The future of public transit in the Lehigh Valley remains uncertain as the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) explores funding options. This comes in the wake of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) securing funds to maintain its services amid ongoing budget negotiations in the state legislature.
Last week, SEPTA and Pittsburgh Rapid Transit received approval from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to redirect funds originally designated for capital projects towards operating expenses. This move was deemed necessary to preserve current services, as both agencies grapple with the lack of a state budget that includes adequate transit funding.
LANTA’s Executive Director, Owen O’Neil, stated on Monday that the agency has yet to submit a similar request for funding. “We have reached out to PennDOT to discuss what options are available to LANTA,” O’Neil told The Morning Call. “In the meantime, we are continuing to prepare for all scenarios, which include a significant service reduction in January without any new funding.”
As part of its preliminary budget for the fiscal year 2026, slated to begin on July 1, 2025, LANTA proposed a 20% reduction in services, along with a 25% fare increase for both fixed routes and shared ride services for seniors. This budget also reveals an unfunded deficit of approximately $8 million for the bus system and an additional $3 million for shared ride services.
Potential cuts could severely impact service availability, including halving operations after 19:00 daily, reducing Saturday service by half, and slashing Sunday service by 75%. Service to northern areas of the Valley, such as the Slate Belt, Walnutport, and Slatington, might also face elimination. These cuts would take effect in January 2025.
LANTA’s projected operating costs for the 2026 fiscal year stand at $66.8 million, reflecting a $2.8 million increase from 2025. This budget heavily relies on government subsidies, including $9.5 million from federal sources, $36.8 million from the state, and $1.4 million from local governments. The agency anticipates generating over $3.5 million from individual fares, and approximately 4 million passengers utilize LANTA services annually. Additional revenue sources include advertising on buses.
The urgency of finding alternative funding has intensified as negotiations continue between the Democratic-led House of Representatives, the Republican-led Senate, and Governor Shapiro regarding the 2025-26 budget. These discussions have extended beyond the initial deadline of June 30, 2025.
Governor Shapiro recently directed state Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll to authorize SEPTA’s request to utilize $394 million in capital assistance funds to prevent service cuts and restore previously suspended services. “This is not the long-term funding solution we need to address our $213 million budget deficit,” stated SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “But over the last two weeks, we have seen the devastating effects of the service cuts on our customers. Our riders deserve better, and they deserve stability.”
As LANTA continues to monitor the situation, the agency’s commitment to exploring all available funding options remains crucial for the future of transit services in the Lehigh Valley.