School District and SEPTA Meet to Discuss Transportation Options

The School District of Philadelphia met with SEPTA Friday morning regarding proposed cuts to transportation services the district currently funds. According to a press release, both parties called the meeting "very productive."

TransPasses are used by 46,000 students throughout the city in both public and non-public schools in order to get to and from school on SEPTA. They cost the district $26 million per year.

They're on the table to be cut, though, as is school bus transportation. Those moves would save the district $50 million next school year.

The district eventually gets reimbursed a substantial amount of that cost by the state. The problem, however, is that the reimbursement doesn't come until 12 to 24 months after the district pays for transportation.

So the district's meeting with SEPTA was set to find a way to reduce the time between when it pays the agency for things like TransPasses and when it gets reimbursed from the state. 

"The district looks forward to working with SEPTA to find a way to maintain vital transportation services for the students and parents of Philadelphia despite the massive budget problem currently confronting the school district," the news release said before the meeting.

Councilwoman for the 8th District Donna Reed Miller said that transportation for students is of particular concern to her.

After the meeting, SEPTA and the school district released a joint statement, announcing that further meetings will take place next week.

"Both parties declared the meeting very productive and are optimistic that finance options proposed by SEPTA offer a solution to resolve cash flow issues and save the current student Transpass system," the statement said.