Shapiro Pledges Transit Funding After Election Win

Pennsylvania's governor says transit funding is a top priority for his new term after Democrats won both chambers of the legislature.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Transportation

Shapiro Pledges Transit Funding After Election Win

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Should Pennsylvania increase state funding for public transit in your area?

Governor Josh Shapiro said Pennsylvania will fund mass transit at a news conference the day after he won reelection in November 2026. Transit funding was left out of the 2026 state budget after Act 89's dedicated funding expired in 2023.

Why it matters

Transit agencies across the state have been cutting service and raising fares in the absence of dedicated state money. Democrats now control both legislative chambers, which could make a funding package more achievable than it was during the 2025 budget fight.

LANTA reduced routes by 7% and raised single-ride fares by 50 cents over the last year, while about 4 million annual rides use its fixed bus routes. The total universe is more than 5.6 million annual public transit rides in the Lehigh Valley, and the size of any state funding package remains unspecified.

The players

Josh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro is the governor of Pennsylvania, who won reelection in November 2026 and pledged transit funding as a top priority.

Transit For All PA!

Transit For All PA! is an advocacy group pushing a legislative package for dedicated state transit funding across the state.

LANTA

LANTA is the public transit agency serving the Lehigh Valley, which has cut routes and raised fares in recent years.

The details

Shapiro made the pledge at a news conference the day after the November 2026 election, in which Democrats also won both houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Transit For All PA! is backing a legislative package with more than 40 co-sponsors in the House and Senate, though the source does not detail its contents or timeline.

Over the last year: LANTA cut routes and raised fares.
2023: Act 89's transit funding expired.
2025: Transit funding became contentious during the state budget debate.
November 4, 2026: Election results and Shapiro's transit funding pledge.

Roadmap

The expiration of Act 89 in 2023 left Pennsylvania transit agencies without the dedicated state funding it had provided. Shapiro's pledge marks an attempt to restore that funding after transit was omitted from the 2026 budget.

A possible fare increase for the Shared Ride of Seniors program is on the table for January, according to the source. Riders who depend on LANTA's fixed routes should expect continued service and fare uncertainty until a state funding decision is made.

The takeaway

Dedicated state transit funding has become a central question in Pennsylvania's new legislative term. Riders and local officials should watch for a funding bill as Democrats now hold both chambers.