Shapiro emphasizes need for public transit investment

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll joined transit leaders, local officials, and bus operators at Rabbittransit in Dauphin County to highlight the importance of investing in mass transit to connect communities across the Commonwealth, create jobs, and grow Pennsylvania’s economy.

The visit comes as the governor continues to advocate for his 2025-26 budget proposal, which includes $292 million in new mass transit funding next year, growing to $1.5 billion over the next five years. It marks the first significant increase in state support for mass transit in more than a decade, benefiting 52 transit systems that serve nearly one million riders each day in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the Commonwealth.

“Just like we repair and maintain the bridges in rural and suburban communities, we owe it to the Pennsylvanians who take mass transit to be there for them and their families too,” Shapiro said. “Mass transit drives $5.4 billion in economic activity every year in Pennsylvania, and it enables businesses to affordably get their employees to offices and job site - it’s well worth the investment in our budget. For two years in a row, I’ve proposed the first major new investment in mass transit in more than a decade - the House has passed that proposal three times and it’s now up to the Senate to act.”