100+ Transit Riders, Workers, and Politicians Call for Transit Funding Solution at Harrisburg Day of Action
On June 3rd, Transit Forward Philly coalition members packed a Keystone line train and headed to Harrisburg to fight for the transit that Philly and all PA communities deserve.
We joined 100+ transit riders, transit workers, and neighbors from rural, small-town, and urban communities joined together with legislators to call for a solution to the shared-ride and paratransit funding crisis.
Across all 67 counties, millions of older adults and people with disabilities rely on this door-to-door service to reach jobs, medical appointments, groceries, and the community. This form of public transportation is particularly vital in rural and aging communities, where alternative mobility options, including fixed route transit, are limited or nonexistent.
Uma McGuire, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s Communications and Community Engagement Manager shared, " I came to Harrisburg this beyond a desire for a better SEPTA commute for myself. I want to see system-wide and statewide improvements for all public transit riders. We should all have freedom of movement and access to an enriched life. Our communities are much less vibrant when we don't all have access to participate in them.”
Attendees called on legislators to fix the shared-ride and paratransit funding crisis in this year’s budget, so that next year we can get to work on the long-anticipated comprehensive transportation funding solution that is needed to move all PA communities forward.
At a rally with transit riders, workers, and elected officials from across the state, Liberty Resources Senior Independent Living Specialist, Latoya Maddox spoke on behalf of Philly transit riders facing increasing fares, inaccessible stations due to a depleted capital budget, and uncertainty around the future of funding for SEPTA as well as the urgent need for our legislators to take action.
After the rally, advocates fanned out throughout the capitol to meet with legislators and share their experiences riding transit in Philly.
Julie Rea, a Transit Forward Philly Fellow organizing in Kensington shared, “members of our group with mobility impairments and limited vision provided compelling examples demonstrating the essential nature of shared ride/paratransit and how the lack of funding of such services isolates disabled people in urban and rural communities.”
Yejide Fagoroye, an intern with Transit Forward Philadelphia and Temple University student, reflected that her group connected about their experiences with public transit and the importance of advocating for adequate paratransit funding.
Daniel deCastro, a first time attendee of a transit advocacy day noted, “I'm so happy that I came. I have never done any real campaigning or meeting with my Representative before. I got to meet a lot of very interesting people that know a lot about transit, and I'm happy that I get to be a part of something positive."
Transit Forward Philadelphia, Coalition Manager, Stephen Bronskill shared, “Transit riders in Philly know what it’s like to lose service like we did in summer 2025. We don’t want to see cuts come back next year for us or for any transit system in PA. Transit cuts in a community anywhere hurt the freedom of mobility everywhere. We’re going to keep advocating alongside our fellow transit riders from Philly to Pittsburgh, the Leigh Valley to Lancaster and everywhere in between."
We’re back in Philly now and ready to keep working on campaigns to make transit more affordable, accessible, and reliable in Philly. Working together with partners across the state, we’re getting there.
For background on small metro and rural transit funding crisis & the Transit for All PA! Demand, please visit:
- Transit for All PA! Harrisburg Day of Action Event Page
- Transit for All PA! Advocacy Letter Campaign & Organizational Sign-on Letter
- Transit for All PA! 1-pager on Paratransit/Shared Ride Funding Crisis
- PA Public Transit Association’s 1-pager on Paratransit/Shared Ride Crisis
