SEPTA's board approves 'doomsday' budget that drastically slashes service | What happens next

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The drastic cuts that SEPTA has been warning about for months are now official.

SEPTA officials voted unanimously to pass 45% service cuts and a huge jump in fare prices to help cover a $213 million budget shortfall.

"This is a real doomsday scenario," Andrew Busch, a SEPTA spokesperson, told Action News before the vote was made.

MORE | 'A disaster for us': Philadelphia business owner fears fallout from proposed SEPTA cuts

Riders will start seeing changes on August 24, when 20% of services will be cut. That includes eliminating 32 bus routes and ending all special services like the express trains after games.

The next big change will happen in September, with a 21.5% fare increase. The base fare goes up to 2.90.

Then, on January 1, riders will see another round of huge cuts: 5 Regional Rail routes eliminated, 18 more bus routes slashed, and a 9 p.m. curfew on all remaining services.

SEPTA is hoping it can still avoid the cuts with money from Harrisburg.

"This is a vote that none of us wanted to take. It does not have to happen if an agreement is met in Harrisburg," said SEPTA Chairman Kenneth Lawrence.

SEE ALSO | 'Transit for All PA' lobbies state lawmakers for more SEPTA funding

The House passed a budget bill last week that invests nearly $300 million into transit, but it still needs to pass in the Senate.

"I certainly feel better today than maybe I felt 2-3 months ago. I don't know what a solution looks like yet, because I don't think anyone else does either," said SEPTA GM Scott Sauer.

STATEMENT: Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman released this statement on the House budget bill:

"Our state is currently facing a $3 billion structural deficit which must be addressed in order to protect Pennsylvania families and taxpayers from future tax increases. Transit systems play an important role in our statewide economy, and their services are vital to many who live and work in certain regions of our commonwealth. However, with the state already investing billions of dollars in mass transit annually, asking for nearly $300 million more this year for transit is difficult to reconcile. As discussions surrounding the state budget continue to progress, a key component of the transit discussion is also addressing the transportation infrastructure needs for roads and bridges throughout Pennsylvania."

Stay with Action News as we continue to follow this developing story.