The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority recently announced that its planned improvements to its plastic ID cards-based system will have to wait again as 25 percent of its budget from the state will be slashed.
The city also expects a 5 to 6 percent price increase due to the lost funding to be put into place on July 1. The SEPTA last raised fares in 2007, before that it had not increased prices since 2001.
"When you look at what we’re already committed to … [the capital budget] leaves virtually nothing to start new projects," SEPTA general manager Joe Casey said, according to the Philadelphia Metro. "It leaves nothing for this year or for four years."
The price increase will vary depending on the type of pass purchased. Singles-ride fares and day passes will not rise as high as weekly and monthly passes. Riders are unhappy because they believe the agency is targeting passengers who use the train everyday.
Florida’s Miami-Dade County Transit recently announced that the smartcard system it implemented in October of 2009 has increased ridership and improved the overall experience for passengers. The system is highly advanced, and the company has used data to keep information on travel trends to make customer experiences better. 
