Due to an ongoing impasse of the Pennsylvania state budget, Southeastern Pennsylvania's mass transit agency SEPTA faces a budget deficit of $213 million in FY2026, which, if not closed with new state funding, will force a two-round reduction and elimination of service across the region of up to 45% over the next year. The first round of service cuts are due to go into effect on August 24, 2025. (https://wwww.septa.org/fundingcrisis/)

If any bus routes are eliminated or shortened due to a funding shortfall on this date, or any service reductions occur on bus or rail service, this question resolves to Yes. This includes any scenarios where SEPTA is not able to fully close their budget deficit without making service cuts. Any scenarios in which SEPTA is able to close any remaining deficits with fare increases and avoid making service cuts resolves this question to No.

The question will resolve on the earlier of these two dates:

1 - If/when SEPTA's board passes a revised budget that fully maintains service levels for FY2026 (resolves to No)
2 - If/when SEPTA either publicly commits irreversibly to making any amount of service cuts, or implements those cuts on August 24 (resolves to Yes)