SEPTA likely to miss rail car inspection deadline
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With eight days until a deadline set by the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) for SEPTA to inspect hundreds of Regional Rail cars, the agency is nowhere near done.
"It's going to be very challenging," said Andrew Busch, a spokesperson for SEPTA.
The FRA gave SEPTA 30 days to inspect all 223 Silverliner IV railcars after a series of fires earlier this year. So far, just 82 inspections have been completed.
READ MORE | Public, City Council confront SEPTA over Silverliner IV safety inspections
"Reality is that we probably have too many railcars left to finish by next Friday," Busch said.
It's unclear what would happen if SEPTA misses the deadline. Officials are discussing their options and may file for an extension.
While the emergency inspections take place, the Regional Rail is running at about half the normal capacity, and that may be impacting the roads.
SEE ALSO | NTSB issues urgent safety warning to SEPTA over fire risks involving Silverliner IV railcars
"I've noticed that traffic is way more congested, there's a lot more traffic on the road now," said Star Charleston, who lives in North Philadelphia.
That could be a direct result of Regional Rail running at reduced capacity. More people are opting to drive or use a rideshare to get to their destination.
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However, some riders tell us that things are starting to improve as more cars are put back into service.
"I'm just glad to see things are getting back to normal. Last week, it was a bit hectic, a lot of delays," said Kyle Henry, who rides the Regional Rail lines.
SEPTA is looking to lease or buy railcars from other agencies. Officials say it could take months for service to go back to normal.
On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned the department could force SEPTA to stop using a fleet of railcars due to fire risks. In a letter to Governor Josh Shapiro, Duffy also raised concerns about the transit agency's finances.
"The gross mismanagement and neglect of Pennsylvania's rail and bus systems is alarming," said Duffy. "As the head of the state, I'm calling on Josh Shapiro to oversee the safety of riders and transit workers. It's time to get SEPTA's fiscal house in order."
Late Thursday night, Shapiro's spokesperson issued this statement following Duffy's remarks:
"Governor Shapiro has been fighting for additional recurring revenue to support SEPTA for the last two years - and as part of last year's budget, he secured $46 million in new funding for SEPTA. His budget proposal this year once again included $167 million for SEPTA but Senate Republicans in Harrisburg have refused to support nearly 800,000 Pennsylvanians who rely on the system every day and continue to hold up our state budget. Instead of issuing a press release, if Secretary Duffy actually wants to be helpful, he should call his fellow Republicans and get them to fund the Governor's mass transit funding package for SEPTA. We would be happy to provide their phone numbers."
