on trains and buses and trolleys to get their employees to and from the office. This is a selling point for our Commonwealth to be more competitive. And so it public transit and investing in it.”

As an example, under the proposal the South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) – which operates Red Rose Transit Authority in Lancaster and the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority – would receive $5.6 million to serve tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians annually across Berks and Lancaster counties. SCTA plans to use this budget funding for service enhancements, including building a maintenance facility for their shared ride service operations.

“We have a historic opportunity to connect our communities, spur economic development, and create opportunity for those here today,” said Carroll. “This public transit investment will provide reliable transit that can meet current and future needs of our citizens. At PennDOT, we understand the transit isn’t just roads and bridges. It’s also public transit that connects people to opportunity, medical appointments, and the communities while reducing congestion and pollution.”

“The funding proposal could add even more services for our disadvantaged populations, improving service for a fixed route and for a shared-ride paratransit service,” said Downing. “We’re thankful for the support of Governor Shapiro to invest in public transit across Pennsylvania.”

Approximately $37 million of the Governor’s proposed $282.8 million investment would help stabilize shared-ride (scheduled, curb-to-curb) service and help attract and retain drivers. Shared-ride service is available in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties and provided 4.5 million trips in the state 2022-23 fiscal year. Of those trips, 2.6 million were taken by seniors and persons with disabilities through funding from PennDOT’s shared-ride programs. Of the 2.6 million PennDOT-funded trips, approximately 44 percent were medical trips and 11 percent were work trips.

“I commend Governor Shapiro for recognizing the importance of public transit to communities in all 67 counties, including urban, rural, and suburban,” said Sturla. “I strongly support his proposed increase in state funding for public transit because it will help grow our economy while ensuring safe travel.”

When asked how smaller counties in the central region such as Huntingdon County would benefit from the proposal, Carroll mentioned the funding formula that would allow counties with smaller populations to “continue with the shared ride program that they have with the enhanced additional funds that the governor is offering.”

Shapiro stressed the importance of those enhanced resources for all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

“Even if you are not a rider of mass transit, even if you’re not hopping on a bus or get on a train or trolley, the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania benefits by virtue of investing in a strong mass transit system,” he said. “It makes us more competitive. It gives us more opportunity. It attracts employers, it’s better for our planet. It creates jobs. These are important jobs, particularly good union jobs that benefit from investing in mass transit.”

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) would receive the largest allocation at over $161 million, while the Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority would receive just north of $39 million as the two largest transit authorities in the Commonwealth.

“The time has come for us to invest and invest big time in mass transit,” said the governor. “Under my plan, the 32 transit systems across Pennsylvania will receive $1.5 billion in new funding over the next five years. That means $5.6 million dollars specifically for the south central transit authority, which operates Red Rose Transit right here in Lancaster, and an additional $37 million to support shared ride services all across our Commonwealth benefiting all corners of Pennsylvania.”

Sturla added that the proposal is more than just the amount of dollars allocated to the larger transit authorities.

“The more rural the county, the more rural the system, the higher the cost per rider,” he said. “Because when you think about it, somebody’s got to go 30 or 40 miles and you’re taking somebody to a doctor’s appointment. It’s one person on the bus. When you get to Philly, a person is going to the doctor’s appointment is sitting on the bus with 30 other people who are going to doctor’s appointments along the way. And so we always look at that, well, what’s the total number? Look at the total cost per rider, the ones that benefit the most are some of the more rural areas in terms of getting people to where they need to go.”